The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 24% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Tomahawk School
Tomahawk School serves students from preschool through sixth grade in the Cartwright Elementary District, located in the southwestern part of Phoenix. The school is a regular public elementary school, not a charter or magnet, and it sits within a large, sprawling urban setting where the economy has shifted from its agricultural roots to a mix of services, technology, manufacturing, and tourism. West Phoenix has a car-oriented grid layout typical of the metro area, and the broader city continues to see steady population growth, though specific development projects near the school were not detailed in the available information.
The student body is largely Hispanic, with a substantial majority of the enrollment from that background, followed by small shares of Black, white, multiracial, Asian, and Native American students. The school enrolls roughly eight hundred students across the elementary grades, a size that gives it a solid neighborhood feel but not an intimate one. Data on the share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch was not provided, nor were counts of students with disabilities or English learners, which leaves a gap in understanding the full support context a parent might want to explore with the school directly.
On state assessments, Tomahawk’s proficiency rates across math and English language arts for grades three through six fall well below the midpoint for elementary schools in Maricopa County. Overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades sits in the bottom quartile relative to districts in the county, a wide comparison set that includes nearly four hundred districts. In math, proficiency rates ranged from a low point in sixth grade to a higher point in fourth grade, with third and fifth grades falling in between. In English language arts, fourth grade showed the strongest result among the tested grades, while third grade was the weakest, and fifth and sixth grades clustered together at a modest level. Science results for fifth grade were also on the lower end. These figures reflect a single year of testing, so trend data is thin; only one year of results was available for English language arts, and math had two years with essentially no change. A parent may want to ask the school about recent instructional initiatives or interventions, as the performance picture suggests room for improvement.
Because Tomahawk is an elementary-only school, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school does not offer high school pathways such as Advanced Placement or career and technical education programs. The district brief turned up no significant recent changes at the district level that would affect the school day, such as boundary adjustments, leadership turnover, or program expansions, so families should check with the Cartwright district office for any updates on elementary offerings or support services.
Housing in the area around the school reflects the broader Phoenix market. Home values in the ZIP code are below the state average, and they have seen a modest decline over the past year, which may make the neighborhood more accessible for buyers than some other parts of the metro area. Rents have also dipped slightly. For a family considering a move, the affordability context is a relevant factor, though the school’s academic profile should be weighed alongside it.
In short, Tomahawk School is a large, predominantly Hispanic elementary school in a growing urban district where state test results are significantly below county averages. The school’s setting is typical of west Phoenix: car-dependent, residential, and part of a fast-growing city. Families considering this school will want to inquire directly about English learner support, special education services, and any academic improvement plans, as those details were not available in the data.
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