The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in English language arts. The lowest is 17% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cholla Academy (5186)
Cholla Academy is a small district that operates two schools in the Phoenix area: Westland School and Westland School Brighton Campus. It serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district’s enrollment is modest for a K-12 system, with roughly similar class sizes across elementary, middle, and high school grades. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with White students as the next largest group, followed by Black students and students of two or more races. Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native students each make up a small share.
State assessment data from the 2024-25 school year shows that, across tested grades and subjects, Cholla Academy’s overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among Maricopa County’s districts. In math, proficiency rates range broadly from one grade to the next. In third grade, a modest share of students met the state’s proficiency benchmark. Fourth and fifth graders saw somewhat higher rates. Sixth grade saw a very small share proficient, the lowest in the district. Seventh and eighth graders each had similar, slightly higher rates. In English language arts, the pattern is also uneven. Third grade had a low proficiency rate. Fourth, fifth, and sixth graders each posted rates in the upper twenties. Seventh graders had about three in ten proficient. Eighth graders had the highest rate in the district, with nearly half scoring proficient. Science results were available for fifth and eighth grades, with both at similar, modest levels.
Chronic absenteeism is a concern. The district’s chronic absenteeism rate sits below the midpoint among its county peers, meaning a substantial portion of students miss enough school that it raises a flag. A parent may want to discuss attendance supports with the school.
The district has no publicly reported data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, nor on students with disabilities or English learners. It also has no reported high school graduation rate, so there is no direct measure of whether students finish in four years. Given that the district includes a full high school, this gap is notable.
Per-pupil current spending is in the middle range among Maricopa County districts, landing in the upper half. That suggests the district is not at either extreme in terms of financial resources allocated to instruction and operations.
The district's own name and its school names suggest a small charter-style system, but the data does not confirm a charter designation. No recent district changes regarding curriculum, property taxes, or facility plans were found in public sources. For families considering this district, a direct conversation with the schools about academic support, attendance practices, and college or career pathways would be a reasonable next step.
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