Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 26 schools in district

Willow Canyon High School

17901 W LUNDBERG ST, SURPRISE, AZ 85388Dysart Unified District (4243) →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 07–12Non-Charter
1,787
Students
Total enrolled
95%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 10% vs nat'l
$11,753
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 18% vs nat'l
23.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 52% vs nat'l
33/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 34% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,787 students in grades 07–12 in SURPRISE, Arizona.
18% below average funding
District spends $11,753 per pupil, 18% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 33th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Willow Canyon High School is a very large high in SURPRISE, Arizona, serving grades 07–12 with 1,787 students. The district invests $11,753 per student — 18% below the national average of $14,347, with a 23.4:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 32% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 33/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Willow Canyon High School

1,787
Total Students
23.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
32%
Free Lunch
76
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (07–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution902 male · 885 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility32%
National avg 52% · 570 students
Student Composition
49%
32%
8%
Asian3%
White49%
Hispanic / Latino32%
Black8%
Multiracial7%
Native American1%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 040269003126

Academic Outcomes at Willow Canyon High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
95
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
95%
State avg
70%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
33
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 33th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 6th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 85388

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,753Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,753
State avg
$16,564
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,172
Student Support$2,233
Administration$1,410
Operations$1,763
Other$1,175
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,753 spent per student, an estimated $5,207 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
44%
38%
State government
44.3%
Local (property tax)
38.2%
Federal programs
17.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 95% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $11,753/student, 18% less than the national average
  • 23.4:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (33/100) — 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
Marley Park ElementaryAsante Preparatory AcademySunset Hills ElementaryCanyon Ridge School
+13 more
↓
Middle
Sonoran Heights Middle SchoolDysart Middle SchoolCimarron Springs Middle SchoolAshton Ranch Middle School
↓
High School
Valley Vista High SchoolShadow Ridge High SchoolDysart High SchoolDysart iSchool
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades07 – 12
Location—
CountyMaricopa County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictDysart Unified District (4243) →
Phone: (623)523-8000
NCES ID: 040269003126
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in SURPRISE seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Dysart Unified District (4243)
High
Valley Vista High School
2,464 students · 07–12
● 55 opp44% FRL
High
Shadow Ridge High School
2,323 students · 07–12
● 33 opp21% FRL
High
Dysart High School
1,433 students · 07–12
● 41 opp58% FRL
Elem
Marley Park Elementary
1,084 students · PK–08
● 44 opp27% FRL
Elem
Asante Preparatory Academy
1,004 students · PK–08
33% FRL
Elem
Sunset Hills Elementary
969 students · PK–08
● 33 opp42% FRL
Elem
Canyon Ridge School
944 students · PK–08
● 33 opp33% FRL
Elem
Mountain View
943 students · PK–08
27% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
17901 W LUNDBERG ST, SURPRISE, AZ 85388
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.