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Ruth Fisher Middle School

Public, Alternative Grades PK, KG-12

462^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 552 Arizona Alternative Schools

Better than 16% of Arizona alternative schools

Summary

Ruth Fisher Middle School is an alternative public school located in Tonopah, Arizona, serving grades PK-12 with a total enrollment of 734 students. The school is part of the Saddle Mountain Unified School District, which is ranked 239 out of 289 school districts in Arizona and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ruth Fisher Middle School faces significant challenges, including high dropout rates that have fluctuated between 2.0% and 6.1% in recent years, well above the state average of around 4%. Academically, the school consistently performs below the state and district averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science, with proficiency rates ranging from 17% to 30% in ELA and 15% to 21% in Mathematics, compared to state averages of 41% to 42% in ELA and 27% to 29% in Mathematics. Additionally, the school has seen a sharp increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 22.45% in 2021-2022 to 60.81% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

While the school's spending per student, ranging from $9,670 to $11,218, is in line with the district and state averages, the slightly higher student-teacher ratio of 18.3 to 21 students per teacher may suggest potential staffing and resource challenges that could be impacting the quality of education. Addressing these issues will require a comprehensive approach, including a closer examination of the school's educational practices, resource allocation, and targeted interventions to support student success.

745

Students ?

19.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,769

Per pupil spending ?

60.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

38201 W Indian School Rd
Tonopah, AZ 85354-7301

(623) 474-5500

District: Saddle Mountain Unified School District

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

66.7%

White:

25.6%

African American:

5.1%

See top rated Arizona elementary schools

Compare Ruth Fisher Middle School to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 18th percentile in 2018 → 16th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Arizona average (20% vs 34% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (16th percentile)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school20%

District avg20%

Arizona avg34%

462^nd of 552

Arizona public middle schools ?

Bottom 16%▼ down 23 pts since 2015

From bottom 40% (2015) to bottom 16% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Arizona Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

239^th of 289Saddle Mountain Unified School District among Arizona districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	39.5	664 of 1226	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	19.8	833 of 1039	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.0	907 of 1109	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	21.4	887 of 1106	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	29.9	729 of 1079	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2015	25.0	690 of 955	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	18.0	947 of 1079	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	24.1	977 of 1158	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	15.0	1006 of 1090	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	18.3	948 of 1062	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	37.3	700 of 1219	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	21.9	667 of 862	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	17.1	901 of 1023	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Foster Care

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	57.8	49 of 306	84.0%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	41.6	626 of 1198	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	26.7	524 of 709	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.0	681 of 911	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	36.2	706 of 1220	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	14.3	751 of 850	11.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.0	824 of 1032	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	50.9	416 of 1201	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	19.5	389 of 417	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2022	28.8	630 of 800	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	29.7	877 of 1161	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	13.7	552 of 595	7.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	5.7	708 of 720	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	16.7	462 of 552	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.5	465 of 550	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.6	544 of 854	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	20.3	469 of 605	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	41.6	407 of 832	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	33.9	356 of 605	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.6	374 of 711	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2017	47.2	304 of 695	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2016	53.2	266 of 677	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2015	32.5	315 of 521	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2014	47.8	345 of 690	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2013	53.8	359 of 787	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2010	31.8	508 of 692	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	24.9	536 of 663	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	47.1	184 of 400	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	35.8	357 of 573	37.7%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	41.7	298 of 606	50.8%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	14.2	339 of 395	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.3	346 of 386	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.2	545 of 806	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	18.5	415 of 494	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	41.6	409 of 820	50.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	35.7	269 of 466	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	39.1	341 of 624	45.4%	★★☆☆☆

Foster Care

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	57.7	31 of 166	81.3%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	13.3	317 of 345	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	15.5	295 of 329	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	29.9	521 of 760	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	20.3	326 of 392	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	41.3	404 of 802	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	50.8	161 of 387	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.9	178 of 543	67.2%	★★★☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	33.5	140 of 257	45.5%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	18.6	295 of 344	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.6	280 of 320	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.3	515 of 717	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.6	291 of 369	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	9.6	355 of 379	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	10.3	344 of 370	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	31.3	529 of 810	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	14.6	415 of 476	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	41.2	405 of 818	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	36.6	249 of 435	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	45.9	274 of 617	55.6%	★★★☆☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	9.9	107 of 110	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	35.8	102 of 143	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	52.3	180 of 384	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	47.3	309 of 650	52.5%	★★★☆☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	38.7	212 of 390	45.6%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	17.3	338 of 363	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	36.3	501 of 789	36.5%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	13.1	249 of 277	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	9.2	271 of 288	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	27.0	510 of 675	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	15.3	398 of 446	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	47.2	379 of 780	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	19.2	280 of 337	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.6	340 of 436	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Elementary school

Foster Care (2021)84th percentile+38 vs school

Special Education (2021)65th percentile+20 vs school

Hispanic (2021)48th percentile~ school

Female (2021)43rd percentile-3 vs school

Male (2021)42nd percentile-4 vs school

White (2022)21st percentile

Middle school

Foster Care (2021)81st percentile+30 vs school

African American (2023)54th percentile+18 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)53rd percentile+17 vs school

English Language Learner (2021)51st percentile~ school

Native American (2021)46th percentile-5 vs school

Homeless (2021)46th percentile-6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)14th percentile~ school

Female (2025)14th percentile~ school

White (2025)10th percentile-6 vs school

Hispanic (2025)8th percentile-8 vs school

Special Education (2023)7th percentile-29 vs school

Male (2025)6th percentile-10 vs school

Military Connected (2023)3rd percentile-34 vs school

By subject vs Arizona (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts24%-17 vs state

Science19%-11 vs state

Mathematics17%-11 vs state

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Schools Near Ruth Fisher Middle School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				AASA English Language Arts (2025)			AASA Mathematics (2025)			AzSCI Science (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	AASA English Language Arts 6th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 7th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 8th Grade	AASA Mathematics 6th Grade	AASA Mathematics 7th Grade	AASA Mathematics 8th Grade	AzSCI Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Ruth Fisher Middle School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	38201 W Indian School Rd	Tonopah	85354	Maricopa County	Saddle Mountain Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(623) 474-5500	745	39	19.3		191 (25.6%)	38 (5.1%)	497 (66.7%)	1 (0.1%)	8 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	9 (1.2%)								(n/a)	17.0	30.0	25.0	15.0	15.0	21.0	19.0	$9,769	$563	$102	$1,227	$6,914	$2,191	$9,105
Saddle Mountain Online Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	38201 W Indian School Rd	Tonopah	85354	Maricopa County	Saddle Mountain Unified School District	No	(n/a)	Yes	No	(623) 474-5110	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Ruth Fisher Middle School

Is Ruth Fisher Middle School a good school?

Ruth Fisher Middle School ranks in the bottom 16.3% of Arizona alternative schools.

How many students attend Ruth Fisher Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 745 students attended Ruth Fisher Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Ruth Fisher Middle School?

Students at Ruth Fisher Middle School are 67% Hispanic, 26% White, 5% African American, 1% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

What district is Ruth Fisher Middle School in?

Saddle Mountain Unified School District

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arizona Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.