The Phoenix metropolitan area (also known as the Valley of the Sun or the Valley) is made up of many small districts and charter schools. While most cities of a similar size have a unified school system where all of the schools within the city are governed by a singular superintendent and school board, the Phoenix metropolitan area has more than 50 individual school districts and several dozen charter schools. Our school district and charter school partners are located in the rapidly growing communities of Glendale and Avondale on the western edge of Phoenix, central city neighborhoods, and Mesa in the East Valley.