The reported proficiency rate for English language arts is 22%.
Original Research by School Decision on Imagine Camelback Middle
Imagine Camelback Middle is a charter school serving sixth through eighth grade in central Phoenix. The school operates as its own small district, Imagine Camelback Middle Inc., and sits on North 19th Avenue in a dense urban stretch of the city. Phoenix itself is a fast-growing, car-oriented metropolis built on a wide grid, and the school draws from the surrounding neighborhoods.
The student body is small for a three-grade middle school. The composition is predominantly Hispanic, with a meaningfully sized Black student population and smaller numbers of White, Asian, American Indian, and multiracial students. Data on how many students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners was not reported, so a parent would need to ask the school directly about the level of economic or academic support in place.
Academic performance is the central concern here. The most recent state assessments show that English language arts proficiency was low across all three grades, with roughly one in five sixth and seventh graders and about one in four eighth graders scoring at the proficient level. Math and science results were suppressed by the state, meaning the figures were withheld, likely because the number of students tested was too small to report reliably. Without those numbers, the full picture is incomplete, but the available data places Imagine Camelback Middle among the lowest-performing schools in Maricopa County when compared with other districts. A family considering this school should ask about what academic interventions or curricula are used and how the school supports students who are not yet meeting benchmarks.
The school is a regular public charter, not a magnet or alternative program. No information was available on course access, enrichment offerings, discipline rates, or staffing ratios, and the district itself had no recent changes publicly reported. Because it is a middle school only, there is no graduation rate to examine. Chronic absenteeism data was also missing.
For a parent weighing options, Imagine Camelback Middle is a small charter in a large city with a strongly Hispanic and Black student population. The test results point to serious challenges in reaching grade-level proficiency, and the lack of reported data on math and science, special populations, and school environment means that a visit and direct conversation with the administration would be essential to understand what the school provides beyond the numbers.
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