Van Horne Elementary School - Closed, Tucson AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Van Horne Elementary School - Closed

Van Horne Elementary School is a closed school, no longer operating. It was part of the Tucson Unified District in Tucson, Arizona. As a regular public school, it served elementary grades — state testing data from the 2009-10 school year shows results for grades three through five, so the school was active at that time. No more recent academic or enrollment data exists because the school has since been shut down.

The available test scores from 2009-10 give a snapshot of its performance. In math, proficiency rates varied by grade, with the lower grades showing weaker results and the fifth grade reaching a stronger level. In English language arts, the school performed better overall, with fifth grade again the highest among the tested grades. Science scores for fourth grade were in a moderate range. Taking all subjects and grades together, the school’s overall proficiency was above the midpoint when compared relative to districts in Pima County — a strong showing for that era. However, these results are now well over a decade old and reflect a school that no longer exists.

The school’s closure fits a broader pattern within Tucson Unified District. The district has experienced a long-term enrollment decline, leading to ongoing discussions about school utilization and potential facility closures. Van Horne Elementary is one of the schools that closed as part of that trend. The district continues to operate under a federal desegregation order, which shapes magnet programs, student assignment, and transportation. In recent years, voters approved a renewal of the district’s operating override, funding teacher salaries, art, music, physical education, and class-size reduction — a signal that the district is stabilizing its finances even as it shrinks.

Tucson itself is a major desert city, second-largest in Arizona, with a historic downtown, the University of Arizona campus, and a sprawling suburban footprint. The economy is anchored by the university, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and technology and tourism industries. The housing market in the area where Van Horne stood is moderately priced relative to the nation, with rents in a typical range for the region. The city’s walkable core is concentrated downtown and near the university; outside that, most neighborhoods are car-dependent.

For families or residents researching this school, the key takeaway is that it is no longer an option. The building may still stand, but the school is inactive. Anyone considering the Tucson Unified District should look at other elementary schools currently operating within the district. The historical test data suggests that when it was open, Van Horne performed well compared to its peers, but that information is too old to guide a current school choice. The district’s broader context — enrollment decline, a desegregation plan, and a voter-approved funding override — is more relevant for understanding what is happening in Tucson’s public schools today.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 340%

School 40% · District 29% · ▲ 11 pts above district

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

Grade 436%

School 36% · District 28% · ▲ 8 pts above district

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

Grade 553%

School 53% · District 27% · ▲ 26 pts above district

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

English language arts

Grade 357%

School 57% · District 24% · ▲ 33 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 452%

School 52% · District 34% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Grade 569%

School 69% · District 28% · ▲ 41 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Science

Grade 456%

School 56% · district not reported

even with state median · even with 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.