Gale Elementary School, Tucson AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Gale Elementary School

Gale Elementary School is a regular public school in Tucson, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It belongs to the Tucson Unified District, one of the largest school systems in Arizona. The school occupies a mid-sized elementary building in the eastern part of the city, within a neighborhood of single-family homes and commercial corridors.

The student body is diverse. A substantial share of students identify as Hispanic, and a similar share identify as White. Smaller shares of students are Black, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or of two or more races. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals was not available, and the same is true for students with disabilities and English learners. Those are common gaps in state-reported data for many schools; a parent who wants a full picture of the school’s support programs and poverty concentration would need to ask the school directly.

Academically, Gale’s state assessment results for the 2024-25 school year show a pattern of rising proficiency across grade levels. In both math and English language arts, third grade produced the lowest proficiency rates. Fourth grade was stronger, and fifth and sixth grade proficiency rates were the highest of the grades tested. Science, tested only in fifth grade, showed a rate near the higher end of the school’s range. When averaged across all tested subjects and grades, the school’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint among districts in Pima County. That places it in a solid middle tier relative to peers across the county, though the range is wide. Because the school serves only early grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and no chronic absenteeism data was available. A parent might want to see whether the lower third-grade scores reflect a cohort effect or a pattern that could affect later performance.

The comparison to other Pima County districts is based on a countywide set of districts, not on a smaller set of comparable schools. That broader lens means the “above the midpoint” label includes districts with very different demographics and resources, so it is a general benchmark rather than a precise peer comparison.

Tucson itself is a large desert city with a strong university presence, a military base, and a mix of older central neighborhoods and sprawling suburban development. The housing market in the zip code around the school is relatively moderate compared to the state as a whole. Home values and rents have been stable in recent months, and the area is more affordable than many parts of Arizona. The school sits in a part of the city that is primarily automobile-dependent, with limited pedestrian infrastructure outside of a few corridors.

The district context matters for families considering Gale. Tucson Unified operates under a federal desegregation order, the Unitary Status Plan, which shapes magnet school placements, student assignment, and transportation. That means some families may be able to choose other district schools, and the options available at any given address are not random. The district recently renewed a voter-approved operating override that funds teacher salaries, arts, music, physical education, and class-size reduction. At the same time, TUSD has experienced a steady enrollment decline over many years, prompting ongoing discussions about which schools may be consolidated or closed. Gale’s long-term stability within the district may depend on those broader enrollment trends and facility decisions, which are worth following for any family planning to stay in the neighborhood through a child’s elementary years.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 332%

School 32% · District 29% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 442%

School 42% · District 28% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 27% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 15% · ▲ 35 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 324%

School 24% · District 24%

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 453%

School 53% · District 34% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 556%

School 56% · District 28% · ▲ 28 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 26% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Science

Grade 547%

School 47% · District 24% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

This schoolTucson Unified District (4403), same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.