Best Public Schools in Zip Code 85546

ZIP code 85546 has seven schools—four elementary schools, one middle school and two high schools—serving the Safford area; most are part of Safford Unified District, while Triumphant Learning Center is listed separately. Across the six schools with reported all-grades test scores, math is the clearest area of concern: the average is 27%, compared with 33% statewide, and scores range from 19% to 40%.

Ruth Powell Elementary School leads in all-grades ELA at 48%, ahead of the next-highest school, Dorothy Stinson School, at 45%; Ruth is 7 percentage points above the state rate. Dorothy leads in math at 40%, 7 points above the state and 15 points above the other five reported schools’ average. At the lower end, Triumphant reports 30% in ELA and 19% in math—11 and 14 points below state rates. Among the three elementary schools with comparable grades 3–6 results, ELA averages 43% versus grade-specific state rates averaging 41%, while math averages 34% versus 37%. The grade-level picture varies: Dorothy leads several comparisons, Ruth is especially strong in upper-grade ELA, and Lafe Nelson School exceeds the state in sixth-grade math.

SchoolDigger rankings improved recently for four of five schools with comparable histories: Dorothy rose 9 percentile points, Lafe 7, Ruth and Safford Middle School 4 each, while Safford High School fell 2; the group average rose from the 39th to the 44th percentile. These rankings are not proficiency scores. High-school completion also differs: Safford High graduated 88% of students in 2024–25, compared with 59% at Mt Graham High School, whose test scores are suppressed; dropout rates were 4% and 28%, respectively. Enrollment and student-teacher ratios do not show a consistent pattern with scores: Triumphant has the smallest enrollment and lowest ratio, yet the lowest reported scores, while Dorothy leads math. Free/reduced-lunch rates are unavailable.