Original Research by School Decision on Carl Hayden High School
Carl Hayden High School is a large, regular public high school in Phoenix serving grades nine through twelve. It is part of the Phoenix Union High School District, a district that has recently added new school options, including a fully online high school and a small specialized campus. The school’s student body is overwhelmingly Latino, with a very small share of white, Black, and other backgrounds. The school is located in the west Phoenix area, near Roosevelt Street. The surrounding community is part of a sprawling, car-oriented city that functions as a major economic hub for the region, with strengths in technology, manufacturing, and aerospace.
The academic landscape at Carl Hayden is the defining characteristic a parent or resident would want to explore in depth. State assessment data shows that proficiency rates in both English language arts and math are low. The rate in math is particularly low, and the rate in ELA is not far above it. The data available covers only two years, which limits the ability to see a clear trend, but the current figures place the school’s overall proficiency well below most other high schools in the district and state. A parent considering this school should ask the school directly about what specific instructional supports and interventions are in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level standards.
The school serves a large student population, with enrollment spread relatively evenly across grades nine, ten, and eleven, with a smaller senior class. The school did not report data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, nor on the share of students with disabilities or English learners. This is a notable gap, as those populations often shape the types of support and programs a school offers. A parent would want to ask about these figures and the services attached to them.
Carl Hayden’s graduation rate was not available in the data, so a measure of how many students complete high school in four years is not part of this picture. State testing data for high school is typically drawn from end-of-course exams, and while those results are present, the overall academic picture remains thin on several key metrics. The district itself has introduced new pathways in recent years, such as the Phoenix Digital Academy and PXU City, but there is no information available about whether Carl Hayden offers specialized programs, dual enrollment, career and technical education pathways, or Advanced Placement courses. Given the school’s size, a parent should ask the school for a complete list of available coursework and any special partnerships.
Housing in the area around the school has seen home values and rents decline over the past year, which may reflect broader market conditions. The typical home value in the zip code is below the state average. The economic context shows a national unemployment rate that is low, but local conditions in this part of Phoenix may differ.
The school is a comprehensive high school with no charter or magnet status, and no Title I status was reported. The school has no available data on discipline, chronic absenteeism, staffing ratios, or course access. These are standard areas of interest for any high school, and their absence means a family would need to gather this information from the school or district directly to get a full picture of the day-to-day environment.
Carl Hayden High School serves a large and predominantly Latino student body in a major urban district. The most pressing concern based on available data is the low level of academic proficiency in core subjects. A family considering this school should prioritize understanding what academic supports are in place, what programs and pathways are offered, and what the graduation and attendance rates actually are, as those pieces will define the student experience more than any single number. The school’s setting in a large, growing city means students have access to the broader resources of Phoenix, but the school’s own academic profile is the central factor to investigate.
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