The top reported proficiency rate is 18% in English language arts. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Apollo Middle School
Apollo Middle School serves seventh and eighth graders in the Sunnyside Unified District, on the south side of Tucson. The school’s enrollment is small, with most students in eighth grade and the rest in seventh. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, reflecting the surrounding community. This is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it operates within a district that draws its revenue from a mix of federal, state, and local sources.
On state assessments, the school’s results fall well below what most families would consider a strong academic footing. In seventh-grade English language arts, the share of students demonstrating proficiency was modest, and in eighth-grade English language arts the share was similar. In seventh-grade math, the proficiency rate was considerably lower. In eighth-grade math, the data was suppressed, though the number of eighth graders tested was reported. In eighth-grade science, the proficiency rate was also low. When compared to other schools in Pima County, Apollo Middle School sits in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. A parent should understand this as a place where a substantial majority of students are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks on the state’s regular assessments, and this pattern holds across multiple subjects and grade levels.
The school has a multi-year academic trend line, but with only a single year of data points available for both math and English language arts, there is no reliable trend yet to describe. It is simply too early to say whether performance is improving, declining, or holding steady. Readers should treat the results as a snapshot of one year.
The school environment and access data, including discipline rates, course access, staffing, and attendance, were not provided. A parent may want to ask the school directly about class sizes, teacher experience, and the types of elective or enrichment courses available to students, as no program offerings were reported either. Free or reduced-price meal eligibility counts were also missing, but given the school’s demographic profile and the surrounding census tract, many families in the attendance zone may qualify; a family should confirm with the school whether they would be eligible for support programs.
Tucson itself is a large desert city with a historic downtown, a major university campus, and a sprawling suburban footprint. The economy is anchored by the University of Arizona, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and a mix of tech and tourism industries. The city’s growth has been steady, with suburban expansion to the north and south. The school’s location on the south side places it in a part of the city that is more auto-dependent and further from the walkable downtown and university core. Housing values in the zip code are well below the state median, and rents are below the national average, making the area relatively affordable compared to much of Arizona.
For a family considering Apollo Middle School, the picture is straightforward. The school serves a predominantly Hispanic, middle-school population in a large urban district. The academic results on state tests are significantly below average, and a parent should expect that their child would need substantial academic support to reach grade-level proficiency. The school’s small size may offer some families a more contained environment, but the lack of reported data on programs, staffing, and discipline means there are open questions that only a direct visit or conversation with the school can answer. This is a school where the academic challenges are clear and the available data gives a family a realistic starting point for further inquiry.
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