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Combs Traditional Academy

Q: Is Combs Traditional Academy a good school?

Combs Traditional Academy ranks 393 rd of 909 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-6

393^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 909 Arizona Elementary Schools

Better than 57% of Arizona elementary schools

Summary

Combs Traditional Academy is an elementary school located in San Tan Valley, Arizona, serving 204 students in grades K-6 and part of the J.O. Combs Unified School District. This school consistently outperforms the district and state averages in academic proficiency across various grade levels and subjects, including English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science.

For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, Combs Traditional Academy had 44% of 3rd graders proficient in ELA, compared to 35% for the district and 36% for the state. In 5th grade Math, the school had 40% proficiency, while the district and state had 25% and 37%, respectively. This strong academic performance is reflected in the school's statewide ranking, which has ranged from 128 out of 1079 Arizona elementary schools in 2015-2016 to 393 out of 909 in 2024-2025, with a consistent 3-4 star rating from SchoolDigger.

When compared to nearby schools in the J.O. Combs Unified School District, Combs Traditional Academy stands out with its consistently higher academic proficiency and statewide ranking. The school also maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 15.1 to 18.1 over the past few years, which may contribute to its academic success.

211

Students ?

12.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$6,463

Per pupil spending ?

41.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

38300 N Gantzel Rd
San Tan Valley, AZ 85140-7356

(480) 987-5320

District: J O Combs Unified School District

Racial breakdown:

White:

44.1%

Hispanic:

44.1%

African American:

4.7%

See top rated Arizona elementary schools

Compare Combs Traditional Academy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 82nd percentile in 2015 → 57th in 2025

Strengths

✓Among the top-ranked schools in J O Combs Unified School District

✓Above the Arizona median (57th percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 25 percentile points since 2015

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school43%

District avg32%

Arizona avg39%

393^rd of 909

Arizona public elementary schools ?

Top 43%▼ down 25 pts since 2015

From top 18% (2015) to top 43% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Arizona Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 5Elementary Schools in the J O Combs Unified School District

200^th of 289J O Combs Unified School 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
2025	49.2	393 of 909	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.2	319 of 912	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	76.7	276 of 1245	77.8%	★★★★☆
2022	72.0	231 of 1000	76.9%	★★★★☆
2021	71.5	331 of 1226	73.0%	★★★★☆
2019	65.6	359 of 1039	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	72.0	304 of 1109	72.6%	★★★★☆
2017	84.5	173 of 1106	84.4%	★★★★☆
2016	87.0	128 of 1079	88.1%	★★★★☆
2015	79.5	175 of 955	81.7%	★★★★☆
2014	76.8	247 of 1079	77.1%	★★★★☆
2013	83.6	130 of 1158	88.8%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2022	81.3	18 of 289	93.8%	★★★★★
2021	65.8	141 of 895	84.2%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	47.8	363 of 620	41.5%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	39.3	545 of 975	44.1%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	69.5	327 of 1219	73.2%	★★★★☆
2022	49.4	414 of 824	49.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	74.5	286 of 1219	76.5%	★★★★☆
2019	48.0	418 of 862	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	76.0	246 of 1023	76.0%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	76.5	200 of 1170	82.9%	★★★★☆
2021	68.7	275 of 1198	77.0%	★★★★☆
2018	61.1	299 of 911	67.2%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	57.5	386 of 1116	65.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	77.6	121 of 820	85.2%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	45.7	318 of 626	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	79.4	222 of 1216	81.7%	★★★★☆
2022	69.6	212 of 830	74.5%	★★★★☆
2021	61.1	417 of 1220	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2019	73.1	210 of 850	75.3%	★★★★☆
2018	63.4	359 of 1032	65.2%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	55.0	228 of 617	63.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	29.7	386 of 444	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	66.2	245 of 1027	76.1%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	42.7	577 of 1201	52.0%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	66.2	301 of 1024	70.6%	★★★★☆
2022	54.9	341 of 800	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	64.1	371 of 1161	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.5	294 of 595	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.2	279 of 720	61.3%	★★★☆☆

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)

African American (2022)94th percentile+17 vs school

Hispanic (2023)83rd percentile+5 vs school

Female (2023)73rd percentile-5 vs school

White (2023)71st percentile-7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)65th percentile-12 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)63rd percentile-15 vs school

Special Education (2021)52nd percentile-21 vs school

Male (2025)49th percentile-8 vs school

English Language Learner (2021)44th percentile-29 vs school

Asian (2021)41st percentile-32 vs school

By subject vs Arizona (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts44%+4 vs state

Mathematics42%+3 vs state

Science40%+6 vs state

3.7

3 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Great teachers, staff and very family oriented. Love this school. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, December 5, 2016

Not a school for people of color. Principal and some of the teachers were not educated in diversity well enough. Terrible experiences as a person of color. Close Quote

by a parent
Tuesday, November 6, 2012

CTA is a great school with high standards and expectations. The staff is amazing and the atomshpere is top notch. I love the fact that it is a small school and my son is not a number. As you walk in the halls, every teacher knows him by name. You can't get that many places in Arizona. Close Quote

Schools Near Combs Traditional Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	AASA Mathematics 4th Grade	AASA Mathematics 5th Grade	AASA Mathematics 6th Grade	AASA Mathematics 7th Grade	AASA Mathematics 8th Grade	AzSCI Science 5th Grade	AzSCI Science 8th 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
Combs Traditional Academy	Public	K-6	38300 N Gantzel Rd	San Tan Valley	85140	Pinal County	J O Combs Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 987-5320	211	17	12.7		93 (44.1%)	10 (4.7%)	93 (44.1%)	4 (1.9%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.7%)	49.2	393^rd of 909 public elementary schools	56.8%		61.2	319^th of 912 public elementary schools	65.0%	74	44.0	43.0	44.0				45.0		40.0				40.0		$6,463	$342	$66	$750	$5,791	$264	$6,056
Ellsworth Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	38454 N Carolina Ave	Queen Creek	85140	Pinal County	J O Combs Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 882-3520	516	30	17.2		213 (41.3%)	36 (7.0%)	228 (44.2%)	6 (1.2%)	9 (1.7%)	4 (0.8%)	20 (3.9%)	15.2	783^rd of 909 public elementary schools	13.9%		12.4	832^nd of 912 public elementary schools	8.8%	49	29.0	25.0	22.0	21.0					16.0				26.0		$6,414	$496	$67	$1,059	$5,635	$215	$5,851
J. O. Combs Middle School	Public	K-8	37611 N Pecan Crk	San Tan Valley	85140	Pinal County	J O Combs Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 882-3510	581	29	20.0		259 (44.6%)	29 (5.0%)	253 (43.5%)	3 (0.5%)	9 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (4.6%)								(n/a)					27.0	33.0					17.0	19.0		17.0	$5,736	$521	$52	$1,094	$4,572	$591	$5,163
Circle Cross K8 STEM Academy	Public	K-8	35900 N Charbray Dr	San Tan Valley	85143	Pinal County	Florence Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 987-7600	728	38	19.4		312 (42.9%)	38 (5.2%)	307 (42.2%)	14 (1.9%)	21 (2.9%)	7 (1.0%)	29 (4.0%)	21.6	679^th of 909 public elementary schools	25.3%		24	640^th of 912 public elementary schools	29.8%	39	20.0	30.0	24.0	23.0	32.0	38.0	43.0	24.0	34.0	16.0	16.0	24.0	32.0	25.0	$6,667	$399	$273	$1,072	$5,463	$531	$5,994
Schnepf Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	23161 E Grange Pkwy	Queen Creek	85142	Maricopa County	Queen Creek Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 987-5935	1,044	50	20.7		636 (60.9%)	29 (2.8%)	290 (27.8%)	21 (2.0%)	10 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (5.5%)	72.4	230^th of 909 public elementary schools	74.7%		74.3	208^th of 912 public elementary schools	77.2%	22	51.0	62.0	47.0	53.0			69.0	55.0	56.0	56.0			43.0		$6,895	$2,776		$5,551	$2,667	$1,452	$4,119
Jack Harmon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	39315 N Cortona Dr	San Tan Valley	85140	Pinal County	J O Combs Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 882-3500	382	21	18.1		172 (45.0%)	25 (6.5%)	151 (39.5%)	6 (1.6%)	9 (2.4%)	6 (1.6%)	13 (3.4%)	29.1	569^th of 909 public elementary schools	37.4%		14	801^st of 912 public elementary schools	12.2%	232	27.0	45.0	23.0				38.0	42.0					23.0		$7,267	$1,024	$71	$2,118	$5,880	$293	$6,173
Legacy Traditional-San Tan	Public, Charter	K-8	1679 W. Empire Blvd	San Tan Valley	85143	Pinal County	Legacy Traditional School-San Tan	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(480) 576-4600	749	28	26.7		291 (38.9%)	80 (10.7%)	283 (37.8%)	26 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.8%)	63 (8.4%)	42.6	451^st of 909 public elementary schools	50.4%		39.7	480^th of 912 public elementary schools	47.4%	29	48.0	44.0	48.0	50.0	47.0	63.0	36.0	36.0	29.0	26.0	27.0	32.0	35.0	36.0
Faith Mather Sossaman Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	22801 E Via Del Jardin	Queen Creek	85142	Maricopa County	Queen Creek Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 474-6900	1,153	55	20.9		791 (68.6%)	19 (1.6%)	259 (22.5%)	20 (1.7%)	4 (0.3%)	5 (0.4%)	55 (4.8%)	81.8	143^rd of 909 public elementary schools	84.3%		83	145^th of 912 public elementary schools	84.1%	2	60.0	64.0	55.0	55.0			70.0	64.0	65.0	56.0			53.0		$5,196	$213	$27	$453	$4,378	$578	$4,956
American Leadership Academy San Tan Valley K-6	Public, Charter	K-6	34696 N Village Ln	San Tan Valley	85142	Pinal County	American Leadership Academy Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 420-2101	637	42	15.1		322 (50.5%)	39 (6.1%)	208 (32.7%)	8 (1.3%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	55 (8.6%)	62.1	306^th of 909 public elementary schools	66.3%		66	274^th of 912 public elementary schools	70.0%	32	47.0	57.0	46.0	59.0			61.0	40.0	55.0	37.0			40.0		$6,456	$502	$1,797	$2,802	$3,841	$315	$4,156
Skyline Ranch Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	1084 San Tan Hills Dr	San Tan Valley	85143	Pinal County	Florence Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 888-7520	583	39	14.9		211 (36.2%)	41 (7.0%)	273 (46.8%)	6 (1.0%)	12 (2.1%)	8 (1.4%)	32 (5.5%)	27.1	595^th of 909 public elementary schools	34.5%		16.7	756^th of 912 public elementary schools	17.1%	161	32.0	40.0	31.0	26.0	33.0	35.0	26.0	32.0	33.0	24.0	24.0	19.0	36.0	27.0	$8,461	$361	$529	$1,251	$6,691	$880	$7,571

Frequently Asked Questions about Combs Traditional Academy

What district is Combs Traditional Academy in?

J O Combs Unified School District

How many students attend Combs Traditional Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 211 students attended Combs Traditional Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Combs Traditional Academy?

Students at Combs Traditional Academy are 44% White, 44% Hispanic, 5% African American, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Is Combs Traditional Academy a good school?

Combs Traditional Academy ranks 393^rd of 909 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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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.