Tolleson Elementary School District

What Tolleson Elementary School District does

Tolleson Elementary School District #17 is a public K-8 school district located in Tolleson, Arizona, operating four schools that serve approximately 3,500 students. The district provides free full-day kindergarten, free meals under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), free uniforms, and a broad programming slate including STEM, mariachi, athletics, and the JAG (Jobs for Arizona's Graduates) career-readiness track. It is governed by an elected board and administered by the superintendent's office, which is currently led by Gisselle Herrera following the transition from Lupita Hightower.

The district is funded through a combination of state aid, property taxes, and voter-approved budget overrides. In November 2024, voters approved a Maintenance and Operations Override of $2,910,044 and a District Additional Assistance Override of $1,750,000, together adding roughly $4.66M in recurring annual funding above the state base formula. Its technology footprint centers on standard K-8 edtech platforms (Illuminate, Fastbridge, HMH, StudentVUE) for assessment, instruction, and parent communication, supported by a district-wide 1:1 student device program a few years old.

Operationally, the district runs a Welcome Center that facilitates open enrollment without boundary limits (approximately 25% of students reside outside traditional attendance areas), a 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) after-school program, and wraparound services including an on-campus Banner Children's Community Clinic. The district's brand is anchored by a "Kids at Hope" cultural framework and has produced externally recognized outputs including the Los Tigres de Tolleson performance at the White House and an Arizona Teacher of the Year in 2024.

Name

Tolleson Elementary School District

Legal name

Tolleson Elementary School District #17

Website

https://www.tollesonschools.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Tolleson Elementary School District #17 is a public K-8 district in Tolleson, Arizona, operating four schools serving approximately 3,500 students with free full-day kindergarten, wraparound services, and a 1:1 device program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

Keywords

• K-8 public education
• Elementary school district
• Free school meals
• Student support services
• Public school programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tolleson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: Standard Arizona public school district funded through state aid, property taxes, and voter-approved budget overrides. District receives base funding plus additional revenue from Maintenance & Operations override (15% of revenue control limit) and District Additional Assistance override.
2. Tax Credit Donations: Arizona Public School Tax Credit program allowing individuals to donate up to $200 (individual) or $400 (married filing jointly) for extracurricular and character-building programs, claimed as dollar-for-dollar state tax credit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tolleson Elementary School District #17 is a public K-8 school district operating four elementary schools (Arizona Desert, Desert Oasis, Porfirio H. Gonzales, and Sheely Farms) that deliver free full-day kindergarten through 8th grade education, including preschool, free breakfast and lunch, free school uniforms, STEM, mariachi, athletics, Jobs for Arizona Graduates leadership, special education, gifted education, and after-school/summer enrichment programs.

Product overview

Tolleson Elementary School District operates as an educational institution serving approximately 3,500 students across four schools (Arizona Desert, Desert Oasis, Porfirio H. Gonzales, and Sheely Farms) from preschool through 8th grade. The district offers a unified educational ecosystem combining core academic platforms (Illuminate SIS, Fastbridge assessments, HMH curriculum) with specialized programs including the nationally-recognized Los Tigres de Tolleson mariachi program, Jobs for Arizona Graduates leadership program, and comprehensive STEM initiatives. Student and parent access is facilitated through StudentVUE portal, while specialized populations are served through Unique Learning Systems for IEP-based instruction. The district provides wraparound services via its Welcome Center including enrollment support, health services through a Banner clinic partnership, food services, and before/after-school programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Los Tigres de Tolleson: The district's nationally recognized mariachi ensemble that has performed at the White House and represents the schools at various events.

Products and services

• Los Tigres de Tolleson Mariachi Program Nationally recognized mariachi ensemble under the Los Tigres de Tolleson name that has performed at the White House and at community and regional events, offered to Tolleson ESD students as an arts enrichment program.
• Jobs for Arizona Graduates (JAG) Middle school leadership and career preparation program helping students build confidence, leadership skills, and real-world readiness through mentorship and career exploration. 2025 Golden Bell Promise Program Award Winner.
• STEM Program Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math enrichment program featuring project-based learning, robotics, coding, and hands-on STEM labs offered to all district schools.
• Preschool Program Full-day early childhood education program for children ages 3-5, offering developmentally appropriate, play-based curriculum aligned to Arizona Early Learning Standards, with tuition assistance available for qualifying families.
• Athletics Program Middle school athletic programs offering seasonal sports including soccer, basketball, baseball, softball, and volleyball for students in grades 6-8.
• Summer Program Free summer enrichment program offering academic review, STEM exploration, arts, recreation, and free meals for incoming kindergarteners through middle school students.
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) After-School Program Federally-funded after-school program providing academic enrichment, tutoring, STEM, arts, and leadership development at no cost to families, including the Phoenix Afterschool Center (PAC) at Desert Oasis Elementary.
• Gifted Education Program Gifted education services providing differentiated and challenging instruction, enrichment programs, and high school credit opportunities for students demonstrating exceptional abilities and talents.
• Special Education Program (Unique Learning Systems) Special education services following comprehensive evaluation, providing individualized education plans (IEPs), specialized instruction, transition services, and the Student-Led IEP Process (SLIEP) for students with disabilities.
• School Counseling Services School counseling services provided at every district school site by K-4 and K-8 counselors, supporting social-emotional learning and mental health.
• Welcome Center Services Central enrollment and family support hub located at the Porfirio H. Gonzales campus offering enrollment assistance, community resources, uniform distribution, food assistance, AHCCCS eligibility help, and access to Banner Children's Community Clinic.
• Banner Children's Community Clinic Free healthcare services for uninsured students provided on the Porfirio H. Gonzales campus, staffed by a nurse practitioner and bilingual medical assistant, open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Quantifiable outcome

• Voted Best Elementary School in West Valley and Best Public School in the Valley - Arizona Desert Elementary
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Banner Children's Community CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree healthcare services for uninsured students provided on Porfirio H. Gonzales campus. Staffed by nurse practitioner and bilingual medical assistant. Located at 9401 W Garfield St, Tolleson, AZ 85353. Open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• City of PhoenixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhoenix Afterschool Center (PAC) at Desert Oasis Elementary providing extended after-school care including supervised homework, games, sports, and creative activities.
• ChartwellscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood services provider for district meals. Hosts Discovery Kitchen Cook-Off for students. Awarded Child Nutrition Service Account of the Year - Chartwells West Region (2019, 2018).
• Arizona State Procurement Office (AzSPO)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooperative purchasing consortium member providing access to pre-negotiated vendor contracts.
• Choice PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCooperative purchasing consortium member.
• Greater Phoenix Purchasing Consortium of Schools (GPPCS)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional cooperative purchasing consortium for schools.
• National IPA / Omnia PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational cooperative purchasing partner.
• Mohave Educational Services Cooperative (MESC)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducational services cooperative purchasing member.
• Maricopa County Strategic Alliance for Volume Expenditures (SAVE)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCounty-level purchasing consortium.
• 1GPAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational government purchasing alliance.
• Educational Services Inc. (ESI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides quality substitute teachers for all district schools including non-certified substitute positions such as paraprofessionals and nurse substitutes.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TollesonESD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tolleson-elementary-school-district-17
• Instagraminstagram.com/tollesonesd
• Xx.com/TollesonESD

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Tolleson Elementary School District