The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in Math. The lowest is 34% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Kyrene De La Estrella Elementary School
Kyrene de la Estrella Elementary School is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the Kyrene Elementary District, located in south Phoenix. The school enrolls a student body that is diverse in its racial and ethnic composition, with no single group forming a large majority. The largest groups are White students and Hispanic students, each making up roughly a third of the population, followed by students who identify as two or more races and Black students. An Asian and an American Indian or Alaska Native population each account for a smaller share. This is a school where a family will encounter a mix of backgrounds, a characteristic that many families value and that others simply note as part of the environment.
On the most recent state assessments, performance varied by grade and subject. In math, the share of students scoring proficient was consistent in third and fourth grades, then dropped in fifth grade. In English language arts, the pattern was different: proficiency rose from a lower point in third grade to a higher point in fifth. In science, the only tested grade is fifth, and there the proficiency level was below half of students. Looking across all tested grades and subjects, the overall proficiency index lands below the midpoint when compared with districts across Maricopa County. A parent reviewing these results will want to understand the school’s approach to instruction and support, particularly in math and in the early grades of reading, and may wish to ask school staff directly about how they identify and address areas where students need improvement.
The school is part of the Kyrene Elementary District, which in recent years has maintained funding through a voter-approved override continuation. That funding supports art, music, physical education, foreign language instruction, and smaller class sizes. This means Kyrene de la Estrella students have access to these enrichment programs, which are not always available at elementary schools in other districts.
The school is located in the Ahwatukee neighborhood of Phoenix, a part of the city separated from the rest of Phoenix by South Mountain. The area is largely residential and car-oriented, with wide roadways and a grid street pattern. Housing in the immediate area is at a price point well above the typical home value for the state of Arizona. Rents are similarly elevated. The combination of a relatively high-cost housing market and a public school that serves a diverse, middle-sized enrollment may matter for families weighing their options. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it does not receive Title I funding, which means it does not have a schoolwide poverty program based on that designation.
Data on a few common points of interest were not available. Free or reduced-price meal eligibility figures were not reported, which is often the case when a school does not participate in the federal provision that requires collecting that information. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was also not present in the data. Chronic absenteeism and discipline data were not provided. A parent with specific questions about special education supports, English language services, or school climate should direct those to the school office or the district.
Kyrene de la Estrella is an elementary school, so there is no high school graduation rate to report. The school’s academic profile shows uneven proficiency across subjects and grades, with overall performance below the middle of the pack among Maricopa County districts. The district’s continued investment in enrichment programs is a feature worth noting. For a parent, the central questions are whether the school’s academic supports and instructional focus align with their child’s needs and whether the fit of the peer environment and the surrounding housing market works for their family.
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