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Test scores delayed: 2026 rankings for Arizona do not yet include the AzSCI Science tests, which have not yet been released by the Arizona Department of Education

Horseshoe Trails Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-6

33^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 900 Arizona Elementary Schools

Better than 96% of Arizona elementary schools

Summary

Horseshoe Trails Elementary School serves 424 students in prekindergarten through grade 6 in Phoenix and is part of the Cave Creek Unified District. Its 2025–26 proficiency rates were 74% in English language arts (ELA) and 75% in math. The clearest local distinction is fifth-grade science: 70% in 2024–25, tied with Sky Crossing Elementary School for the highest result among nearby schools.

Results are well above district and state levels, but overall ELA and math are mid-pack among nearby schools. ELA proficiency was 74%, compared with 61% in the district and 41% statewide; math was 75%, compared with 56% and 33%. Against nearby-school averages of about 70% in ELA and 69% in math, Horseshoe Trails was ahead by 4 and 6 points, respectively, and ranked fifth of 11 schools in both subjects. Grade 5 is a brighter spot: its 78% ELA result was second-highest nearby, while its 78% in math was 7 points above the local average, though four schools scored higher. Fourth-grade ELA was a relative weakness locally: 74%, slightly below the nearby average.

Fifth-grade science has improved steadily, rising from 52% in 2022–23 to 61% in 2023–24 and 70% in 2024–25, an 18-point gain; the state result was 34% in each year. SchoolDigger ranks the school 33rd of 900 statewide, at the 96th percentile with 5 stars, up from the 89th percentile in 2024–25, though four nearby schools have higher percentiles. Its student–teacher ratio is 17.7, tied for the highest nearby, and its 2022–23 free/reduced-lunch rate was 4%; nearby lunch-rate figures are unavailable for comparison. SchoolDigger’s statewide measure of how well the school serves students receiving special education fell from the 99th percentile in 2020–21 to the 74th in 2022–23, when the overall school percentile was 91; no more recent subgroup result is supplied. Its measure for serving Hispanic students rose from the 65th percentile in 2021–22 to the 92nd in 2025–26, close to the schoolwide 96th percentile.

424

Students ?

17.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$2,778

Per pupil spending ?

9.7%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

79.3%

Kindergartners fully immunized against measles (MMR) (2025-26)

Exemptions: 25.9% (any vaccine)

5405 E. Pinnacle Vista Drive
Phoenix, AZ 85327

(480) 272-8500

District: Cave Creek Unified District

Students who attend Horseshoe Trails Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Sonoran Trails Middle School
High:	Cactus Shadows High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.0%

Hispanic:

9.0%

Two or more races:

6.4%

See top rated Arizona elementary schools

Compare Horseshoe Trails Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 97th percentile in 2016 → 96th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Arizona average (75% vs 37% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 4% of Arizona elementary schools

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school75%

District avg58%

Arizona avg37%

33^rd of 900

Arizona public elementary schools ?

Top 4%▼ down 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Arizona Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 3Elementary Schools in the Cave Creek Unified District

56^th of 267Cave Creek Unified 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	94.3	33 of 900	96.3%	★★★★★
2025	86.7	101 of 909	88.9%	★★★★☆
2024	86.7	104 of 912	88.6%	★★★★☆
2023	90.8	106 of 1245	91.5%	★★★★★
2022	87.1	82 of 1000	91.8%	★★★★★
2021	96.6	27 of 1226	97.8%	★★★★★
2019	95.8	23 of 1039	97.8%	★★★★★
2018	94.9	35 of 1109	96.8%	★★★★★
2017	93.7	51 of 1106	95.4%	★★★★★
2016	95.2	32 of 1079	97.0%	★★★★★
2015	92.3	48 of 955	95.0%	★★★★★
2014	92.3	39 of 1079	96.4%	★★★★★
2013	89.6	46 of 1158	96.0%	★★★★★
2012	85.1	99 of 1141	91.3%	★★★★★
2011	88.1	85 of 1075	92.1%	★★★★★
2010	89.4	66 of 1090	93.9%	★★★★★
2009	88.4	61 of 1062	94.3%	★★★★★

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	77.9	67 of 620	89.2%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	89.1	39 of 579	93.3%	★★★★★
2025	80.2	81 of 589	86.2%	★★★★☆
2024	83.9	63 of 602	89.5%	★★★★☆
2023	85.8	143 of 1219	88.3%	★★★★☆
2022	82.6	82 of 824	90.0%	★★★★★
2021	95.4	29 of 1219	97.6%	★★★★★
2019	93.5	27 of 862	96.9%	★★★★★
2018	92.9	49 of 1023	95.2%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	90.7	38 of 500	92.4%	★★★★★
2023	84.7	121 of 1170	89.7%	★★★★☆
2022	64.3	253 of 716	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	96.6	14 of 1198	98.8%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	89.0	46 of 591	92.2%	★★★★★
2025	73.2	134 of 626	78.6%	★★★★☆
2024	81.9	77 of 628	87.7%	★★★★☆
2023	91.9	74 of 1216	93.9%	★★★★★
2022	82.1	100 of 830	88.0%	★★★★☆
2021	96.1	26 of 1220	97.9%	★★★★★
2019	94.3	24 of 850	97.2%	★★★★★
2018	95.7	22 of 1032	97.9%	★★★★★

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	88.9	10 of 239	95.8%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	66.9	125 of 617	79.7%	★★★★☆
2022	80.0	46 of 444	89.6%	★★★★☆
2021	89.8	17 of 1027	98.3%	★★★★★

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	68.8	70 of 654	89.3%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	60.7	217 of 820	73.5%	★★★★☆
2021	96.9	14 of 1201	98.8%	★★★★★
2018	95.1	15 of 417	96.4%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	84.6	44 of 437	89.9%	★★★★★
2025	66.6	132 of 465	71.6%	★★★★☆
2024	67.8	134 of 486	72.4%	★★★★☆
2023	78.5	164 of 1024	84.0%	★★★★☆
2022	75.1	122 of 800	84.8%	★★★★☆
2021	88.8	45 of 1161	96.1%	★★★★★
2019	90.7	19 of 595	96.8%	★★★★★
2018	88.5	45 of 720	93.8%	★★★★★

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)

Military Connected (2021)96th percentile~ school

Female (2026)93rd percentile-3 vs school

Hispanic (2026)92nd percentile-4 vs school

Male (2026)92nd percentile-4 vs school

White (2026)90th percentile-6 vs school

Native American (2021)89th percentile-9 vs school

Asian (2021)89th percentile-9 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)80th percentile-12 vs school

Special Education (2023)74th percentile-18 vs school

By subject vs Arizona (2025-2026) ?

Mathematics75%+42 vs state

English Language Arts74%+33 vs state

2.3

3 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, May 27, 2021

Horseshoe Trails was once an excellent school. The teachers went above and beyond. They offered a top notch education, which I was proud of. There were cracks in the school that needed to be fixed, but not every school is perfect.

We decided not to return for many reasons. The problems my child had with being bullied and excluded at school were not effectively dealt with. We met with the current principal multiple times, but nothing changed. My child also had an IEP that was not being followed. It caused a lot of stress and anxiety for my kid to be there because of this. Lastly, the Chinese immersion program has been reduced to an extracurricular activity offered at the school. It is a misfortune as the mandarin teachers were amazing.

There appears to be a lack of follow through from leaders and a lack of willingness to work with the school’s families.
The community at the school was strong, but many feel shunned by their leaders. For these reasons, and more, many have decided to move on. Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, May 23, 2021

No confidence in Principal Pettinato! He eliminated Immersion stating he needed to kill the program to be fair to ALL students, declared immersion not equitable due to varying class sizes, which COVID upset. He became less visible & harder to reach. He seemed to frown upon extra work of leading an immersion school & shared he felt like he had to run two schools. He rejected donations, grants, etc. as not sustainable. He stated he was nervous over hiring Mandarin speaking teachers when two retired & two(or three) planned to reject their contracts. If immersion was already killed, he had no need to hire, if not, why did these teachers feel the need to reject their contracts under Mr.P’s leadership? He stated he did not want to RIF an English-speaking teacher. An anti-Mandarin immersion attitude grew among some non-immersion parents & took root in the entering PTO. So unfortunate for a school with such low diversity. The Horseshoe Trails community needed a strong leader. Mr.P let us down! Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, January 31, 2012

COMPARABLE TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL:
As a previous private school parent in another city, I was wary of sending my children to a public school. However, when I visited this school, I found the Principal is very engaged in each aspect of the schools inner workings. Principal Marlowe is in each classroom everyday, leading tours through the school, and even directing afterschool traffic. She is also very accessible and the front office staff is very pleasant and informed.

Pros - the school has smart boards in every classroom, a well-rounded gifted program (my daughter is not "gifted" but is learning multiplication at second grade), Mandarin, and an equine program. Caveats: small minority population and the learnyes.org campaigns towards the first half of the year. Close Quote

Schools Near Horseshoe Trails Elementary 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 Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				AASA English Language Arts (2026)							AASA Mathematics (2026)							Vaccination (2025-26)		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	Directly certified (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	AASA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	AASA English Language Arts 4th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 5th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 6th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 7th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 8th Grade	AASA English Language Arts All Grades	AASA Mathematics 3rd Grade	AASA Mathematics 4th Grade	AASA Mathematics 5th Grade	AASA Mathematics 6th Grade	AASA Mathematics 7th Grade	AASA Mathematics 8th Grade	AASA Mathematics All Grades	Vaccination: Kindergartners fully immunized against measles (MMR)	Vaccination: Exemption rate	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
Horseshoe Trails Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	5405 E. Pinnacle Vista Drive	Phoenix	85327	Maricopa County	Cave Creek Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 272-8500	424	24	17.7	9.7%	339 (80.0%)	8 (1.9%)	38 (9.0%)	11 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.4%)	94.3	33^rd of 900 public elementary schools	96.3%		86.7	101^st of 909 public elementary schools	88.9%	68	71.0	74.0	78.0				74.0	72.0	74.0	78.0				75.0	79.3%	25.9%	$2,778	$105	$60	$271	$1,959	$653	$2,612
Desert Willow Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	4322 E Desert Willow Parkway	Cave Creek	85327	Maricopa County	Cave Creek Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 575-2800	338	23	14.7	10.1%	237 (70.1%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (21.0%)	9 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.2%)	59.6	319^th of 900 public elementary schools	64.6%		75.2	204^th of 909 public elementary schools	77.6%	115	46.0	66.0	50.0				55.0	48.0	50.0	36.0				45.0	92.9%	7.1%	$2,222	$129	$50	$308	$1,544	$499	$2,043
Wildfire Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3997 E Lockwood Dr	Phoenix	85050	Maricopa County	Paradise Valley Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(602) 449-4300	394	29	13.8	11.2%	304 (77.2%)	5 (1.3%)	53 (13.5%)	9 (2.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	21 (5.3%)	91.7	61^st of 900 public elementary schools	93.2%		92.4	54^th of 909 public elementary schools	94.1%	7	71.0	90.0	64.0	70.0			73.0	75.0	84.0	69.0	56.0			70.0	81.8%	6.8%	$8,321	$181	$170	$533	$7,526	$444	$7,970
Desert Trails Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-7	4315 E Cashman Dr	Phoenix	85050	Maricopa County	Paradise Valley Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(602) 449-4100	590	41	14.2	6.8%	425 (72.0%)	8 (1.4%)	71 (12.0%)	38 (6.4%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (7.5%)	97.8	10^th of 900 public elementary schools	98.9%		97.1	9^th of 909 public elementary schools	99.0%	1	79.0	82.0	77.0	86.0			81.0	87.0	75.0	95.0	90.0			87.0	89.3%	10.7%	$8,573	$387	$135	$908	$7,715	$337	$8,052
Sky Crossing Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3300 E. Sky Crossing Way	Phoenix	85050	Maricopa County	Paradise Valley Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(602) 449-5900	628	42	14.7	4.1%	461 (73.4%)	7 (1.1%)	58 (9.2%)	50 (8.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (8.0%)	96.5	23^rd of 900 public elementary schools	97.4%		95.3	30^th of 909 public elementary schools	96.7%	7	78.0	79.0	73.0	87.0			79.0	72.0	79.0	78.0	89.0			79.0	88.1%	5.9%	$9,058	$234	$220	$688	$7,519	$1,085	$8,604
Black Mountain Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	33606 N 60th St	Scottsdale	85327	Maricopa County	Cave Creek Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 575-2100	496	32	15.5	10.5%	382 (77.0%)	7 (1.4%)	66 (13.3%)	7 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.7%)	89.7	79^th of 900 public elementary schools	91.2%		85.3	114^th of 909 public elementary schools	87.5%	35	69.0	70.0	69.0				69.0	64.0	68.0	70.0				68.0			$2,686	$103	$48	$254	$2,064	$470	$2,535
Pinnacle Peak Preparatory	Public	PK, KG-8	7690 E Williams Dr	Scottsdale	85032	Maricopa County	Paradise Valley Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(602) 449-6700	474	32	15.0	7.0%	355 (74.9%)	9 (1.9%)	54 (11.4%)	10 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.8%)	41 (8.6%)	89.7	80^th of 900 public elementary schools	91.1%		88.2	83^rd of 909 public elementary schools	90.9%	3	74.0	75.0	74.0	69.0	55.0	58.0	67.0	61.0	79.0	82.0	51.0	35.0	53.0	59.0	78.4%	11.8%	$7,997	$315	$131	$762	$7,067	$484	$7,551
Fireside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3725 E. Love Cactus Drive	Phoenix	85032	Maricopa County	Paradise Valley Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(602) 449-4700	693	42	16.5	8.7%	437 (63.1%)	11 (1.6%)	78 (11.3%)	124 (17.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (6.1%)	96.7	20^th of 900 public elementary schools	97.8%		96.2	19^th of 909 public elementary schools	97.9%	1	72.0	77.0	79.0	80.0			77.0	74.0	81.0	89.0	82.0			82.0	89.9%	3%	$6,885	$297	$137	$732	$6,106	$344	$6,451
Boulder Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	22801 N 22nd St	Phoenix	85024	Maricopa County	Paradise Valley Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(602) 449-4500	621	35	17.7	12.4%	444 (71.5%)	10 (1.6%)	102 (16.4%)	21 (3.4%)	6 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	36 (5.8%)	96.9	17^th of 900 public elementary schools	98.1%		93.3	48^th of 909 public elementary schools	94.7%	31	83.0	83.0	73.0	79.0			79.0	80.0	90.0	77.0	70.0			79.0	97.3%	5.3%	$7,008	$337	$79	$753	$6,133	$458	$6,592
Grayhawk Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	7525 E Grayhawk Dr	Scottsdale	85255	Maricopa County	Paradise Valley Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(602) 449-6600	408	29	14.0	11.0%	320 (78.4%)	9 (2.2%)	49 (12.0%)	5 (1.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.6%)	85	110^th of 900 public elementary schools	87.8%		84.4	123^rd of 909 public elementary schools	86.5%	13	68.0	74.0	57.0	64.0			65.0	73.0	61.0	57.0	66.0			64.0	78%	24%	$10,444	$407	$244	$1,058	$9,264	$529	$9,793

Frequently Asked Questions about Horseshoe Trails Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Horseshoe Trails Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Horseshoe Trails Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Sonoran Trails Middle School
High : Cactus Shadows High School

How many students attend Horseshoe Trails Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 424 students attended Horseshoe Trails Elementary School.

Is Horseshoe Trails Elementary School a good school?

Yes! Horseshoe Trails Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 33^rd of 900 Arizona elementary schools.

What district is Horseshoe Trails Elementary School in?

Cave Creek Unified District

What is the racial makeup of Horseshoe Trails Elementary School?

Students at Horseshoe Trails Elementary School are 80% White, 9% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% African American.

Rate Horseshoe Trails Elementary School!

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Latest Arizona data All new data »

2015–16 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 19, 2026

2025–26 AASA test scoresOct 13, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesDec 2, 2025

2024–25 graduation ratesNov 7, 2025

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.