The reported proficiency rate for English language arts is 32%.
Original Research by School Decision on Sonoran Sky Elementary School
Sonoran Sky Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through eighth grade in Glendale, Arizona, as a regular public school within the Pendergast Elementary District. The school’s enrollment is moderate for a PK–8 campus, and its student body is notably diverse. More than half of the students are Hispanic, followed by a substantial Black population and a smaller share of White students; there are also small groups of students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, or two or more races. This composition gives the school a richly varied peer environment.
State assessment results for the most recent school year are incomplete because many scores are suppressed, which typically occurs when a group’s tested count is too small to report publicly. The data that is available comes from two grade levels in English language arts: in fourth grade, about a third of students scored at the proficient level or above, and in fifth grade, about a quarter did. For math, all grade-level results are suppressed, so a clear picture of math performance is not available from this year’s state tests. Science results are also suppressed for the grades that took the state science exam. A multi-year view that combines all tested grades shows that overall ELA proficiency has been in the low twenties and math proficiency in the single digits, with those figures representing the limited data that was reportable. Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
When compared with other districts in Maricopa County, Sonoran Sky’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits below the midpoint of the comparison group. This is a soft spot that a parent may want to look into further with the school or district, particularly because many individual grade-level results are suppressed and the full picture is hard to see.
The school is located in Glendale, a large suburban city that borders Phoenix. Glendale offers a mix of residential neighborhoods, major retail centers, sports and entertainment venues, and industrial employers. The city has seen steady population growth and includes a range of housing options. In the area around the school, home values are moderately priced relative to state and national benchmarks, and rents are similarly positioned; both have seen slight declines recently. The broader job base is anchored by Luke Air Force Base, Banner Health, and several school districts, along with manufacturers like Honeywell Aerospace and Conair. The city’s historic downtown and the Westgate Entertainment District provide distinct zones for dining, shopping, and recreation, while the Grand Canal Linear Park and several regional parks offer outdoor space.
Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, on students with disabilities, and on English learners is not available in the currently reported information. That means a parent looking at the school’s level of economic and academic support would need to ask the school or district directly. No recent district-level changes were found in public sources, so the Pendergast Elementary District appears to have been stable in its operations.
Sonoran Sky is a regular public school in a large, growing suburban city, with a diverse student body and a grade span that keeps children in the same building from kindergarten through middle school. The limited state test data suggests academic results have room for growth, and families who want a more detailed understanding of student progress should seek out additional information from the school.
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