Cactus Shadows High School

Public 8-12

 5802 E. Dove Valley Rd.
       Scottsdale, AZ  85266


(480) 575-2400

District: Cave Creek Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
55th of 469 Arizona High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $2,314 Help


Feeder schools for Cactus Shadows High School:

Elementary:    Black Mountain Elementary School
    Desert Sun Academy
    Desert Willow Elementary School
    Horseshoe Trails Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Sonoran Trails Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  20.8 Help
Number of students:  1,588

Racial breakdown:

White:
80.6%
Hispanic:
13.4%
Two or more races:
2.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  5.9% Help


 See top rated Arizona high schools

 Compare Cactus Shadows High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Cactus Shadows High School ranks better than 88.3% of high schools in Arizona. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 86.27. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Cactus Shadows High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (80.6%), Hispanic (13.4%), two or more races (2.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 5.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cactus Shadows High School is 20.8. (See more...)
Help
Compare Cactus Shadows High School employs 76 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cactus Shadows High School is $2,314.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Cactus Shadows High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Cactus Shadows High School 55th of 469 Arizona public high schools. (See Cactus Shadows High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Cave Creek Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Cave Creek Unified District 88th of 540 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Cactus Shadows High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 86.54 59th 395 85.1%
2010 90.78 35th 403 91.3%
2011 84.65 60th 397 84.9%
2012 85.55 58th 471 87.7%
2013 88.44 39th 491 92.1%
2014 77.91 89th 394 77.4%
2015 67.21 55th 261 78.9%
2016 77.43 54th 406 86.7%
2017 73.66 64th 416 84.6%
2018 75.76 60th 420 85.7%
2019 67.22 60th 285 78.9%
2021 85.46 64th 509 87.4%
2022 86.46 47th 464 89.9%
2023 86.27 55th 469 88.3%
See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 62.52 113th 374 69.8%
2022 46.96 142nd 282 49.6%
2023 70.13 36th 199 81.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.58 29th 312 90.7%
2022 41.67 53rd 258 79.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.51 33rd 155 78.7%
2021 73.97 38th 422 91.0%
2022 84.83 16th 380 95.8%
2023 45.11 66th 172 61.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.39 36th 253 85.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 79.33 11th 60 81.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.32 45th 354 87.3%
2019 71.53 50th 247 79.8%
2021 89.72 44th 492 91.1%
2022 90.67 30th 456 93.4%
2023 92.75 20th 406 95.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 19.81 64th 102 37.3%
2022 10.54 104th 125 16.8%
2023 59.37 28th 74 62.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.54 71st 370 80.8%
2019 63.69 63rd 238 73.5%
2021 78.20 83rd 492 83.1%
2022 80.19 68th 455 85.1%
2023 83.66 61st 429 85.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.59 28th 83 66.3%
2019 75.28 10th 44 77.3%
2021 50.82 126th 231 45.5%
2022 45.88 142nd 238 40.3%
2023 55.79 66th 146 54.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 24.04 202nd 306 34.0%
2022 38.81 151st 301 49.8%
2023 60.06 64th 201 68.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.17 35th 311 88.7%
2019 59.60 55th 183 69.9%
2021 71.48 83rd 479 82.7%
2022 81.91 53rd 441 88.0%
2023 72.93 67th 379 82.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 97.67 1st 94 98.9%
2022 57.12 36th 129 72.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Cactus Shadows High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.21 81st 291 72.2%
2019 56.04 75th 217 65.4%
2021 77.77 81st 448 81.9%
2022 75.20 71st 409 82.6%
2023 77.12 62nd 371 83.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Cactus Shadows High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent on FaceBook
Friday, September 19, 2014

Open Quote The staff at this school are extremely rude and unaccommodating. The curriculum is basic and does not prepare students for college. I am so happy my child will not be attending this school next year. One year is enough!! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Cactus Shadows High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 347 2 2 12 1 n/a n/a 3 367
1989 369 2 2 15 1 n/a n/a 3 392
1990 395 n/a 4 18 2 n/a n/a -14 405
1991 408 0 3 17 2 n/a n/a 17 447
1992 440 0 3 36 1 n/a n/a 0 480
1993 452 3 6 42 1 n/a n/a 0 504
1994 516 2 6 43 1 n/a n/a 0 568
1995 612 0 7 35 2 n/a n/a 0 656
1996 612 0 7 35 2 n/a n/a 0 656
1997 701 1 8 42 4 n/a n/a 0 756
1998 809 1 8 28 0 n/a n/a 0 846
1999 906 4 8 25 2 n/a n/a 0 945
2000 1057 6 8 39 0 n/a n/a 0 1110
2001 1045 6 5 44 6 n/a n/a 0 1106
2002 1244 13 13 64 2 n/a n/a 0 1336
2003 1244 13 13 64 2 n/a n/a 0 1336
2004 1302 11 16 69 4 n/a n/a 0 1402
2005 1356 10 21 85 2 n/a n/a 0 1474
2006 1443 8 33 96 6 n/a n/a 0 1586
2007 1549 8 32 114 6 n/a n/a 0 1709
2008 1575 13 35 111 6 n/a n/a 0 1740
2009 1601 20 42 122 7 n/a n/a 0 1792
2010 1571 19 45 131 6 n/a n/a 0 1772
2011 1610 22 48 125 6 0 2 0 1813
2012 1556 19 42 116 5 1 5 0 1744
2013 1533 18 45 116 4 5 1 0 1722
2014 1513 20 45 120 5 5 1 0 1709
2015 1512 18 41 111 5 6 11 0 1704
2016 1507 23 44 119 6 5 10 0 1714
2017 1569 25 43 120 6 3 9 0 1775
2018 1598 29 33 138 9 3 9 0 1819
2019 1631 32 42 151 8 4 15 0 1883
2020 1633 22 40 191 4 4 36 0 1930
2021 1467 18 35 217 3 4 35 0 1779
2022 1432 16 41 238 5 4 40 0 1776
2023 1280 13 28 212 7 5 43 0 1588

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Cactus Shadows High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 367 19.0 19.3 n/a
1989 392 21.3 18.4 n/a
1990 405 24.0 16.8 n/a
1991 447 24.3 18.3 n/a
1992 480 24.3 19.7 n/a
1993 504 27.0 18.7 n/a
1994 568 29.0 19.6 n/a
1995 656 33.1 19.8 n/a
1996 656 33.1 19.8 n/a
1997 756 33.0 22.9 n/a
1998 846 40.5 20.9 n/a
1999 945 48.4 19.5 n/a
2000 1110 52.4 21.2 n/a
2001 1106 57.2 19.3 n/a
2002 1336 67.1 19.9 4.3
2003 1336 67.1 19.9 4.3
2004 1402 68.6 20.4 3.8
2005 1474 71.9 20.5 4.5
2006 1586 74.9 21.2 0.9
2007 1709 75.6 22.6 2.2
2008 1740 79.9 21.8 3.2
2009 1792 74.8 24.0 5.8
2010 1772 77.3 22.9 9.7
2011 1813 79.2 22.8 10.2
2012 1744 79.5 21.9 12.1
2013 1722 75.3 22.8 11.9
2014 1709 72.7 23.5 10.6
2015 1704 70.0 24.3 9.7
2016 1714 66.0 25.9 7.9
2017 1775 69.1 25.6 7.8
2018 1819 68.0 26.7 5.9
2019 1883 70.3 26.7 5.9
2020 1930 72.1 26.7 6
2021 1779 78.5 22.6 n/a
2022 1776 68.4 25.9 2.8
2023 1588 76.0 20.8 5.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Cactus Shadows High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 367 19.0 19.3 n/a
1989 392 21.3 18.4 n/a
1990 405 24.0 16.8 n/a
1991 447 24.3 18.3 n/a
1992 480 24.3 19.7 n/a
1993 504 27.0 18.7 n/a
1994 568 29.0 19.6 n/a
1995 656 33.1 19.8 n/a
1996 656 33.1 19.8 n/a
1997 756 33.0 22.9 n/a
1998 846 40.5 20.9 n/a
1999 945 48.4 19.5 n/a
2000 1110 52.4 21.2 n/a
2001 1106 57.2 19.3 n/a
2002 1336 67.1 19.9 4.3
2003 1336 67.1 19.9 4.3
2004 1402 68.6 20.4 3.8
2005 1474 71.9 20.5 4.5
2006 1586 74.9 21.2 0.9
2007 1709 75.6 22.6 2.2
2008 1740 79.9 21.8 3.2
2009 1792 74.8 24.0 5.8
2010 1772 77.3 22.9 9.7
2011 1813 79.2 22.8 10.2
2012 1744 79.5 21.9 12.1
2013 1722 75.3 22.8 11.9
2014 1709 72.7 23.5 10.6
2015 1704 70.0 24.3 9.7
2016 1714 66.0 25.9 7.9
2017 1775 69.1 25.6 7.8
2018 1819 68.0 26.7 5.9
2019 1883 70.3 26.7 5.9
2020 1930 72.1 26.7 6
2021 1779 78.5 22.6 n/a
2022 1776 68.4 25.9 2.8
2023 1588 76.0 20.8 5.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Cactus Shadows High School

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $225 (2.9%) $57 (0.7%) $506 (6.6%) $5,576 (72.2%) $1,866 (24.2%) $7,442 (96.3%) $7,724
2020 $212 (3.6%) $124 (2.1%) $548 (9.3%) $4,581 (78.0%) $958 (16.3%) $5,540 (94.3%) $5,875
2021 $720 (11.9%) $94 (1.6%) $1,533 (25.4%) $4,322 (71.7%) $896 (14.9%) $5,218 (86.5%) $6,032
2022 $60 (2.6%) $114 (4.9%) $234 (10.1%) $1,669 (72.1%) $471 (20.4%) $2,140 (92.5%) $2,314

Data source: Arizona Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cactus Shadows High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 60th of 285 High schoolsRanks 55th of 469 High schools
 9.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students18831588
 15.7%
African American3213
 59.4%
American Indian87
 12.5%
Asian4228
 33.3%
Hispanic151212
 40.4%
Pacific Islander45
 25%
White16311280
 21.5%
Two or More Races1543
 186.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients5.9%5.9%
 0%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Cactus Shadows High School

Cactus Shadows High School ranks 55th of 469 Arizona high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Cactus Shadows High School are 81% White, 13% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,588 students attended Cactus Shadows High School.


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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. Attendance Areas provided by ATTOM.

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.





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