Thunderbird High School

Summary:

Thunderbird High School is a public high school serving 1,540 students in grades 9-12 in Phoenix, Arizona, part of the Glendale Union High School District. This school consistently outperforms the district and state averages in academic assessments, with higher percentages of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science.

Thunderbird High School maintains high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 89.7% to 92.6% over the past five years, significantly outperforming the state average. The school also has very low dropout rates, ranging from 0.2% to 0.8% over the same period, much lower than the state average. Thunderbird High School performs well across various student subgroups, often ranking in the top 100 high schools in Arizona, indicating strong academic support and outcomes for diverse student populations.

Compared to nearby schools in the Glendale Union High School District, such as Moon Valley High School and Greenway High School, Thunderbird High School outperforms them in academic assessments, graduation rates, and overall school rankings, making it a standout institution in the local educational landscape.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1750 W Thunderbird Rd
       Phoenix, AZ  85023-6307


(623) 915-8900

District: Glendale Union High School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
77th of 259 Arizona High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,597 Help


Feeder schools for Thunderbird High School:

Elementary:    John Jacobs Elementary School
    Lookout Mountain School
    Moon Mountain School
Middle:    Mountain Sky Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  20.4 Help
Number of students:  1,540

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
43.9%
White:
38.6%
African American:
7.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  43% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Thunderbird High School ranks better than 70.3% of high schools in Arizona. It also ranks 2nd among 9 ranked high schools in the Glendale Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.12. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Thunderbird 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: Hispanic (43.9%), White (38.6%), African American (7.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 43% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thunderbird High School is 20.4, which is the 4th best among 9 high schools in the Glendale Union High School District. (See more...)
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Compare Thunderbird High School employs 75.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thunderbird High School is $10,597, which is the 5th highest among 9 high schools in the Glendale Union High School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Thunderbird High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Thunderbird High School 77th of 259 Arizona public high schools. (See Thunderbird High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Glendale Union High School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Glendale Union High School District 165th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Thunderbird High School

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Rank History for all students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 80.92 82nd 395 79.2%
2010 83.22 73rd 403 81.9%
2011 79.83 91st 397 77.1%
2012 76.68 103rd 471 78.1%
2013 80.13 86th 491 82.5%
2014 77.12 92nd 394 76.6%
2015 44.67 119th 261 54.4%
2016 68.41 83rd 406 79.6%
2017 70.12 75th 416 82.0%
2018 74.62 67th 420 84.0%
2019 67.99 57th 285 80.0%
2021 65.55 135th 509 73.5%
2022 65.77 115th 464 75.2%
2023 75.66 93rd 469 80.2%
2024 67.12 77th 259 70.3%
See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 42.02 210th 374 43.9%
2022 74.53 65th 282 77.0%
2023 16.13 181st 199 9.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 94.57 2nd 45 95.6%
2021 44.58 29th 312 90.7%
2022 43.16 52nd 258 79.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.87 9th 155 94.2%
2021 54.83 108th 422 74.4%
2022 44.59 131st 380 65.5%
2023 30.74 100th 172 41.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 60.24 46th 168 72.6%
2023 80.79 36th 347 89.6%
2024 68.39 43rd 168 74.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.94 65th 168 61.3%
2022 42.59 63rd 150 58.0%
2023 54.95 22nd 60 63.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.39 87th 354 75.4%
2019 68.28 59th 247 76.1%
2021 61.31 149th 492 69.7%
2022 60.59 126th 456 72.4%
2023 71.36 93rd 406 77.1%
2024 66.49 62nd 193 67.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 50.11 34th 130 73.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.61 78th 370 78.9%
2019 66.58 60th 238 74.8%
2021 66.94 121st 492 75.4%
2022 72.25 94th 455 79.3%
2023 76.35 86th 429 80.0%
2024 60.73 79th 207 61.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.63 41st 83 50.6%
2021 56.15 98th 231 57.6%
2022 35.55 164th 238 31.1%
2023 69.58 37th 146 74.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.28 8th 122 93.4%
2019 84.81 4th 33 87.9%
2021 64.87 56th 306 81.7%
2022 67.22 57th 301 81.1%
2023 55.15 76th 201 62.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.93 64th 311 79.4%
2019 66.86 39th 183 78.7%
2021 56.03 151st 479 68.5%
2022 57.53 123rd 441 72.1%
2023 74.85 59th 379 84.4%
2024 58.81 52nd 164 68.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.60 7th 68 89.7%
2021 55.58 60th 256 76.6%
2022 34.98 130th 255 49.0%
2023 24.67 87th 128 32.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 49.59 25th 41 39.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Thunderbird High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.03 54th 291 81.4%
2019 75.08 30th 217 86.2%
2021 71.61 103rd 448 77.0%
2022 75.34 69th 409 83.1%
2023 77.68 59th 371 84.1%
2024 76.59 39th 174 77.6%
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.

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



Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Thunderbird 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 1531 10 26 90 22 n/a n/a -36 1643
1989 1750 39 27 76 8 n/a n/a -227 1673
1990 1630 38 31 66 9 n/a n/a -223 1551
1991 1484 36 30 73 9 n/a n/a -95 1537
1992 1403 32 28 81 12 n/a n/a 0 1556
1993 1373 40 61 136 10 n/a n/a 0 1620
1994 1334 43 73 151 11 n/a n/a 0 1612
1995 1333 41 69 188 11 n/a n/a 0 1642
1996 1333 41 69 188 11 n/a n/a 0 1642
1997 1365 38 75 226 12 n/a n/a 0 1716
1998 1400 44 71 235 14 n/a n/a 0 1764
1999 1383 57 81 227 16 n/a n/a 0 1764
2000 1360 67 79 262 21 n/a n/a 0 1789
2001 1291 51 78 267 27 n/a n/a 0 1714
2002 1272 65 53 324 20 n/a n/a 0 1734
2003 1272 65 53 324 20 n/a n/a 0 1734
2004 1241 54 54 319 26 n/a n/a 0 1694
2005 1189 61 56 376 31 n/a n/a 0 1713
2006 1153 75 56 412 37 n/a n/a 0 1733
2007 1140 82 57 458 40 n/a n/a 0 1777
2008 1062 106 63 492 36 n/a n/a 0 1759
2009 986 106 60 429 37 n/a n/a 0 1618
2010 939 96 47 428 37 n/a n/a 0 1547
2011 909 98 44 461 41 0 6 0 1559
2012 892 96 50 499 38 0 6 0 1581
2013 849 88 43 488 35 0 4 0 1507
2014 813 107 48 492 39 1 4 0 1504
2015 801 107 41 504 52 0 2 0 1507
2016 774 112 41 552 42 1 9 0 1531
2017 737 105 43 588 44 3 10 0 1530
2018 686 104 43 582 51 3 19 0 1488
2019 722 118 33 671 44 6 22 0 1616
2020 665 106 35 692 47 5 41 0 1591
2021 670 126 31 712 44 6 44 0 1633
2022 618 126 27 739 45 7 53 0 1615
2023 594 117 35 676 45 8 65 0 1540

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 Thunderbird High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1643 65.3 25.1 n/a
1989 1673 72.0 23.2 n/a
1990 1551 64.6 24.0 n/a
1991 1537 69.8 22.0 n/a
1992 1556 67.4 23.0 n/a
1993 1620 71.4 22.7 n/a
1994 1612 74.8 21.6 n/a
1995 1642 72.4 22.7 n/a
1996 1642 72.4 22.7 n/a
1997 1716 76.6 22.4 n/a
1998 1764 79.4 22.2 n/a
1999 1764 75.8 23.3 n/a
2000 1789 77.0 23.2 n/a
2001 1714 81.1 21.1 n/a
2002 1734 81.4 21.3 n/a
2003 1734 81.4 21.3 n/a
2004 1694 77.2 21.9 n/a
2005 1713 78.6 21.8 23.8
2006 1733 82.4 21.0 38
2007 1777 83.2 21.4 26.5
2008 1759 83.4 21.1 33.8
2009 1618 79.8 20.3 31.6
2010 1547 77.6 19.9 38
2011 1559 72.8 21.4 40
2012 1581 71.2 22.2 39.3
2013 1507 68.0 22.1 46.3
2014 1504 66.4 22.6 47.1
2015 1507 64.0 23.5 47.7
2016 1531 68.0 22.5 49.1
2017 1530 71.2 21.4 n/a
2018 1488 72.2 20.6 46
2019 1616 70.2 23.0 47
2020 1591 73.2 21.7 48
2021 1633 72.4 22.5 n/a
2022 1615 74.2 21.7 18.6
2023 1540 75.2 20.4 43

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 Thunderbird High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1643 65.3 25.1 n/a
1989 1673 72.0 23.2 n/a
1990 1551 64.6 24.0 n/a
1991 1537 69.8 22.0 n/a
1992 1556 67.4 23.0 n/a
1993 1620 71.4 22.7 n/a
1994 1612 74.8 21.6 n/a
1995 1642 72.4 22.7 n/a
1996 1642 72.4 22.7 n/a
1997 1716 76.6 22.4 n/a
1998 1764 79.4 22.2 n/a
1999 1764 75.8 23.3 n/a
2000 1789 77.0 23.2 n/a
2001 1714 81.1 21.1 n/a
2002 1734 81.4 21.3 n/a
2003 1734 81.4 21.3 n/a
2004 1694 77.2 21.9 n/a
2005 1713 78.6 21.8 23.8
2006 1733 82.4 21.0 38
2007 1777 83.2 21.4 26.5
2008 1759 83.4 21.1 33.8
2009 1618 79.8 20.3 31.6
2010 1547 77.6 19.9 38
2011 1559 72.8 21.4 40
2012 1581 71.2 22.2 39.3
2013 1507 68.0 22.1 46.3
2014 1504 66.4 22.6 47.1
2015 1507 64.0 23.5 47.7
2016 1531 68.0 22.5 49.1
2017 1530 71.2 21.4 n/a
2018 1488 72.2 20.6 46
2019 1616 70.2 23.0 47
2020 1591 73.2 21.7 48
2021 1633 72.4 22.5 n/a
2022 1615 74.2 21.7 18.6
2023 1540 75.2 20.4 43

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 Thunderbird 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 n/a n/a n/a $171 (76.7%) $84 (37.7%) $255 (114.3%) $223
2020 $606 (6.2%) $157 (1.6%) $1,369 (14.0%) $7,481 (76.3%) $1,555 (15.9%) $9,036 (92.2%) $9,800
2021 $1,096 (12.8%) $228 (2.7%) $2,421 (28.4%) $6,052 (70.9%) $1,159 (13.6%) $7,212 (84.5%) $8,536
2022 $639 (6.0%) $207 (2.0%) $1,486 (14.0%) $8,057 (76.0%) $1,694 (16.0%) $9,751 (92.0%) $10,597

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Thunderbird 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 57th of 285 High schoolsRanks 93rd of 469 High schools
 0.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students16161540
 4.7%
African American118117
 0.8%
American Indian4445
 2.3%
Asian3335
 6.1%
Hispanic671676
 0.7%
Pacific Islander68
 33.3%
White722594
 17.7%
Two or More Races2265
 195.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients47%43%
 4%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Thunderbird High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,540 students attended Thunderbird High School.

Thunderbird High School ranks 77th of 259 Arizona high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Thunderbird High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : John Jacobs Elementary School
Elementary : Lookout Mountain School
Elementary : Moon Mountain School
Middle : Mountain Sky Middle School

Students at Thunderbird High School are 44% Hispanic, 39% White, 8% African American, 4% Two or more races, 3% American Indian, 2% Asian.


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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.

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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