The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 21% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Emerson Elementary School
Emerson Elementary School serves students from preschool through sixth grade as a regular public school in Mesa Unified District, located in the older West Mesa section of the city. This is a neighborhood school that draws from the surrounding residential area, with a student body that is predominantly Hispanic and includes substantial shares of White, Black, and multiracial students, along with smaller populations of Native American and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. The enrollment is large for an elementary school, and the grade distribution shows fairly even numbers from kindergarten through sixth grade, with a smaller preschool program.
Academically, Emerson sits in a difficult position relative to other schools in Maricopa County. School-level state assessment results across math, English language arts, and science show proficiency rates that place the school in the bottom quartile among county districts. In math, for example, the share of students meeting proficiency in third grade was roughly one in four, and in fifth grade it was roughly one in six. In English language arts, third-grade proficiency was roughly one in five, while fourth grade was closer to one in three. Fifth-grade science proficiency was about one in five. These are low numbers by any measure. The data covers only one school year, so there is no trend to observe, but a parent considering Emerson should know that its academic outcomes are well below what most families would expect. State testing data for sixth-grade math was suppressed, so that figure is not available.
Because Emerson serves only elementary grades, there is no high school graduation rate, and the school does not have data on chronic absenteeism or discipline. The free or reduced-price lunch rate, special education count, and English learner count are all missing from the available records, which is a notable gap in understanding the full context of student support needs. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these figures and about what academic interventions or enrichment programs are in place.
The school is part of a very large district, Mesa Unified, which gives it the scale and resources of a major suburban system but also means it is one of many elementary schools competing for attention and support. The district brief turned up little in the way of recent changes or strategic priorities, so it is unclear what specific initiatives may be underway at Emerson.
Mesa itself is a sprawling, auto-oriented city of well over 1 million residents, with a downtown core that has seen reinvestment and light rail connections to Tempe and Phoenix. The school's location on Westwood Street in West Mesa places it in the older, denser part of the city, closer to Tempe and with a mix of single-family homes and commercial corridors. Housing in the area is moderately valued relative to the state and national benchmarks, with home prices and rents near the typical national level, and the overall housing market has been relatively flat recently. The city's major employers include Boeing, Banner Health, and Mesa Public Schools itself, and the aerospace industry is a notable presence near Falcon Field and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.
For a family considering Emerson Elementary, the peer environment is one of economic and ethnic diversity, and the school's sheer size means classes are likely substantial. The academic picture is a serious concern—the proficiency rates are persistently low across all tested grades and subjects. A parent should investigate what support systems exist, how the school addresses gaps in literacy and math, and whether there are special programs such as dual-language or Title I services that might shape the experience. Emerson may be a good fit for a family who values a neighborhood school close to home and is prepared to supplement academics or work closely with teachers. For a family seeking strong measured academic outcomes, the evidence points in the opposite direction.
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