Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 85281

The 85281 zip code area in Arizona is home to two middle schools: Geneva Epps Mosley Middle School and New School for the Arts Middle School. While both schools serve students in grades 6-8, they exhibit significant differences in academic performance and school quality.

The standout school in this data set is the New School for the Arts Middle School, which has consistently maintained a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranked 329 out of 854 Arizona middle schools in the 2022-2023 academic year. In contrast, Geneva Epps Mosley Middle School has a 0-star rating and ranked 771 out of 854 schools. This performance gap is further reflected in the schools' test scores, with New School for the Arts Middle School significantly outperforming the state and district averages in English Language Arts.

Despite the stark differences in academic achievement, both schools reported a 5.2% dropout rate in 2023-2024. Additionally, while Geneva Epps Mosley Middle School spent more per student ($10,221) than New School for the Arts Middle School ($9,423), this higher spending did not translate into better outcomes. The small size of New School for the Arts Middle School, with only 76 students, may be a contributing factor to its higher performance, as it allows for more personalized attention and targeted instruction.