The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in Math. The lowest is 32% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Roosevelt Preparatory Academy (92704)
Roosevelt Preparatory Academy is a tuition-free public charter school in Buckeye, operating under the Great Hearts Academies network. It serves kindergarten through ninth grade and is growing by one grade level each year toward a full K-12 build-out, with the first graduating class expected in the near future. This is a new school that opened in Buckeye in the fall of 2022, adding a classical liberal arts option for families in Buckeye and the West Valley.
The student body is diverse, with a mix that includes a substantial Hispanic population, a sizable white population, and smaller shares of students who are Black, Asian, two or more races, and American Indian or Alaska Native. The enrollment is small to mid-sized for a district serving these grade levels, and it reflects a school still in its build-out phase, with the smallest grade cohorts at the upper end, including eighth and ninth grade.
Academically, the school's performance on state assessments is mixed and a parent will want to look closely at the results by grade and subject. Proficiency rates in math and English language arts vary considerably across grades. In some early elementary grades, math proficiency is above the midpoint for the district, while in others it is lower. English language arts results show a similar pattern, with some grades posting a higher share of proficient students and others a lower share. Science proficiency for the tested grade was reported, and the overall picture across tested subjects places the district below the midpoint among Maricopa County's districts on a combined proficiency index. The school has only a single year of testing data available, so there is no trend to assess yet.
The chronic absenteeism rate is elevated and sits near the same position relative to other districts in the county, which is a soft spot a family may want to discuss with the school to understand what supports are in place.
Because the school is a charter within the Great Hearts network, it operates with a specific classical liberal arts curriculum, which is a defined pedagogical approach. Families interested in a traditional, Great Books-style liberal arts education will find this fits that preference directly. The school is growing rapidly, meaning the student experience today may shift as upper grades are added and enrollment fills out.
Per-pupil current spending is in the middle range, specifically the upper half, among Maricopa County districts, indicating a typical resource level for a charter of this type.
Data on free or reduced-price meal eligibility, special education designation, and English learner status were not available, so the full economic and support-need profile of the student body is not clear from the provided information. State testing data for eighth grade math and science were suppressed, likely due to small group sizes, so those results are not available for review.
For a family weighing this option, the main considerations are the school's youth and growth trajectory, the classical curriculum model, the uneven academic results that may improve as the school matures, and the elevated absenteeism rate. It is a distinctive choice that fits families who want a classical liberal arts charter and are comfortable with a school still in its early years.
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