The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in Math. The lowest is 28% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on John Jacobs Elementary School
John Jacobs Elementary School is a regular public school in Phoenix, part of the Washington Elementary School District, serving students from preschool through sixth grade. It is one of many elementary schools within a large urban district that covers north-central Phoenix. The school’s enrollment is modest for an elementary, with a student body that is majority Hispanic, a substantial white minority, and smaller shares of Black, Asian, Native American, and multiracial students. Federal meal subsidy data was not available, so the economic composition of the student population is not directly reported.
On state assessments administered in the most recent school year, math proficiency rates across grades three through six were below the midpoint of districts in Maricopa County when averaged across tested subjects and grades. In reading, the pattern was similar, with the exception of sixth grade where a larger share of students met the bar. Fifth-grade reading and science results were suppressed and not reported, so a complete picture for that grade is unavailable. The school’s overall proficiency index, combining all tested areas and grade levels, places it below the typical level seen across the county’s elementary schools. Parents considering the school may want to ask about the specific supports in place for students who are not yet meeting benchmarks in math and reading, particularly in the middle elementary years.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline incidents, and special education or English learner services were missing from the available records. These gaps mean that a parent’s understanding of the school’s learning environment and how it supports different student needs will depend on direct inquiry with the school or district.
Phoenix is a fast-growing major city with a broad economy anchored in high-technology, manufacturing, tourism, and services. The housing market in the school’s ZIP code area reflects home values around the statewide average, though both home prices and rents have edged slightly down in the past year. For a family buying a home, the estimated monthly mortgage payment is higher than the typical rent, and the price-to-income ratio is moderately above the national long-run average, indicating that homeownership requires a solid household income. Rental costs amount to roughly a fifth of median household income, which is manageable for many but still a significant expense.
The Washington Elementary School District itself was recently reviewed for district-level changes such as bonds, overrides, or curriculum updates, but publicly reported material of lasting impact in the last several years was not found. This does not mean the district is inactive, only that significant developments were not identified in the search.
John Jacobs Elementary is a neighborhood school drawing from a diverse, urban area. Its academic profile is one where a majority of students are not yet reaching state proficiency standards in reading and math. Families who prioritize a school with strong test scores may want to look further into how the school addresses these gaps and what interventions it offers. For families who are comfortable with a school that reflects the broader demographic mix of north Phoenix and are willing to engage with the school around academic support, this is a straightforward elementary option within a large district. The missing data on free lunch eligibility, special services, and attendance patterns means that some important questions about the school’s day-to-day environment remain unanswered by the available public data.
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