The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in Math. The lowest is 16% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on San Cayetano Elementary School
San Cayetano Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Rio Rico, an unincorporated community in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, north of Nogales. It is a regular public school within the Santa Cruz Valley Unified District. The school sits in a largely residential, low-density area that is spread out over many square miles. Rio Rico functions as a bedroom community, with a substantial share of households having children under eighteen, and the population is overwhelmingly Hispanic. The largest local employment sectors are Public Administration, Transportation and Warehousing, and Health Care and Social Assistance, with border-related logistics and county functions likely playing a role. The community has been growing steadily in recent years, with a modest annual growth rate and a housing stock that tilts toward lower-density suburban or exurban development. Home values in the immediate area, as measured by the Zillow Home Value Index, are well below the statewide average, making the neighborhood relatively affordable for homebuyers.
Academically, San Cayetano’s state test results from the most recent school year show that across tested subjects and grades, the share of students scoring proficient falls below the midpoint among elementary schools in Santa Cruz County. When compared to other districts in the county, the school’s overall proficiency index sits in the bottom quartile. In math, the proficiency rates are modest across all tested grade levels, with a slightly higher rate at fifth grade than at third or fourth. In English language arts, the rates are similarly modest, ranging from roughly a fifth to just under a third of students meeting proficiency, with fourth grade the highest among the three tested grades. In science, which is assessed only at fifth grade, the proportion of students reaching proficiency is lower. The data represents a single year, and the trend information available does not extend back far enough to show a multi-year direction. Parents who want a fuller picture of student growth over time may wish to ask the school directly about its own longitudinal data.
Student enrollment at San Cayetano is moderate for an elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade. The racial and ethnic composition is nearly entirely Hispanic or Latino, with a very small share of White students and even fewer from other racial backgrounds. Data on the number of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals was not available, nor were counts of students with disabilities or those classified as English learners. Given the school’s location and the demographic profile of Rio Rico, it is plausible that the share of economically disadvantaged students and English learners could be substantial, but a parent would need to check with the district or school for those specific figures. The school is not a charter and does not appear to have magnet or Title I status listed, so its funding and program eligibility may follow standard district allocation.
The district itself has no publicly reported recent changes such as bond measures, overrides, or curriculum shifts that would carry lasting impact for San Cayetano families. That absence could mean a period of stability, or it could reflect limited public communication. No program offerings were provided in the data, so details about art, music, physical education, or afterschool activities are not available here. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate or college-going data to review.
San Cayetano Elementary presents as a neighborhood school in a growing, majority-Hispanic, unincorporated community with housing costs below the state norm. Its academic proficiency rates on state assessments are lower than many other schools in the county, a fact a parent would want to explore by discussing with the school the specific supports in place, such as intervention programs, English language development services, or staffing ratios. Without information on class sizes, teacher experience, or chronic absenteeism—all missing from this data set—a parent would be wise to visit in person, talk to current families, and ask the school directly about how it addresses the academic challenges reflected in the test results.
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