Deer Valley Unified School District is preparing to open two new schools to address anticipated population growth coming to the north valley. In September, the district’s governing board unanimously approved a recommendation from the School Facilities Oversight Board to include a new high school by 2029 and a K-8 school by 2032 in its Capital Plan.
This decision is an early step in a process that still requires qualification. District administrators are moving forward based on early indicators from a contracted demographer’s report, which is expected to outline substantial student enrollment growth in northern Phoenix, Peoria, and Glendale. The district leadership are emphasizing the importance of planning ahead.
Several large-scale housing developments are expected to drive significant increases in student numbers for Deer Valley Unified. Among these projects is the high-profile Biscuit Flats/NorthPark development near the new $40 billion Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. campus in north Phoenix. This area, currently vacant, could soon house between 9,000 to 20,000 new residential units.
These developments are in the vicinity of Carefree Highway, west of Interstate 17, and north of State Route 303. To put the scale in perspective, Anthem currently has just over 9,000 residential units.
Some infrastructure work in these areas may begin as soon as 2025. The district also has its eye on other projects like Aloravita (1,472 units), Copperleaf (411 units), Middle Vistas (228 units), Union Park (977 units), Verdin (1,250 units), and Paseo Heights (294 units), all within Deer Valley’s boundaries.
Each September, the School Facilities Oversight Board reviews Capital Plans to determine eligibility for state funding for new school projects. Deer Valley Unified hasn’t qualified for this funding in two decades, but recent growth suggests the potential for eligibility in the future, according to Migliorino.
The district’s most recent school addition was Inspiration Mountain Elementary, which opened in fall 2022 near 57th Avenue and Happy Valley Road. Currently a K-6 school, it is equipped for future expansion into a K-8 campus.
Deer Valley Unified School District serves over 33,000 students across 42 schools in northern Maricopa County, encompassing communities in north Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Cave Creek, and New River.
