Pensar Academy

Summary:

Pensar Academy is a public charter middle school located in Litchfield Park, Arizona, serving grades 4-8 with a student population of 205. The school has a diverse student body, with a racial makeup of 14.15% White, 9.27% African American, 71.22% Hispanic, 1.95% Asian, and 3.41% Native American. Pensar Academy is part of the Pensar Academy District, which is ranked 170 out of 288 districts in Arizona and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Pensar Academy's academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally below the state average across various grade levels and subjects. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in AASA/English Language Arts ranged from 26% in 8th grade to 50% in 6th grade, compared to the state average of 35% to 43%. Similarly, in AASA/Mathematics, the school's proficiency rates ranged from 19% in 8th grade to 35% in 6th grade, compared to the state average of 28% to 30%. Pensar Academy's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with the school performing relatively well for Hispanic students but struggling with other subgroups, such as English Language Learners.

Pensar Academy has experienced an increase in dropout rates over the years, from 0.0% in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 to 5.5% in 2019-2020. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 90.95% in 2021-2022 to 97.56% in 2022-2023, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. When compared to nearby schools, such as Western Sky Middle School, which is only 1.96 miles away, Pensar Academy's performance is generally lower across multiple academic measures.


Detail:

Public, Charter 4-8

 12843 W Redondo Dr
       Litchfield Park, AZ  85340-5582


(602) 383-4013

District: Pensar Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
291st of 533 Arizona Middle Schools


Student/teacher ratio:  n/a Help
Number of students:  205

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
71.2%
White:
14.1%
African American:
9.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  97.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Pensar Academy 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 38.18. (See more...)
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Compare Details Pensar Academy ranks worse than 54.6% of middle schools in Arizona. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.48. (See more...)
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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: Hispanic (71.2%), White (14.1%), African American (9.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 97.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Finance
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Pensar Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Pensar Academy 291st of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Pensar Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Pensar Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Pensar Academy 170th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Pensar Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 22.62 796th 1039 23.4%
2021 24.28 906th 1226 26.1%
2022 30.10 633rd 1000 36.7%
2023 38.18 703rd 1245 43.5%
See the entire list of Arizona Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.48 520th 975 46.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.30 905th 1201 24.6%
2022 86.48 14th 145 90.3%
2023 84.20 58th 820 92.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.23 670th 820 18.3%
2022 41.07 376th 618 39.2%
2023 50.47 482nd 1116 56.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.59 864th 1023 15.5%
2021 25.77 894th 1219 26.7%
2022 43.49 486th 824 41.0%
2023 42.50 627th 1219 48.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.65 906th 1032 12.2%
2019 20.40 667th 850 21.5%
2021 25.95 885th 1220 27.5%
2022 14.43 741st 830 10.7%
2023 31.36 794th 1216 34.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Asian students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 85.64 17th 620 97.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 21.89 867th 895 3.1%
2023 39.94 373rd 607 38.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.05 797th 911 12.5%
2019 24.97 538th 709 24.1%
2021 25.85 933rd 1198 22.1%
2022 29.53 514th 716 28.2%
2023 40.70 657th 1170 43.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 31.54 842nd 1161 27.5%
2022 49.06 407th 800 49.1%
2023 37.31 649th 1024 36.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Pensar Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 25.22 429th 605 29.1%
2021 43.94 383rd 832 54.0%
2023 44.20 389th 854 54.4%
2024 35.48 291st 533 45.4%
See the entire list of Arizona Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Multi-racial students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 32.07 461st 650 29.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.06 566th 606 6.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.85 401st 789 49.2%
2023 55.68 111th 363 69.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.02 241st 503 52.1%
2023 54.59 237th 717 66.9%
2024 50.58 115th 314 63.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.40 329th 624 47.3%
2021 43.32 398th 820 51.5%
2023 33.71 484th 806 40.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.08 435th 617 29.5%
2021 46.97 350th 818 57.2%
2023 51.28 324th 810 60.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 27.15 467th 573 18.5%
2023 47.23 183rd 400 54.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.40 301st 543 44.6%
2019 23.00 307th 387 20.7%
2021 45.51 344th 802 57.1%
2023 42.04 384th 760 49.5%
2024 52.30 114th 322 64.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school Native American students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 58.63 65th 390 83.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Pensar Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 67.16 205th 780 73.7%
2022 51.64 216th 446 51.6%
2023 54.95 268th 675 60.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle 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.

Pensar Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Pensar Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2017 16 12 2 59 3 0 1 0 93
2018 11 12 1 65 3 0 0 0 92
2019 27 27 3 186 8 0 4 0 255
2020 26 16 3 192 5 0 6 0 248
2021 11 9 1 28 3 0 0 0 52
2022 28 19 4 154 5 0 0 0 210
2023 29 19 4 146 7 0 0 0 205

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 Pensar Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2017 93 n/a n/a 96.8
2018 92 n/a n/a 96.7
2019 255 n/a n/a 97.6
2020 248 n/a n/a 90.7
2021 52 n/a n/a 376.9
2022 210 n/a n/a 91
2023 205 n/a n/a 97.6

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 Pensar Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2017 93 n/a n/a 96.8
2018 92 n/a n/a 96.7
2019 255 n/a n/a 97.6
2020 248 n/a n/a 90.7
2021 52 n/a n/a 376.9
2022 210 n/a n/a 91
2023 205 n/a n/a 97.6

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 Pensar Academy

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $8,507
2020 $8,709

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Pensar 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 796th of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 703rd of 1245 Elementary schools
 20.1%
Ranks 429th of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 389th of 854 Middle schools
 25.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students255205
 19.6%
African American2719
 29.6%
American Indian87
 12.5%
Asian34
 33.3%
Hispanic186146
 21.5%
Pacific Islander00
White2729
 7.4%
Two or More Races40
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients97.6%97.6%
 0.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Pensar Academy

In the 2022-23 school year, 205 students attended Pensar Academy.

Pensar Academy ranks 291st of 533 Arizona middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Pensar Academy are 71% Hispanic, 14% White, 9% African American, 3% American Indian, 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.





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