Metropolitan Arts Institute

Located at 1700 N. 7th Ave., in Phoenix, Arizona, Metropolitan Arts Institute is a tiny secondary school that works with 249 students (grades 7 through 12), run under Metropolitan Arts Institute Inc. (5181). That puts it 61% smaller than the typical public school in Arizona, which averages around 631 students.

Metropolitan Arts Institute Inc. (5181) is the operating authority for Metropolitan Arts Institute, handling staffing, calendars, and reporting to the state department of education.

Looking at the student body, Metropolitan Arts Institute records that 42% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups. The remainder is composed of 36% White, 10% Black, 10% multiracial. That is noticeably more Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 31%.

In terms of school funding signals, On paper, Metropolitan Arts Institute has 15 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 16.6:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 20.2:1, putting Metropolitan Arts Institute tighter than the state norm the norm.

In the broader community, ACS estimates for Maricopa County put median household earnings sit near $89,300, roughly 37% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 8%. In all, Maricopa County runs 1352 public schools (combined enrollment of about 725,139 students), of which Metropolitan Arts Institute is one.

The closest other public school is Franklin Police and Fire High School, roughly 0.7 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

The campus sits in a downtown setting. Metropolitan Arts Institute is a charter school, which puts it inside the public-school system but outside the standard district-managed model.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count expanded 11%: 225 students in 2018 compared to 249 in 2025. The White share of enrollment shrank from 50% to 36% over that span.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.