Best Public Schools in Zip Code 85282

The 18 schools in ZIP code 85282 include 7 elementary schools, 2 middle schools and 9 high schools, serving students from the early grades through high school. Among the 10 schools with reported all-grades results, average proficiency is 57% in English language arts (ELA) and 44% in math, compared with state figures of 41% and 33%. But school results span 31% to 89% in ELA and 18% to 81% in math. The most important takeaway is that the area’s averages hide very large differences between individual schools.

Arredondo Elementary School is the clearest all-grades standout, with 89% proficient in ELA and 81% in math—the highest reported results, and 58 and 63 points above Curry Elementary School, respectively. SchoolDigger ranks Arredondo 11th of 900 elementary schools statewide; Curry’s results are the lowest reported, at 31% in ELA and 18% in math. Ward Traditional Academy also stands out, with 77% in ELA, 60% in math and 92% proficiency in fifth-grade science. Among middle- and high-grade schools, McKemy Academy of International Studies reports 75% in ELA and 52% in math, while Tempe Preparatory Academy reports 64% and 54%. At 11th grade, Tempe Preparatory leads McClintock High School in ELA, math and science: 76%, 64% and 39%, compared with 54%, 43% and 26%.

Recent SchoolDigger rankings improved for 6 of the 9 schools with comparable histories, with an average gain of 13 percentile points; Arredondo rose from the 43rd to the 99th percentile, while Broadmor Elementary School and Ward slipped slightly. These are changes in relative ranking, not a record of test-score growth. Enrollment and student–teacher ratios do not neatly track results: Arredondo has 470 students and a 16.1 ratio, while Curry has 366 students and a 13.9 ratio, yet their scores differ substantially. High-school completion figures also vary: McClintock’s graduation rate is 89%, compared with 61% at International Commerce High School - Tempe; dropout rates are 23% at International Commerce High School MCG and 17% at EdOptions Preparatory Academy, against 5% statewide. All-grades results are reported for only 10 schools, and free/reduced-lunch figures are unavailable.