The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in English language arts. The lowest is 22% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Griffin Foundation Inc. the (79500)
Griffin Foundation Inc. The is a small charter district in Pima County serving kindergarten through eighth grade across two schools: Children Reaching for the Sky Preparatory and Future Investment Middle School. With a modest enrollment for its grade band, the district operates as a single legal entity, and its size means families are likely to find a close-knit environment where staff know students individually. The district does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report, and families will need to plan for a high school placement elsewhere after eighth grade.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, White, and multiracial students and very small numbers of Asian and American Indian or Alaska Native students. Data on economic disadvantage, students with disabilities, and English learners were not available from the source, so a parent may want to ask the district directly about the extent of support services for these groups.
On state assessments, Griffin Foundation’s results present a mixed picture. In math, proficiency rates across grades three through eight fell below the midpoint among Pima County’s districts, with most grades showing less than a third of students scoring proficient. Third grade math was stronger than the later elementary and middle school grades, where rates dropped further. In English language arts, performance varied more widely: fourth grade reached a solid level, and eighth grade posted a notably high proficiency rate, suggesting strong reading and writing skills by the end of middle school. Fifth and sixth grades were lower, so the trajectory is uneven. Science results for fifth and eighth grades placed eighth grade at a level above many other grades in the district, but still below the county median overall. Taken together, the district’s overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint among Pima County’s districts, meaning that on average students are less likely to meet state standards compared with peers across the county. A parent may want to examine grade-by-grade results carefully and ask how the school supports students who are not yet proficient.
Chronic absenteeism is a concern here. The rate is substantially higher than the median among Pima County’s districts, and a majority of students missed enough school to be considered chronically absent. This is a soft spot that families should explore with the school, as high absenteeism can affect academic progress and classroom dynamics. On the financial side, per-pupil current spending falls in the middle range, upper half of the county, indicating that the district allocates somewhat more than the typical district per student, which is noteworthy given its small size.
The district is chartered and runs two schools, one likely focused on elementary grades and the other on middle school. The district brief turned up no recent curriculum changes, property tax measures, or referendums; the district appears to have operated without major public shifts in the last few years. For a family considering this option, the appeal would be a small, potentially tight-knit charter setting with a K-8 span that avoids a separate middle school transition until ninth grade. However, the academic results are uneven, with some bright spots in later grades but low proficiency in many areas, and the absenteeism rate is a serious concern. A parent should visit both schools, talk to teachers about how they address skill gaps, and understand what high school options families typically pursue after eighth grade.
See more original research from School Decision →