The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in Math. The lowest is 50% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Willow Springs School
Willow Springs School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Draper, part of the Canyons District. It is a neighborhood elementary school, not a charter or magnet school. The enrollment is substantial for an elementary school, drawing from a community that has grown rapidly over recent decades. Draper itself is a suburban city with a notable tech and corporate employer base, including headquarters of several well-known companies and a large eBay campus. The city’s population surged through the late 1990s and into 2020, though it has seen a slight decline since then. Housing in the area is expensive relative to state and national benchmarks, and rents are also high, making this a relatively affluent market overall.
The student body at Willow Springs is predominantly white, with the next largest groups being Hispanic students and students identifying as two or more races. About one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which is below the share seen in many surrounding schools. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available.
On state assessments, the school’s results sit comfortably above the midpoint among its county peers. In math and science, more than half of students scored proficient or above in the most recent testing year. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was just under half in an earlier testing year. With grade-level bands, the cut scores for ELA changed between testing cycles, which makes direct year-over-year comparisons unreliable. Still, by the broad proficiency index that averages across tested subjects and grades, Willow Springs places in the top quarter of elementary and middle schools within Salt Lake County districts. That is a strong showing, though not the very highest tier in the county.
Because this school only goes through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report, and the district does not yet have chronic absenteeism data available for this school. The school environment section also lacks information on discipline, course access, staffing, and attendance. A parent curious about those aspects would need to ask the school directly.
The district context is relevant. Canyons District voters approved a large bond in late 2023 to rebuild and renovate aging schools and fund safety and security upgrades. The district structured the bond to replace expiring debt, so it was not expected to raise the property tax rate. For a family at Willow Springs, this means the physical condition of the school building and its safety features may see improvements in the coming years, though specific plans for this school were not detailed in the available information.
Draper itself offers a mix of suburban amenities and transit access. The city has two TRAX light rail stations and a FrontRunner commuter rail station, which matter for commuters heading north to Salt Lake City. The historic downtown is modest, and most commercial activity is spread across car-oriented corridors. The city’s trail systems and proximity to the Wasatch Mountains are selling points for families who value outdoor recreation. The former Utah State Prison site near Point of the Mountain has been cleared for redevelopment, which could reshape the area in the years ahead.
Overall, Willow Springs School presents as a solid elementary option within an affluent, fast-growing suburb with a strong local economy. Its test scores are above average for the county, and its student body reflects the comparatively high-income demographics of the surrounding area. The most obvious gaps in available information are around student support services, discipline, and the specifics of the building’s condition under the district’s renovation plans. A parent who wants a fuller picture should talk to the school about special education services, English learner supports, and what the improvement bond means for this particular campus.
See more original research from School Decision →