What Phoenix Elementary School District does

Phoenix Elementary School District #1 is a public K-8 school district headquartered at 1817 N. 7th St. in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, founded on May 5, 1871 as Arizona's first free public school district. The district serves more than 5,200 K-8 students and approximately 300 preschoolers across 12 schools spanning roughly 15 square miles (27th Avenue to 20th Street, Osborn Road to Salt River). Its student body is 78.7% Hispanic, 10.1% Black/African American, 5.8% White, with 18% English Language Learners representing 13 home languages, and 88% qualifying for free/reduced meals; 10 of 12 schools are Title I designated.

The district operates a portfolio of seven signature specialty programs anchored to individual school sites: Montessori at Shaw (free preschool through 8th grade), Dual Language Immersion at Lowell, Fine and Performing Arts at Herrera, Phoenix Zoo School at Edison, Garden-Based Learning at Garfield, Math and Science Academy at Magnet Traditional, and Health Careers Pathways at Bethune. Core technology is conventional educational infrastructure rather than proprietary IP: Edupoint PXP student information system, ParentVUE parent portal, BoardDocs for governance, LINQ Connect for meal menus, Microsoft licensing, and 10 Gbps connectivity across all sites; no public or partner API is offered. Early childhood education includes free Head Start (Bethune, Edison, Lowell), free full-day kindergarten district-wide, and tuition-based preschool ($500-$750/month) at Emerson, Kenilworth, Lowell, and Shaw Montessori.

The district is funded primarily through local property taxes (Primary Tax Rate $1.9100, Secondary Tax Rate $3.2910), state equalization, federal grants, and voter-approved bonds and overrides. Reported FY 2025 budgets total approximately $66.4 million ($57,367,875 Maintenance & Operations plus $9,060,106 Capital). The district holds an A+ bond rating and has received the GFOA Certificate of Excellence for 10 consecutive years and the ASBO International Certificate of Excellence for 11 consecutive years. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through neighborhood schools, open enrollment, community events (Kindergarten for a Day, Discovery Fair), and channel partnerships with YMCA, Boys & Girls Club of the Valley, Phoenix Zoo, DES Child Care Subsidy, First Things First, and the City of Phoenix Head Start Program. The 501(c)(3) Phoenix One Foundation supplements public funding through targeted fundraising for parent engagement, student technology access, and cultural enrichment.

Name

Phoenix Elementary School District

Legal name

Phoenix Elementary School District #1

Website

https://phxschools.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1871

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Phoenix Elementary School District #1 is a public K-8 school district in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, serving approximately 5,200 students and 300 preschoolers across 12 schools, with seven signature specialty programs including Montessori, Dual Language Immersion, and Zoo School.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-8 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (61), Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC), Preschool Programs within Childcare Centers (EDACABAL)

Keywords

• Public K-8 education
• Montessori education
• Preschool programs
• Specialty signature programs
• School district operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: Phoenix Elementary School District is a public school district funded primarily through local property taxes (Primary Tax Rate: $1.9100, Secondary Tax Rate: $3.2910), state funding, and federal grants. The district also receives voter-approved bond and override election funding for capital projects and operations. Maintenance & Operations Budget is $57,367,875 and Capital Budget is $9,060,106.
2. Tuition-Based Programs: The district charges tuition for full-day preschool programs at Emerson, Kenilworth, Lowell, and Shaw Montessori ($500-$750/month). Head Start programs are free for qualifying low-income families. Full-day kindergarten is provided free of charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Phoenix Elementary School District is a public K-8 school district operating 12 schools in downtown Phoenix, providing free traditional education plus signature specialty programs (Montessori, Dual Language Immersion, Fine Arts, Zoo School, Garden-Based Learning, Math/Science Academy, Health Careers). The district also runs tuition-based preschool programs and free full-day kindergarten, supported by free meals, transportation, before/after-school care, and supplemental services.

Product overview

Phoenix Elementary School District #1 is Arizona's first free public school district serving students since 1871. The district operates as a unified K-8 educational system with 12 schools serving approximately 5,200 students. The portfolio consists of core traditional education enhanced by seven signature specialty programs: Montessori (Shaw Montessori), Dual Language Immersion (Lowell), Fine and Performing Arts (Herrera), Phoenix Zoo School (Edison), Garden-Based Learning (Garfield), Math and Science Academy (Magnet Traditional), and Health Careers Pathways (Bethune). Early childhood education includes preschool programs (Head Start, tuition-based full-day, and developmental) and free full-day kindergarten. The district provides comprehensive support services including before/after-school care (via YMCA and Boys & Girls Club partnerships), athletics, food and nutrition, social-emotional support, special education, and technology integration. The district does not offer a public API for third-party integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Phoenix Zoo School at Edison: A partnership program using zoo habitats and ecosystems to teach reading, writing, science, and math
• Dual Language Immersion at Lowell
• Fine and Performing Arts at Herrera
• Montessori at Shaw
• Math and Science Academy at Magnet Traditional
• Garden-Based Learning at Garfield
• Health Careers Pathways at Bethune

Products and services

• Traditional K-8 Education

Quantifiable outcome

• 86.8% graduation rate for students attending Phoenix Union High School District (vs. 76% state rate)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Phoenix One FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhoenix One Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting students and families beyond the classroom. The foundation supports three strategic initiatives: Parent Education & Engagement, Technology in the Hands of Every Student at Home & School, and Cultural Enrichment. The foundation ensures family socioeconomic factors do not limit any child's educational success.
• Fiesta Sports FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFiesta Sports Foundation, presented by BHHS Legacy Foundation, donated 14 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to Phoenix Elementary School District #1 campuses through the Foundation's AED Assistance Program.
• YMCA of Maricopa CountycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYMCA provides before and after-school care programs at multiple Phoenix #1 schools (Bethune, Capitol, Kenilworth, Magnet Traditional, Shaw Montessori, Whittier). YMCA accepts DES Child Care Assistance and offers internal scholarships. Y Academy at Monterey Park partnership provides extended childcare for preschool students.
• Boys & Girls Club of the ValleycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoys & Girls Club of the Valley provides after-school care at multiple Phoenix #1 schools (Edison, Emerson, Garfield, Herrera, Lowell, Whittier) with scholarship options available. Garfield students receive special $30 total fee for the entire school year.
• DES (Department of Economic Security)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDES Child Care Subsidy is accepted at Phoenix #1 preschool programs (Emerson, Kenilworth, Lowell, Shaw Montessori). Families can apply for DES child care assistance to help cover preschool tuition costs.
• First Things FirstcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst Things First funds Quality First Scholarships to increase access to high-quality early childhood education for Arizona families. Phoenix #1 preschool programs at Emerson, Kenilworth, and Shaw participate in this scholarship program.
• Phoenix ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdison School partners with the Phoenix Zoo as the District's Zoo School. The program uses zoo habitats and ecosystems to bring reading, writing, science, and math to life through field experiences at the zoo and hands-on learning at school with zoo staff.
• City of Phoenix Head Start ProgramcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPhoenix #1 offers Head Start programs at Bethune, Edison, and Lowell schools in partnership with the City of Phoenix Head Start Program, serving qualifying low-income families with school readiness support.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Phoenix Union High School District: The downstream high school district that Phoenix Elementary feeds into; shares geography (downtown Phoenix), governance model (elected board, public funding), and serves the same demographic population for grades 9-12.
• Tempe Elementary School District: Nearby Arizona K-8 public elementary district serving a similar urban-suburban population with comparable governance, funding model, and signature program offerings.
• Washington Elementary School District: Adjacent Phoenix-area K-8 district serving similar Title 1, high-ELL populations with parallel funding model and signature thematic programs.
• Roosevelt Elementary School District: South Phoenix K-8 district serving overlapping Title 1 demographic with similar programs, scale, and dependence on state and federal funding.
• Madison Elementary School District (Alhambra Elementary): West Phoenix-area K-8 district with comparable student demographics, Title 1 prevalence, and similar preschool/Montessori-style programmatic offerings.
• Glendale Elementary School District: Arizona K-8 district with parallel public funding model, Title 1 concentration, and similar thematic programming for urban populations.

Regional players

• Scottsdale Unified School District: K-12 district serving a higher-income Phoenix metro community with signature programs; comparable governance and structure but materially different demographic and funding profile.
• Chandler Unified School District: Large East Valley K-12 district with signature academy programs including health sciences, dual language, and Montessori; comparable programmatic portfolio but different geography and demographics.
• Paradise Valley Unified School District: North Phoenix metro K-12 district with similar signature thematic programs and governance structure, though serving a different demographic mix.

Broad incumbents

• Mesa Unified School District: One of Arizona's largest K-12 districts with extensive signature programs (Montessori, dual language, etc.); overlaps on product offerings but at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/PhoenixElementarySchoolDistrict1
• Facebookfacebook.com/phxschools
• Instagraminstagram.com/phxschools/#
• Xx.com/phxschools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Phoenix Elementary School District