Navajo County’s districts student body comprised mostly of American Indian or Alaska Native students in 2022-23 school year

Blue Ridge Unified School District No. 32 Superintendent Michael L. Wright | Blue Ridge Unified School District No. 32

By East Arizona News

Aug 15, 2024

Of the many ethnicities represented in Arizona districts, the most prevalent among students enrolled in Navajo County districts in the 2022-23 school year was American Indian or Alaska Native, according to the Arizona Department of Education.

Of the 17,416 students attending school districts within Navajo County, 44.1% were American Indian or Alaska Native. White students were the second largest ethnicity in Navajo County districts (35.8%).

In the previous school year, American Indian or Alaska Native students were also the most common group in Navajo County districts, representing 44.6% of the student body.

Winslow Unified District had the most even distribution of races among county districts, which included 44.1% American Indian or Alaska Native students, 33.8% Latino students, 12.9% white students, and 8.8% multiracial students.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in school districts in the county increased by 1.1% when compared to the previous year.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Navajo County.

A 2023 study from Scholaroo.com ranked Arizona last out of all U.S. states in terms of educational success, giving the state poor marks for school quality, student success, and teacher-to-student ratio.

Additionally, WalletHub claimed Arizona’s school system ranked among the worst across the U.S. for class size, performance, funding, safety, and instructors’ credentials.

Ethnic Composition of Navajo County School Districts Enrollment (2022-23)

Students’ Most Prevalent Ethnicity Percentage in Navajo County Districts in 2022-23 School Year

District	Most prevalent ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Enrollment
Blue Ridge Unified School District No. 32	White	47.5%	1,751
Heber-Overgaard Unified District	White	75.7%	506
Holbrook Unified District	American Indian or Alaska Native	59.4%	1,838
Joseph City Unified District	White	56.8%	456
Kayenta Unified School District #27	American Indian or Alaska Native	96.1%	1,642
Pinon Unified District	American Indian or Alaska Native	97.9%	1,053
Show Low Unified District	White	70.5%	2,557
Snowflake Unified District	White	77%	2,761
Whiteriver Unified District	American Indian or Alaska Native	98.1%	2,351
Winslow Unified District	American Indian or Alaska Native	44.1%	1,879