La Paloma Academy, Tucson AZ - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on La Paloma Academy

La Paloma Academy is a K-8 charter school in Tucson, part of the Arizona Community Development Corporation. It sits on Wilmot Road in a residential stretch of the city. Because it serves only elementary and middle grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and state test results are limited to the grades that take Arizona’s AASA and AzSci assessments.

The school enrolls a diverse student body. Hispanic students make up the largest share, followed by White students and Black students, with small numbers of students who are Asian, American Indian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or two or more races. The school does not report the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, nor the numbers of students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent seeking that information would need to ask the school directly.

On state assessments, La Paloma Academy’s results sit below the midpoint for Pima County districts when an overall proficiency index is calculated across tested subjects and grades. In math, the reported grade-level proficiency rates are modest, with some grades’ results suppressed due to small group sizes, which likely reflects the school’s size rather than a lack of data. In English language arts, proficiency rates across grades four through eight are consistently around the same modest level, with grade three producing a somewhat higher rate. Science results for grades five and eight also show a low percentage of students scoring proficient. A parent considering this school will want to discuss with staff how the school supports students who are below grade-level benchmarks and what strategies are used to raise achievement.

As a charter school, La Paloma Academy operates with some autonomy from the local district but is publicly funded and open to all students. No recent major curriculum or governance changes were found in public records for its authorizing body, Arizona Community Development Corporation.

The school is located in Tucson, a large desert city anchored by the University of Arizona, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and a mix of tech and tourism industries. Downtown Tucson and the university area form a walkable core connected by a streetcar line, but most of the city, including the Wilmot Road corridor, is automobile-dependent. Home values in the surrounding zip code are lower than the statewide median, and rents are moderate. Tucson’s metro area has grown steadily, with suburban expansion to the northwest and south, though the central city has also seen downtown revitalization.

For families weighing this school, the key factors are a diverse student population, a charter structure, and test scores that are below the average for other schools in the county. Because the school does not offer high school grades, families will need to plan for the transition after eighth grade. The absence of data on economic disadvantage, special education, and English learner services means that a visitor or prospective parent should ask for those numbers directly. The school’s website and a campus visit are the best next steps to understand how the school addresses academic needs and what programs or supports it provides beyond the core curriculum.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 334%

School 34% · District 33% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Grade 531%

School 31% · District 26% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 333%

School 33% · District 24% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 422%

School 22% · District 31% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 20% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 623%

School 23% · District 18% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 722%

School 22% · District 23% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 822%

School 22% · District 20% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Science

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 22% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 819%

School 19% · District 14% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

This schoolArizona Community Development Corporation (79947), 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.