Picture Rocks Elementary, Tucson AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Picture Rocks Elementary

Picture Rocks Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in the Marana Unified School District, located in the far northwestern reaches of Tucson. The school sits in a more rural, unincorporated area of Pima County, distinct from the denser urban and suburban zones closer to downtown or the foothills. The community surrounding the school has a small-town feel, with homes on larger lots and a landscape that opens into the Sonoran Desert. Housing values in the zip code are generally below the statewide average, and home prices have seen a slight decline over the past year, which a buyer may want to confirm with a local agent.

The school enrollment of several hundred students draws from a surrounding population that is predominantly white, with a substantial Hispanic representation and smaller numbers of students who identify as American Indian, Black, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or multiracial. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners was not available from the source, so a parent looking at the full picture of student support needs may want to ask the school directly about those figures.

On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, Picture Rocks Elementary recorded proficiency rates that place it below the midpoint among districts in Pima County. In mathematics, the share of students meeting the state standard ranged from roughly a quarter or more in third, fourth, and fifth grades to a smaller share in sixth grade. In English language arts, the pattern was similar, with the highest rate among fourth graders and lower rates in third, fifth, and sixth grades. In science, tested at fifth grade, slightly more than a fifth of students demonstrated proficiency. The multi-year trend data available covers only a single year, so there is no basis to assess improvement or decline over time.

Because the school ends at sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report. Students matriculate to Marana district middle and high schools, where the full high school program offerings including Advanced Placement, career and technical education, and dual-credit courses become available.

The Marana district as a whole offers free, full-day kindergarten district-wide, a feature that reduces child-care costs for families with young children and may be a practical consideration for incoming residents. The district also operates an online distance learning option alongside its traditional schools, giving families a choice in instructional delivery model.

For a parent or resident considering this school, the central facts are these. Picture Rocks Elementary is a neighborhood school in a semi-rural setting on the northwestern edge of Tucson, serving elementary and middle school grades in a district with some flexible programming options. The academic proficiency levels on state tests are lower than those at many other schools in Pima County. A family weighing this school may want to discuss with the principal or classroom teachers what academic supports and interventions are in place, and how the school tracks individual student progress toward the state standards. The absence of free-or-reduced-price lunch, special education, and English learner data also means a parent should ask the school directly about the range of student needs it serves and what resources are allocated to meet them.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 326%

School 26% · District 44% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 43% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 46% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 616%

School 16% · District 33% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 321%

School 21% · District 37% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 18 pts below county median

Grade 438%

School 38% · District 47% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 41% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 618%

School 18% · District 44% · ▼ 26 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Science

Grade 523%

School 23% · District 43% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 14 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

This schoolMarana Unified District (4404), 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.