Bales Elementary School

Summary:

Bales Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-8 in the Buckeye Elementary District in Buckeye, Arizona, with a student population of 659 as of the 2022-2023 school year.

Despite increased per-student funding over the years, Bales Elementary consistently underperforms compared to the Buckeye Elementary District and the state of Arizona in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects. The school has a low statewide ranking, placing between the 578th and 1061st out of over 1,000 Arizona elementary schools in recent years, and has received 1-2 out of 5 stars from SchoolDigger, indicating below-average performance. Bales Elementary also struggles with achievement gaps across various student subgroups and has experienced relatively high dropout rates in recent years.

Interestingly, Inca Elementary, Sundance Elementary, and Westpark Elementary, other elementary schools in the Buckeye Elementary District, tend to have higher test scores, better school rankings, and lower dropout rates than Bales Elementary. Addressing the challenges faced by Bales Elementary will require a comprehensive approach to improve the school's educational outcomes and provide equitable opportunities for all students.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

 25400 W Maricopa Rd
       Buckeye, AZ  85326-6469


(623) 847-8503

District: Buckeye Elementary District

SchoolDigger Rank:
578th of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,848 Help


Students who attend Bales Elementary School usually attend:

High:    Buckeye Union High School
    BUHSD Institute of Online Learning

Student/teacher ratio:  20.5 Help
Number of students:  659

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
70.4%
White:
16.4%
African American:
9.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  70% Help


 See top rated Arizona elementary schools

 Compare Bales Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Bales Elementary School ranks worse than 63.9% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 2nd among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Buckeye Elementary District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.5. (See more...)
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Compare Details Bales Elementary School ranks worse than 81.4% of middle schools in Arizona. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.05. (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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (70.4%), White (16.4%), African American (9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 70% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bales Elementary School is 20.5, which is the 3rd best among 8 elementary schools in the Buckeye Elementary District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Bales Elementary School employs 32 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bales Elementary School is $9,848, which is the 3rd highest among 8 elementary schools in the Buckeye Elementary District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bales Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Bales Elementary School 578th of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Bales Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Bales Elementary School 434th of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Bales Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:


Buckeye Elementary District:

SchoolDigger ranks Buckeye Elementary District 227th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Bales Elementary School?

Rank History for Bales Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 38.91 672nd 1062 36.7%
2010 31.81 787th 1090 27.8%
2011 33.82 740th 1075 31.2%
2012 35.37 813th 1141 28.7%
2013 39.39 747th 1158 35.5%
2014 54.39 500th 1079 53.7%
2015 33.25 591st 955 38.1%
2016 21.00 867th 1079 19.6%
2017 15.81 967th 1106 12.6%
2018 10.64 1061st 1109 4.3%
2019 7.46 1020th 1039 1.8%
2021 16.97 1061st 1226 13.5%
2022 17.11 809th 1000 19.1%
2023 27.07 868th 1245 30.3%
2024 29.50 578th 904 36.1%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Multi-racial students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 22.76 882nd 1027 14.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.29 545th 975 44.1%
2023 34.06 247th 451 45.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 32.44 839th 1201 30.1%
2023 30.67 578th 820 29.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.14 758th 820 7.6%
2023 35.50 712th 1116 36.2%
2024 39.49 305th 546 44.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.67 999th 1023 2.3%
2019 5.64 845th 862 2.0%
2021 20.82 997th 1219 18.2%
2023 22.94 943rd 1219 22.6%
2024 26.70 447th 593 24.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Foster Care students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 29.35 276th 306 9.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.72 961st 1032 6.9%
2021 16.68 1094th 1220 10.3%
2022 14.64 735th 830 11.4%
2023 29.53 815th 1216 33.0%
2024 18.74 499th 609 18.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Asian students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 8.56 604th 620 2.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 25.16 779th 895 13.0%
2023 17.79 554th 607 8.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.99 886th 911 2.7%
2019 8.68 698th 709 1.6%
2021 22.41 1014th 1198 15.4%
2022 22.81 580th 716 19.0%
2023 31.30 798th 1170 31.8%
2024 38.39 264th 472 44.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school Native American students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 53.01 181st 654 72.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.19 710th 720 1.4%
2021 15.06 1079th 1161 7.1%
2023 25.70 812th 1024 20.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Bales Elementary School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 25.07 533rd 663 19.6%
2010 18.99 607th 692 12.3%
2011 38.62 423rd 685 38.2%
2012 50.65 382nd 772 50.5%
2013 56.27 336th 787 57.3%
2014 43.43 371st 690 46.2%
2015 30.04 339th 521 34.9%
2016 27.87 473rd 677 30.1%
2017 19.84 572nd 695 17.7%
2018 10.84 665th 711 6.5%
2019 7.57 591st 605 2.3%
2021 16.57 754th 832 9.4%
2022 13.27 546th 605 9.8%
2023 25.95 606th 854 29.0%
2024 18.05 434th 533 18.6%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Multi-racial students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 16.18 573rd 650 11.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.74 298th 606 50.8%
2023 38.56 68th 145 53.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 38.85 458th 789 42.0%
2023 22.49 299th 363 17.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.49 460th 503 8.5%
2022 23.87 281st 369 23.8%
2023 26.59 532nd 717 25.8%
2024 26.53 220th 314 29.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 12.22 578th 624 7.4%
2021 18.22 733rd 820 10.6%
2023 32.78 493rd 806 38.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.16 563rd 617 8.8%
2021 16.73 755th 818 7.7%
2023 21.26 640th 810 21.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 42.90 266th 573 53.6%
2022 43.13 92nd 129 28.7%
2023 30.13 285th 400 28.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.08 499th 543 8.1%
2019 10.46 376th 387 2.8%
2021 22.21 701st 802 12.6%
2023 26.78 550th 760 27.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school Native American students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 28.30 309th 390 20.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Bales Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.21 431st 436 1.1%
2021 16.82 705th 780 9.6%
2023 30.55 473rd 675 29.9%
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.

Bales Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 








Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a citizen
Saturday, August 22, 2020

Open Quote This school has poor control over bullying problems. As a former student, I had to put up with bullying because I was usually told by my teacher that I probably deserved it. The ones in charge of the school only stepped in to "resolve" the problem was when I actually reacted to the bullying. By that time, I was put in in school suspension while the bullies got a quick lecture and were sent back to class. This school seems to be okay with breeding bullies and victims. It took years for me to heal from the trauma caused by this school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Bales Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2004 159 12 2 208 8 n/a n/a 0 389
2005 282 28 4 314 7 n/a n/a 0 635
2006 377 36 18 461 13 n/a n/a 0 905
2007 234 37 14 411 8 n/a n/a 0 704
2008 321 66 22 580 5 n/a n/a 0 994
2009 322 70 13 549 9 n/a n/a 0 963
2010 247 46 5 421 9 n/a n/a 0 728
2011 214 44 3 428 12 1 6 0 708
2012 225 50 5 458 8 1 6 0 753
2013 231 42 4 446 8 2 5 0 738
2014 253 51 7 441 10 1 13 0 776
2015 274 69 9 472 9 0 15 0 848
2016 272 69 8 492 9 1 22 0 873
2017 224 57 8 506 7 0 22 0 824
2018 190 50 8 483 6 2 17 0 756
2019 165 55 5 484 14 2 24 0 749
2020 127 43 4 455 10 2 22 0 663
2021 124 44 2 434 10 1 23 0 638
2022 109 48 6 430 6 5 20 0 624
2023 108 59 4 464 4 1 19 0 659

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 Bales Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 389 22.8 17.1 n/a
2005 635 29.6 21.5 85.8
2006 905 34.0 26.6 71.5
2007 704 41.9 16.8 51.4
2008 994 43.4 22.9 58.2
2009 963 43.8 22.0 53.8
2010 728 36.6 19.8 64.3
2011 708 40.6 17.4 65.8
2012 753 37.9 19.8 62.3
2013 738 37.9 19.4 63.6
2014 776 38.8 20.0 76.4
2015 848 39.0 21.7 83
2016 873 40.0 21.8 29
2017 824 38.1 21.5 42.7
2018 756 33.3 22.6 76.9
2019 749 36.4 20.5 76.9
2020 663 30.6 21.6 76.8
2021 638 27.2 23.3 n/a
2022 624 33.2 18.7 32.1
2023 659 32.0 20.5 70

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 Bales Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2004 389 22.8 17.1 n/a
2005 635 29.6 21.5 85.8
2006 905 34.0 26.6 71.5
2007 704 41.9 16.8 51.4
2008 994 43.4 22.9 58.2
2009 963 43.8 22.0 53.8
2010 728 36.6 19.8 64.3
2011 708 40.6 17.4 65.8
2012 753 37.9 19.8 62.3
2013 738 37.9 19.4 63.6
2014 776 38.8 20.0 76.4
2015 848 39.0 21.7 83
2016 873 40.0 21.8 29
2017 824 38.1 21.5 42.7
2018 756 33.3 22.6 76.9
2019 749 36.4 20.5 76.9
2020 663 30.6 21.6 76.8
2021 638 27.2 23.3 n/a
2022 624 33.2 18.7 32.1
2023 659 32.0 20.5 70

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 Bales Elementary School

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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 $652 (8.2%) $519 (6.5%) $1,822 (23.0%) $5,621 (70.9%) $1,132 (14.3%) $6,753 (85.2%) $7,924
2020 $612 (6.8%) $763 (8.4%) $1,986 (21.9%) $6,424 (71.0%) $1,250 (13.8%) $7,675 (84.8%) $9,050
2021 $1,039 (10.9%) $766 (8.0%) $2,844 (29.8%) $6,322 (66.3%) $1,404 (14.7%) $7,727 (81.1%) $9,532
2022 $606 (6.2%) $92 (0.9%) $1,303 (13.2%) $7,002 (71.1%) $2,148 (21.8%) $9,150 (92.9%) $9,848

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Bales Elementary 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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 1020th of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 868th of 1245 Elementary schools
 28.5%
Ranks 591st of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 606th of 854 Middle schools
 26.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students749659
 12%
African American5559
 7.3%
American Indian144
 71.4%
Asian54
 20%
Hispanic484464
 4.1%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White165108
 34.5%
Two or More Races2419
 20.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients76.9%70%
 6.9%


Schools Near Bales Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Bales Elementary School

Bales Elementary School ranks 578th of 904 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Bales Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Buckeye Union High School
High : BUHSD Institute of Online Learning

Students at Bales Elementary School are 70% Hispanic, 16% White, 9% African American, 3% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 659 students attended Bales Elementary School.


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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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