The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in Math. The lowest is 22% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Espiritu Community Development Corp. (92250)
Espiritu Community Development Corp. is a single-school charter district in Maricopa County serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. The district operates one school, Reyes Maria Ruiz Leadership Academy. The entity is a district in name only, a single elementary campus that functions like a stand-alone charter school.
The student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with nearly every child in that demographic group. The enrollment is a small elementary population, with classes spread across kindergarten through sixth grade in modestly sized groups. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals was not reported, and information on students with disabilities and English learners was also absent, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about the support structures in place for these populations.
State testing results from the most recent year show a mixed picture. In math, proficiency rates climbed from a lower level in third grade to a stronger showing in fourth grade, then settled back in sixth grade. Those fourth-grade math results stand out as a relative bright spot. English language arts proficiency rates were softer, hovering in a range that a parent may want to investigate further with the school. Science results for fifth grade were available and were on the lower end. Some grade-level results were suppressed for data privacy reasons, which is common when small groups of students are tested. The district’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Maricopa County.
Chronic absenteeism is a concern here. The rate places the district in a position below the midpoint among the county’s districts, meaning a larger share of students are missing substantial school time than at many other districts. For an elementary district where consistent attendance is foundational for early literacy and math skill-building, this is a soft spot a family would want to understand by asking what steps the school takes to address it.
Per-pupil spending is in the middle range among the county’s districts, landing in the upper half. That suggests the school is not operating on a bare-bones budget, though without more detail on where the money goes, it is hard to assess what that spending buys in terms of staffing, materials, or programming.
No high school grades are served, so there is no graduation rate to consider. The district’s brief search for recent parent-relevant changes turned up nothing beyond basic demographic and fiscal data, meaning no significant shifts in leadership, programming, or operations were publicly reported in the recent window.
For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a small, heavily Hispanic elementary charter serving a modest population in a large county. The academic data shows variability by grade and subject, with fourth-grade math as a relative strength and English language arts and science as areas where proficiency is lower. The absenteeism rate is a flag worth raising with the school. This is a school that a parent would want to visit, ask about attendance interventions and academic support, and decide whether the close-knit environment of a single-site charter fits their child’s needs.
See more original research from School Decision →