Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 44 schools in district

Willie & Coy Payne Jr. High

7655 S HIGLEY RD, QUEEN CREEK, AZ 85142Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 07–08Non-Charter
1,143
Students
Total enrolled
$11,696
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 18% vs nat'l
20.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 33% vs nat'l
36/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 28% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,143 students in grades 07–08 in QUEEN CREEK, Arizona.
18% below average funding
District spends $11,696 per pupil, 18% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 36th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Willie & Coy Payne Jr. High is a very large middle in QUEEN CREEK, Arizona, serving grades 07–08 with 1,143 students. The district invests $11,696 per student — 18% below the national average of $14,347, with a 20.5:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 11% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 36/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Willie & Coy Payne Jr. High

1,143
Total Students
20.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
11%
Free Lunch
56
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (07–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution611 male · 532 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility11%
National avg 52% · 125 students
Student Composition
67%
19%
Asian4%
White67%
Hispanic / Latino19%
Black4%
Multiracial5%
Native American2%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 040187002478

Academic Outcomes at Willie & Coy Payne Jr. High

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
36
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 36th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 13th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 85142

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,696Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,696
State avg
$16,564
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,146
Student Support$2,222
Administration$1,404
Operations$1,754
Other$1,170
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,696 spent per student, an estimated $5,181 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
44%
43%
State government
44.2%
Local (property tax)
42.7%
Federal programs
13.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 11% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $11,696/student, 18% less than the national average
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (36/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Charlotte Patterson ElementaryRiggs ElementaryChandler Traditional Academy - IndependenceRobert and Danell Tarwater Elementary
+15 more
↓
Middle
Santan Junior High SchoolBogle Junior High SchoolWillis Junior High SchoolArizona College Prep Middle School
+1 more
↓
High School
Hamilton High SchoolChandler High SchoolDr. Camille Casteel High SchoolPerry High School
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades07 – 08
Location—
CountyMaricopa County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictChandler Unified District #80 (4242) →
Phone: (480)224-2400
NCES ID: 040187002478
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in QUEEN CREEK seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Chandler Unified District #80 (4242)
High
Hamilton High School
3,850 students · 08–12
● 24 opp18% FRL
High
Chandler High School
3,597 students · 08–12
● 44 opp46% FRL
High
Dr. Camille Casteel High School
3,140 students · 07–12
● 36 opp12% FRL
High
Perry High School
2,822 students · 08–12
12% FRL
High
Basha High School
2,814 students · 06–12
● 50 opp11% FRL
High
Arizona College Prep High School
1,775 students · 07–12
● 50 opp7% FRL
Mid
Santan Junior High School
1,234 students · 07–08
● 50 opp13% FRL
Mid
Bogle Junior High School
1,151 students · 07–08
● 24 opp26% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
7655 S HIGLEY RD, QUEEN CREEK, AZ 85142
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.