Pierson High School

Summary:

Pierson High School is a public high school in Nogales, Arizona, serving 142 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Nogales Unified District, which is ranked 360 out of 540 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. Notably, Pierson High School has a 100% Hispanic student population.

Pierson High School faces significant academic challenges compared to nearby schools and state averages. The school consistently performs well below the district and state in proficiency, with only 2% of 11th-grade students proficient in science and 7% proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 12% and 30% in the district, respectively. Pierson High School also has low graduation rates, ranging from 47.8% to 73.3% over the past few years, significantly lower than the 93.9% graduation rate at Nogales High School. Additionally, the school has relatively high dropout rates, ranging from 2.7% to 7.6%, compared to 2.8% at Nogales High School.

Despite its high per-student spending, ranging from $10,718 to $15,427 over the past few years, Pierson High School's performance on various student subgroups, such as female students, male students, Hispanic students, English Language Learners, and homeless students, is consistently lower than the state and district averages. The school's persistent low rankings and wide performance gaps suggest the need for targeted interventions and support to improve educational outcomes for its students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

451 N. Arroyo Blvd
Nogales, AZ 85621

(520) 287-0915

District: Nogales Unified District

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,718

Student/teacher ratio: 19.3

Number of students: 155

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

100.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 85.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Pierson High School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.6. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Pierson High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (100%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pierson High School is 19.3. (See more...)

Compare Pierson High School employs 8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pierson High School is $10,718.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Pierson High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Nogales Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Nogales Unified District 209^th of 297 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Pierson High School

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Rank History for all students at Pierson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2009	21.99	299^th	395	24.3%
2010	11.33	365^th	403	9.4%
2011	7.26	376^th	397	5.3%
2012	12.54	431^st	471	8.5%
2013	14.58	434^th	491	11.6%
2014	8.03	361^st	394	8.4%
2016	9.90	405^th	406	0.2%
2017	13.02	373^rd	416	10.3%
2018	16.39	348^th	420	17.1%
2021	17.33	436^th	509	14.3%
2022	11.36	420^th	464	9.5%
2023	12.60	454^th	469	3.2%

See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Pierson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	44.58	29^th	312	90.7%
2022	41.67	53^rd	258	79.5%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Pierson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	31.85	212^th	422	49.8%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Pierson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	31.10	69^th	168	58.9%
2022	28.02	72^nd	150	52.0%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Pierson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	19.14	278^th	354	21.5%
2021	20.64	388^th	492	21.1%
2022	28.03	290^th	456	36.4%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Pierson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	9.97	364^th	370	1.6%
2021	16.46	408^th	492	17.1%
2022	12.10	402^nd	455	11.6%
2023	9.65	422^nd	429	1.6%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pierson High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	18.91	257^th	311	17.4%
2021	21.78	371^st	479	22.5%
2022	22.07	331^st	441	24.9%
2023	12.57	365^th	379	3.7%

See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Pierson High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	96	96
1993	6	0	0	78	0	n/a	n/a	0	84
1994	2	0	1	141	0	n/a	n/a	0	144
1995	3	0	1	152	0	n/a	n/a	0	156
1996	3	0	1	152	0	n/a	n/a	0	156
1999	3	0	0	160	0	n/a	n/a	0	163
2000	4	0	0	147	0	n/a	n/a	0	151
2001	2	0	0	170	0	n/a	n/a	0	172
2002	2	0	0	173	0	n/a	n/a	0	175
2003	2	0	0	173	0	n/a	n/a	0	175
2004	2	0	0	140	0	n/a	n/a	0	142
2005	0	0	0	123	0	n/a	n/a	0	123
2006	0	0	0	123	0	n/a	n/a	0	123
2007	1	0	0	194	0	n/a	n/a	0	195
2008	0	0	0	151	1	n/a	n/a	0	152
2009	1	0	0	133	0	n/a	n/a	0	134
2010	1	1	0	238	0	n/a	n/a	0	240
2011	6	0	0	239	0	0	0	0	245
2012	3	0	1	211	0	0	0	0	215
2013	0	0	0	198	1	0	0	0	199
2014	2	0	1	195	0	0	0	0	198
2015	2	0	0	166	0	0	0	0	168
2016	0	0	0	144	0	0	0	0	144
2017	0	0	0	124	0	0	0	0	124
2018	0	1	0	120	0	0	0	0	121
2019	0	0	0	114	0	0	0	0	114
2020	3	0	0	99	0	0	0	0	102
2021	0	0	0	98	0	0	0	0	98
2022	0	0	0	142	0	0	0	0	142
2023	0	0	0	142	0	0	0	0	142
2024	0	0	0	155	0	0	0	0	155

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Pierson High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	96	3.0	32.0	n/a
1993	84	3.0	28.0	n/a
1994	144	7.0	20.6	n/a
1995	156	7.8	20.0	n/a
1996	156	7.8	20.0	n/a
1999	163	12.0	13.6	n/a
2000	151	8.5	17.8	n/a
2001	172	13.0	13.2	n/a
2002	175	14.0	12.5	n/a
2003	175	14.0	12.5	n/a
2004	142	12.5	11.4	44.4
2005	123	11.0	11.2	95.9
2006	123	10.0	12.3	97.6
2007	195	8.0	24.4	73.3
2008	152	9.0	16.9	64.5
2009	134	10.0	13.4	91
2010	240	7.0	34.2	63.3
2011	245	8.0	30.6	90.6
2012	215	10.0	21.5	50.7
2013	199	10.0	19.9	87.4
2014	198	10.0	19.8	98.5
2015	168	10.0	16.8	0
2016	144	10.0	14.4	99.3
2017	124	8.0	15.5	97.6
2018	121	10.0	12.1	85.1
2019	114	9.0	12.6	85.1
2020	102	8.0	12.7	85.3
2021	98	8.0	12.2	84.7
2022	142	9.0	15.7	85.2
2023	142	9.0	15.7	85.2
2024	155	8.0	19.3	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Pierson High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	96	3.0	32.0	n/a
1993	84	3.0	28.0	n/a
1994	144	7.0	20.6	n/a
1995	156	7.8	20.0	n/a
1996	156	7.8	20.0	n/a
1999	163	12.0	13.6	n/a
2000	151	8.5	17.8	n/a
2001	172	13.0	13.2	n/a
2002	175	14.0	12.5	n/a
2003	175	14.0	12.5	n/a
2004	142	12.5	11.4	44.4
2005	123	11.0	11.2	95.9
2006	123	10.0	12.3	97.6
2007	195	8.0	24.4	73.3
2008	152	9.0	16.9	64.5
2009	134	10.0	13.4	91
2010	240	7.0	34.2	63.3
2011	245	8.0	30.6	90.6
2012	215	10.0	21.5	50.7
2013	199	10.0	19.9	87.4
2014	198	10.0	19.8	98.5
2015	168	10.0	16.8	0
2016	144	10.0	14.4	99.3
2017	124	8.0	15.5	97.6
2018	121	10.0	12.1	85.1
2019	114	9.0	12.6	85.1
2020	102	8.0	12.7	85.3
2021	98	8.0	12.2	84.7
2022	142	9.0	15.7	85.2
2023	142	9.0	15.7	85.2
2024	155	8.0	19.3	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Pierson High School

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$966 (6.7%)	$1,044 (7.3%)	$2,976 (20.7%)	$9,269 (64.4%)	$3,122 (21.7%)	$12,391 (86.0%)	$14,400
2020	$1,656 (12.0%)	$514 (3.7%)	$3,826 (27.7%)	$9,221 (66.7%)	$2,438 (17.6%)	$11,660 (84.3%)	$13,830
2021	$3,235 (21.0%)	$1,976 (12.8%)	$8,445 (54.7%)	$8,112 (52.6%)	$2,104 (13.6%)	$10,217 (66.2%)	$15,427
2022	$2,156 (20.1%)	$193 (1.8%)	$4,506 (42.0%)	$6,710 (62.6%)	$1,658 (15.5%)	$8,369 (78.1%)	$10,718

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pierson High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	114	142	24.6%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	114	142	24.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	0	0
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	85.1%	85.2%	0.1%

Schools Near Pierson High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				AASA English Language Arts (2024)	AASA Mathematics (2024)	AzSCI Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	AASA English Language Arts 11th Grade	AASA Mathematics 11th Grade	AzSCI Science 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Pierson High School	Public	9-12	451 N. Arroyo Blvd	Nogales	85621	Santa Cruz County	Nogales Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 287-0915	155	8	19.3		0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	155 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)				$10,718	$2,156	$193	$4,506	$6,711	$1,658	$8,369
PCJTED - Pierson High School	Public	9-12	451 N. Arroyo Blvd.	Nogales	85621	Santa Cruz County	Pima County JTED	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 352-5833	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)					$00			$00
EdOptions Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	7-12	480 N Grand Ave	Nogales	85621	Santa Cruz County	Educational Options Foundation	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 281-9179	93				0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	93 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)				$22,990	$3,597	$472	$7,667	$8,147	$10,774	$18,921
Nogales High School	Public	9-12	1905 N Apache Blvd	Nogales	85621	Santa Cruz County	Nogales Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 377-2021	1,795	72	25.0		3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1,779 (99.1%)	9 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	36.3	158^th of 270 public high schools	41.5%		39.8	249^th of 469 public high schools	46.9%	91	40.0	27.0	19.0	$6,013	$324	$61	$709	$4,874	$754	$5,628
PCJTED - Nogales high School	Public	9-12	310 W Plum St	Nogales	85621	Santa Cruz County	Pima County JTED	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 352-5833	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)					$00			$00
Pinnacle Charter High School	Public, Charter	9-12	2055 N Grand Ave	Nogales	85621	Santa Cruz County	Pinnacle Education-Kino Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 281-5109	58				0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					$00			$00
PCJTED - Rio Rico High School	Public	9-12	590 Camino Lito Galindo	Rio Rico	85648	Pima County	Pima County JTED	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 375-8700	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)					$00			$00
Rio Rico High School	Public	9-12	590 N. Camino Galindo	Rio Rico	85648	Santa Cruz County	Santa Cruz Valley Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 375-8700	1,403	57	24.8		37 (2.6%)	3 (0.2%)	1,353 (96.4%)	3 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	15.8	236^th of 270 public high schools	12.6%		31.7	292^nd of 469 public high schools	37.7%	56	23.0	12.0	11.0	$5,911	$356	$138	$850	$4,494	$923	$5,417
CTD - Patagonia High School	Public	9-12	200 Naugle Ave	Patagonia	85624	Santa Cruz County	Cochise Technology District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 394-3000	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)					$00			$00
Patagonia Union High School	Public	9-12	200 Naugle Avenue	Patagonia	85624	Santa Cruz County	Patagonia Union High School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 394-3000	80	8	9.5		20 (25.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (71.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.8%)								(n/a)					$00			$00

Frequently Asked Questions about Pierson High School

How many students attend Pierson High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 155 students attended Pierson High School.

What district is Pierson High School in?

Nogales Unified District

What is the racial makeup of Pierson High School?

Students at Pierson High School are 100% Hispanic.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arizona Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.