Desert Sky Community School

Summary:

Desert Sky Community School is a public charter elementary school located in Tucson, Arizona, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 39 students. While the school has a significantly higher percentage of white students compared to the surrounding schools, its academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics, is generally lower than the state and district averages.

Despite having a relatively low percentage of economically disadvantaged students, Desert Sky Community School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Arizona elementary schools, suggesting challenges in the school's curriculum, instruction, or support systems. In contrast, the nearby schools, such as W Arthur Sewel Elementary School, Bonillas Elementary Basic Curriculum Magnet School, and Lineweaver Elementary School, have more diverse student populations and generally outperform Desert Sky Community School in academic performance.

These findings suggest that Desert Sky Community School may face challenges in providing a high-quality education and equitable opportunities for its students. Further investigation may be warranted to understand the root causes of the school's underperformance and the potential areas for improvement, especially in comparison to the more successful nearby schools within the Tucson Unified District and other surrounding districts.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-5

1350 N Arcadia Ave
Tucson, AZ 85712-4706

(520) 745-3888

District: Desert Sky Community School Inc.

Student/teacher ratio: n/a

Number of students: 44

Racial breakdown:

White:

54.5%

Hispanic:

43.2%

Two or more races:

2.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 33.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Desert Sky Community School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.05. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (54.5%), Hispanic (43.2%), two or more races (2.3%). (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger Rankings:

Desert Sky Community School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Desert Sky Community School

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Rank History for all students at Desert Sky Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2012	29.05	905^th	1141	20.7%
2013	50.15	590^th	1158	49.1%
2021	41.52	641^st	1226	47.7%
2023	39.05	690^th	1245	44.6%

See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Sky Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	71.32	213^th	1116	80.9%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Sky Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2021	44.26	605^th	1219	50.4%
2022	47.03	445^th	824	46.0%
2023	67.22	350^th	1219	71.3%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desert Sky Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	43.73	614^th	1220	49.7%
2023	46.38	578^th	1216	52.5%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Sky Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	61.36	368^th	1198	69.3%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Desert Sky Community School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2021	24.32	966^th	1161	16.8%
2022	42.24	483^rd	800	39.6%
2023	28.46	775^th	1024	24.3%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary 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.

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, March 2, 2015

I love Desert Sky! Having access to a tuition-free Waldorf education is great. My kids have had a wonderful learning experience at the school, which teaches them to truly understand rather than just memorize information. Besides their core academics they have been learning Spanish and German as well as singing and different instruments. There is also a school garden where the kids grow herbs, vegetables, and some fruit. Throughout the year the students (and the whole school community) participate in seasonal festivals and activities. And my children love their teachers, who care deeply about them and their needs and progress (and who have an excellent relationship with the parents). Close Quote

by a parent on FaceBook
Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Both of my daughters have been enrolled at desert sky since Kindergarten. I feel this was the best school I could find that mimicked the nurturing nature of home. The school believes in a play based cirriculum and focuses on learning with the whole body instead of limiting it to the head. The teachers are all wonderful and warm and well educated in both mainstream academics as well as Waldorf specific education. I also really enjoy the fellow parents and the warmth of school community. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Desert Sky Community School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2007	30	1	6	8	1	n/a	n/a	46
2008	44	1	3	11	3	n/a	n/a	62
2009	43	3	2	8	2	n/a	n/a	58
2010	33	5	1	8	0	n/a	n/a	47
2011	37	0	1	13	0	0	8	59
2012	39	3	1	14	0	0	8	65
2013	38	2	1	17	0	0	1	59
2014	32	0	1	12	0	0	3	48
2015	33	3	1	19	1	0	3	60
2016	35	1	1	19	2	1	5	64
2017	36	2	0	20	2	0	6	66
2018	35	2	0	13	0	0	3	53
2019	29	1	2	13	0	0	4	49
2020	35	0	0	18	0	0	3	56
2021	34	0	0	16	0	0	0	50
2022	35	1	0	16	0	0	1	53
2023	30	0	0	9	0	0	0	39
2024	24	0	0	19	0	0	1	44

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 Desert Sky Community School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	46	n/a	n/a	37
2008	62	n/a	n/a	n/a
2009	58	n/a	n/a	37.9
2010	47	n/a	n/a	14.9
2011	59	n/a	n/a	52.5
2012	65	n/a	n/a	n/a
2013	59	n/a	n/a	49.2
2014	48	n/a	n/a	39.6
2015	60	n/a	n/a	n/a
2016	64	n/a	n/a	43.8
2017	66	n/a	n/a	51.5
2018	53	n/a	n/a	n/a
2019	49	n/a	n/a	n/a
2020	56	n/a	n/a	60.7
2021	50	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	53	n/a	n/a	26.4
2023	39	n/a	n/a	33.3
2024	44	n/a	n/a	n/a

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 Desert Sky Community School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	46	n/a	n/a	37
2008	62	n/a	n/a	n/a
2009	58	n/a	n/a	37.9
2010	47	n/a	n/a	14.9
2011	59	n/a	n/a	52.5
2012	65	n/a	n/a	n/a
2013	59	n/a	n/a	49.2
2014	48	n/a	n/a	39.6
2015	60	n/a	n/a	n/a
2016	64	n/a	n/a	43.8
2017	66	n/a	n/a	51.5
2018	53	n/a	n/a	n/a
2019	49	n/a	n/a	n/a
2020	56	n/a	n/a	60.7
2021	50	n/a	n/a	n/a
2022	53	n/a	n/a	26.4
2023	39	n/a	n/a	33.3
2024	44	n/a	n/a	n/a

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 Desert Sky Community School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,534
2020	$10,126

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Sky Community School

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.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	49	39	20.4%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	13	9	30.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	29	30	3.4%
Two or More Races	4	0	100%

Schools Near Desert Sky Community School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				AASA English Language Arts (2024)						AASA Mathematics (2024)					AzSCI Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	AASA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	AASA English Language Arts 4th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 5th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 6th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 7th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 8th Grade	AASA Mathematics 3rd Grade	AASA Mathematics 4th Grade	AASA Mathematics 5th Grade	AASA Mathematics 6th Grade	AASA Mathematics 7th Grade	AzSCI Science 5th Grade	AzSCI Science 8th Grade	Total
Desert Sky Community School	Public, Charter	K-5	1350 N Arcadia Ave	Tucson	85712	Pima County	Desert Sky Community School Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 745-3888	44				24 (54.5%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (43.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.3%)								(n/a)
John B Wright Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4311 E Linden St	Tucson	85712	Pima County	Tucson Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 232-8100	422	37	11.4		60 (14.2%)	99 (23.5%)	200 (47.4%)	10 (2.4%)	15 (3.6%)	21 (5.0%)	17 (4.0%)	19.1	720^th of 912 public elementary schools	21.1%		31.1	801^st of 1245 public elementary schools	35.7%	81	20.0	21.0	37.0				29.0		33.0			18.0
Adventure School	Public, Charter	K-8	5757 E Pima St	Tucson	85712	Pima County	Educational Impact Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 296-0656	124				29 (23.4%)	6 (4.8%)	78 (62.9%)	2 (1.6%)	6 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.4%)								(n/a)
Howell Peter Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	401 N Irving Ave	Tucson	85711	Pima County	Tucson Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 232-7200	245	21	11.6		62 (25.3%)	37 (15.1%)	106 (43.3%)	12 (4.9%)	13 (5.3%)	4 (1.6%)	11 (4.5%)								(n/a)
W V Whitmore Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5330 E Glenn St	Tucson	85712	Pima County	Tucson Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 232-8000	304	23	13.1		107 (35.2%)	23 (7.6%)	130 (42.8%)	5 (1.6%)	4 (1.3%)	7 (2.3%)	28 (9.2%)	24.5	636^th of 912 public elementary schools	30.3%		18.5	1032^nd of 1245 public elementary schools	17.1%	396	29.0	28.0	29.0				42.0
W Arthur Sewel Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	425 N Sahuara Ave	Tucson	85711	Pima County	Tucson Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 584-7200	161	15	11.0		45 (28.0%)	9 (5.6%)	89 (55.3%)	4 (2.5%)	2 (1.2%)	1 (0.6%)	11 (6.8%)	84.7	126^th of 912 public elementary schools	86.2%		50.2	544^th of 1245 public elementary schools	56.3%	418	65.0	71.0					74.0	52.0
Leman Academy of Excellence - Central Tucson	Public, Charter	K-8	6180 E Pima St	Tucson	85712	Pima County	Leman Academy of Excellence Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 462-1202	712				263 (36.9%)	25 (3.5%)	362 (50.8%)	9 (1.3%)	7 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	44 (6.2%)	30.8	569^th of 912 public elementary schools	37.6%		43.6	615^th of 1245 public elementary schools	50.6%	46	51.0	33.0	31.0	45.0	44.0	43.0	40.0	18.0	33.0	22.0	26.0	26.0	28.0
Bonillas Elementary Basic Curriculum Magnet School	Public	PK, KG-5	4757 E Winsett St	Tucson	85711	Pima County	Tucson Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 232-6600	405	27	14.7		75 (18.5%)	21 (5.2%)	290 (71.6%)	4 (1.0%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.2%)	33.5	539^th of 912 public elementary schools	40.9%		61	436^th of 1245 public elementary schools	65.0%	103	27.0	41.0	30.0				47.0	52.0	28.0			22.0
Lineweaver Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	461 S Bryant Ave	Tucson	85711	Pima County	Tucson Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 232-7700	526	33	16.0		161 (30.6%)	30 (5.7%)	275 (52.3%)	3 (0.6%)	9 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	47 (8.9%)	55.1	364^th of 912 public elementary schools	60.1%		73.2	309^th of 1245 public elementary schools	75.2%	55	48.0	50.0	47.0				49.0	40.0	46.0			41.0
La Paloma Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	2050 N Wilmot Rd	Tucson	85715	Pima County	Arizona Community Development Corporation	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 721-4205	661				147 (22.2%)	88 (13.3%)	402 (60.8%)	6 (0.9%)	5 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	11 (1.7%)	18.7	730^th of 912 public elementary schools	20.0%		25	906^th of 1245 public elementary schools	27.2%	176	27.0	20.0	24.0	17.0	21.0		38.0		32.0			27.0

Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Sky Community School

What is the racial makeup of Desert Sky Community School?

Students at Desert Sky Community School are 55% White, 43% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Desert Sky Community School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 44 students attended Desert Sky Community School.

What district is Desert Sky Community School in?

Desert Sky Community School Inc.

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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.