Somerton Elementary District (4500), AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Somerton Elementary District (4500)

Somerton Elementary District serves students from preschool through eighth grade in the southwestern corner of Arizona, drawing from the communities of Somerton, San Luis, and a portion of Yuma. The district is an elementary-only system; students who finish eighth grade move on to high schools outside the district, typically in the nearby Yuma Union High School District.

The district’s enrollment is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with nearly all students identifying as such, and a very small number of white students and an even smaller number of American Indian or Alaska Native students. Free or reduced-price lunch data was not available, but the broader economic context points to a working-class area. Housing values in the district’s coverage area fall in a modest range, with the Somerton zip code near the weighted average and San Luis on the lower end. Rent data is limited to one zip code (the Yuma portion), where rents are moderate relative to national benchmarks. The combination of demographics and housing suggests many families may face economic constraints, though this is not confirmed by direct income or meal-program figures.

Academically, the district’s state assessment results show that proficiency rates across tested grades are well below state averages. In English Language Arts, the share of students meeting proficiency hovers at roughly one-third or less across grades three through eight, with a peak around grade four. Math proficiency rates are even lower, ranging from about a sixth to a third of students, with the highest performance in grade five and a decline in middle school. Science results, available for grades five and eight, show around a fifth of fifth graders proficient and an even smaller share of eighth graders. The multi-year trend shows only a single year of data, so no trajectory is available.

When placed among the seventeen districts in Yuma County, Somerton’s overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint, meaning several other county districts post higher achievement. This is a soft spot that parents may want to discuss directly with the district to understand the instructional strategies, curriculum, and support programs in place. On the positive side, the district’s chronic absenteeism rate is in the top quartile among county districts, meaning a lower share of students are missing substantial school. That is a meaningful strength, especially in a district where many families may face economic pressures. Per-pupil current spending falls in the middle range, upper half, suggesting resource allocation is not notably constrained compared to peers.

The district operates six active schools: four elementary schools (Orange Grove, Desert Sonora, Tierra Del Sol, Bravie T. Soto, and Sun Valley), one middle school, and a virtual learning institute. There is also an early childhood center, Encanto Learning Center. A search for recent district-level changes such as bond referendums, curriculum overhauls, or property tax shifts found no significant developments, so the district appears to have been stable on those fronts. For families considering this district, the core consideration is clear. The academic scores are lower than many other county options, and the district does not have a high school, so planning for the transition to ninth grade is necessary. The low chronic absenteeism and moderate spending indicate a reasonably stable environment, but the proficiency gap suggests that extra academic support outside of school or a close partnership with teachers may be important for students aiming for college-preparatory high school tracks. The predominantly Hispanic enrollment also shapes the peer environment, which may be a natural fit for families in the community. Parents should verify current program offerings, such as gifted services, English learner support, or extracurricular access, since those details were not available in the data reviewed.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

3,004

Grades

PK–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 95%

Black 0%

White 1%

Two+ 1%

Am. Indian / AK Native 2%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

18%

—

Gr 4

34%

—

Gr 5

32%

—

Gr 6

29%

—

Gr 7

30%

—

Gr 8

30%

—

Math

Gr 3

20%

—

Gr 4

29%

—

Gr 5

36%

—

Gr 6

21%

—

Gr 7

17%

—

Gr 8

14%

—

Science

Gr 5

21%

—

Gr 8

12%

—

Schools in this District

9 schools are officially reported under this district.

Somerton Middle School

Orange Grove Elementary School

Desert Sonora Elementary School

Tierra Del Sol Elementary School

Encanto Learning Center

PPEP Youth Build

Somerton Virtual Learning Institute

Bravie T. Soto Elementary School

Sun Valley Elementary School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

20%

Grade 3

25%

Grade 4

35%

Grade 5

22%

Grade 6

16%

Grade 7

14%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

21%

Grade 3

34%

Grade 4

32%

Grade 5

33%

Grade 6

30%

Grade 7

30%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

22%

Grade 5

12%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$272,851

Year-over-year change+3.0%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$258K to $328K

vs. state typical0.64x

vs. national typical0.74x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
85350	Somerton	$272K	+2.8%	72.1%
85349	San Luis	$258K	+4.3%	21.3%
85365	Yuma	$328K	+1.5%	6.7%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,767/mo

Year-over-year change+0.1%

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
85365	Yuma	$1,767	+0.1%	6.7%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,377/mo

Home price / national median income3.3x

Annual rent / national median income25.3%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$390/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$423,746 (-1.6% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.