The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in English language arts. The lowest is 44% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Benjamin Franklin Charter School - Crismon
Benjamin Franklin Charter School – Crismon is a charter elementary serving kindergarten through sixth grade in Queen Creek, a fast-growing suburban town southeast of Phoenix. It operates under the Benjamin Franklin Charter School organization, which means it draws from a defined enrollment area rather than a traditional district attendance zone. The school is large enough to field multiple sections per grade, and its student body is predominantly white, with a noticeable Hispanic minority and much smaller shares of Asian, Black, and multiracial students. No data is available on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which makes it difficult to assess the economic diversity of the population. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was also missing, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about its special education and language support programs.
On state assessments, Benjamin Franklin Crismon shows a mixed but generally solid picture. In reading and language arts, results are strongest in the upper elementary grades: roughly half of fourth graders scored proficient, and the share rose to about three in five by sixth grade. Third grade lagged a bit, with under half of students meeting the bar. Math proficiency was somewhat lower overall and declined by grade level. Roughly half of third, fourth, and fifth graders were proficient, but the sixth-grade math proficiency rate dropped to about one in three. Science results at fifth grade fell below half proficient. The school’s overall proficiency index across all subjects and grades places it above the midpoint when compared with other schools in Maricopa County districts, indicating that its composite performance is better than the typical school in the county. But the drop in sixth-grade math is a soft spot a parent would want to investigate further, perhaps by asking about curriculum, teacher support, or how the school prepares students for the transition to middle school mathematics expectations.
The town of Queen Creek itself is a key part of the context. It has grown rapidly over the past two decades, shifting from a small farming community to a sprawling residential suburb with master-planned subdivisions replacing pecan groves and alfalfa fields. Home values and rents in the area are above both state and national benchmarks, reflecting the new-build housing stock and the town’s desirability for families. The town lacks a traditional walkable downtown; most daily errands require a car, and there is no fixed-route bus service, though a trail system connects some parks. The community texture is family-oriented and suburban, with a young demographic (a large share of residents are under eighteen) and attractions like working farms, an equestrian center, and regional parks nearby. The school’s charter status means it operates with some autonomy from traditional district oversight, though it still participates in state testing and accountability.
The district that oversees this school reported no recent leadership changes, bond measures, or policy shifts of note. That stability may be welcome, though it also means there are no publicly reported new initiatives to boost math outcomes or address the grade-level decline.
Because Benjamin Franklin Crismon serves only through sixth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to consider. Families sending a child here will need to plan for the transition to a separate middle or high school, whether at another charter, a private school, or one of the multiple public school districts that serve Queen Creek. The school’s academic strengths in reading and its performance relative to county peers are clear positives, but the specific soft spots in sixth-grade math and fifth-grade science are worth a direct conversation with the principal about instruction and intervention.
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