Original Research by School Decision on Asu Preparatory Academy (346763)
ASU Preparatory Academy is a charter district that operates a single campus, ASU Preparatory Academy - South Phoenix High School, serving grades seven through twelve. As a charter entity overseen by Arizona State University, it operates outside the traditional district system of property taxes and bonding authority, which matters for residents who track local school funding measures.
The student body is small for a high-school-serving district, with enrollment spread fairly evenly across grades seven through twelve. The vast majority of students identify as Hispanic. White students and Black students each make up small shares, with a few students identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, or of two or more races. Information on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners was not available in the data provided.
State testing results are suppressed for all tested grades and subjects in the most recent year, meaning the data is withheld, likely due to small group sizes. The only proficiency figure available comes from a multi-year trend calculation, which shows that for the 2024-25 school year, when all grades were combined, the proficiency rate in English language arts was in the mid-teens and in math was in the low teens. These are one-year-only figures, so there is no trend to examine. For context, this is a single data point from a small district, and a parent may want to discuss the full picture of academic performance directly with the school.
Chronic absenteeism, reported for the district, places it in the bottom quarter among reporting Maricopa County districts, meaning a higher share of students are missing substantial school time compared to peers across the county. Per-pupil current spending is reported in the upper range among the county’s districts, which is noteworthy for a charter operation.
The district itself consists of just the South Phoenix High School campus. The broader ASU Prep network has publicly reported expansion in recent years, including new campuses in Casa Grande, Camp Verde, and Pilgrim Rest, though those are separate Local Education Authorities and do not affect this district’s operations. A graduation rate was not available in the data, so this measure cannot be assessed here. The district’s grade band includes twelfth grade, and without that rate, a parent may want to ask the school directly about its completion outcomes.
What is clear is that this is a very small, single-campus charter district serving a predominantly Hispanic student population in grades seven through twelve, with suppressed state test data that prevents a clear comparative read on academic proficiency. The chronic absenteeism rate is a soft spot that would be worth a direct conversation with school leadership. The spending per pupil is high for the county, which invites a question about how those resources are directed, but the data provided does not show the staffing ratios, program offerings, or course access that would clarify that picture. A family considering this school would likely want to visit the campus, ask about the college-preparatory model tied to Arizona State University, understand the project-based learning approach referenced in the network’s public materials, and get a clear sense of student outcomes beyond the limited testing data here.
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