Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Summary:

Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy is an elementary school serving grades PK-8 in the Cartwright Elementary District in Phoenix, Arizona, with a student population of 692 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school consistently underperforms academically compared to state and district averages, with only 24-30% of students proficient in English Language Arts and 9-23% proficient in math across grades 4-8.

Despite the school's low performance ranking, which has placed it in the bottom quartile of Arizona elementary schools over the past decade, it has a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 79.91% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school also struggles to support the academic achievement of its subgroups, ranking in the bottom 5% of Arizona elementary schools for English Language Learner students and the bottom 10% for Special Education students in the 2022-2023 school year.

Interestingly, while the nearby schools in the Cartwright Elementary District, such as Cartwright Virtual Academy and Bret R. Tarver Leadership Academy, also perform poorly compared to state averages, they generally outperform Glenn L. Downs across academic metrics, suggesting systemic challenges within the district that extend beyond a single school. Despite these challenges, the school's enrollment has remained relatively stable, indicating that the community continues to rely on Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

 3611 N 47th Ave
       Phoenix, AZ  85031-3102


(623) 691-4200

District: Cartwright Elementary District

SchoolDigger Rank:
779th of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,990 Help


Students who attend Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy usually attend:

High:    Maryvale High School

Student/teacher ratio:  23.0 Help
Number of students:  692

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
91.3%
African American:
5.5%
White:
1.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  79.9% Help


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 Compare Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy ranks worse than 86.2% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 3rd among 14 ranked elementary schools in the Cartwright Elementary District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.91. (See more...)
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Compare Details Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy ranks worse than 82.7% of middle schools in Arizona. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.3. (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 (91.3%), African American (5.5%), White (1.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 79.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy is 23. 8 elementary schools in the Cartwright Elementary District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy employs 30 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy is $12,990, which is the 4th highest among 14 elementary schools in the Cartwright Elementary District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy 779th of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy 441st of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy in the ranking list.)

Cartwright Elementary District:

SchoolDigger ranks Cartwright Elementary District 264th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 19.16 934th 1062 12.1%
2010 22.23 929th 1090 14.8%
2011 13.61 988th 1075 8.1%
2012 24.71 981st 1141 14.0%
2013 24.83 972nd 1158 16.1%
2014 32.84 744th 1079 31.0%
2015 20.97 758th 955 20.6%
2016 25.86 799th 1079 25.9%
2017 29.31 758th 1106 31.5%
2018 24.25 834th 1109 24.8%
2019 23.46 772nd 1039 25.7%
2021 20.06 994th 1226 18.9%
2022 16.09 823rd 1000 17.7%
2023 18.36 1036th 1245 16.8%
2024 14.91 779th 904 13.8%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 40.61 458th 975 53.0%
2023 15.67 442nd 451 2.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 23.66 1053rd 1201 12.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.45 563rd 820 31.3%
2023 23.37 917th 1116 17.8%
2024 22.41 442nd 546 19.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Homeless students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 78.50 9th 102 91.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.10 700th 1023 31.6%
2019 14.12 759th 862 11.9%
2021 17.44 1074th 1219 11.9%
2023 16.38 1079th 1219 11.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.24 881st 1032 14.6%
2019 21.02 656th 850 22.8%
2021 28.12 829th 1220 32.0%
2022 9.49 793rd 830 4.5%
2023 20.19 1000th 1216 17.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 22.40 810th 895 9.5%
2023 57.71 231st 607 61.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.51 610th 911 33.0%
2019 28.35 503rd 709 29.1%
2021 26.78 915th 1198 23.6%
2022 20.49 602nd 716 15.9%
2023 22.18 964th 1170 17.6%
2024 16.65 410th 472 13.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school Native American students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 28.10 590th 654 9.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 18.04 1058th 1161 8.9%
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 Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

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Rank History for all middle school students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 22.97 573rd 692 17.2%
2011 20.55 582nd 685 15.0%
2012 32.09 569th 772 26.3%
2013 24.83 659th 787 16.3%
2014 23.48 556th 690 19.4%
2015 13.82 481st 521 7.7%
2016 26.50 491st 677 27.5%
2017 29.96 454th 695 34.7%
2018 27.27 495th 711 30.4%
2019 20.70 478th 605 21.0%
2021 23.17 644th 832 22.6%
2022 13.95 540th 605 10.7%
2023 19.99 690th 854 19.2%
2024 17.30 441st 533 17.3%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.74 298th 606 50.8%
2023 19.53 132nd 145 9.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 32.91 561st 789 28.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.35 323rd 503 35.8%
2022 22.48 292nd 369 20.9%
2023 26.41 534th 717 25.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Homeless students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 47.35 81st 257 68.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.40 482nd 624 22.8%
2019 20.87 361st 466 22.5%
2021 26.37 597th 820 27.2%
2023 20.04 667th 806 17.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.93 445th 617 27.9%
2019 17.13 356th 435 18.2%
2021 22.69 651st 818 20.4%
2023 22.03 631st 810 22.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 48.63 211th 573 63.2%
2023 57.15 128th 400 68.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.11 339th 543 37.6%
2019 30.33 254th 387 34.4%
2021 30.33 556th 802 30.7%
2022 18.31 339th 392 13.5%
2023 23.74 594th 760 21.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school Native American students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 28.22 345th 390 11.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 7.05 778th 780 0.3%
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.

Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy 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, November 11, 2017

Open Quote This school is just a very low performing school and they really just need to do away with the entire staff and start over. It is beyond me why the state doesn't take over this school as it has proven time and time again that they don't perform to standards unless state standards are extremely low all around and that would make sense. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 285 48 6 118 1 n/a n/a -20 438
1989 278 36 3 113 2 n/a n/a -36 396
1990 244 43 3 143 5 n/a n/a -8 430
1991 242 47 6 159 6 n/a n/a -42 418
1992 201 45 10 190 3 n/a n/a 0 449
1993 202 37 5 203 14 n/a n/a 0 461
1994 200 54 7 279 6 n/a n/a 0 546
1995 196 64 6 323 6 n/a n/a 0 595
1996 196 64 6 323 6 n/a n/a 0 595
1997 188 73 3 368 12 n/a n/a 0 644
1998 122 63 3 375 2 n/a n/a 0 565
1999 124 60 3 444 2 n/a n/a 0 633
2000 92 32 2 449 6 n/a n/a 0 581
2001 76 27 3 461 5 n/a n/a 0 572
2002 53 18 4 582 6 n/a n/a 0 663
2003 53 18 4 582 6 n/a n/a 0 663
2004 44 21 1 600 6 n/a n/a 0 672
2005 33 24 3 640 17 n/a n/a 0 717
2006 25 29 3 579 7 n/a n/a 0 643
2007 27 27 5 628 7 n/a n/a 0 694
2008 13 33 4 602 9 n/a n/a 0 661
2009 18 21 1 546 9 n/a n/a 0 595
2010 27 18 0 640 6 n/a n/a 0 691
2011 21 14 3 606 9 0 0 0 653
2012 29 22 2 685 7 1 1 0 747
2013 15 25 1 651 8 1 4 0 705
2014 26 20 2 699 9 2 3 0 761
2015 13 30 2 707 7 2 4 0 765
2016 14 25 2 656 11 2 7 0 717
2017 12 26 4 611 14 0 1 0 668
2018 11 24 3 677 10 0 3 0 728
2019 18 28 1 673 8 0 1 0 729
2020 22 21 1 687 8 0 1 0 740
2021 12 22 1 657 10 0 1 0 703
2022 14 31 1 603 9 0 1 0 659
2023 13 38 0 632 8 0 1 0 692

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 Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 438 21.8 20.0 n/a
1989 396 23.8 16.6 n/a
1990 430 24.3 17.6 n/a
1991 418 25.9 16.1 n/a
1992 449 23.4 19.1 n/a
1993 461 23.5 19.6 n/a
1994 546 27.4 19.9 n/a
1995 595 32.8 18.1 n/a
1996 595 32.8 18.1 n/a
1997 644 39.0 16.5 n/a
1998 565 37.3 15.1 n/a
1999 633 37.0 17.1 n/a
2000 581 34.0 17.1 n/a
2001 572 31.6 18.1 n/a
2002 663 35.1 18.9 n/a
2003 663 35.1 18.9 n/a
2004 672 35.8 18.8 91.1
2005 717 34.0 21.1 99.6
2006 643 35.1 18.3 91.6
2007 694 38.7 17.9 82.7
2008 661 38.7 17.1 83.4
2009 595 37.2 16.0 82.9
2010 691 33.6 20.5 87.4
2011 653 32.9 19.8 94.2
2012 747 46.2 16.1 94.4
2013 705 36.2 19.4 99.6
2014 761 36.7 20.7 99.6
2015 765 35.0 21.8 0
2016 717 29.0 24.7 99.6
2017 668 31.1 21.4 99.6
2018 728 34.0 21.4 95.7
2019 729 35.0 20.8 95.9
2020 740 35.6 20.7 95.8
2021 703 32.5 21.6 n/a
2022 659 34.0 19.3 40.8
2023 692 30.0 23.0 79.9

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 Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 438 21.8 20.0 n/a
1989 396 23.8 16.6 n/a
1990 430 24.3 17.6 n/a
1991 418 25.9 16.1 n/a
1992 449 23.4 19.1 n/a
1993 461 23.5 19.6 n/a
1994 546 27.4 19.9 n/a
1995 595 32.8 18.1 n/a
1996 595 32.8 18.1 n/a
1997 644 39.0 16.5 n/a
1998 565 37.3 15.1 n/a
1999 633 37.0 17.1 n/a
2000 581 34.0 17.1 n/a
2001 572 31.6 18.1 n/a
2002 663 35.1 18.9 n/a
2003 663 35.1 18.9 n/a
2004 672 35.8 18.8 91.1
2005 717 34.0 21.1 99.6
2006 643 35.1 18.3 91.6
2007 694 38.7 17.9 82.7
2008 661 38.7 17.1 83.4
2009 595 37.2 16.0 82.9
2010 691 33.6 20.5 87.4
2011 653 32.9 19.8 94.2
2012 747 46.2 16.1 94.4
2013 705 36.2 19.4 99.6
2014 761 36.7 20.7 99.6
2015 765 35.0 21.8 0
2016 717 29.0 24.7 99.6
2017 668 31.1 21.4 99.6
2018 728 34.0 21.4 95.7
2019 729 35.0 20.8 95.9
2020 740 35.6 20.7 95.8
2021 703 32.5 21.6 n/a
2022 659 34.0 19.3 40.8
2023 692 30.0 23.0 79.9

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 Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

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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 $637 (6.8%) $334 (3.6%) $1,607 (17.3%) $6,660 (71.5%) $1,681 (18.1%) $8,342 (89.6%) $9,312
2020 $797 (8.6%) $1,173 (12.6%) $2,768 (29.8%) $6,849 (73.8%) $456 (4.9%) $7,305 (78.8%) $9,276
2021 $2,287 (19.7%) $1,153 (9.9%) $5,728 (49.2%) $6,486 (55.8%) $1,704 (14.7%) $8,190 (70.4%) $11,631
2022 $2,202 (17.0%) $478 (3.7%) $4,882 (37.6%) $8,735 (67.2%) $1,575 (12.1%) $10,310 (79.4%) $12,990

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences 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 772nd of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 1036th of 1245 Elementary schools
 8.9%
Ranks 478th of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 690th of 854 Middle schools
 1.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students729692
 5.1%
African American2838
 35.7%
American Indian88
Asian10
 100%
Hispanic673632
 6.1%
Pacific Islander00
White1813
 27.8%
Two or More Races11
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients95.9%79.9%
 16%


Schools Near Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy

Students at Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy are 91% Hispanic, 5% African American, 2% White, 1% American Indian.

Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy ranks in the bottom 13.8% of Arizona elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 692 students attended Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy.

Students who attend Glenn L. Downs Social Sciences Academy usually go on to attend:

High : Maryvale High 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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