Gila County Education: Which school had most students enrolled in 2023-24 school year?

Katherine Haley Vice President of Arizona State Board of Education | oakrosegroup.com

By SE Arizona News

Feb 11, 2025

Payson High School had the highest enrollment among Gila County schools, welcoming 749 students during the 2023-24 academic year, according to the Arizona Department of Education.

Of all the students welcomed in the 2023-24 school year, 54.9% of them were boys, and 45.1% were girls.

Data also showed that most of the students were white, accounting for 65.4% of the Payson High School's total enrollment.

Among the 21 schools in Gila County, Copper Rim Elementary School ranked second in enrollment numbers with 746 students, while Rice Elementary School welcomed 661 students and ranked third in the 2023-24 school year.

Payson High School is part of Payson Unified District, which roughly covers schools within Gila County and has a main office in Payson.

In the previous school year, Payson High School also had the highest number of students among Gila County schools.

According to a recent study by ConsumerAffairs, Arizona ranked last in overall education quality in 2024, placing 51st among U.S. states and Washington, D.C. The state ranked 40th in K-12 performance, 43rd in higher education quality, and 45th in school safety.

However, its most striking issue was school funding, where it ranked 50th. Arizona spent only $11,234 per student in the 2023-24 school year, significantly below the national average of $16,722. This funding gap limits resources, teacher salaries, and infrastructure, contributing to the state’s overall low ranking.

Enrollment in Gila Over 4 Years

Enrollment in Gila County Schools During 2023-24 School Year

School name	City	Total School Enrollment
Payson High School	Payson	749
Copper Rim Elementary School	Globe	746
Rice Elementary School	San Carlos	661
Julia Randall Elementary School	Payson	571
Globe High School	Globe	508
Rim Country Middle School	Payson	487
Miami Junior Senior High School	Miami	424
San Carlos Middle School	San Carlos	418
High Desert Middle School	Globe	402
Destiny School	Globe	370
Lee Kornegay Intermediate School	Miami	262
Dr. Charles A. Bejarano Elementary School	Miami	239
Leonor Hambly K-8	Winkelman	217
Pine Strawberry Elementary School	Pine	111
Hayden High School	Winkelman	86
Liberty High School	Globe	72
Tonto Basin Elementary	Tonto Basin	69
Young Elementary School	Young	47
San Carlos Alternative High School	San Carlos	27