The reported proficiency rate for English language arts is 26%.
Original Research by School Decision on Premier Prep Online Academy
Premier Prep Online Academy is a public charter school based in Gilbert, Arizona, serving students in grades seven through twelve entirely online. Its address places it in a commercial building on Gilbert Road, but because the school is virtual, there is no campus where students attend in person. The school is classified as a regular school, not an alternative or special-purpose school, and it is the only school in its own small charter district. Enrollment is modest, with roughly a hundred and thirty students spread across the middle and high school grades, including a sizable senior class relative to the lower grades. The student body is diverse: about a third of students are Black, roughly a quarter are White, and approximately a fifth are Hispanic, with another significant portion identifying as two or more races. Data on economic disadvantage and special education status was not available, so a family considering this school would want to ask the school directly about support services available for online learners and how they serve students with disabilities or English language needs.
On state assessments, the school’s results are limited. For eighth-grade English language arts, about a quarter of students scored at the proficient level. In math, the overall proficiency rate across tested grades was even lower. Science results for eighth grade were suppressed, likely due to small group sizes. When compared with other districts across Maricopa County, Premier Prep Online Academy’s overall proficiency index lands in the bottom quartile. A parent should be aware that the performance numbers here are well below the county average, and it would be worth discussing with the school how they measure student progress and what supports are in place to help students who are behind grade level. The school reports no graduation rate data, so it is unclear how many students complete the program within four years—a key question for any family considering an online high school path.
Gilbert itself is a large, fast-growing suburb east of Phoenix, built predominantly around master-planned residential subdivisions and strip-commercial corridors. It was historically a farming community and still retains a small Heritage District downtown with restaurants and some pedestrian-oriented attractions, but most of the town is car-dependent. The population has grown explosively over the past few decades, transforming it into a major suburban city. Housing values in the area are above the national average, reflecting the region’s strong demand and relatively limited supply. Rents have been stable, with a slight recent dip. Major employers include school districts, healthcare systems, and defense firms. For a family living in Gilbert or elsewhere in the Phoenix metro, choosing an online school like Premier Prep means the physical location matters less, though the school’s address anchors it to this community.
Because it is an online program, the peer environment is fundamentally different from a brick-and-mortar school. Students are not sharing a classroom or hallways; they interact through a virtual platform. The school appears to be a small operation, which could mean more individualized attention from teachers, but also may mean fewer extracurriculars or social opportunities than a larger traditional school. The district brief turned up no recent changes—no curriculum overhauls, no budget shifts, no new programs publicly reported—so the school has been operating without significant visible restructuring. A parent considering this school should investigate how instruction is delivered (synchronous or asynchronous), what technology is provided, how often students meet with teachers, and what graduation requirements look like. The academic record on state tests suggests that many students are not meeting grade-level standards, which may reflect the challenges of online learning or the population the school serves. Families who are committed to a fully online model and who want a small school setting may find this a fit, but they will want to press for clarity on outcomes and support structures before enrolling.
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