The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in English language arts. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Asu Preparatory Academy (92325)
ASU Preparatory Academy is a single-school charter district in Maricopa County serving only grades five through eight. It is not a traditional district with neighborhood boundaries; it is a standalone middle school operating under Arizona State University’s umbrella. The school enrolls a diverse student body, with Hispanic or Latino students making up a substantial share, Black students a smaller but notable share, and White students a modest share, alongside small numbers of American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and multiracial students. Information on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, receiving special education services, or classified as English learners was not available in the data reviewed.
The academic picture from the 2024-25 state assessments is one a family will want to examine closely. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above was roughly a quarter in fifth and sixth grades, about three in ten in seventh grade, and a similar share in eighth grade. In math, the share reaching proficiency was lower across the board, with sixth grade reporting about one in nine students meeting the bar; results for fifth, seventh, and eighth grades were suppressed and not available for public reporting. In science, the share proficient was below a fifth in both fifth and eighth grades, where the state administers the test. When compared to other districts across Maricopa County, the overall proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades places this district in the bottom quarter. That comparison set includes a large number of districts, so families should treat this as a broad signal that academic attainment, as measured by these state exams, is a soft spot relative to the county.
Chronic absenteeism, a measure of how many students miss a substantial portion of school days, is high here relative to the county median. The district’s rate places it in the bottom quarter among Maricopa County’s districts, meaning a larger share of students are chronically absent than at most other districts. This is a pattern a parent may want to raise with the school to understand what supports are in place.
Because this is a middle-grades-only charter, there is no high school graduation rate to report and no data on high school programs such as Advanced Placement or dual enrollment. The district’s per-pupil current spending sits near the midpoint among county districts, a little below the median, which is typical for a small charter with a focused grade span.
Publicly reported information about recent district changes or strategic priorities was sparse. The district brief found little of lasting impact in the public record. That is not unusual for a small charter operating under a university partnership; major policy shifts or tax measures often do not surface in the same way they do for larger traditional districts.
For a family considering this school, the character of the peer environment and the academic floor are the primary factors to weigh. The school draws a racially and ethnically diverse student body from across the Phoenix area, not a single neighborhood, so the cohort a child joins may differ from the local elementary school. The proficiency numbers suggest that a significant portion of students are working below grade-level expectations in math and reading, and the absenteeism data points to a challenge with consistent attendance. A parent should ask the school directly about how it addresses these patterns, what intervention and enrichment look like, and how the university partnership shapes curriculum and teacher support. The school’s small size and narrow grade span could offer a focused middle school experience, but the academic and attendance data give a parent clear talking points for that conversation.
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