Patterson Elementary School, Gilbert AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Patterson Elementary School

Patterson Elementary School is a regular public school in the Gilbert Unified District, serving students from preschool through sixth grade. Located in the southeast Phoenix suburb of Gilbert, it sits in a largely residential area of a town that has grown rapidly from its agricultural roots into a sprawling master-planned community. The school’s academic record stands out clearly on state assessments. Proficiency rates in mathematics climb steadily across grades three through six, with students reaching a level that places the school among the stronger performers relative to other elementary schools in Maricopa County. Reading and English language arts results are also solid, though they show more variation: third-grade scores are softer, while fourth and sixth graders post notably stronger numbers. Science testing, which occurs only in fifth grade, shows a majority of students meeting the state standard. Because Patterson covers only early and middle grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no high school course access data applies here.

The student body is predominantly White, with a Hispanic population that makes up about a quarter of enrollment, and smaller shares of students who identify as two or more races, Black, Asian, or American Indian or Alaska Native. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, students with disabilities, and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the level of economic diversity and support services. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and there is no Title I status reported.

Gilbert itself is a car-dependent suburb where most daily travel requires a vehicle, though the Heritage District along Gilbert Road offers a compact downtown with restaurants and civic buildings. The town’s population has grown substantially over the past several decades, and new residential subdivisions continue to be built. Housing values in the area are well above the national median, and rents are also elevated, reflecting the community’s desirability and the broader Phoenix metropolitan market.

The Gilbert Unified District, which operates Patterson, has faced fiscal pressures that directly affect school resources. In the 2023 election, voters rejected both a budget override and a bond request, marking the third consecutive override failure. The following year the district cut teaching positions through attrition and reduced school discretionary budgets. Because those developments are recent, families should consider how they may influence class sizes, program availability, and building maintenance at Patterson in the years ahead. The district has also adopted a strategic plan through 2027 focused on student success, safe schools, employee excellence, and community engagement, which may guide how it navigates these constraints.

Taken together, Patterson Elementary offers a consistently strong academic record in a fast-growing suburban setting, with district-level budget limits that parents will want to monitor. The school’s performance on state tests is a clear strength, and its size and grade span make it a typical feeder for the district’s middle and high schools. For a family looking at Gilbert public schools, Patterson’s test results and district context are the main facts to weigh.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 362%

School 62% · District 33% · ▲ 29 pts above district

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

Grade 465%

School 65% · District 36% · ▲ 29 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 570%

School 70% · District 51% · ▲ 19 pts above district

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

Grade 672%

School 72% · District 31% · ▲ 41 pts above district

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 347%

School 47% · District 54% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 476%

School 76% · District 66% · ▲ 10 pts above district

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

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 38% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 674%

School 74% · District 64% · ▲ 10 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 556%

School 56% · District 49% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

This schoolGilbert Unified District (4239), 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.