Cave Creek Unified District (4244)

33016 N 60th St
Scottsdale, AZ 85266-5245
(District boundaries shown in map)
: 
9/
10
Top 20%

Top Rankings

Cave Creek Unified District (4244) ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Arizona for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 20%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 20%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026-27 school year, there are 7 public elementary schools serving 2,459 students in Cave Creek Unified District (4244). This district's average elementary testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public elementary schools in Arizona.
Public Elementary Schools in Cave Creek Unified District (4244) have an average math proficiency score of 58% (versus the Arizona public elementary school average of 35%), and reading proficiency score of 61% (versus the 40% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 23% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Arizona public elementary school average of 67% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (AZ)
# Schools
8 Schools
1,639 Schools
# Students
3,821 Students
752,250 Students
# Teachers
215 Teachers
43,921 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
18:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Cave Creek Unified District (4244), which is ranked within the top 20% of all 599 school districts in Arizona (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 93% has decreased from 94% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (AZ)
#77 out of 618 school districts
(Top 20%)

Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓

58%
34%

Showing 2013–2023. Full 14-year historical data available below ↓

62%
40%

Showing 2012–2022. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

40%
24%
93%
77.8%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 13-year historical data available below ↓

(2022-23)
25%
41.2%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.37
0.66

Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓

% American Indian
n/a
5%
% Asian
2%
3%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 35-year historical data available below ↓

% Hispanic
14%
48%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓

% Black
1%
6%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 24-year historical data available below ↓

% White
78%
33%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 36-year historical data available below ↓

% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
5%

Showing 2014–2023. Full 11-year historical data available below ↓

All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $15,591 is higher than the state median of $14,457. The school district revenue/student has grown by 42% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $13,439 is less than the state median of $13,869. The school district spending/student has grown by 40% over four school years.
This School District
This State (AZ)
Total Revenue
$60 MM
$16,030 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending
$51 MM
$15,378 MM

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Revenue / Student
$15,591
$14,457

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Spending / Student
$13,439
$13,869

Showing 2014–2023. Full 34-year historical data available below ↓

Best Cave Creek Unified District (4244) Public Elementary Schools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Horseshoe Trails Elementary School
(Math: 70% | Reading: 69%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
5405 E. Pinnacle Vista Drive
Cave Creek, AZ 85327
(480) 272-8500
Gr: PK-6 | 424 students Student-teacher ratio: 18:1 Minority enrollment: 20%
Rank: #22.
Lone Mountain Elementary School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
5250 E. Montgomery Rd.
Cave Creek, AZ 85327
(480) 437-3000
Gr: PK-6 | 376 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 19%
Rank: #33.
Black Mountain Elementary School
(Math: 67% | Reading: 60%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
33606 N 60th St
Cave Creek, AZ 85327
(480) 575-2100
Gr: PK-6 | 496 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 23%
Rank: #44.
Desert Willow Elementary School
(Math: 58% | Reading: 66%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 10%
4322 E Desert Willow Parkway
Cave Creek, AZ 85327
(480) 575-2800
Gr: PK-6 | 338 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 30%
Rank: #55.
Sonoran Trails Middle School
(Math: 50% | Reading: 56%)
Rank:
9/
10
Top 20%
5555 East Pinnacle Vista Drive
Cave Creek, AZ 85327
(480) 272-8600
Gr: 6-8 | 615 students Student-teacher ratio: 19:1 Minority enrollment: 21%
Rank: #66.
Desert Sun Academy
(Math: 45-49% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
27880 N. 64th Street
Cave Creek, AZ 85327
(480) 575-2900
Gr: PK-6 | 191 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 27%
Rank: #77.
Cave Creek Academy Of Excellence
(Math: <50% | Reading: 40-59%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
33016 N 60th St
Cave Creek, AZ 85327
(480) 575-2042
Gr: K-12 | 19 students Minority enrollment: 32%

Recent Articles

How Much Choice Do High School Students Have?
How Much Choice Do High School Students Have?
Learn how graduation requirements, prerequisites, electives, staffing, scheduling conflicts, AP courses, dual enrollment, and career pathways determine how much control high school students have over schedules each year.
Does Your Child Need More Recess?
Does Your Child Need More Recess?
Explore whether your child may benefit more from recess than another academic period, including research on attention, learning, physical activity, stress, social development, and school-day balance today.
Combined Grade Classrooms, What Parents Should Know
Combined Grade Classrooms, What Parents Should Know
Learn how combined-grade classrooms work, why public schools use them, potential benefits and challenges, and the questions parents should ask before enrolling their child in one today.

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • District size: 8 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 3,821 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 18:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 22%
  • : 93% (Top 5% in AZ)
  • : Top 20%
  • : 58% (Top 20%)
  • : 62% (Top 20%)
  • : 40% (Top 30%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), AZ Dept. of Education

Quick Links