The Innovation Academy

Summary:

The Innovation Academy is an elementary school located in Oro Valley, Arizona, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 411. It is part of the Amphitheater Unified School District, which is ranked 150 out of 288 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The Innovation Academy consistently outperforms the Amphitheater Unified District and the state of Arizona in academic proficiency across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 85% of 5th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 43% for the district and 38% for the state. In mathematics, 77% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better, compared to 44% for the district and 43% for the state. The school has been ranked among the top elementary schools in Arizona, ranking 33rd out of 904 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, placing it in the top 4% of elementary schools in the state.

The Innovation Academy also excels in the performance of specific student subgroups, ranking 15th out of 477 Arizona elementary schools for its White student population and 66th out of 472 for its Hispanic student population in the 2023-2024 school year. Additionally, the school has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, with only 8.76% of students in this category for the 2022-2023 school year, significantly lower than the state and district averages.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

825 W Desert Fairways Dr
Oro Valley, AZ 85755-0001

(520) 269-4610

District: Amphitheater Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
33^rd of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 14.8

Number of students: 411

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.7%

Hispanic:

27.5%

Two or more races:

6.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 8.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details The Innovation Academy ranks better than 96.3% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks first among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Amphitheater Unified District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.1. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (63.7%), Hispanic (27.5%), two or more races (6.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 8.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Amphitheater Unified District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at The Innovation Academy is 14.8. 12 elementary schools in the Amphitheater Unified District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare The Innovation Academy employs 27.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

The Innovation Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks The Innovation Academy 33^rd of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See The Innovation Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Amphitheater Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Amphitheater Unified District 150^th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for The Innovation Academy.

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Rank History for The Innovation Academy

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Rank History for all students at The Innovation Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2019	86.46	118^th	1039	88.6%
2021	93.21	73^rd	1226	94.0%
2022	89.97	60^th	1000	94.0%
2023	93.45	65^th	1245	94.8%
2024	95.10	33^rd	904	96.3%

See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at The Innovation Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2021	79.40	100^th	1027	90.3%
2022	77.40	56^th	444	87.4%
2023	58.91	192^nd	617	68.9%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at The Innovation Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2021	90.73	29^th	1201	97.6%
2022	73.51	44^th	145	69.7%
2023	74.43	115^th	820	86.0%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at The Innovation Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	86.56	46^th	618	92.6%
2023	75.50	178^th	1116	84.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at The Innovation Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	91.63	65^th	1023	93.6%
2019	87.99	61^st	862	92.9%
2021	90.74	88^th	1219	92.8%
2022	80.04	110^th	824	86.7%
2023	91.40	68^th	1219	94.4%
2024	87.54	40^th	593	93.3%

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

Rank History for Military Connected students at The Innovation Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	42.95	167^th	239	30.1%

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

Rank History for Male students at The Innovation Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	80.80	200^th	1032	80.6%
2019	77.70	159^th	850	81.3%
2021	92.12	76^th	1220	93.8%
2022	88.75	42^nd	830	94.9%
2023	93.17	58^th	1216	95.2%
2024	92.06	34^th	609	94.4%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at The Innovation Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2021	80.80	138^th	1198	88.5%
2022	92.57	29^th	716	95.9%
2023	82.19	146^th	1170	87.5%
2024	82.56	66^th	472	86.0%

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

Rank History for White students at The Innovation Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	77.24	143^rd	720	80.1%
2019	72.60	127^th	595	78.7%
2021	86.97	71^st	1161	93.9%
2022	78.26	91^st	800	88.6%
2023	91.22	31^st	1024	97.0%
2024	91.39	15^th	477	96.9%

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
Tuesday, November 5, 2019

This is a great school. The principal, teachers, staff and parents are all very engaged with the kids. A great community feel too! Close Quote

Enrollment information for The Innovation Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2017	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2018	209	6	8	68	5	1	19	316
2019	278	5	12	95	5	0	28	423
2020	303	5	9	93	6	2	26	444
2021	242	0	4	78	3	2	20	349
2022	263	1	11	101	3	1	25	405
2023	262	1	7	113	2	1	25	411

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 The Innovation Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2018	316	16.9	18.6	16.5
2019	423	22.2	19.0	11.8
2020	444	22.4	19.8	13.7
2021	349	24.0	14.5	n/a
2022	405	28.9	13.9	4.7
2023	411	27.7	14.8	8.8

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 The Innovation Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	0	n/a	n/a	n/a
2018	316	16.9	18.6	16.5
2019	423	22.2	19.0	11.8
2020	444	22.4	19.8	13.7
2021	349	24.0	14.5	n/a
2022	405	28.9	13.9	4.7
2023	411	27.7	14.8	8.8

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 The Innovation Academy

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$192 (2.5%)	$49 (0.6%)	$432 (5.7%)	$5,852 (77.0%)	$1,511 (19.9%)	$7,363 (96.8%)	$7,604
2021	$1,152 (16.1%)	$592 (8.3%)	$2,896 (40.4%)	$4,851 (67.7%)	$571 (8.0%)	$5,422 (75.7%)	$7,166

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on The Innovation Academy

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 118^th of 1039 Elementary schools	Ranks 65^th of 1245 Elementary schools	6.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	423	411	2.8%
African American	5	1	80%
American Indian	5	2	60%
Asian	12	7	41.7%
Hispanic	95	113	18.9%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	278	262	5.8%
Two or More Races	28	25	10.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	11.8%	8.8%	3.1%

Schools Near The Innovation Academy

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)						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	AASA Mathematics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
The Innovation Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	825 W Desert Fairways Dr	Oro Valley	85755	Pima County	Amphitheater Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 269-4610	411	28	14.8	8.8%	262 (63.7%)	1 (0.2%)	113 (27.5%)	7 (1.7%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (6.1%)	95.1	33^rd of 904 public elementary schools	96.3%		93.4	65^th of 1245 public elementary schools	94.8%	32	68.0	79.0	85.0				77.0	74.0	73.0					$00			$00
Painted Sky Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12620 N Woodburne Ave	Oro Valley	85755	Pima County	Amphitheater Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 696-3800	389	29	13.5	15.7%	236 (60.7%)	6 (1.5%)	104 (26.7%)	15 (3.9%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	25 (6.4%)	91.4	63^rd of 904 public elementary schools	93.0%		87.5	149^th of 1245 public elementary schools	88.0%	86	80.0	59.0	75.0				84.0	72.0	65.0					$00			$00
Leman Academy of Excellence-Oro Valley Arizona	Public, Charter	K-8	1410 W Tangerine Rd	Oro Valley	85755	Pima County	Leman Academy of Excellence Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 912-4005	1,021				613 (60.0%)	7 (0.7%)	307 (30.1%)	29 (2.8%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (6.1%)	79.5	167^th of 904 public elementary schools	81.5%		87.9	145^th of 1245 public elementary schools	88.4%	22	66.0	65.0	61.0	66.0	64.0	47.0	63.0	49.0	48.0	62.0	45.0	48.0		$00			$00
Copper Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	11620 N Copper Spring Trl	Tucson	85737	Pima County	Amphitheater Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 696-6800	297	31	9.5	24.6%	178 (59.9%)	13 (4.4%)	90 (30.3%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (3.7%)	60.6	326^th of 904 public elementary schools	63.9%		65.5	386^th of 1245 public elementary schools	69.0%	60	37.0	51.0	57.0				58.0	42.0	52.0					$00			$00
Richard B Wilson Junior School	Public	PK, KG-8	2330 W Glover Rd	Oro Valley	85742	Pima County	Amphitheater Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 696-5800	838	52	16.2	15.9%	534 (63.7%)	17 (2.0%)	233 (27.8%)	19 (2.3%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (3.7%)	71.6	232^nd of 904 public elementary schools	74.3%		81.4	223^rd of 1245 public elementary schools	82.1%	9	60.0	68.0	56.0	53.0	66.0	59.0	51.0	53.0	45.0	53.0	49.0	51.0		$00			$00
BASIS Oro Valley Primary	Public, Charter	K-6	11155 N Oracle Rd	Oro Valley	85737	Pima County	BASIS Charter Schools Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 812-5900	666				209 (31.4%)	24 (3.6%)	180 (27.0%)	197 (29.6%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	52 (7.8%)	96.5	17^th of 904 public elementary schools	98.1%		98.6	4^th of 1245 public elementary schools	99.7%	13	70.0	84.0	88.0				72.0	86.0	94.0				$10,026	$347	$52	$746	$6,311	$3,316	$9,627
Coronado K-8 School	Public	PK, KG-8	3401 E Wilds Rd	Tucson	85739	Pima County	Amphitheater Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 696-6626	665	47	14.0	42.9%	329 (49.5%)	7 (1.1%)	306 (46.0%)	6 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	12 (1.8%)	28	599^th of 904 public elementary schools	33.7%		40.4	667^th of 1245 public elementary schools	46.4%	68	33.0	40.0	24.0	39.0	45.0	46.0		39.0	24.0	26.0	23.0	40.0		$00			$00
Ironwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3300 W Freer Dr	Tucson	85742	Pima County	Marana Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 579-5150	385	27	14.2	40.5%	202 (52.5%)	6 (1.6%)	150 (39.0%)	3 (0.8%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.9%)	63.7	295^th of 904 public elementary schools	67.4%		73.7	302^nd of 1245 public elementary schools	75.7%	7	49.0	67.0	39.0	67.0			49.0	49.0	39.0	51.0			$13,035	$837	$189	$1,864	$10,702	$1,306	$12,009
Mesa Verde Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1661 W Sage St	Tucson	85704	Pima County	Amphitheater Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 696-6090	287	25	11.4	35.5%	165 (57.5%)	3 (1.0%)	109 (38.0%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)	57.1	347^th of 904 public elementary schools	61.6%		67.8	361^st of 1245 public elementary schools	71.0%	14	49.0	63.0	35.0				44.0	55.0	41.0					$00			$00
Dove Mountain K-8	Public	PK, KG-8	5650 W Moore Rd	Marana	85658	Pima County	Marana Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(520) 579-4500	920	50	18.2	18.9%	483 (52.5%)	15 (1.6%)	355 (38.6%)	15 (1.6%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.3%)	48 (5.2%)	76.8	194^th of 904 public elementary schools	78.5%		87.8	146^th of 1245 public elementary schools	88.3%	48	61.0	65.0	50.0	71.0	66.0	61.0	66.0	58.0	51.0	44.0	55.0	54.0	$9,310	$629	$148	$1,406	$7,047	$1,486	$8,533

Frequently Asked Questions about The Innovation Academy

How many students attend The Innovation Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 411 students attended The Innovation Academy.

Is The Innovation Academy a good school?

Yes! The Innovation Academy is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 33^rd of 904 Arizona elementary schools.

What district is The Innovation Academy in?

Amphitheater Unified District

What is the racial makeup of The Innovation Academy?

Students at The Innovation Academy are 64% White, 27% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

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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.