Mesa, Arizona School District

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Mesa Public Schools: overview

Mesa Public Schools (MPS), incorporated as Mesa Unified School District #44, is Arizona’s largest public school district, headquartered in Mesa. It serves most of Mesa, along with portions of Tempe and Chandler, and students from the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community.

Key facts

Size: Over 64,500 students in 82 schools and programs, making it the largest district by student enrollment in Arizona.

Offerings: A wide range of programs, including Montessori, International Baccalaureate (IB), dual-language immersion, honors, and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. MPS also has special programs such as STEM and career and technical education.

Performance: Recognized nationally for student achievement in academics, sports, creative and performing arts, and career and technical education. Mesa boasts 27 “A” ranked schools and 10 “A+” School of Excellence laureates.

Recent developments

Budget and Enrollment: Facing declining student enrollment and budget reductions, Mesa Public Schools announced layoffs for 147 positions for the 2025-26 school year, including administrators, counselors, foreign language teachers, and social workers, according to FOX 10 Phoenix organise information by splitting the content into categories. The district’s budget is facing a projected deficit of $16.7 million next year. Declining birth rates and the end of federal COVID-19 relief funds are contributing factors.

Campus Reconfiguration: To avoid school closures, MPS plans to reconfigure six campuses for the 2026-27 school year.

New Superintendent: The Governing Board approved Dr. Matthew Strom as the next superintendent, effective December 2024.

New Communication Tools: The district rolled out ParentSquare as its primary school-to-home communication tool and the SMARTtag Parent App for bus-riding families.

Governing Board

The Mesa Public Schools Governing Board consists of five members elected by Mesa voters who serve staggered four-year terms without pay. Current board members are Sharon Benson, Lacy Chaffee, Courtney Davis, Marcie Hutchinson, and Rachel Walden.

Enrollment and registration

Information on enrollment processes, including details on home schools, open enrollment, and choice schools, can be found on the Mesa Public Schools enrollment website. Registration for new students requires a birth certificate, immunization records, proof of residency, and a withdrawal form from the previous school.

Employment

Mesa Public Schools is the largest employer in Mesa, voted Best Place to Work in Mesa, according to SchoolSpring.com. The district has over 9,000 employees. Career opportunities can be found on the Mesa Public Schools website.