The reported proficiency rate for English language arts is 33%.
Original Research by School Decision on Sedona Red Rock Junior/senior High School
Sedona Red Rock Junior/Senior High School serves grades six through twelve as the only secondary school in the Sedona-Oak Creek Joint Unified School District, a small district that operates three schools in total. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and is located in West Sedona, the more residential side of this tourism-driven city that straddles Yavapai and Coconino counties.
The student body is small for a combined junior-senior high school. The demographic composition is predominantly Hispanic and white, with Hispanic students making up the majority. Enrollment appears relatively balanced across the grade levels, with the lower grades of sixth, seventh, and eighth each holding a similar size, and the high school grades nine through twelve showing a gradual increase in size as students move up. Civil rights data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available for this school.
Academically, the state testing data presents a mixed picture that parents will want to examine closely. On the 2024-25 Arizona assessments, proficiency rates in English language arts were reported but showed a wide range by grade level. Sixth-grade students scored at a rate that was below most peers statewide, seventh-grade students also scored below their peers, and eighth-grade students scored higher but still not above the midpoint for the state. In mathematics, the proficiency rates for all three tested grades were withheld by the state, which typically occurs when the number of students tested is too small to report publicly without risking individual identification. The school's overall proficiency index, which averages results across all tested subjects and grades, placed below the midpoint among districts in Yavapai County. The multi-year trend data shows only a single year of reported results for both ELA and math, so there is no basis to judge whether performance is improving or declining. Science proficiency for eighth grade was also suppressed.
Given that this is a school serving grades six through twelve, a four-year graduation rate would normally be a key metric. That data was not available in the profile, so a parent should request it directly from the school or district to understand how many students complete high school here.
The school operates as part of a district that has faced enrollment and budget pressures. In 2020, the district closed Big Park Community School in the Village of Oak Creek, citing declining enrollment and budget deficits. Families in that area had their elementary assignments shifted to West Sedona School. This context matters for anyone considering the district's long-term stability and how enrollment trends may affect program offerings or school configuration in the future.
Sedona itself is a distinctive place to live. It is a resort and retirement community surrounded by the Coconino National Forest, with an economy built around tourism, art galleries, outdoor recreation, and wellness. The housing market reflects this. Home values are high, well above state and national benchmarks, and rents are also elevated. Affordability is a significant challenge. The estimated monthly mortgage payment on a typical home is well above the rent for a comparable property, and the ratio of home prices to median household income is in a range that signals a very expensive market. Many housing units sit vacant, indicating a large share of second homes and vacation rentals. The city is largely built out, with no large undeveloped tracts remaining, so new housing construction is limited.
For a family considering this school, the most significant takeaway is that academic proficiency, at least on state tests, appears to be below average for Yavapai County, particularly in math where reporting was suppressed entirely. The school's small size and grade span could offer benefits like smaller class sizes and the chance for students to stay in one building from middle school through graduation, but the evidence to assess those benefits is not in the data. Families should inquire directly about Advanced Placement, career and technical education, and dual-enrollment options, as none were covered in the available information. The surrounding community offers a high quality of life for those who can afford it, but the cost of living is steep and the town's character is shaped more by tourism and retirees than by a traditional family-oriented suburb.
See more original research from School Decision →