The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in English language arts. The lowest is 21% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on William R Sullivan Elementary School
William R. Sullivan Elementary School serves students from preschool through eighth grade as a regular public school in the Murphy Elementary District, located on the west side of Phoenix. The school sits within a large, sprawling urban center whose economy is concentrated in high technology, manufacturing, tourism, and services, anchored by Sky Harbor International Airport. Phoenix has been among the fastest-growing cities in the nation over recent decades, though specific new housing or development projects near the school were not detailed in available records.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, accounting for the vast majority of enrollment, with smaller shares of Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, multiracial, and White students. The school's enrollment is of a size that is typical for a PK-8 campus in its area, with grade cohorts that stay fairly consistent from kindergarten through eighth grade. The district recently underwent a structural change, consolidating from three K-8 schools to two, closing Arthur M. Hamilton School while keeping Sullivan and Jack L. Kuban Elementary open. This means current school assignments and the distribution of students across the remaining campuses have shifted, a change families moving into the attendance area should be aware of as it may affect class sizes and program access.
On state assessments, which provide a snapshot of how students perform in English language arts, math, and science, the proficiency rates at Sullivan are below the midpoint when compared with other districts across Maricopa County. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above was in the range of a quarter to roughly a third of test-takers across the grades where data was reported. In math, the reported proficiency rates were lower, with about a sixth to a quarter of students meeting the bar in the grades where figures were available. Science results for grades five and eight were suppressed, so no specific data is available for that subject. A parent may want to discuss with the school how it supports students who are below grade-level benchmarks and what specific interventions or instructional strategies are in place.
The school's multi-year academic trend data shows proficiency rates that are low and flat across the limited time points available, with no clear direction of improvement or decline. Because the trend window is short, it is difficult to draw a strong conclusion about momentum from this alone.
State testing data was reported for most grades, though several individual grade-level results in math, ELA, and science were suppressed. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report.
The school's governance is that of a regular public school operating within a traditional district; it is not a charter school. No information was available about Title I status, magnet designation, or specific program offerings such as gifted education, special education services, or extracurricular activities. Similarly, data on staffing ratios, chronic absenteeism, and discipline were not present in the available records. Families seeking details on these topics should contact the school directly.
Housing in the zip code where Sullivan sits shows that the typical home value and median rent have both declined over the past year, a pattern that diverges from the broader national trend of slight home price growth. The typical rent is estimated to consume a modest share of a median household income, while the estimated monthly mortgage payment is higher than the typical monthly rent, reflecting a market where buying a home is more expensive than renting at current interest rates.
Sullivan is a school where academic outcomes on state measures are below the benchmark of many other schools in the county, and the student population is largely economically disadvantaged, though exact free and reduced-price meal figures were not available. The school's grade span through eighth grade means students can remain on the same campus for their entire elementary and middle school years, which some families value for consistency. The recent district consolidation is a practical factor that may influence class composition and building resources.
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