City: Glendale, AZ

Category: Education

Telephone: (623) 486-6000

Address: 6330 W. Thunderbird Rd.

Description: As the Valley rapidly expanded, the Peoria Unified School District was nestled in the midst of two of the fastest-growing cities in the Phoenix metropolitan area—Glendale and Peoria. The school district grew to encompass nearly 150 square miles. The Peoria Unified School District now stretches south from Glendale Avenue all the way north to the Maricopa–Yavapai County borders. As Arizona’s third-largest district in terms of enrollment, the Peoria Unified School District boasts 31 elementary schools, 7 high schools, and 1 alternative school, serving more than 36,000 students. Interestingly, 33 of the 38 schools have been built since 1972, indicating the area’s rapid growth rate. Many of the original campuses have received improvements and renovations thanks to a voter-approved bond election in 1996.