The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in Math. The lowest is 33% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Bonillas Elementary Basic Curriculum Magnet School
Bonillas Elementary Basic Curriculum Magnet School is a public school in Tucson serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of Tucson Unified District, the city’s largest system, and operates as a magnet school under a district-wide integration plan that dates back to a federal desegregation order. The school’s formal designation as a “Basic Curriculum Magnet” signals that it centers on a core academic program aligned with the district’s strategy to draw a diverse student body from across attendance boundaries.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a much smaller share of White students and smaller numbers of Black, Native American, Asian, and multiracial students. Enrollment is at a moderate size for an elementary school, with roughly the same number of students in each grade from kindergarten through fifth grade, plus a small pre-kindergarten group. Data on how many students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are English learners was not reported, leaving a gap for families trying to understand the full support context.
Academically, state test results from the most recent year show that across all tested subjects and grade levels, Bonillas’ overall proficiency sits slightly above the midpoint among districts in Pima County. That is a relative bright spot. But the absolute proficiency rates are modest. In math, about two in five students in grades three through five scored proficient. In English language arts, the range was wider, with third grade posting a lower share, fourth grade the highest, and fifth grade in between. On the fifth-grade science test, roughly one in three students reached proficiency. These are the kinds of numbers that tell a parent where the school’s academic starting point is, and a family might want to talk with the school about how it supports students who are below the proficient mark.
Bonillas is a regular public school, not a charter, and sits inside TUSD’s system of magnet choices. That magnet status matters here. The district has long operated under a federal Unitary Status Plan that governs student assignment, transportation, and faculty hiring to promote integration. For families exploring magnet schools, this means that placement and busing policies are directly shaped by those integration goals. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to consider, and no testing data for grades not assessed by the state.
The district context is worth noting. TUSD has seen enrollment decline over the last decade, and conversations about school utilization and potential closures are ongoing. At the same time, voters in 2024 renewed a maintenance and operations override that provides significant annual funding for teacher salaries, art, music, physical education, full-day kindergarten, class-size reduction, and magnet programs. That override directly supports offerings at schools like Bonillas. Families choosing this school are also choosing a district that is actively managing its budget and facilities amid shifting enrollment.
The school is located in a residential area of Tucson, a major desert city with a historic downtown, the University of Arizona, and a wide suburban footprint. The housing market in the surrounding zip code shows typical home values and rents that are moderate relative to state and national trends. Tucson’s economy is anchored by the university, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and a growing optics and tech sector. The city is heavily car-dependent outside its core, and the school’s neighborhood reflects that pattern.
Bonillas Elementary fits a family looking for a mid-sized elementary magnet in Tucson Unified, with an academic profile that is average for the county but supported by district funding for enrichment and class size reduction. The missing data on student support services and the modest test scores are areas a parent may want to explore further with the school to see how well it aligns with their child’s needs.
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