The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in English language arts. The lowest is 45% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Legacy Traditional School - Peoria
Legacy Traditional School – Peoria is a charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in a rapidly growing part of the Phoenix metro area. The school is one campus within the Legacy Traditional network of Arizona schools, and it operates as a regular public school with charter status, meaning it receives public funding but is not governed by a traditional district board. Families choose this school and apply for admission; there is no assigned neighborhood boundary.
The school offers a full K-8 academic pathway, and a notable recent change has expanded its upper grade band. Public records indicate the school previously served through seventh grade, but it now includes eighth grade. This gives families the option to keep students on the same campus for the full middle school experience rather than making a transition for that final year. Because the school does not serve high school grades, no four-year graduation rate is reported, and state testing is limited to the grades the school serves.
Academically, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits in the top quartile relative to districts in Maricopa County. This is a strong position. A closer look at math scores by grade level shows variation. The school’s younger grades posted solid results, with a large share of third and fourth graders meeting the state’s proficiency bar. Fifth and sixth grade math scores were lower, and as you move up through middle school the pattern shows a clear dip. Seventh grade math data was suppressed, likely due to a small tested population, so it cannot be evaluated. English language arts scores also show strength in the lower grades, particularly in third and fourth grade, where a large majority of students were proficient. Performance in ELA remained a bit above the midpoint in later grades, though with some fluctuation. Science scores at the fifth-grade level came in with a smaller share of students reaching proficiency, which a parent may want to ask the school about directly, since that subject is tested only once at that grade band.
The school enrolls several hundred students. The student body is majority white, with a substantial share of Hispanic students, a notable Asian population, and smaller shares of Black students and students who identify as two or more races. The school is a regular public school rather than a magnet, and its charter status means it may have specific educational approaches or curriculum expectations parents should confirm directly, as program offering details were not available in the public data. No Title I status was reported, and data on economic disadvantage, students with disabilities, and English learners was also missing, which limits the picture of student supports.
The school is located in Peoria, a fast-growing city northwest of downtown Phoenix. The area around the school is suburban and car-dependent, with master-planned communities and a low-density desert landscape. Peoria’s character has shifted from its agricultural roots toward a lifestyle built around resorts and leisure, with the P83 Entertainment District and Park West shopping center serving as major commercial nodes. The city has invested heavily in growth, including a large semiconductor facility under construction and new industrial development along the Loop 303 corridor. Residential growth continues through master-planned housing developments. Housing values in the school’s zip code are notably above the state’s typical home price, and rents also run higher than average for Arizona. This suggests the immediate area around the school draws families with above-average resources, though the school’s charter enrollment process means it draws from a wider geography than a traditional attendance boundary, so family circumstances may vary considerably.
The district brief identified no other major recent changes beyond the expansion to eighth grade. Parents considering this school who want continuity through middle school will find that expansion a practical improvement. Those concerned about the apparent mid-grade academic slide in math and the lower science performance may want to ask about how the school supports students in upper elementary and middle school, especially since the strong early-grade results suggest capable students who may need reinforcement as content becomes more demanding.
See more original research from School Decision →