Agua fria

What Agua fria does

Agua Fria Union High School District is a public school district established in 1955 under Arizona state law, serving the West Valley of Maricopa County across six communities (Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Waddell, and part of Glendale). The district operates six comprehensive high schools (Agua Fria, Canyon View, Desert Edge, Goodyear, Millennium, Verrado), two alternative programs (Agua Fria Online and New Directions), and is opening a seventh high school (The Hilltop School for the Arts) in August 2026. Enrollment capacity is targeted at approximately 2,000 students at Goodyear High School at build-out, with an estimated district-wide enrollment of 8,000-12,000 students. The district's primary product is tuition-free secondary education with a four-year Academy career-pathway model, where freshmen select academy tracks aligned with workforce needs, earn industry-recognized credentials and college credits, and complete a minimum of 130 workplace internship hours.

The district's technology stack is entirely third-party SaaS: ParentSquare (district-wide communication replacing Remind by July 2026), Google Classroom for instruction, GoGuardian for device monitoring, BusRight for bus tracking, Clever for single sign-on, ParentVUE/StudentVUE as the student information system, LINQ Connect for cafeteria management, and Finalsite powering the public website. The Academies of the Southwest Valley — anchored on a proprietary Portrait of a Graduate competency framework — integrate CTE pathways in construction, healthcare, film/television, agriculture, coding, sports medicine, culinary arts, and emerging fields such as fire and rescue (launched December 2025 with the Buckeye Fire Department and Rescue Ready Education). Millennium High School hosts an International Baccalaureate program enrolling approximately 300 students annually.

Revenue is generated exclusively through public funding mechanics: state and federal per-pupil allocations, voter-approved property tax bonds (a $138 million critical needs bond was approved in November 2023), and a long-standing M&O override currently under continuation vote for 2026. Voluntary tax credit donations (up to $200 individual / $400 joint) and direct donations to the Agua Fria Foundation provide supplementary unrestricted funds. The district employs an event-driven and community-led go-to-market — Freshman Career Expo (connecting students with 100+ professionals), Internship Placement events, Partnership Summits, and Campus Tours coordinated by Academy Coaches — alongside a multi-channel communications mix including a biannual newsletter mailed to 75,000 residences, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Leadership is provided by Superintendent Mark Yslas and a five-member elected Governing Board.

Name

Agua fria

Legal name

Agua Fria Union High School District

Website

https://aguafria.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Agua Fria Union High School District is a public school district in Arizona's West Valley operating six high schools and alternative programs, delivering tuition-free secondary education through a four-year Academy career-pathway model with industry credentials and internships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

District-Run Virtual Academies & Online Programs (EDAJADAB), Online Credit Recovery & Alternative Pathways (Virtual) (EDAJADAF)

Keywords

• Public education
• Secondary education
• High school district
• School administration
• Public schooling

Headquarters

HQ city

Goodyear

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: State and federal funding allocated through per-pupil formulas and categorical programs to support general operations, instruction, and special programs.
2. Property Tax Revenue (Bond & Override): Voter-approved bond measures ($138 million critical needs bond) and maintenance/operations overrides fund capital improvements, facilities, technology, and instructional programs. Current bond tax rate is $0.75 per $100 net limited assessed valuation.
3. Tax Credit Donations: State income tax credit program allowing Arizona taxpayers to donate up to $200 (individual) or $400 (married filing jointly) to public schools for extracurricular activities, receiving dollar-for-dollar tax reduction.
4. Extracurricular Activity Donations: Direct donations to specific school programs including athletics, arts, clubs, and activities through online fundraising pages and in-person contributions at school bookstores.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Agua Fria Union High School District is a public school district that operates multiple high schools delivering secondary education to students. It provides traditional classroom instruction, online learning options, alternative education programs, and career and technical education pathways funded primarily through state and local public funds.

Product overview

The Agua Fria Union High School District is a public school district established in 1955 serving communities in Avondale, Buckeye, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Waddell, and Glendale, Arizona. The district operates a portfolio of six traditional high schools (Agua Fria, Canyon View, Desert Edge, Goodyear, Millennium, and Verrado), one arts-focused high school (The Hilltop School for the Arts opening 2026), and two alternative programs (Agua Fria Online and New Directions). The district's flagship educational model is the Academies of the Southwest Valley, a four-year career pathway program where students select academy tracks aligned with workforce needs, earn industry credentials and college credits, and complete internships. CTE programs span diverse industries including construction, healthcare, technology, arts, and business across all campuses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public high school education
• Career and technical education
• Online learning program

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% graduation rate at Agua Fria High School, exceeding national and state averages
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Buckeye Fire DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025Partnership to launch Fire and Rescue Pathway career program providing students with training and entry points into fire and rescue professions. Part of broader career technical education initiative.
• Rescue Ready EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025Educational partner providing curriculum and training for Fire and Rescue Pathway program enabling students to gain certifications and skills for emergency services careers.
• West-MECcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2024Development of West-MEC Career Academy at Agua Fria High School opening Fall 2025 to provide trades education and workforce training for students.
• Healthcare ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 October 2024Healthcare consortium addressing growing demand for healthcare professionals in Southwest Valley through consortium programs and partnerships.
• Luke Air Force BasecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023Roundtable collaboration to address educational transitions for military families, resulting in Purple Star School designation program to support highly mobile students.
• Local Businesses (100+ partners)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness partners participate in Freshman Career Expo, provide internships, guest speakers, job shadowing, and workplace tours through the Academies of the Southwest Valley workforce initiative.
• Post-Secondary InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with community colleges, universities, and trade schools for dual enrollment, campus visits, pathway-specific tours, and student preparation for post-secondary education.
• Agua Fria FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSeparate nonprofit foundation supporting district schools through fundraising, donations, and community engagement initiatives.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mesa Unified School District: Arizona's largest K-12 district operating numerous comprehensive high schools with extensive CTE, dual enrollment, and academy-style programs; comparable scale and program breadth to Agua Fria.
• Tolleson Union High School District: Neighboring West Valley union high school district of similar size, also serving a fast-growing, diverse population with multiple comprehensive high schools and CTE programs.
• Chandler Unified School District: Large Arizona K-12 district serving the Southeast Valley with comparable academy/IB programs, multiple comprehensive high schools, and CTE pathways; the closest operational peer to Agua Fria within Maricopa County.
• Peoria Unified School District: Adjacent West Valley K-12 district with multiple high schools, strong CTE/career academy offerings, and similar demographics; directly competes with Agua Fria for open-enrollment students.
• Buckeye Union High School District: West Valley union high school district also serving the rapidly growing Buckeye/Goodyear corridor with comparable demographics and CTE/academy-style programming.

Others

• West-MEC (Western Maricopa Education Center): Regional joint technical education district partnering with Agua Fria on the West-MEC Career Academy; provides shared CTE infrastructure and trades pathways that are central to Agua Fria's academy model.
• Arizona State University (ASU) Universal Learner Courses: Higher education partner offering dual enrollment through Agua Fria Online; representative of the post-secondary institutional partners Agua Fria relies on for college credit pathways.

Broad incumbents

• Paradise Valley Unified School District: Larger, more established Maricopa County K-12 district operating many high schools with IB, AP, and CTE pathways; overlaps with Agua Fria on programming and labor market.
• Deer Valley Unified School District: Large North Phoenix-area K-12 district with multiple high schools, extensive CTE, and dual enrollment offerings that compete with Agua Fria's West Valley programs.
• Scottsdale Unified School District: Established Maricopa County K-12 district with multiple high schools, IB programs, and signature academies; comparable in governance and academy-style differentiation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCRu7B3jc9dPKXxKBKuKyVA
• Facebookfacebook.com/AFUHSD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aguafriahighschooldistrict
• Instagraminstagram.com/agua_friauhsd/?hl=en

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries9 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 Agua fria