Salt River Accelerated Learning Academy

Salt River Accelerated Learning Academy is a small public charter high school in Scottsdale, Arizona, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of just 73. The school is part of the Mesa Unified District, which is ranked 457 out of 540 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite its small size, Salt River Accelerated Learning Academy stands out in several key areas. Over 86% of its students are Native American, a significantly higher percentage than the more diverse nearby schools like Westwood High School and Desert Mountain High School. Academically, the school has consistently low proficiency rates, with 0% proficiency in most subjects. Its four-year graduation rates are extremely low, ranging from 4.6% to 18.9%, while dropout rates are high, from 32.1% to 50.4%. Interestingly, the school spends significantly more per student, between $16,350 and $45,780, compared to the $6,000 to $12,000 spent by nearby schools.

These findings raise concerns about the quality of education at Salt River Accelerated Learning Academy. The school's lack of diversity, consistently poor academic performance, and high dropout rates suggest it is struggling to support and retain its students, despite its higher spending per student. These challenges set it apart from the higher-performing, more diverse schools in the Scottsdale Unified District and Cicero Preparatory Academy nearby.