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Desert Sky Middle School

Q: Is Desert Sky Middle School a good school?

Desert Sky Middle School ranks 313 th of 552 Arizona middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 7-8

313^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 552 Arizona Middle Schools

Better than 43% of Arizona middle schools

Summary

Desert Sky Middle School is a public middle school located in Glendale, Arizona, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 647 students. It is part of the Deer Valley Unified District, which is ranked 84 out of 289 districts in Arizona and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Desert Sky Middle School has consistently ranked in the middle range of Arizona middle schools, typically between 200-300 out of 550-850 schools. Its proficiency rates in English Language Arts (35%) and Mathematics (17%) for 8th grade are significantly lower than the Deer Valley Unified District (56% and 43%, respectively) and the state of Arizona (40% and 27%, respectively). However, the school's performance in 8th grade Science (29%) is closer to the district and state averages. The school's performance varies across different student subgroups, with relatively stronger performance for Asian, African American, and Hispanic students compared to the overall school ranking, but weaker performance for White students and students with special needs.

Another area of concern is the school's gradual increase in dropout rates, rising from 3.3% in 2019-2020 to 6.1% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the district and state averages. Additionally, the school has a significant proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 46.76% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023. When compared to other middle schools in the Deer Valley Unified District, such as Hillcrest Middle School, Desert Sky Middle School performs relatively weaker, but it generally outperforms middle schools in the neighboring Washington Elementary School District.

640

Students ?

22.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$6,113

Per pupil spending ?

46.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

5130 W Grovers Ave
Glendale, AZ 85308-1300

(602) 467-6500

District: Deer Valley Unified District

Students who attend Desert Sky Middle School usually attend:

High:

Deer Valley High School

Feeder schools for Desert Sky Middle School:

Elementary:	Mirage Elementary School
	Mountain Shadows Elementary School
	Sunrise Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

52.0%

Hispanic:

36.6%

Two or more races:

4.8%

See top rated Arizona middle schools

Compare Desert Sky Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 56th percentile in 2015 → 43rd in 2025

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 13 percentile points since 2015

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

!Large classes — about 22 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school30%

District avg50%

Arizona avg33%

313^th of 552

Arizona public middle schools ?

Bottom 43%▼ down 13 pts since 2015

From top 44% (2015) to bottom 43% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Arizona Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 3Middle Schools in the Deer Valley Unified District

84^th of 289Deer Valley 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
2025	32.6	313 of 552	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.3	281 of 550	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	59.6	270 of 854	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	43.8	299 of 605	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	59.4	263 of 832	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	55.8	236 of 605	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.3	238 of 711	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	55.3	250 of 695	64.0%	★★★☆☆
2016	60.4	222 of 677	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2015	48.6	230 of 521	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2014	66.9	213 of 690	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2013	61.8	284 of 787	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2012	67.7	231 of 772	70.1%	★★★★☆
2011	61.3	247 of 685	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2010	61.3	240 of 692	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2009	67.3	202 of 663	69.5%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	65.3	97 of 400	75.8%	★★★★☆
2021	38.6	311 of 573	45.7%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	58.2	88 of 247	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	43.3	253 of 404	37.4%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	42.3	196 of 606	67.7%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	22.4	295 of 395	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.3	240 of 386	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	55.5	276 of 806	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	36.8	302 of 494	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	54.6	299 of 820	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.2	206 of 466	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.5	231 of 624	63.0%	★★★☆☆

Foster Care

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	65.5	14 of 166	91.6%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	28.7	229 of 345	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.4	173 of 329	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	59.9	226 of 760	70.3%	★★★★☆
2022	50.1	174 of 392	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	64.5	185 of 802	76.9%	★★★★☆
2019	57.7	124 of 387	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.5	169 of 543	68.9%	★★★☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	52.0	23 of 64	64.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	13.0	11 of 12	8.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	53.3	56 of 257	78.2%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	33.5	203 of 344	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.6	148 of 320	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	61.6	191 of 717	73.4%	★★★★☆
2022	41.1	199 of 369	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	64.1	125 of 503	75.1%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	25.8	265 of 379	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.0	241 of 370	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	58.8	264 of 810	67.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	37.6	281 of 476	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	62.9	232 of 818	71.6%	★★★★☆
2019	48.8	199 of 435	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	57.2	211 of 617	65.8%	★★★☆☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	75.1	10 of 110	90.9%	★★★★★
2022	66.4	20 of 68	70.6%	★★★★☆
2021	33.7	116 of 143	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	27.0	311 of 384	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	59.4	193 of 650	70.3%	★★★★☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	74.4	31 of 159	80.5%	★★★★☆
2021	78.8	19 of 390	95.1%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	23.6	289 of 363	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	48.8	277 of 789	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	41.1	88 of 178	50.6%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	12.4	253 of 277	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	19.0	237 of 288	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	42.5	367 of 675	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	25.4	355 of 446	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	48.5	369 of 780	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	32.7	233 of 337	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.6	258 of 436	40.8%	★★☆☆☆

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)

Foster Care (2021)92nd percentile+23 vs school

Military Connected (2023)91st percentile+23 vs school

Native American (2023)81st percentile+12 vs school

African American (2023)76th percentile+7 vs school

English Language Learner (2021)68th percentile~ school

Asian (2023)64th percentile-4 vs school

Homeless (2023)64th percentile-4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)41st percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)34th percentile-10 vs school

Male (2025)30th percentile-13 vs school

Female (2025)25th percentile-18 vs school

Special Education (2023)20th percentile-48 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)19th percentile-49 vs school

White (2025)9th percentile-35 vs school

By subject vs Arizona (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts38%-3 vs state

Science29%~ state avg

Mathematics22%-6 vs state

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Schools Near Desert Sky Middle School

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 5th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 6th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 7th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 8th Grade	AASA Mathematics 5th Grade	AASA Mathematics 6th Grade	AASA Mathematics 7th Grade	AASA Mathematics 8th 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
Desert Sky Middle School	Public	7-8	5130 W Grovers Ave	Glendale	85308	Maricopa County	Deer Valley Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 467-6500	640	28	22.5		333 (52.0%)	28 (4.4%)	234 (36.6%)	9 (1.4%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (4.8%)	32.6	313^th of 552 public middle schools	43.3%		39.3	281^st of 550 public middle schools	48.9%	32			41.0	35.0			26.0	17.0	29.0	$6,113	$515	$127	$1,157	$5,264	$206	$5,471
Desert Foothills Middle School	Public	7-8	3333 W Banff Ln	Phoenix	85053	Maricopa County	Washington Elementary School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 896-5500	621	41	15.1		205 (33.0%)	52 (8.4%)	312 (50.2%)	16 (2.6%)	9 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (4.2%)	26.3	362^nd of 552 public middle schools	34.4%		30.6	336^th of 550 public middle schools	38.9%	26			37.0	29.0			22.0	18.0	25.0	$7,585	$582	$243	$1,406	$5,460	$1,302	$6,761
Deer Valley Middle School	Public	7-8	21100 N 27th Ave	Phoenix	85027	Maricopa County	Deer Valley Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(623) 445-3300	448	27	16.5		143 (31.9%)	26 (5.8%)	230 (51.3%)	4 (0.9%)	10 (2.2%)	4 (0.9%)	31 (6.9%)	19.7	422^nd of 552 public middle schools	23.6%		20.6	418^th of 550 public middle schools	24.0%	4			26.0	32.0			10.0	13.0	26.0	$5,650	$520	$19	$1,059	$4,683	$428	$5,111
Hillcrest Middle School	Public	7-8	22833 N 71st Ave	Glendale	85310	Maricopa County	Deer Valley Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(623) 445-3300	732	38	19.5		523 (71.4%)	17 (2.3%)	138 (18.9%)	19 (2.6%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	29 (4.0%)	78.2	92^nd of 552 public middle schools	83.3%		82.6	73^rd of 550 public middle schools	86.7%	19			58.0	59.0			48.0	52.0	53.0	$5,381	$507	$03	$1,017	$4,633	$237	$4,870
Cholla Middle School	Public	5-8	3120 W Cholla St	Phoenix	85029	Maricopa County	Washington Elementary School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 896-5400	681	38	17.8		146 (21.4%)	76 (11.2%)	385 (56.5%)	23 (3.4%)	21 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.4%)	20.3	413^th of 552 public middle schools	25.2%		30.5	337^th of 550 public middle schools	38.7%	76			30.0	25.0			22.0	20.0	15.0	$7,511	$638	$159	$1,434	$5,468	$1,246	$6,714
Explore Academy - Peoria	Public, Charter	6-10	17667 N 91st Ave	Peoria	85382	Maricopa County	Explore Academy - Peoria	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(505) 710-3214	53				32 (60.4%)	4 (7.5%)	9 (17.0%)	4 (7.5%)	1 (1.9%)	1 (1.9%)	2 (3.8%)								(n/a)			63.0
Mountain Sky Middle School	Public	7-8	16225 N 7th Ave	Phoenix	85023	Maricopa County	Washington Elementary School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 896-6100	672	32	21.1		235 (35.0%)	58 (8.6%)	320 (47.6%)	10 (1.5%)	17 (2.5%)	2 (0.3%)	30 (4.5%)	36.6	293^rd of 552 public middle schools	46.9%		27.9	353^rd of 550 public middle schools	35.8%	60			42.0	38.0			24.0	26.0	30.0	$6,668	$408	$103	$919	$5,323	$834	$6,157
Vista College Preparatory - Metro North Middle	Public, Charter	5-8	2133 W Peoria Ave	Phoenix	85029	Maricopa County	Vista College Preparatory Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(602) 612-3327	188	13	14.4		20 (10.6%)	35 (18.6%)	124 (66.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (4.3%)								(n/a)	28.0	26.0			30.0			26.0
Imagine Cortez Park Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	3535 W Dunlap Ave	Phoenix	85051	Maricopa County	Cortez Park Charter Middle School Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 589-9840	252	12	21.0		13 (5.2%)	36 (14.3%)	134 (53.2%)	66 (26.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	13.4	495^th of 552 public middle schools	10.3%		22.7	393^rd of 550 public middle schools	28.5%	102		21.0	30.0	17.0		16.0	14.0		13.0		$00			$00
Palo Verde Middle School	Public	7-8	7502 N 39th Ave	Phoenix	85051	Maricopa County	Washington Elementary School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(602) 347-2500	797	44	18.1		80 (10.0%)	119 (14.9%)	518 (65.0%)	46 (5.8%)	14 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (2.5%)	15.3	478^th of 552 public middle schools	13.4%		14.1	484^th of 550 public middle schools	12.0%	6			25.0	24.0			13.0	14.0	18.0	$7,569	$743	$125	$1,611	$5,717	$984	$6,701

Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Sky Middle School

Is Desert Sky Middle School a good school?

Desert Sky Middle School ranks 313^th of 552 Arizona middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Desert Sky Middle School?

Students at Desert Sky Middle School are 52% White, 37% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% African American, 1% Asian.

What district is Desert Sky Middle School in?

Deer Valley Unified District

How many students attend Desert Sky Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 640 students attended Desert Sky Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Desert Sky Middle School attend?

Students who attend Desert Sky Middle School usually go on to attend Deer Valley High School

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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.