The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in English language arts. The lowest is 52% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hillcrest Middle School
Hillcrest Middle School is a regular public school in Glendale, Arizona, serving seventh and eighth grades as part of the Deer Valley Unified School District. It is not a charter or magnet school, and no Title I designation was reported. The school sits in the larger Phoenix metropolitan area, within a city that blends residential subdivisions, major retail and entertainment districts, and industrial employers like Honeywell Aerospace and Conair.
Academically, the school performs above the midpoint relative to districts in Maricopa County on overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. State assessment results for the most recent year show that a majority of students met proficiency standards in English language arts in both grade levels, and similar levels of proficiency were seen in math and eighth-grade science. A multi-year trend for English language arts shows some fluctuation, but the current year’s figures place the school in a solid position compared with peers in the county. Because Hillcrest is a middle school, there is no graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism data was not available. A parent may want to ask the school for more detailed student outcome information, particularly on growth over time.
The student body reflects the surrounding community. The enrollment is large for a two-grade middle school. The majority of students are white, with a substantial Hispanic minority and smaller shares of students who are Asian, Black, multiracial, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Data on the share of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch was not reported, nor were counts of students receiving special education services or English learner supports. These gaps mean that families cannot get a full picture of the school’s economic diversity or the scope of targeted instructional programs from the available information.
The school is located in the northwestern part of Glendale, an area that has seen steady growth. Housing values in the surrounding zip code are above the national median, and rents are also elevated, reflecting a relatively high-cost market within the Phoenix suburbs. The broader city of Glendale has been growing at a modest annual rate, driven in part by development around the Sports and Entertainment District, which includes State Farm Stadium and Desert Diamond Arena. The Deer Valley Unified School District, for its part, did not have any recent parent-relevant changes, such as bond elections or major curriculum shifts, that could be confirmed from public sources.
In terms of the peer environment, Hillcrest offers a setting where academic proficiency is broadly strong but where the school’s support structures for economically disadvantaged students and English learners remain unmeasured in the available data. Families considering the school may want to contact the district directly for information on course offerings, extracurriculars, and the availability of advanced or intervention programs, as no program listings were included in the profile. The school’s size and single-grade-band structure create a focused middle school experience, with no transition to high school within the same building.
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