The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in English language arts. The lowest is 15% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Tsehootsooi Intermediate Learning Center
Tsehootsooi Intermediate Learning Center serves grades four through six as a regular public school in the Window Rock Unified District. It is located in Fort Defiance, a small census-designated place on the Navajo Nation in Apache County, Arizona. The school’s grade band means it handles the transition from elementary to middle school, and because it does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report.
State assessment results from the most recent year are available for math, English language arts, and science. In math, proficiency rates across grades four, five, and six are below the statewide average, with the lowest rate in grade six. In English language arts, proficiency rates are similar across the three grades but also sit below the state average. Grade five science results show a comparable pattern. A multi-year trend line is not meaningful because only two years of data are available, and both years show essentially the same level. When placed against other districts in Apache County, however, the school’s overall proficiency index lands above the midpoint of the dozen districts in the comparison set. That means that while performance is low relative to the state, this school is not the weakest in its county context—several neighboring districts report even lower proficiency.
Enrollment is about what you would expect for a school with three grade levels in a rural community, and the student body is overwhelmingly American Indian or Alaska Native. Information on free or reduced-price meal eligibility, special education status, and English learner classification was not available in the data provided. A parent or guardian might want to follow up with the school directly to understand the level of support for students with disabilities or those learning English, as these are important factors for families considering placement.
Fort Defiance itself is an institutional settlement rather than a typical residential town. The population has been in slow decline for decades, per capita income is very low, and a substantial share of residents live below the poverty line. Major employers are federal and tribal agencies: the Indian Health Service hospital, the Bureau of Indian Affairs office, and Navajo Nation government buildings. The nearest commercial and civic center is Window Rock, about a short drive north. The dominant employer in the area is government, and housing development has not been a major trend. Families living in or near Fort Defiance who send their children here are part of a community shaped by the Navajo Nation’s governance and the legacy of federal services. This context matters when thinking about peer environment: the school’s students come from a population that is both culturally cohesive and economically strained.
No information about program offerings—such as gifted education, arts, or career pathways—was included in the data. Similarly, no recent changes or initiatives from the Window Rock Unified District were identified in a search. That does not mean nothing is happening; it simply means publicly available records did not turn up parent-relevant shifts that meet a lasting-impact threshold.
Tsehootsooi Intermediate Learning Center is a school where academic performance is below state averages but sits in the middle to upper half of its county, serving a predominantly Navajo student body in a rural, low-income setting. Families looking at this school should expect modest proficiency numbers and should inquire directly about supports for special populations and enrichment offerings, as those details are not publicly captured here.
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