The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in Math. The lowest is 23% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Jack L Kuban Elementary School
Jack L. Kuban Elementary School is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in the Murphy Elementary District, a small Phoenix-area district that recently consolidated from three schools down to two. This is a school where the student body is almost entirely Hispanic and where state test results, where they are available, suggest that most students are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks in math and reading.
The school's enrollment is large enough to run a full K-8 program but small enough that individual grade cohorts are modest. The student population is overwhelmingly Hispanic, with very small shares of white, Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners were not available, which is a gap a parent may want to follow up on with the school directly, as these figures often shape a school's staffing and academic support offerings.
On state assessments, the picture is mixed but leans toward concern. In math, proficiency rates reported for grades three, five, and six showed about a third or fewer of students scoring proficient. Grade three came in at about a third, grade five at a similar level, and grade six dropped to about a sixth. For some other grade levels, results were suppressed, likely due to small group sizes. In English language arts, the pattern was similar: grade four and grade six showed about a fifth to a quarter of students proficient, while grade seven was at about a quarter. Results for grades three, five, and eight were suppressed for reading, and both grade five and grade eight science results were suppressed as well. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across all tested subjects and grades, placed it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Maricopa County. Because this school serves only through eighth grade, there is no graduation rate data to report.
The school sits in Phoenix, a large, fast-growing city that functions as a major economic hub for the Mountain West. The city’s economy is concentrated in technology, manufacturing, tourism, and services, and the broader region has seen sustained population growth. Housing values in the school’s ZIP code area have been below both the Arizona state and national benchmarks, and rents also sit below the national median, making this a more affordable pocket within the Phoenix metro area. The Murphy Elementary District itself underwent a restructuring, consolidating from three K-8 buildings to two; Kuban and one other elementary remain, while a third was closed. This means the district is operating a leaner network of schools, which could affect class sizes and school assignments.
For a family considering this school, the central reality is the academic proficiency landscape. The available test data shows a school where the majority of students are not reaching state proficiency targets, and where the composite measure trails most other districts in the county. A parent serious about academic outcomes would want to talk to the school about its instructional strategies, interventions for struggling students, and any recent efforts to raise performance. The school does not appear to offer programs that would be listed separately, such as magnets or specialized academies, based on what was available to review. The consolidation of the district is a practical detail worth noting: with fewer schools, the district may be more focused, but it also means there are fewer options within the district if a family wanted a different fit. For a family choosing between this school and others in the area, the lower housing costs in the immediate neighborhood may be a meaningful factor in the decision.
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