Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Ward Traditional Academy

Public Grades K-8

68^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 909 Arizona Elementary Schools

Better than 93% of Arizona elementary schools

Summary

Ward Traditional Academy is a highly-regarded public elementary school serving grades K-8 in Tempe, Arizona. With consistently strong academic performance, the school has earned a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and consistently ranks in the top 15% of elementary schools statewide.

Ward Traditional Academy significantly outperforms the Tempe School District and the state of Arizona in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, 92% of 5th graders at Ward Traditional Academy were proficient or better in science, compared to just 31% for the Tempe School District and 34% statewide. The school also excels in serving students from diverse backgrounds, ranking in the top 20% of Arizona elementary schools for female, male, Hispanic, and white students, and in the top 15% for Asian and Native American students.

While Ward Traditional Academy outperforms the district and state, nearby schools within the Tempe School District, such as Rover Elementary, Arredondo Elementary, and Meyer Montessori, generally lag behind in academic achievement. This suggests that Ward Traditional Academy has established effective practices and strategies that enable it to consistently deliver strong academic outcomes for its students.

404

Students ?

15.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

24.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1965 E Hermosa Dr
Tempe, AZ 85282-5833

(480) 491-8871

District: Tempe School District

Racial breakdown:

White:

45.3%

Hispanic:

29.5%

Asian:

9.7%

See top rated Arizona elementary schools

Compare Ward Traditional Academy to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 89th percentile in 2015 → 93rd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Arizona average (75% vs 36% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 7% of Arizona elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Tempe School District

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school75%

District avg29%

Arizona avg36%

Elementary school

68^th of 909

Arizona public elementary schools ?

Top 7%▲ up 3 pts since 2015

From top 11% (2015) to top 7% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Arizona Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

60^th of 552

Arizona public middle schools ?

Top 11%▲ up 10 pts since 2015

From top 21% (2015) to top 11% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Arizona Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 15Elementary Schools in the Tempe School District

189^th of 289Tempe 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	90.0	68 of 909	92.5%	★★★★★
2024	93.7	48 of 912	94.7%	★★★★★
2023	92.9	71 of 1245	94.3%	★★★★★
2022	83.2	124 of 1000	87.6%	★★★★☆
2021	86.3	167 of 1226	86.4%	★★★★☆
2019	84.1	148 of 1039	85.8%	★★★★☆
2018	87.7	125 of 1109	88.7%	★★★★☆
2017	87.4	125 of 1106	88.7%	★★★★☆
2016	89.0	101 of 1079	90.6%	★★★★★
2015	86.7	103 of 955	89.2%	★★★★☆
2014	88.3	93 of 1079	91.4%	★★★★★
2013	89.6	45 of 1158	96.1%	★★★★★
2012	90.0	31 of 1141	97.3%	★★★★★
2011	88.7	77 of 1075	92.8%	★★★★★
2010	91.5	41 of 1090	96.2%	★★★★★
2009	87.6	76 of 1062	92.8%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	79.8	78 of 607	87.1%	★★★★☆
2021	51.5	304 of 895	66.0%	★★★☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2022	50.6	130 of 270	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	85.9	16 of 620	97.4%	★★★★★

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	92.8	16 of 451	96.5%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	90.1	32 of 589	94.6%	★★★★★
2024	95.2	13 of 602	97.8%	★★★★★
2023	91.9	65 of 1219	94.7%	★★★★★
2022	80.4	106 of 824	87.1%	★★★★☆
2021	76.6	260 of 1219	78.7%	★★★★☆
2019	84.4	98 of 862	88.6%	★★★★☆
2018	85.1	141 of 1023	86.2%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	89.1	68 of 1170	94.2%	★★★★★
2022	95.2	19 of 716	97.3%	★★★★★
2021	79.3	152 of 1198	87.3%	★★★★☆
2019	93.1	29 of 709	95.9%	★★★★★
2018	76.1	171 of 911	81.2%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	95.9	16 of 549	97.1%	★★★★★
2023	87.3	74 of 1116	93.4%	★★★★★
2022	76.2	124 of 618	79.9%	★★★★☆
2018	81.8	96 of 820	88.3%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	86.1	52 of 626	91.7%	★★★★★
2024	88.1	50 of 628	92.0%	★★★★★
2023	92.3	69 of 1216	94.3%	★★★★★
2022	86.9	58 of 830	93.0%	★★★★★
2021	91.6	82 of 1220	93.3%	★★★★★
2019	81.8	122 of 850	85.6%	★★★★☆
2018	87.3	119 of 1032	88.5%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	48.9	321 of 617	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	30.5	381 of 444	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	63.7	276 of 1027	73.1%	★★★★☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	91.4	15 of 654	97.7%	★★★★★

Pacific Islander

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	60.8	3 of 20	85.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	39.6	95 of 171	44.4%	★★☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	81.6	72 of 820	91.2%	★★★★★
2021	67.6	180 of 1201	85.0%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	87.7	21 of 465	95.5%	★★★★★
2024	91.3	16 of 486	96.7%	★★★★★
2023	88.4	58 of 1024	94.3%	★★★★★
2022	90.0	24 of 800	97.0%	★★★★★
2021	82.0	141 of 1161	87.9%	★★★★☆
2019	78.4	89 of 595	85.0%	★★★★☆
2018	82.6	94 of 720	86.9%	★★★★☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	86.2	60 of 552	89.1%	★★★★☆
2024	90.0	46 of 550	91.6%	★★★★★
2023	82.3	107 of 854	87.5%	★★★★☆
2022	71.5	139 of 605	77.0%	★★★★☆
2021	81.6	124 of 832	85.1%	★★★★☆
2019	75.5	138 of 605	77.2%	★★★★☆
2018	83.9	95 of 711	86.6%	★★★★☆
2017	75.1	137 of 695	80.3%	★★★★☆
2016	75.7	139 of 677	79.5%	★★★★☆
2015	76.4	107 of 521	79.5%	★★★★☆
2014	89.3	48 of 690	93.0%	★★★★★
2013	90.1	35 of 787	95.6%	★★★★★
2012	90.5	26 of 772	96.6%	★★★★★
2011	93.4	18 of 685	97.4%	★★★★★
2010	93.0	21 of 692	97.0%	★★★★★
2009	87.7	51 of 663	92.3%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	58.2	144 of 573	74.9%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	82.4	24 of 404	94.1%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	85.4	36 of 395	90.9%	★★★★★
2024	85.6	37 of 386	90.4%	★★★★★
2023	70.4	186 of 806	76.9%	★★★★☆
2021	72.7	183 of 820	77.7%	★★★★☆
2019	83.2	57 of 466	87.8%	★★★★☆
2018	80.0	106 of 624	83.0%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	98.0	11 of 345	96.8%	★★★★★
2023	74.4	125 of 760	83.6%	★★★★☆
2021	85.1	57 of 802	92.9%	★★★★★
2019	93.4	22 of 387	94.3%	★★★★★
2018	85.0	48 of 543	91.2%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	94.8	15 of 344	95.6%	★★★★★
2023	75.7	96 of 717	86.6%	★★★★☆
2022	65.4	98 of 369	73.4%	★★★★☆
2018	85.3	46 of 503	90.9%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	85.1	40 of 379	89.4%	★★★★☆
2024	90.1	29 of 370	92.2%	★★★★★
2023	87.9	63 of 810	92.2%	★★★★★
2022	69.6	104 of 476	78.2%	★★★★☆
2021	87.2	77 of 818	90.6%	★★★★★
2019	78.5	73 of 435	83.2%	★★★★☆
2018	87.9	62 of 617	90.0%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	59.7	130 of 384	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	76.2	29 of 211	86.3%	★★★★☆
2021	73.8	97 of 650	85.1%	★★★★☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	55.9	73 of 390	81.3%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	72.2	56 of 789	92.9%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2025	86.0	25 of 277	91.0%	★★★★★
2024	81.0	41 of 288	85.8%	★★★★☆
2023	81.0	71 of 675	89.5%	★★★★☆
2022	82.8	36 of 446	91.9%	★★★★★
2021	69.5	188 of 780	75.9%	★★★★☆
2019	81.7	36 of 337	89.3%	★★★★☆
2018	83.3	43 of 436	90.1%	★★★★★

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

Native American (2021)98th percentile+11 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)97th percentile+5 vs school

English Language Learner (2023)96th percentile~ school

White (2025)95th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)95th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2023)94th percentile~ school

Male (2025)92nd percentile~ school

Special Education (2023)91st percentile-3 vs school

African American (2023)87th percentile-7 vs school

Pacific Islander (2023)85th percentile-9 vs school

Asian (2022)52nd percentile-36 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)48th percentile-46 vs school

Middle school

Hispanic (2025)97th percentile+8 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)96th percentile+7 vs school

Asian (2021)94th percentile+9 vs school

Special Education (2021)93rd percentile+8 vs school

White (2025)91st percentile~ school

Female (2025)91st percentile~ school

Male (2025)89th percentile~ school

Native American (2021)81st percentile-4 vs school

African American (2021)75th percentile-10 vs school

Multi-racial (2023)66th percentile-21 vs school

By subject vs Arizona (2024-2025) ?

Science78%+46 vs state

English Language Arts78%+38 vs state

Mathematics70%+36 vs state

2.3

3 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

Rate Ward Traditional Academy

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, October 15, 2018

Ward does not treat all students the same. All children deserve an equal quality education. It should not be based on the color of their skin. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, August 29, 2016

Aweful school they dont treat everyone equally. The front office secretary is plain rude and unprofessional. Close Quote

by a student
Monday, May 9, 2011

Ward Traditional Academy is an excellent school. They have great teachers that help students learn everyday in every way. All teachers are nice and are fun to be with. Close Quote

Schools Near Ward 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
Ward Traditional Academy	Public	K-8	1965 E Hermosa Dr	Tempe	85282	Maricopa County	Tempe School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 491-8871	404	27	15.1		183 (45.3%)	28 (6.9%)	119 (29.5%)	39 (9.7%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.5%)	30 (7.4%)	90	68^th of 909 public elementary schools	92.5%		93.7	48^th of 912 public elementary schools	94.7%	20	61.0	94.0	95.0	58.0	80.0	81.0	71.0	86.0	98.0	42.0	60.0	62.0	92.0	65.0		$00			$00
Arredondo Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1330 E Carson Dr	Tempe	85282	Maricopa County	Tempe School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 897-2744	470	29	16.1		96 (20.4%)	80 (17.0%)	227 (48.3%)	7 (1.5%)	23 (4.9%)	4 (0.9%)	33 (7.0%)	47.5	404^th of 909 public elementary schools	55.6%		35	523^rd of 912 public elementary schools	42.7%	119	39.0	47.0	49.0				42.0	41.0	37.0				40.0			$00			$00
Joseph P. Spracale Elementary School	Public	K-5	1325 E Malibu Dr	Tempe	85282	Maricopa County	Tempe School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 897-6608	370	27	13.8		102 (27.6%)	49 (13.2%)	160 (43.2%)	16 (4.3%)	18 (4.9%)	6 (1.6%)	19 (5.1%)	31.3	549^th of 909 public elementary schools	39.6%		15.4	774^th of 912 public elementary schools	15.1%	225	35.0	53.0	24.0				43.0	38.0	21.0				20.0			$00			$00
Fuller Elementary School	Public	K-5	1975 E Cornell Dr	Tempe	85283	Maricopa County	Tempe School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 897-6228	468	32	14.7		197 (42.1%)	50 (10.7%)	146 (31.2%)	13 (2.8%)	14 (3.0%)	1 (0.2%)	47 (10.0%)	59.9	322^nd of 909 public elementary schools	64.6%		62.2	311^th of 912 public elementary schools	65.9%	11	47.0	57.0	54.0				44.0	42.0	39.0				54.0			$00			$00
Curry Elementary School	Public	K-5	1974 E Meadow Dr	Tempe	85282	Maricopa County	Tempe School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 967-8336	366	26	13.9		48 (13.1%)	62 (16.9%)	193 (52.7%)	9 (2.5%)	25 (6.8%)	4 (1.1%)	25 (6.8%)	12.7	831^st of 909 public elementary schools	8.6%		14.1	800^th of 912 public elementary schools	12.3%	31		32.0						21.0					16.0			$00			$00
Arizona Language Schools	Public, Charter	K-5	2222 S Price Rd	Tempe	85282	Maricopa County	Arizona Language Schools	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 334-9608	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)																$00			$00
Washington Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	2260 W Isabella Ave	Mesa	85202	Maricopa County	Mesa Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 472-4100	451	25	18.0		135 (29.9%)	50 (11.1%)	179 (39.7%)	7 (1.6%)	32 (7.1%)	12 (2.7%)	36 (8.0%)	30.8	556^th of 909 public elementary schools	38.8%		39.5	482^nd of 912 public elementary schools	47.1%	74		41.0	28.0	41.0			31.0	40.0	29.0	36.0			22.0		$9,194	$875	$183	$1,934	$7,722	$414	$8,135
Meyer Montessori	Public	PK, KG-6	2615 S Dorsey Ln	Tempe	85282	Maricopa County	Tempe School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 584-6339	203	12	16.3		114 (56.2%)	4 (2.0%)	59 (29.1%)	7 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	18 (8.9%)	74.9	205^th of 909 public elementary schools	77.4%					(n/a)	45.0	65.0	70.0				42.0						70.0			$00			$00
Tempe Elementary Online Community	Public, Virtual	K-8	1600 E Watson Dr	Tempe	85283	Maricopa County	Tempe School District	No	(n/a)	Yes	No	(480) 897-6063	0	4	1.3		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)																$00			$00
Roosevelt Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	828 S Valencia	Mesa	85202	Maricopa County	Mesa Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 472-4205	509	31	16.5		52 (10.2%)	68 (13.4%)	267 (52.5%)	7 (1.4%)	68 (13.4%)	16 (3.1%)	31 (6.1%)	10.8	863^rd of 909 public elementary schools	5.1%		10.9	857^th of 912 public elementary schools	6.0%	6	18.0	22.0		25.0			20.0								$9,388	$921	$227	$2,070	$7,802	$437	$8,239

Frequently Asked Questions about Ward Traditional Academy

What district is Ward Traditional Academy in?

Tempe School District

Is Ward Traditional Academy a good school?

Yes. Ward Traditional Academy ranks in the top 7.5% of Arizona elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Ward Traditional Academy?

Students at Ward Traditional Academy are 45% White, 29% Hispanic, 10% Asian, 7% Two or more races, 7% African American.

How many students attend Ward Traditional Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 404 students attended Ward Traditional Academy.

Rate Ward Traditional Academy!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

AZArizona Elementary School Rankings

AZArizona District Rankings

Schools in Tempe, AZ

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Ward Traditional Academy!

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.