Patterson Elementary, Mesa AZ - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Patterson Elementary

Patterson Elementary is a regular public school serving prekindergarten through sixth grade in Mesa, part of the Mesa Unified District. It sits in the eastern part of the city, a sprawling suburban landscape of wide arterial roads and single-family homes where driving is the norm. The school itself is a neighborhood campus drawing from the surrounding residential area.

The student body is large for an elementary school at this grade band. In terms of composition, roughly half the students are White and about two out of five are Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, Asian, American Indian, and multiracial students. The school reports total enrollment but does not provide the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, nor the share with disabilities or identified as English learners. A family wanting to understand the economic and support profile of the school would need to ask the district directly for that information.

On state assessments from the most recent testing year, Patterson’s results show a varied picture by grade. In math, the third-grade class posted the strongest proficiency rate, while rates dropped in each successive grade, with sixth grade at a notably lower level. English language arts proficiency rates were similar across grades, hovering below half in every tested grade, with sixth grade again the lowest. Science, tested only in fifth grade, showed a proficiency rate in the same range. An overall proficiency index that averages results across tested subjects and grades places Patterson just above the midpoint of the school districts in Maricopa County, meaning its combined performance sits near the middle of the very large county. This suggests a school where many students are meeting expectations but a substantial share are not, and a parent may want to look into the trend by grade and how the school supports students who are not yet proficient.

Because Patterson serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to consider, and the school has no data reported on chronic absenteeism or disciplinary actions. No information is available on program offerings such as gifted education, arts, or after-school activities. A family should check directly with the school website or office to learn what enrichment opportunities exist.

The surrounding community context is that of Mesa, a very large suburban city that has grown rapidly and continues to expand eastward. The housing market in the zip code shows home values roughly in line with the state benchmark, while rents are moderate relative to national income measures. The area is overwhelmingly auto-oriented, with daily errands requiring a car. The district itself does not report any recent major changes or initiatives, so the school’s trajectory may be fairly steady within the district’s operations.

Patterson Elementary fits a family looking for a traditional neighborhood school in a large suburban district, serving a diverse but predominantly White and Hispanic student body. Its academic results are in the middle range for the county, with the early elementary grades stronger than later ones. Families whose priorities include a school with a high share of students testing above the proficient line may want to explore other options, while those who value a typical local school within a sprawling metropolitan area may find it a reasonable match. The missing data on economic need, special services, and programs means a thorough visit and conversation with the school would be valuable before making a decision.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 353%

School 53% · District 19% · ▲ 34 pts above district

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

Grade 439%

School 39% · District 24% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 541%

School 41% · District 15% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 629%

School 29% · District 13% · ▲ 16 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 344%

School 44% · District 17% · ▲ 27 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 447%

School 47% · District 27% · ▲ 20 pts above district

even with state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 545%

School 45% · District 19% · ▲ 26 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 638%

School 38% · District 43% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 33% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above 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.