The reported proficiency rate for English language arts is 33%.
Original Research by School Decision on Secrist Middle School
Secrist Middle School serves students in grades six through eight in Tucson, part of the Tucson Unified District. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and sits within a large district that has operated under a federal desegregation order for decades. That order shapes student assignment and magnet programming across the district, though Secrist is not listed as a magnet school. The school’s enrollment is small for a middle school, with class sizes that are manageable. The student body is diverse: a majority of students are Hispanic, with a substantial White population and smaller shares of Black students, students of two or more races, and a few from other racial groups. Data on economic disadvantage and special education were not available in the records reviewed, so a family wanting to know the share of students receiving free or reduced-price meals or the percentage of students with IEPs would need to ask the school directly.
Academically, Secrist’s state assessment results present a mixed picture. In math, proficiency rates have been very low; across the grades and subjects tested, the school’s overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among middle schools in Pima County. In English language arts, the picture is somewhat stronger but still modest—seventh graders turned in higher proficiency than eighth graders, and the school’s overall ELA proficiency rate has hovered in a range that suggests room for improvement. Science results for eighth grade were suppressed in the available data, so no judgment can be made there. Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. A parent looking into academic performance may want to compare these results with other middle schools in the district and ask the school about recent efforts to raise achievement.
The school sits in Tucson, a large desert city with a broad economic base anchored by the University of Arizona, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and a growing tech sector. Housing in the surrounding area is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks, and the rental market is typical for a mid-sized metropolitan area. The Tucson Unified District has been navigating declining enrollment—a trend that has prompted discussions about school utilization and possible closures. In late 2024, voters renewed a maintenance and operations override that funds teacher salaries, arts, music, physical education, and class-size reduction, which benefits schools like Secrist. The district’s desegregation plan continues to influence integration efforts and school choice options.
For a family considering Secrist Middle School, it offers a small-scale setting in a large urban district, with a diverse student body and a school culture shaped by the broader district context. The academic results suggest that a parent should be prepared to ask about supports in math and literacy. The lack of some commonly reported data—such as chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, and staffing numbers—means that a fuller picture of the school climate would require a visit and conversation with the principal. Without those details, the data available point to a school where core academic proficiency is below the midpoint of its county peers, and where the surrounding district environment is one of adaptation to demographic change and ongoing equity mandates.
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