The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in Science. The lowest is 28% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Esperanza Elementary School
Esperanza Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through sixth grade as a regular public school in the Deer Valley Unified School District, located within the city of Phoenix. Phoenix is a large, sprawling urban center that functions as a major financial, communications, and transportation hub for the Mountain West, with a fast-growing population and an economy concentrated in high technology, manufacturing, tourism, and services. The school sits in a car-oriented built environment typical of the broader city, with wide roadways on a precise grid.
Academically, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it below the midpoint relative to districts in Maricopa County. State assessment results from the most recent school year show a pattern of uneven performance across grade levels. In mathematics, the share of students scoring proficient was higher in third grade than in fifth or sixth grade. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient was higher in fifth grade than in fourth or sixth grade, while third-grade results were not reported due to suppression rules that protect student privacy. In science, which is tested only at fifth grade, just over a third of students met the proficiency standard. Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and data on chronic absenteeism was not available.
The student body reflects a variety of backgrounds. Hispanic students make up the largest group, followed by White students, and smaller shares of Black, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and multiracial students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners was not provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about these supports. The school’s total enrollment is modest for its grade band, with similar class sizes across kindergarten through sixth grade, plus a prekindergarten program. No information on discipline rates, staffing ratios, or course access was available in the data reviewed.
The surrounding housing market reflects conditions typical of the Phoenix area. Home values and rents in the school’s ZIP code have moved slightly downward recently, though both remain in line with a metropolitan area that has experienced long-term growth. The estimated monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home is substantially higher than the typical rent, which may influence family choices about where to live. The area continues to see population growth, consistent with Phoenix’s reputation as one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, though no specific new housing developments near the school were identified.
The Deer Valley Unified School District, under which Esperanza operates, did not have any recent parent-relevant changes such as bond elections or curriculum updates that could be confirmed from publicly reported information. The school itself is designated as a regular public school and is not a charter or magnet school. Its website was listed in the directory, but no details about extracurricular programs, after-school offerings, or specialized instructional models were included in the data.
For a family considering this school, the academic picture is one where proficiency rates vary by grade and subject, and the overall level is lower than many other districts in Maricopa County. The school’s prekindergarten program and its setting within a large, fast-growing city may be relevant factors. A parent interested in the school’s specific support structures for students who are behind grade level, or in the resources available for English learners or students with disabilities, would need to follow up directly with the school to fill the gaps left by the unavailable data.
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