Empower College Prep

The Empower College Prep district in Arizona consists of two schools: Empower College Prep (an elementary school) and Empower College Prep High School. Both schools serve a predominantly Hispanic and African American student population, with a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students. However, the academic performance at these schools is significantly lower than state averages, particularly in science and math proficiency.

The elementary school's science proficiency rates range from 17% in grade 5 to just 6% in grade 8, compared to state averages of 34% and 27%, respectively. Similarly, the high school's science proficiency rate is only 12% in grade 11, compared to the state average of 22%. In English Language Arts, the elementary school's proficiency rates range from 13% to 46% across grades 3-8, while the high school's proficiency rate is just 16% in grade 11, compared to the state average of 40%. Math proficiency is also a concern, with the elementary school's rates ranging from 4% to 50% across grades 3-8, and the high school's rate at only 9% in grade 11, compared to the state average of 32%.

Despite the low academic performance, the Empower College Prep district appears to be investing in its schools, with per-student spending of $13,104 at the elementary school and $13,852 at the high school. The high school also boasts a commendable 94.0% four-year graduation rate, though the 3.3% dropout rate is still higher than the state average. Overall, the data suggests that the district may need to focus on improving instructional quality, targeted support, and resource allocation to drive meaningful improvements in student learning outcomes and college readiness.