Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Summary:

Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa is a public charter school in Mesa, Arizona that serves 262 students from kindergarten through 12th grade, and is part of the LEAD Charter Schools district.

The school has a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (38.93%) and African American (8.78%) students compared to nearby schools. However, Leading Edge Academy has seen fluctuations in its dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% in 2019-2020 to 4.6% in 2021-2022, which is higher than the dropout rates of some nearby schools like Higley Virtual Academy (3.1%) and Heritage Academy Gateway (0.4%). Additionally, the school's test scores are generally lower than the state and district averages across various subjects and grade levels, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics below the state and LEAD Charter Schools' averages for most grades.

The combination of higher dropout rates, lower test scores, and a growing population of students from low-income families (with free or reduced-price lunch rates increasing from 22.49% in 2021-2022 to 51.91% in 2022-2023) suggests that Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa may be facing some challenges in providing a high-quality education and supporting its diverse student population. However, the school's performance data also indicates areas where it could focus on improving, such as increasing proficiency rates in core academic subjects, reducing dropout rates, and better supporting the needs of its diverse student body. Collaboration with the LEAD Charter Schools district and learning from the practices of higher-performing nearby schools like Heritage Academy Gateway could be beneficial for the school's improvement efforts.


Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative K-12

 10115 E University Dr
       Mesa, AZ  85207-7210


(480) 984-5646

District: LEAD Charter Schools


Student/teacher ratio:  n/a Help
Number of students:  262

Racial breakdown:

White:
45.4%
Hispanic:
38.9%
African American:
8.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  51.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.15. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.59. (See more...)
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (45.4%), Hispanic (38.9%), African American (8.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 51.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Finance
Schooldigger Rankings:

Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

LEAD Charter Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks LEAD Charter Schools 131st of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 69.00 344th 1062 67.6%
2010 59.46 442nd 1090 59.4%
2011 67.73 348th 1075 67.6%
2012 65.38 385th 1141 66.3%
2013 64.68 397th 1158 65.7%
2014 75.88 261st 1079 75.8%
2016 84.73 156th 1079 85.5%
2017 76.03 254th 1106 77.0%
2018 62.88 389th 1109 64.9%
2019 58.06 410th 1039 60.5%
2021 49.01 545th 1226 55.5%
2022 45.45 479th 1000 52.1%
2023 42.15 634th 1245 49.1%
See the entire list of Arizona Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Multi-racial students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 71.07 189th 1027 81.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.24 754th 975 22.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 36.79 718th 1201 40.2%
2023 62.04 202nd 820 75.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.51 447th 820 45.5%
2023 41.60 624th 1116 44.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.56 192nd 1023 81.2%
2021 46.31 581st 1219 52.3%
2022 45.50 464th 824 43.7%
2023 48.79 541st 1219 55.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Foster Care students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.90 196th 306 35.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.10 397th 1032 61.5%
2021 49.71 537th 1220 56.0%
2022 42.36 478th 830 42.4%
2023 34.20 747th 1216 38.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Asian students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 46.12 396th 620 36.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 57.83 232nd 895 74.1%
2022 43.02 217th 289 24.9%
2023 61.90 196th 607 67.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 38.27 685th 1198 42.8%
2022 47.23 378th 716 47.2%
2023 42.19 634th 1170 45.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.73 433rd 720 39.9%
2021 42.88 669th 1161 42.4%
2023 31.37 738th 1024 27.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

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Rank History for all middle school students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 34.78 486th 832 41.6%
2023 44.59 382nd 854 55.3%
See the entire list of Arizona Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.74 298th 606 50.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.39 354th 789 55.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 31.54 477th 717 33.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.90 532nd 820 35.1%
2022 17.44 424th 494 14.2%
2023 46.77 347th 806 56.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 38.49 438th 818 46.5%
2022 30.45 315th 476 33.8%
2023 44.40 371st 810 54.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 23.34 496th 573 13.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 37.72 449th 802 44.0%
2023 41.49 396th 760 47.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 36.55 514th 780 34.1%
2023 39.55 390th 675 42.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.3)
33%

0%

0%

0%

67%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, September 30, 2024

Open Quote Both of my children attend here. The new principal is amazing and has done wonderful things in the short time he’s been there.
We do wish that they would’ve had a new building for the high school however they are more than accommodating. in today’s world that the educational system is a mess as a whole Leading Edge is striving to do better and better every year Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, April 19, 2018

Open Quote I will tell you at first Leading Edge, was great. I use tell people about it. I loved the school. I do not do that now. I have begun to hate it. I feel that once a kid gets on a bad list and they are stereo typed as such that is where they stay and it follows them every year. So being said this is a small school and same kids same teaches. This class has had the worst time since 2nd grade. That teacher did it she drew the line these kids are good and these kids are bad. So those kids that unfortunately got on that list of bad kids have never been able to redeem themselves. Because I also feel this school is pro-girl a lot of the teachers are impartial to the girls. So again it makes it hard for this core group that has made the bad list. They all made it to 3rd grade and that teacher although she tried so hard, it was still hard they were still separated as good and bad. Tell me how would feel not only do you get bullied by the good kids (and they don’t get caught) but you get bullied by colored charts. Because when you retaliate against the bully and they start it you get in trouble so that is where that colored chart comes in, clip down, clip down. So if they here that all day long a core group and the so called good kids get by with it, who cares right? Why try anymore, the child already feel like a looser.
And now you do pass 3rd and you go on to 4th and the same thing day in and day out same bullies different teacher. Different system in sending that bad mark, it is thru email sort of. Then they are also punished by losing recess, on that same issue. But, they not only get it once but get it twice. I know what your, thinking how do I know the good kids don’t get punished to I don’t, but I do know what my child has gone thru in 3 years and if I could take the pain away pain away. Or make is heart stop hearting sometimes because this will go on next year if I don’t make a change. And it’s sad. I guess why I am writing this review is because of this last issue there was a letter that was sent home on 4/10/2018 and it was for the parent to sign. It said that they were struggling with behavior issues and other things in the classroom and it should not be that way by now it’s almost the end of the year. And the reason for the letter was because they were planning a field trip on 5/16/2018 almost a mo later. So look at it this way it give them enough time to rule out all the bad kids’ right including mine.
So my thought is why not just medicate all the little children, if you want robots? That’s what you want right? You want them to toe the line you want them not talk, (so they get excited and blurt out an answers) next you will expel them for that. Why even have recess they might hurt the teacher. And not hear the whistle come on what happened to just telling little Johnny to stay on task it worked for me. School sucks and I am sorry for the core set of Bad stereo typed kids maybe they just want to belong.
Thanks for what making child feel like crap most of the time. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2008 21 4 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 27
2009 50 3 2 9 0 n/a n/a 0 64
2010 94 1 2 5 1 n/a n/a 0 103
2011 93 8 3 10 1 0 0 0 115
2012 96 6 0 11 5 0 3 0 121
2013 85 5 0 6 4 0 2 0 102
2014 86 3 0 5 4 0 3 0 101
2015 80 5 0 10 2 0 4 0 101
2016 84 3 0 21 4 0 7 0 119
2017 96 2 3 22 4 1 10 0 138
2018 111 9 2 29 3 2 9 0 165
2019 129 10 2 37 1 1 11 0 191
2020 128 11 2 43 3 1 9 0 197
2021 121 19 2 72 1 2 7 0 224
2022 126 20 3 89 1 2 8 0 249
2023 119 23 3 102 4 0 11 0 262

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2008 27 n/a n/a 55.6
2009 64 n/a n/a 42.2
2010 103 n/a n/a 53.4
2011 115 n/a n/a 53
2012 121 n/a n/a 54.5
2013 102 n/a n/a 57.8
2014 101 n/a n/a 58.4
2015 101 n/a n/a 67.3
2016 119 n/a n/a 57.1
2017 138 n/a n/a 62.3
2018 165 n/a n/a 49.7
2019 191 n/a n/a 54.5
2020 197 n/a n/a 55.3
2021 224 n/a n/a n/a
2022 249 n/a n/a 22.5
2023 262 n/a n/a 51.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2008 27 n/a n/a 55.6
2009 64 n/a n/a 42.2
2010 103 n/a n/a 53.4
2011 115 n/a n/a 53
2012 121 n/a n/a 54.5
2013 102 n/a n/a 57.8
2014 101 n/a n/a 58.4
2015 101 n/a n/a 67.3
2016 119 n/a n/a 57.1
2017 138 n/a n/a 62.3
2018 165 n/a n/a 49.7
2019 191 n/a n/a 54.5
2020 197 n/a n/a 55.3
2021 224 n/a n/a n/a
2022 249 n/a n/a 22.5
2023 262 n/a n/a 51.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $608 (7.5%) $61 (0.7%) $1,278 (15.7%) $4,234 (52.0%) $3,240 (39.8%) $7,474 (91.8%) $8,144

Data source: Arizona Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 410th of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 634th of 1245 Elementary schools
 11.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students191262
 37.2%
African American1023
 130%
American Indian14
 300%
Asian23
 50%
Hispanic37102
 175.7%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White129119
 7.8%
Two or More Races1111
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients54.5%51.9%
 2.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa

Students at Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa are 45% White, 39% Hispanic, 9% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 1% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 262 students attended Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arizona Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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