Manzanita Elementary School, Phoenix AZ

Original Research by School Decision on Manzanita Elementary School

Manzanita Elementary School serves students from preschool through sixth grade in north-central Phoenix, as part of the Washington Elementary School District. The school sits in a neighborhood of modest, older homes and apartment complexes, a short distance from the commercial corridors that run through this part of the city. Phoenix itself is a large, sprawling urban center with a diversified economy built on services, technology, manufacturing, and tourism, and it continues to grow. The school’s immediate area reflects the broader city’s mix of residential and commercial uses, with a car-oriented street grid and a range of housing stock from mid-century single-family homes to rental properties.

The student body is diverse. Hispanic students make up the largest share, followed by smaller populations of white, Black, multiracial, American Indian, and Asian students. The school serves a community where housing values and rents are below the national median, and the area has seen modest declines in both home prices and rental costs recently. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals was not available, nor were counts of students with disabilities or English learners, so a full picture of the school’s economic and support needs is incomplete.

Academically, the state assessment results for the 2024-25 school year show a mixed picture. In math, proficiency rates varied by grade level, with the highest rate in sixth grade and lower rates in third, fourth, and fifth grades. In English language arts, the pattern was similar: fourth and fifth grade rates were lower, while sixth grade was higher. Science results for fifth grade were also available. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages performance across tested subjects and grades, sits below the midpoint when compared with other schools in Maricopa County. This is a soft spot, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what academic supports are in place.

The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism was also not available. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and it is part of the Washington Elementary School District. The district brief turned up little in the way of recent bond measures, overrides, or curriculum changes, so there is no notable district-level news to report.

For families considering Manzanita, the school offers a standard elementary program in a large urban district. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a mix of other racial and ethnic groups. The school’s academic performance on state assessments is below the county median, which is a key consideration. The surrounding Phoenix neighborhood provides a range of housing options at relatively affordable prices compared to national benchmarks, and the city itself offers extensive amenities, parks, and cultural institutions. A parent looking at this school will want to understand what interventions and enrichment opportunities are available, as the assessment data suggests room for growth in core academic areas.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 319%

School 19% · District 31% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 27 pts below county median

Grade 424%

School 24% · District 32% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 23 pts below county median

Grade 518%

School 18% · District 27% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

Grade 649%

School 49% · District 26% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 426%

School 26% · District 32% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 522%

School 22% · District 27% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 632%

School 32% · District 32%

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Science

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 25% · ▼ 1 pts below district

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

This schoolWashington Elementary School District (4260), 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.