The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in English language arts. The lowest is 17% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on The Charter Foundation Inc. (6355)
The Charter Foundation Inc. is a charter organization operating in Pima County, Arizona, that serves kindergarten through eighth grade under the AmeriSchools Academy name. It does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. The district runs five schools: three in the Phoenix area and one each in Yuma and Tucson’s north side, plus an online instruction program. Because the organization’s schools are spread across multiple cities rather than concentrated in one town, there is no single community context to describe; each campus draws from its own local area.
Student enrollment is moderate, with roughly even distribution across kindergarten through sixth grade and smaller numbers in seventh and eighth. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, making up a large majority of the total, with white students as the next largest group, followed by smaller shares of Black, multiracial, Native American, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. Data on students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, students with disabilities, and English learners was not reported, so a family looking for that information would need to ask the schools directly.
Academic proficiency on state assessments is a soft spot. In the most recent testing year, math proficiency rates declined sharply across grade levels, from a modest share of third graders meeting the bar down to a very small share of eighth graders. English language arts rates were more consistent, with roughly a quarter to a third of students reaching proficiency in each grade, but the overall pattern places the district near the bottom among Pima County’s districts when all tested subjects and grades are averaged together. Science results show about a quarter of fifth graders proficient, dropping to a very small share of eighth graders. A parent should be aware that these numbers are low compared with many other public options in the county.
Chronic absenteeism, a measure of how many students miss a substantial number of school days, is a concern but sits slightly better than the midpoint among county districts. The district’s per-pupil spending is in the lower range compared with others in the county, which may be a factor in the resources available at each school.
The organization’s website was not among the available data, so details about specific programs, curriculum approach, or school climate would need to be gathered directly from the individual campuses. Some elements that often matter to families, such as whether the schools are Title I or what the student-to-teacher ratio is, were also not reported. The district’s five schools are likely to have different atmospheres and leadership, so visiting the specific campus a child would attend is advisable. For a family weighing this option, the core academic numbers are the most important signal, and they point to a need for careful inquiry about how the schools support students who are behind grade level.
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