Gowan Science Academy, Yuma AZ - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Gowan Science Academy

Gowan Science Academy is a regular public school in Yuma, Arizona, serving students from preschool through eighth grade under the Crane Elementary District. Despite its name, it is not a charter school. The school is located on Avenue C in central Yuma and draws from the surrounding neighborhoods. The district, which covers much of the city, saw voters pass a maintenance and operations budget override in late 2023, a measure publicly reported to fund smaller class sizes, art, music, physical education, and teacher and staff compensation for a set period — a material change for families inside the district.

On state assessments, Gowan Science Academy posts results that place it above the midpoint among districts in Yuma County. The overall proficiency rate across tested subjects and grades lands in the top quartile relative to other districts in the county, a notable strength. But that single number hides real variation by grade and subject. In math, for instance, fourth-grade students show a strong proficiency rate, while sixth-grade math drops to a much weaker level before recovering somewhat by eighth grade. In English language arts, performance is steadier: third through eighth grades all cluster in a similar range, with no grade falling below a moderate threshold. Science results, available for fifth and eighth grades, show about half or more of students reaching proficiency. A parent moving a child into sixth grade may want to ask the school directly how it supports math learning at that level, given the drop.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial white population and small shares of Asian, Black, Native American, and multiracial students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are learning English is not reported in the available records. Those are meaningful gaps; a family trying to understand the level of economic need or specialized support at the school will need to follow up with the school or district for that information.

Yuma itself is the county seat, set at a crossroads near the borders of California and Mexico. Agriculture dominates the local economy, alongside the Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma Proving Ground, and tourism. The city has a historic downtown along Main Street that functions as the civic and cultural hub, but the built environment is largely suburban and car-dependent across its broad footprint. Seasonal winter visitors add to the population each year. Housing values and rents in the area are moderate by national standards, though affordability comparisons show a notable gap between estimated monthly mortgage costs and rents. The school is a standard part of the Crane Elementary District, which runs a number of elementary and middle schools across town.

Because Gowan Science Academy serves only through eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to consider. The school's academic performance, taken as a whole, is stronger than most other schools in Yuma County, though the dip in middle-grades math is a soft spot worth investigating. A parent considering this school will want to look into how the school addresses that gap and what supports are available for students who struggle. The district's recent override suggests additional resources for arts, PE, and staffing, which may benefit the school's program breadth, though specific course offerings are not detailed in the available data. This is a school with a solid academic reputation in its county context, particularly in the earlier grades, but with enough variation that a careful look at your child's grade level is wise.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 360%

School 60% · District 31% · ▲ 29 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 483%

School 83% · District 37% · ▲ 46 pts above district

▲ 39 pts above state median · ▲ 46 pts above county median

Grade 566%

School 66% · District 35% · ▲ 31 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Grade 625%

School 25% · District 20% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 744%

School 44% · District 26% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 855%

School 55% · District 20% · ▲ 35 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 362%

School 62% · District 30% · ▲ 32 pts above district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Grade 472%

School 72% · District 42% · ▲ 30 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 569%

School 69% · District 35% · ▲ 34 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 37 pts above county median

Grade 658%

School 58% · District 37% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 769%

School 69% · District 39% · ▲ 30 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 37 pts above county median

Grade 869%

School 69% · District 33% · ▲ 36 pts above district

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 38 pts above county median

Science

Grade 559%

School 59% · District 30% · ▲ 29 pts above district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Grade 854%

School 54% · District 23% · ▲ 31 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

This schoolCrane Elementary District (4501), 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.