Top Rankings
Payson Unified District (4209) ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Arizona for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 2 public middle schools serving 478 students in Payson Unified District (4209). This district's average middle testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in Arizona.
Public Middle Schools in Payson Unified District (4209) have an average math proficiency score of 19% (versus the Arizona public middle school average of 33%), and reading proficiency score of 37% (versus the 40% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 39% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Arizona public middle school average of 65% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (AZ)
# Schools
5 Schools
1,150 Schools
# Students
2,144 Students
599,918 Students
# Teachers
132 Teachers
33,128 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Payson Unified District (4209), which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 601 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 87% has increased from 72% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#288 out of 618 school districts
(Top 50%)
(Top 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
25%
34%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
36%
40%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
23%
24%
Graduation Rate
87%
77%
Chronically Absent Students
(2022-23)46.8%
41.2%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.52
0.66
% American Indian
3%
4%
% Asian
n/a
4%
% Hispanic
28%
46%
% Black
1%
6%
% White
64%
35%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $11,922 is higher than the state median of $11,558. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,241 is less than the state median of $11,459. The school district spending/student has grown by 15% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$26 MM
$12,837 MM
Spending
$24 MM
$12,727 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,922
$11,558
Spending / Student
$11,241
$11,459
Best Payson Unified District (4209) Public Middle Schools (2026)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Rim Country Middle School
(Math: 19% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
304 S Meadow St
Payson, AZ 85547
(928) 472-3062
Payson, AZ 85547
(928) 472-3062
Gr: 6-8 | 478 students Student-teacher ratio: 16:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #22.
Payson Center For Success - Online
(Math: 11-19% | Reading: 11-19% )
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
902 W Main St
Payson, AZ 85547
(928) 472-5891
Payson, AZ 85547
(928) 472-5891
Gr: 7-12
Recent Articles
Media Literacy as a Core Skill: How to Tell if a School Teaches It Well
Learn how to evaluate whether a public school teaches media literacy effectively, from fact-checking and source evaluation to digital citizenship and critical thinking.
Screen Time, Paper Learning, and the New Back-to-Basics Debate
Explore why some public schools are reducing screen time, bringing back paper learning, and rethinking the balance between technology and traditional instruction.
Student Data, AI Tools, and Privacy: Questions to Ask Your District
Learn how public schools use AI, protect student data, and the key privacy questions every parent should ask their school district in 2026.
