District Profile Thank you for your interest in Casa Grande Union High School District. We our proud of our District and are pleased to be able to provide you with information about this dynamic organization where parents, teachers, support employees, administrators and community members work together to promote the success of our students.

This District serves the rapidly growing educational communities of Casa Grande, Arizona City, Toltec, Stanfield, and Sacaton and provides instruction in three programs at two campuses. A new high school is projected to be built and opened in the 2008-09 school year.

Casa Grande Union High School is the traditional, comprehensive high school developed into smaller learning communities to better serve students as individuals. A wide range of subjects including a college-preparatory program, special and gifted education, and an award winning career and technical education program are provided at this modern campus opened in the fall of 1997.

Casa Verde, a charter school sponsored by Casa Grande UHSD, is a block scheduled school on a trimester format centered on a career pathways curriculum. Most students culminate their school experience by taking part in an externship program that offers the opportunity to extend classroom learning into the community businesses. Casa Verde HS opened as a smaller learning community school option in the fall of 2001.

Desert Winds is an open entry/open exit alternative evening school to assist students with academic and/or social/behavioral issues. This setting provides students with a second chance opportunity to complete their education. The objective of DWHS is to ensure that students have the support needed to graduate through effective interventions in individual tutoring, home visits, community instruction and homebound instruction. DWHS has a strong parental involvement component.

All three schools in the District generally reflect the ethnic makeup of 45% Hispanic, 38% Caucasian, 11% American Indian, 5% African American, and 1% Asian.

Proudly, we note to you that all schools in the District have achieved the AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) designation from Arizona Learns and are all labeled “Performing” schools. Teachers are provided released time on a weekly basis to meet with colleagues to discuss school improvement issues.

The top priorities of the Governing Board and the administration are: - To provide strong programs for student and staff learning - To build and maintain high quality educational facilities - Promote strong parent and community relations - Maintain a high level of organizational effectiveness - Maintain a high level of safety within our District.

Casa Grande Union High School District is located at the intersection of I-8 and I-10 just 35 minutes south of Phoenix, in the western parts of Pinal County, which is in the south-central portion of the State of Arizona. The District was organized in 1919 and presently encompasses 1280 square miles. The current population for the District is estimated at 60,000.

The economy of the District has an urban and a rural component. The urban portion represented by the activity and around the City of Casa Grande is based upon manufacturing, government, and commerce. The rural portion is based upon agriculture, mining, and tourism.

The City of Casa Grande plays an important role in the District’s economy. The City has an estimated population of 35,000. The most significant component of the City of Casa Grande’s economy is manufacturing. A convenient location midway between the major metropolitan markets of Phoenix and Tucson, as well as its excellent access to major rail lines, freeways, and highways, enabled the City to make a successful transition from an agriculturally based economy to one based more on manufacturing and trade. The people of Casa Grande put together a successful industrial park and in recent years, first class manufacturers have moved into the area. Among the companies located in Casa Grande are Frito-Lay, Inc., SRP Energy, Hexcel Corporation, Nestle Beverage Company, Daily Juice Products, Wal-Mart Distribution Center, and Ross Laboratories.

Casa Grande is the retail center for Western Pinal County’s approximately 100,000 consumers. Local retailers include J.C. Penney, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and many other specialty retailers. Additionally, Casa Grande is the site of factory owned outlet stores in the State with approximately 70 stores opened, encompassing 400,000 square feet of retail space. These factory stores, located on Interstate 10, attract almost a million shoppers a year from the region, primarily Phoenix and Tucson. A multi-plex theater complex and shops are proposed to open in 2007. A major shopping center will be under construction soon after that.

Outside the City of Casa Grande, the District’s most significant economic component remains agriculture. Over 100,000 acres in the valley are under irrigation, producing cotton (the area’s principal crop), grains, alfalfa, vegetables, and citrus fruits. Farming is supplemented by the presence of several large cattle ranging and feeding operations in the area.

Faculty and Staff
Teacher 156
Certified/Non-teaching 15
Classified 129
Administrators 11

Student Population
Casa Grande UHS 2600
Casa Verde HS 300
Desert Winds 275
Total 3175

Budget and Finance
Primary Assessed Valuation 348,197,115
Secondary Assessed Valuation 362,924,624
Annual Budget (M&O, Capital) 18.5 Million
Federal and State Projects 2.5 Million Bonded Indebtedness

Operation Tax Rate
Primary 1.9642
Secondary 1.1044
Total 3.0686