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The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix

Public, Charter, Alternative Grades K-12

754^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 909 Arizona Alternative Schools

Better than 17% of Arizona alternative schools

Summary

The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix is a public charter school serving 618 students in grades K-12 in Phoenix, Arizona. The school has a focus on alternative education and serves a high-need, low-income population.

The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix faces significant challenges compared to state averages and nearby charter schools. The school has relatively high dropout rates, ranging from 4.4% to 6.1% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the school's test scores are consistently lower than the state averages across all grade levels and subjects, with only 14-35% of students projected to be proficient in English Language Arts and 24-30% proficient in Mathematics in 2024-2025, compared to state averages of 36-46% and 37-42% respectively. The school's spending per student, at $7,959 in 2018-2019, is also lower than the state average, which may contribute to the lower academic performance.

While the Paideia Academy of South Phoenix performs significantly worse than nearby charter schools like Keystone Montessori Charter School and BASIS Ahwatukee on test scores and other metrics, it does perform better than some virtual/online schools like Arizona Virtual Academy on test scores, suggesting the in-person model may be more effective. To address the school's challenges, the Paideia Academies Inc. district could focus on increasing resources, improving instructional practices, and providing more comprehensive support services for the school's high-need student population.

579

Students ?

14.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

81%

Free/discounted lunch ?

7777 S 15th Ter
Phoenix, AZ 85042-6754

(602) 343-3040

District: The Paideia Academies Inc

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

70.1%

African American:

16.6%

White:

9.2%

See top rated Arizona elementary schools

Compare The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 28th percentile in 2018 → 17th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Arizona average (25% vs 40% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (17th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 11 percentile points since 2018

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school25%

District avg25%

Arizona avg40%

754^th of 909

Arizona public elementary schools ?

Bottom 17%▲ up 2 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of Arizona Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

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
2025	16.6	754 of 909	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.6	733 of 912	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.4	954 of 1245	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.2	793 of 1000	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	25.7	876 of 1226	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.2	684 of 1039	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	26.4	797 of 1109	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	24.0	835 of 1106	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	30.9	713 of 1079	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2015	17.7	810 of 955	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	19.7	542 of 607	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	39.0	512 of 895	42.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	47.3	44 of 100	56.0%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	29.3	490 of 620	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	28.7	290 of 451	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	39.3	545 of 975	44.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2024	15.6	521 of 602	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	19.7	1006 of 1219	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	25.1	906 of 1219	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	23.4	646 of 862	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.2	776 of 1023	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	19.0	419 of 496	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.9	358 of 486	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.4	925 of 1170	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.2	562 of 716	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	32.6	782 of 1198	34.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	37.0	426 of 709	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	33.0	622 of 911	31.7%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	23.5	433 of 549	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.5	428 of 556	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.2	843 of 1116	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	35.3	542 of 820	33.9%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	11.0	575 of 626	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	17.1	525 of 628	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.0	916 of 1216	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	19.0	684 of 830	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	28.5	820 of 1220	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	29.4	562 of 850	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	30.4	697 of 1032	32.5%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	21.2	905 of 1027	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	37.0	713 of 1201	40.6%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	35.7	672 of 1024	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.3	583 of 800	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	46.4	621 of 1161	46.5%	★★☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	39.2	431 of 832	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.7	347 of 605	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	25.1	520 of 711	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	13.4	646 of 695	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	35.8	358 of 573	37.5%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	68.4	102 of 404	74.8%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	50.8	111 of 606	81.7%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	34.5	481 of 820	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	22.2	496 of 624	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	48.7	314 of 802	60.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	46.3	176 of 387	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	34.3	346 of 543	36.3%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2018	35.5	310 of 503	38.4%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	45.7	359 of 818	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	41.7	219 of 435	49.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	40.1	321 of 617	48.0%	★★☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	37.8	394 of 650	39.4%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	35.7	519 of 789	34.2%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	36.2	519 of 780	33.5%	★★☆☆☆

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

Special Education (2021)41st percentile+12 vs school

English Language Learner (2023)36th percentile+12 vs school

White (2023)34th percentile+11 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)21st percentile+4 vs school

Asian (2021)21st percentile-8 vs school

Hispanic (2025)16th percentile~ school

Female (2024)13th percentile-6 vs school

Multi-racial (2021)12th percentile-17 vs school

African American (2023)11th percentile-13 vs school

Male (2025)8th percentile-9 vs school

Middle school

English Language Learner (2021)82nd percentile+33 vs school

Asian (2021)75th percentile+27 vs school

Hispanic (2021)61st percentile+13 vs school

Male (2021)56th percentile+8 vs school

Female (2021)41st percentile-7 vs school

Multi-racial (2021)39th percentile-9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2018)38th percentile+12 vs school

African American (2021)38th percentile-11 vs school

Special Education (2021)34th percentile-14 vs school

White (2021)33rd percentile-15 vs school

By subject vs Arizona (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts27%-13 vs state

Mathematics27%-14 vs state

Science14%-20 vs state

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What people are saying

by a parent
Saturday, March 6, 2021

My child started at this school two years ago in kinder. His teachers seem unhappy, I’m bombarded with emails, I’ve gotten no response from IT this year when tech after tech issue arises. I think next year we’ll be somewhere else. This school seems highly disorganized behind the facade of living the 7 habits. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, January 27, 2017

Worst school. Discrimination against kids. and teachers bullying kids. Do not take your kids, to this school. Close Quote

Schools Near The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix

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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 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 11th Grade	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 11th Grade	AzSCI Science 5th Grade	AzSCI Science 8th Grade	AzSCI Science 11th 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
The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	7777 S 15th Ter	Phoenix	85042	Maricopa County	The Paideia Academies Inc	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 343-3040	579	39	14.8		53 (9.2%)	96 (16.6%)	406 (70.1%)	6 (1.0%)	4 (0.7%)	4 (0.7%)	10 (1.7%)								(n/a)	25.0	35.0	18.0	30.0				30.0	24.0						14.0				$00			$00
Desert Marigold School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	6210 S 28th St	Phoenix	85042	Maricopa County	Valley of the Sun Waldorf Education Association d	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(602) 243-6909	286				173 (60.5%)	8 (2.8%)	77 (26.9%)	6 (2.1%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (7.0%)								(n/a)						50.0										54.0			$00			$00
ASU Preparatory Academy - South Phoenix Intermediate	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	5610 S. Central Avenue	Phoenix	85040	Maricopa County	ASU Preparatory Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 551-6594	99	9	11.0		4 (4.0%)	7 (7.1%)	81 (81.8%)	1 (1.0%)	2 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.0%)								(n/a)																			$00			$00
BASIS Phoenix South	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	5700 S 19th Ave	Phoenix	85041	Maricopa County	BASIS Charter Schools Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 962-7393	523	47	11.1		39 (7.5%)	142 (27.2%)	238 (45.5%)	72 (13.8%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.2%)								(n/a)	46.0	38.0	30.0	48.0	69.0	81.0		63.0		32.0	27.0	50.0			20.0	57.0		$12,233	$658	$56	$1,372	$7,547	$3,972	$11,519
Kelly	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	1648 S 16th St	Phoenix	85034	Maricopa County	Edkey Inc. - Sequoia School for the Deaf and Hard	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(602) 712-0500	21	5	4.2		5 (23.8%)	5 (23.8%)	10 (47.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																		$54,496	$5,871	$1,155	$12,896	$21,040	$26,430	$47,470
BASIS Ahwatukee	Public, Charter, Alternative	4-12	10210 S 50th Pl	Phoenix	85044	Maricopa County	BASIS Charter Schools Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 659-2294	661	53	12.4		99 (15.0%)	73 (11.0%)	48 (7.3%)	388 (58.7%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	47 (7.1%)								(n/a)		84.0	69.0	85.0	82.0	87.0			85.0	62.0	78.0	87.0	90.0		62.0	80.0	85.0	$8,768	$254	$30	$537	$6,241	$2,244	$8,485
Nueva Vista School / Arizona State Hospital	Public, Alternative	K-12	2500 E Van Buren St # G1181	Phoenix	85008	Maricopa County	Arizona State Hospital	No	(n/a)	No	No	(602) 244-1331	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Keystone Montessori Charter School	Public, Charter, Alternative	1-9	1025 E Liberty Ln	Phoenix	85048	Maricopa County	Keystone Montessori Charter School Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 460-7312	203	13	15.6		92 (45.3%)	9 (4.4%)	65 (32.0%)	11 (5.4%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (12.3%)								(n/a)	60.0	60.0	63.0	75.0	79.0	81.0									48.0				$00			$00
Great Hearts Online - Arizona	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	4801 E Washington St Ste 250	Phoenix	85034	Maricopa County	Archway Classical Academy Trivium West	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(602) 438-7045	246	33	7.5		99 (40.2%)	15 (6.1%)	85 (34.6%)	18 (7.3%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.6%)								(n/a)		68.0	57.0		52.0	40.0			47.0	48.0					52.0
Arizona Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	99 E Virginia Ave Ste 200	Phoenix	85004	Maricopa County	Portable Practical Educational Preparation Inc. (	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	Yes	(602) 476-1320	4,476	157	28.4		2,527 (56.5%)	399 (8.9%)	1,038 (23.2%)	43 (1.0%)	148 (3.3%)	22 (0.5%)	299 (6.7%)								(n/a)	18.0	30.0	20.0	18.0	27.0	27.0	31.0	8.0	10.0	9.0	3.0	6.0		14.0	20.0	17.0	12.0		$00			$00

Frequently Asked Questions about The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix

What is the racial makeup of The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix?

Students at The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix are 70% Hispanic, 17% African American, 9% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

How many students attend The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix?

In the 2024-25 school year, 579 students attended The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix.

What district is The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix in?

The Paideia Academies Inc

Is The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix a good school?

The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix ranks in the bottom 17.1% of Arizona alternative schools.

Rate The Paideia Academy of South Phoenix!

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Latest Arizona data All new data »

2024–25 dropout ratesDec 2, 2025

2024–25 graduation ratesNov 7, 2025

2024–25 AASA & AzSCI test scoresOct 10, 2025

2023–24 dropout ratesJun 30, 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.