The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 46% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Arrowhead Elementary School
Arrowhead Elementary School serves students from preschool through sixth grade in Glendale, a large suburban city bordering Phoenix. It is a regular public school within Deer Valley Unified School District, which covers parts of northern Glendale and other nearby communities. The school sits in a residential area near the Arrowhead Towne Center shopping mall, close to major employers like Honeywell Aerospace and Luke Air Force Base. Glendale itself is a sprawling, auto-oriented city with distinct zones: a historic downtown, the Westgate Entertainment District around State Farm Stadium, and many residential subdivisions. The city has been growing steadily, though recent housing data shows a slight softening in home values and rents after a long period of increase. Homes in the school’s ZIP code are priced above both the state and national averages, making this a relatively expensive part of the Phoenix metro for families buying in.
Arrowhead’s academic profile shows a mixed picture across grade levels and subjects. State assessment results for the most recent year indicate that proficiency in math and English language arts is highest in the lower tested grades and then declines steadily through sixth grade. For instance, third-grade math proficiency is solid, but by sixth grade the rate drops to a much lower level. A similar pattern appears in English language arts, where the strongest performance comes in fourth grade and the weakest in sixth. Science, tested only in fifth grade, falls in a middle range. Overall, when the school’s proficiency across all tested subjects and grades is combined into a single index, Arrowhead ranks above the midpoint among the many districts in Maricopa County. That means it performs better than average for the area, but it is not among the top tier. The decline in upper elementary grades is a pattern a parent might want to discuss with the school, particularly around curriculum alignment and student support as children approach middle school.
The student body is moderately sized for an elementary school serving these grades. Racially and economically, the school is predominantly white, with a noticeable Hispanic population and smaller shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on how many students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are learning English as a second language is not available in the public records used for this profile, so families with children in those categories will need to ask the school directly about supports. The same gap applies to discipline data and attendance patterns; those metrics were not reported for this school.
Because Arrowhead only goes through sixth grade, there is no graduation rate or high school course access to evaluate. The Deer Valley Unified District, which the school belongs to, did not have any recent parent-relevant changes such as bond elections or major curriculum shifts that were confirmed through public reporting. That lack of news could simply mean the district has been stable in recent years.
For a family considering this area, Arrowhead Elementary offers a predictable suburban elementary experience within a financially stable and growing part of Glendale. The housing costs are high but have eased slightly, and the surrounding community provides parks, shopping, entertainment venues, and major employers within a short drive. The academic results are generally above the county average, but the drop-off in sixth grade is something to explore directly with school staff. The absence of key support-service data means that families whose children have specific learning or language needs will need to seek those details on their own visit. Overall, Arrowhead fits a family that values a middle-performing school in a well-resourced suburban setting and who will investigate the transition to middle school carefully.
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