-Rich
In History-
In 1902, the Arizona Eastern Railway was
asking for donations of right of way in order to establish a
rail line between Phoenix and Florence. A rail siding was
established on property owned by William “Bobby” Gilbert. The
siding and the town that sprung up around it eventually became
known as Gilbert.
Because of the area’s rich land, Gilbert
became a center for growing and shipping cattle, sheep, dairy
products, grains, melons, cotton, and alfalfa hay. During
World War I, the cavalry needed an ever-increasing amount of
alfalfa to feed their horses. Gilbert helped supply their
need, becoming known as the “Hay Shipping Capital of the
World”.
In
1920, the town’s 500 citizens incorporated, and Gilbert was
officially born. Over the next 50 years, growth was
slow-to-moderate. Then, beginning in 1980, Gilbert experienced
a population boom. In the last decade and a half, Gilbert has
grown at a pace unparalleled by most communities in the United
States, increasing population from 5,717 in 1980 to
approximately 220,000 in 2009.
Today, the railroad tracks are still
there and the significance of the railroad is spotlighted
graphically along the San Tan Freeway.
-One of the Fastest Growing Towns in the
Country-
Gilbert has received national
attention for its friendly atmosphere, excellent schools, and
unmatched expansion. Over the past 20 years, Gilbert has been
named one of the fastest growing towns in the country. Even
with such growth, in 2009, Gilbert was named the safest
municipality in Arizona and the 24th safest
community. Business Week named us one of the best places to
raise your kids and CNN Money ranked us as the 31st best place to live in 2010.
Gilbert boasts a high school graduation
rate exceeding 90% and is bordered by Chandler-Gilbert
Community College, Arizona State’s Polytechnic Campus,
Northern Arizona University’s East Valley campus and AT Still
University – four incredible institutions. Gilbert boasts
three state-of-the-art hospitals – Banner Gateway Medical
Center, Gilbert Hospital, and Mercy Gilbert Medical Center –
and recently celebrated the groundbreaking of Banner MD
Anderson Cancer Center, a nationally respected cancer
treatment facility.
Gilbert is serviced by Sky Harbor Phoenix
International Airport and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport – both
within 15 miles. The recent addition of hotels and a
conference center make Gilbert a destination for leisure or
business travel. We invite you to enjoy some sunny days in
Gilbert – the town to live, work and play!
-Education-
Gilbert is a town
recognized for its young, highly-educated population with more
than 92 percent of residents having graduated from high school
and 34 percent holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Excelling schools and an emphasis on higher education continue
to attract newcomers who help build upon a commitment to
education, family and community. Gilbert is primarily served
by Gilbert Public Schools and Higley Unified School District
as well as a number of charter and private
institutions.
Primary and Secondary
Education
Gilbert
Public Schools
(480)
497-3300
School Year: August 10, 2011
through May 24, 2012
Expenditure per Pupil: $6,617
High
School Graduation Rate: 98%
2009 – 2010 Student Enrollment:
39,000
Teacher to Student Ratio:
K 1 teacher for every 25
students
1-2 1 teacher for every 29 students
3 1 teacher
for every 30 students
4-6 1 teacher for every 34
students
7-12 1 teacher for every 27
students
Elementary Schools: 26
Junior High Schools: 6
High
Schools: 5
Academies: 2
Alternative Education:
1
Other: Amanacer Preschool, Kindergarten
Prep
Did you know? Gilbert Public Schools
has the highest number of national board certified teachers in
the state.
Higley
Unified School District
(480) 279-7000
School Year: August 8,
2011 – May 24, 2012
Expenditure per Pupil: $6,434
High
School Graduation Rate: 91%
2009/2010 Student Enrollment:
9,922
Teacher to Student Ratio:
K-5 1 teacher for every 24
students
6-8 1 teacher for every 25 students
9-12 1 teacher for every 29 students
Elementary Schools (K-8): 8
Junior High Schools:
0
High Schools: 2
Academies: 0
Alternative Education:
1
Online Education: 1
Did you know? Higley is a technology
progressive District with teacher laptops, smart boards in
every room, student responders and beginning a rollout of 1:1
computers for high school students.
Higher Education
Arizona
State University
NAU – Extended Campuses –
East Valley
(602) 776-4675
www.extended.nau.edu
NAU –
University of Phoenix
(480) 557-2112
www.phoenix.edu/phoenix
– Polytechnic Campus
Mesa, AZ
(480) 727-1028
http://www.poly.asu.edu
