Schnepf Elementary School, Queen Creek AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Schnepf Elementary School

Schnepf Elementary School serves students from preschool through sixth grade as a regular public school in the Queen Creek Unified District. Located in the far southeast Phoenix metro area, the school sits within a rapidly growing suburb that still carries agricultural roots—pecan groves, olive farms, and U-pick gardens sit alongside master-planned subdivisions. The town is car-dependent with no scheduled transit, and its housing market is expensive; home values and rents are well above national benchmarks, reflecting an affluent new-build residential market.

The school enrolls a large student body for its grade band, predominantly white with a notable Hispanic presence and smaller shares of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about economic diversity.

Academically, Schnepf Elementary’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it above the midpoint among the many districts in Maricopa County. In math, proficiency rates across grades three through six are generally solid, with a majority of students meeting state standards. English language arts proficiency is more mixed: roughly half of students score proficient in third, fifth, and sixth grades, while fourth grade shows a stronger result. Fifth-grade science proficiency sits at a lower level, which is a soft spot a parent may want to discuss with the school. Multi-year trend data for ELA shows some variation in recent years, though a clear direction is not established. Because the school only serves through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate to report.

The district overall has been rated an A-rated school system by the Arizona Department of Education and has sustained rapid enrollment growth, opening a third high school in recent years to accommodate the influx of families. That growth context means Schnepf Elementary is part of a district adding capacity and managing increasing student numbers.

For families considering this school, the picture is one of a large suburban elementary with generally above-average test performance relative to other Maricopa County districts, set in a fast-growing, car-oriented community with high housing costs. The school’s academic profile is strongest in math, while literacy and science results are more moderate and worth a closer look. The lack of program offerings or detailed student support data in available records leaves some questions unanswered, but the core academic standing is above the county median. Parents who value a large, well-established elementary in a growing district with a strong overall rating may find Schnepf a solid match, while those concerned about the softer ELA and science results or the high cost of local housing will want to weigh those factors carefully.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 369%

School 69% · District 63% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 455%

School 55% · District 44% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 559%

School 59% · District 44% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 658%

School 58% · District 49% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 351%

School 51% · District 55% · ▼ 4 pts below district

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

Grade 461%

School 61% · District 65% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 550%

School 50% · District 53% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 653%

School 53% · District 54% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Science

Grade 543%

School 43% · District 49% · ▼ 6 pts below district

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

This schoolQueen Creek Unified District (4245), 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.