Sousa Elementary School, Mesa AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Sousa Elementary School

Sousa Elementary School sits within Mesa Unified District, part of the large suburban city of Mesa. The school serves children from preschool through sixth grade and operates as a regular public school. Its enrollment is moderate, with a student body that is majority White and includes a substantial share of Hispanic students, along with smaller numbers of students who are Black, Asian, or of two or more races. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals was not available, nor were counts of students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its support services and economic profile.

State testing results show academic performance that sits below the midpoint among districts across Maricopa County. In math, the share of students meeting proficiency standards was modest overall and declined noticeably across the tested grades, with higher rates in third grade and lower rates by fifth grade. In English language arts, proficiency rates were similarly modest, landing just below the county midpoint. Science results, available for fifth grade, also showed a modest proficiency rate. Results for third grade ELA and sixth grade math and ELA were suppressed, which often reflects small group sizes, so a parent may want to ask the school for those details. Because only one year of testing data was available, there is no multi-year trend to assess improvement or decline.

As an elementary school, Sousa has no graduation rate to report. Information about program offerings, such as gifted, arts, or STEM, was not provided, leaving a gap in understanding what academic or enrichment pathways are available beyond the core curriculum. The school does not appear to have magnet or charter status, so it operates as a traditional neighborhood school within its attendance zone.

Mesa itself is a sprawling, auto-oriented city that has grown rapidly, with newer residential areas pushing eastward. Housing in the school’s zip code is mid-range for the region, though affordability relative to incomes is tight. The district, Mesa Unified, is one of the largest in Arizona, but a search for recent parent-relevant changes turned up little, so the district’s direction is not clearly documented here.

For a family considering Sousa, the school offers a neighborhood setting within a large district in a growing city. The below-midpoint proficiency rates suggest that academic performance may not match the strongest schools in the county, and the missing data on student support programs and demographics means a parent should inquire directly about how the school serves students who need extra help. A family that values proximity and a regular public school environment may find it a reasonable fit, but those prioritizing higher test scores or specialized programs will want to compare options within Mesa Unified and beyond.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 337%

School 37% · District 19% · ▲ 18 pts above district

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

Grade 428%

School 28% · District 24% · ▲ 4 pts above district

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

Grade 521%

School 21% · District 15% · ▲ 6 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 432%

School 32% · District 27% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

Grade 535%

School 35% · District 19% · ▲ 16 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 525%

School 25% · District 33% · ▼ 8 pts below district

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

This schoolMesa Unified District (4235), 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.