Ridgeline Academy Inc., Phoenix AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Ridgeline Academy Inc.

Ridgeline Academy Inc. is a charter school located in the northern Phoenix area, serving students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. As a charter school, it operates independently of the traditional district structure, and families choose to enroll here. The school sits within a region of Maricopa County that has seen substantial growth, part of a fast-expanding metro area.

The school’s student body reflects the demographics of its enrollment area. The majority of students are white, with a smaller but notable share of Hispanic students, and very small shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals was not available, nor was information on students with disabilities or English learners. Those are gaps a parent would want to discuss directly with the school to understand the full picture of student support and resources.

Academically, the school shows a pattern that varies by grade level and subject. In the elementary grades, proficiency rates on state assessments are solid in both math and English language arts, with several grades posting rates that stand out as strong. By middle school, performance becomes more uneven. Sixth-grade math proficiency drops noticeably compared to the school’s own elementary results, though it recovers somewhat in seventh and eighth grade. English language arts in middle school hovers around the midpoint, with a similar dip in sixth grade. In science, fifth-grade results are solid, while eighth-grade science is lower. Overall, when looking across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s proficiency index places it above the midpoint relative to other districts in Maricopa County. That is a useful marker: it tells a parent that the school’s overall academic performance is in the stronger half of the county’s many districts.

Because the school serves kindergarten through twelfth grade, a parent might wonder about upper-level outcomes. Graduation rate data was not available in the information provided, so it is unclear how many students who enter ninth grade finish in four years. Similarly, there is no data on college entrance exam participation or Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, or career and technical education course access. For a charter school that goes all the way through high school, these are important pieces a parent would want to investigate further.

The school is housed in a single location in the North Valley Parkway area of Phoenix, a part of the city characterized by wide, car-oriented roadways consistent with the metro area’s built environment. Phoenix itself is a large, sprawling urban center. Its economy is concentrated in technology, manufacturing, tourism, and services. Sky Harbor International Airport is the region’s major transportation hub. The city has grown rapidly and continues to expand, which means housing development and population growth are ongoing. Housing costs in the area are above the national median, reflecting demand in this part of the metro.

For a family considering Ridgeline Academy, the school’s elementary results are a clear strength, and its overall proficiency stands up well against other Maricopa County schools. The middle school dip, particularly in sixth grade math, is something to ask the school about directly, as is the question of how the school supports students through that transition. The lack of a detailed high school academic profile means a parent should dig into what pathways are available for older students, whether that is college preparatory coursework, career-oriented programming, or something else. The charter structure means the school sets its own curriculum and priorities, so the fit depends heavily on what a family is looking for.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

>=80%Cohort of 18 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

512 schools plotted. 33 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grade 366%

School 66% · District 63% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 465%

School 65% · District 63% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 572%

School 72% · District 73% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 628%

School 28% · District 29% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 740%

School 40% · District 40%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 851%

School 51% · District 44% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 360%

School 60% · District 57% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 473%

School 73% · District 72% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 570%

School 70% · District 70%

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 52% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 751%

School 51% · District 51%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 867%

School 67% · District 63% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Science

Grade 565%

School 65% · District 65%

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 851%

School 51% · District 51%

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

This schoolRidgeline Academy Inc. (4301), same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.