Original Research by School Decision on Little Falcons Preschool
Little Falcons Preschool serves a single grade, pre-kindergarten, and is a regular public school within the Fountain Hills Unified District. Because it serves only that youngest band, the standard measures used to evaluate K-12 schools—state assessment results, graduation rates, chronic absenteeism rates—do not apply here. There is no testing data to report, and the school’s population is not part of those accountability systems. A parent looking at test scores or graduation outcomes will find nothing, and that absence is expected for a pre-K program.
The school is small. Its enrollment reflects the community it draws from, which is predominantly white with a smaller Hispanic presence and a handful of students from other racial backgrounds. Information on how many students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, how many have individualized education plans, and how many are English learners was not reported in the data available. A parent may want to ask the school directly about the services and supports for young children who need extra help.
Little Falcons is one of five schools in the Fountain Hills Unified District, which also includes McDowell Mountain Elementary, Fountain Hills Middle School, Fountain Hills High School, and a virtual academy. The district recently underwent a significant structural change: in 2023 it closed Four Peaks Elementary School and shifted attendance boundaries, consolidating students into the remaining elementary and middle school campuses. That same year, McDowell Mountain Elementary and Fountain Hills Middle School received major renovations—new libraries, playgrounds, gymnasiums, and technology labs. The preschool itself was not mentioned in those renovation plans, so its facilities may be separate or less affected.
The town of Fountain Hills is a master-planned, upscale residential community set in the desert northeast of Phoenix, surrounded by the McDowell Mountains and adjacent to the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. It was designed by the same person who designed Disneyland and was incorporated decades ago. The town has no local property tax, and the median household income is high even by state standards, with per capita income among the highest in Arizona. Housing values and rents are correspondingly high, well above state and national medians, reflecting the custom-built homes and large lots that characterize the area.
Growth has been steady and is expected to continue, though there is a finite amount of undeveloped land remaining. The community is car-oriented, with most daily life requiring a vehicle, though Fountain Park serves as a central pedestrian gathering space with a lake, walking trails, playgrounds, and a series of community events throughout the year. The town is an International Dark Sky Community, meaning low outdoor lighting and good stargazing conditions.
This preschool sits within a district that has made deliberate moves to consolidate and invest in its remaining buildings. For a family living in Fountain Hills, Little Falcons is the entry point into a small district where class sizes are reported to average about eighteen to one across the schools. The preschool itself has no academic performance data to weigh, so the decision to enroll here likely comes down to location, the reputation of the district’s programs for older children, and the fit of the preschool’s environment for a young child. A parent interested in specific curriculum, teacher qualifications, or early childhood supports should follow up with the school directly, as those details were not part of the available record.
See more original research from School Decision →