Is Cactus Middle School a good school?

Cactus Middle School ranks in the bottom 3.2% of Arizona middle schools.

How many students attend Cactus Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 779 students attended Cactus Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Cactus Middle School?

Students at Cactus Middle School are 66% Hispanic, 20% White, 5% African American, 4% American Indian, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Cactus Middle School attend?

Students who attend Cactus Middle School usually go on to attend Vista Grande High School

Cactus Middle School

Summary:

Cactus Middle School is a public middle school located in Casa Grande, Arizona, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 779. The school is part of the Casa Grande Elementary District, which is ranked 265 out of 288 districts in Arizona and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cactus Middle School consistently performs below the state and district averages in standardized test scores for English Language Arts and Mathematics across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 18-20% of Cactus Middle School students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 43% statewide and 20% for the district. In Mathematics, only 8-9% of Cactus Middle School students were proficient or better, compared to 30% statewide and 11% for the district. The school's performance has been declining over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 304 out of 521 Arizona middle schools in 2014-2015 to 516 out of 533 in 2023-2024. Additionally, Cactus Middle School has consistently higher dropout rates compared to the state average, ranging from 2.2% to 4.2% over the past 5 years.

While Cactus Middle School and the nearby Casa Grande Middle School are both part of the Casa Grande Elementary District, they exhibit notable differences. Cactus Middle School has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (65.6%) compared to the state and nearby schools, as well as a higher percentage of Native American (3.59%) and Pacific Islander (0.64%) students. Additionally, Cactus Middle School has a high percentage of students (62.9%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-income families, compared to the nearby Villago Middle School, which has 53.9% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1220 E Kortsen Rd
Casa Grande, AZ 85122-1768

(520) 421-3330

District: Casa Grande Elementary District

SchoolDigger Rank:
516^th of 533 Arizona Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,488

Students who attend Cactus Middle School usually attend:

High:

Vista Grande High School

Feeder schools for Cactus Middle School:

Elementary:	Ironwood School
	Mesquite Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 20.2

Number of students: 779

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

65.6%

White:

20.3%

African American:

5.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 62.9%

See top rated Arizona middle schools

Compare Cactus Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Cactus Middle School ranks worse than 96.8% of middle schools in Arizona. It also ranks 2^nd among 3 ranked middle schools in the Casa Grande Elementary District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.03. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (65.6%), White (20.3%), African American (5.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 62.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cactus Middle School is 20.2, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the Casa Grande Elementary District! (See more...)

Compare Cactus Middle School employs 38.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cactus Middle School is $6,488, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the Casa Grande Elementary District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cactus Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Cactus Middle School 516^th of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Cactus Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Casa Grande Elementary District:

SchoolDigger ranks Casa Grande Elementary District 265^th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Cactus Middle School?

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Rank History for Cactus Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2009	63.97	222^nd	663	66.5%
2010	55.66	284^th	692	59.0%
2011	50.06	338^th	685	50.7%
2012	50.82	376^th	772	51.3%
2013	53.95	357^th	787	54.6%
2014	49.96	331^st	690	52.0%
2015	33.69	304^th	521	41.7%
2016	36.89	392^nd	677	42.1%
2017	27.98	476^th	695	31.5%
2018	24.89	523^rd	711	26.4%
2019	19.30	499^th	605	17.5%
2021	24.51	620^th	832	25.5%
2022	13.82	541^st	605	10.6%
2023	17.11	742^nd	854	13.1%
2024	9.03	516^th	533	3.2%

See the entire list of Arizona Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	27.04	35^th	43	18.6%
2021	27.84	498^th	650	23.4%
2023	18.34	344^th	384	10.4%

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

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	57.12	36^th	606	94.1%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	31.46	118^th	178	33.7%
2021	51.43	237^th	789	70.0%
2023	12.35	361^st	363	0.6%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	22.02	419^th	503	16.7%
2022	16.15	333^rd	369	9.8%
2023	14.11	676^th	717	5.7%
2024	11.76	303^rd	314	3.5%

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

Rank History for Migrant students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	29.85	21^st	29	27.6%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	31.94	231^st	257	10.1%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	26.25	448^th	624	28.2%
2019	12.95	415^th	466	10.9%
2021	27.09	585^th	820	28.7%
2022	12.05	461^st	494	6.7%
2023	18.00	695^th	806	13.8%
2024	6.66	367^th	379	3.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	23.20	466^th	617	24.5%
2019	15.42	370^th	435	14.9%
2021	24.87	617^th	818	24.6%
2022	10.01	446^th	476	6.3%
2023	16.30	721^st	810	11.0%
2024	5.64	351^st	356	1.4%

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

Rank History for Asian students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	27.73	338^th	404	16.3%
2022	45.90	108^th	192	43.8%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	44.47	245^th	573	57.2%
2023	17.11	355^th	400	11.3%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	24.42	421^st	543	22.5%
2019	16.10	346^th	387	10.6%
2021	26.65	626^th	802	21.9%
2022	13.91	369^th	392	5.9%
2023	16.76	691^st	760	9.1%
2024	9.85	316^th	322	1.9%

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

Rank History for Native American students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	63.79	16^th	62	74.2%
2021	33.44	260^th	390	33.3%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Cactus Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	22.49	358^th	436	17.9%
2019	20.76	274^th	337	18.7%
2021	33.75	544^th	780	30.3%
2022	10.00	424^th	446	4.9%
2023	17.17	604^th	675	10.5%
2024	3.08	267^th	273	2.2%

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.

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Cactus Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2002	329	51	4	425	64	n/a	n/a	873
2003	329	51	4	425	64	n/a	n/a	873
2004	382	55	6	429	56	n/a	n/a	928
2005	386	48	7	423	68	n/a	n/a	932
2006	422	45	8	470	64	n/a	n/a	1009
2007	411	65	11	532	77	n/a	n/a	1096
2008	306	38	17	407	39	n/a	n/a	807
2009	338	38	22	436	41	n/a	n/a	875
2010	356	54	24	470	50	n/a	n/a	954
2011	266	29	17	500	50	3	44	909
2012	259	30	17	549	47	3	31	936
2013	249	27	13	555	47	4	28	923
2014	249	36	11	576	42	3	31	948
2015	235	25	19	558	43	2	37	919
2016	224	34	14	577	51	1	37	938
2017	205	20	16	596	47	2	36	922
2018	198	28	8	587	42	1	31	895
2019	196	18	4	554	36	1	30	839
2020	195	21	6	528	35	0	36	821
2021	168	30	7	512	26	1	28	772
2022	180	37	8	505	30	4	29	793
2023	158	42	8	511	28	5	27	779

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 Cactus Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	873	43.3	20.2	n/a
2003	873	43.3	20.2	n/a
2004	928	45.5	20.4	50.9
2005	932	45.8	20.3	98.6
2006	1009	47.0	21.5	82.7
2007	1096	51.0	21.5	57.2
2008	807	35.2	22.9	53
2009	875	40.3	21.7	49.3
2010	954	45.5	20.9	54.3
2011	909	47.0	19.3	53.9
2012	936	46.0	20.3	53.8
2013	923	45.0	20.5	41.8
2014	948	43.7	21.6	65.4
2015	919	39.0	23.5	65.4
2016	938	40.0	23.4	56.6
2017	922	39.0	23.6	n/a
2018	895	41.5	21.5	60.9
2019	839	39.5	21.2	62.9
2020	821	38.5	21.3	62.9
2021	772	36.5	21.1	n/a
2022	793	37.5	21.1	27.5
2023	779	38.5	20.2	62.9

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 Cactus Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	873	43.3	20.2	n/a
2003	873	43.3	20.2	n/a
2004	928	45.5	20.4	50.9
2005	932	45.8	20.3	98.6
2006	1009	47.0	21.5	82.7
2007	1096	51.0	21.5	57.2
2008	807	35.2	22.9	53
2009	875	40.3	21.7	49.3
2010	954	45.5	20.9	54.3
2011	909	47.0	19.3	53.9
2012	936	46.0	20.3	53.8
2013	923	45.0	20.5	41.8
2014	948	43.7	21.6	65.4
2015	919	39.0	23.5	65.4
2016	938	40.0	23.4	56.6
2017	922	39.0	23.6	n/a
2018	895	41.5	21.5	60.9
2019	839	39.5	21.2	62.9
2020	821	38.5	21.3	62.9
2021	772	36.5	21.1	n/a
2022	793	37.5	21.1	27.5
2023	779	38.5	20.2	62.9

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 Cactus Middle School

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	$434 (5.8%)	$44 (0.6%)	$912 (12.1%)	$6,113 (81.1%)	$951 (12.6%)	$7,064 (93.7%)	$7,542
2020	$315 (5.5%)	$157 (2.8%)	$788 (13.9%)	$4,434 (78.1%)	$772 (13.6%)	$5,206 (91.7%)	$5,678
2022	$592 (9.1%)	$138 (2.1%)	$1,322 (20.4%)	$4,874 (75.1%)	$884 (13.6%)	$5,758 (88.7%)	$6,488

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cactus Middle 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 499^th of 605 Middle schools	Ranks 742^nd of 854 Middle schools	4.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	839	779	7.2%
African American	18	42	133.3%
American Indian	36	28	22.2%
Asian	4	8	100%
Hispanic	554	511	7.8%
Pacific Islander	1	5	400%
White	196	158	19.4%
Two or More Races	30	27	10%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	62.9%	62.9%	0%

Schools Near Cactus Middle 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)			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 6th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 7th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 8th 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
Cactus Middle School	Public	6-8	1220 E Kortsen Rd	Casa Grande	85122	Pinal County	Casa Grande Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 421-3330	779	39	20.2	62.9%	158 (20.3%)	42 (5.4%)	511 (65.6%)	8 (1.0%)	28 (3.6%)	5 (0.6%)	27 (3.5%)	9	516^th of 533 public middle schools	3.2%		17.1	742^nd of 854 public middle schools	13.1%	226	18.0	20.0	18.0	9.0	8.0	8.0	$6,488	$592	$138	$1,322	$4,874	$884	$5,759
Casa Grande Middle School	Public	6-8	260 W McMurray Blvd	Casa Grande	85122	Pinal County	Casa Grande Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 836-7310	645	36	17.9	83.9%	97 (15.0%)	48 (7.4%)	396 (61.4%)	4 (0.6%)	57 (8.8%)	4 (0.6%)	39 (6.0%)	7.1	529^th of 533 public middle schools	0.8%		12.6	807^th of 854 public middle schools	5.5%	278	14.0	18.0	12.0	8.0	7.0	7.0	$7,456	$696	$137	$1,529	$5,424	$1,200	$6,624
Path to Potential	Public, Virtual, Charter	4-8	950 N Peart Rd	Casa Grande	85122	Pinal County	The Grande Innovation Academy	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(520) 381-2360	2				1 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Villago Middle School	Public	6-8	574 E. Lakeside Parkway	Casa Grande	85122	Pinal County	Casa Grande Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 423-0176	794	40	20.1	53.9%	220 (27.7%)	48 (6.0%)	454 (57.2%)	3 (0.4%)	27 (3.4%)	2 (0.3%)	40 (5.0%)	14.4	464^th of 533 public middle schools	12.9%		26.7	599^th of 854 public middle schools	29.9%	135	22.0	33.0	19.0	12.0	15.0	10.0	$6,981	$561	$95	$1,216	$5,262	$1,063	$6,325
Sacaton Middle School	Public	5-8	92 Skill Center Rd	Sacaton	85147	Pinal County	Sacaton Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 562-8600	191	12	15.9	86.4%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (12.6%)	0 (0.0%)	167 (87.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							$9,631	$2,035	$1,461	$5,530	$6,067	$69	$6,136
Coolidge Junior High School	Public	6-8	800 N 9th St	Coolidge	85128	Pinal County	Coolidge Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 723-2305	362	13	27.0	79.8%	70 (19.3%)	39 (10.8%)	194 (53.6%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (11.3%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.0%)	7.7	525^th of 533 public middle schools	1.5%		17.9	727^th of 854 public middle schools	14.9%	202	12.0	18.0	12.0	7.0	13.0	7.0		$00			$00
Eloy Junior High School	Public	6-8	404 E Phoenix Ave	Eloy	85131	Pinal County	Eloy Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 466-2140	286	16	17.8	91.6%	16 (5.6%)	26 (9.1%)	224 (78.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.5%)	2 (0.7%)	5 (1.7%)								(n/a)		19.0	14.0				$12,671	$1,648	$658	$3,955	$7,709	$2,655	$10,365
Desert Wind Middle School	Public	6-8	35565 W Honeycutt Rd	Maricopa	85138	Pinal County	Maricopa Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(520) 568-7110	817	38	21.5	51.9%	219 (26.8%)	132 (16.2%)	365 (44.7%)	14 (1.7%)	31 (3.8%)	4 (0.5%)	52 (6.4%)	13.6	474^th of 533 public middle schools	11.1%		22.4	651^st of 854 public middle schools	23.8%	177	28.0	26.0	22.0	8.0	13.0	10.0	$8,733	$267	$954	$1,489	$6,582	$929	$7,512

Cactus Middle School

Cactus Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Casa Grande Elementary District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Cactus Middle School

Rank History for all students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for Special Education students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for Migrant students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for Homeless students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for Asian students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for African American students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for Native American students at Cactus Middle School

Rank History for White students at Cactus Middle School

Enrollment information for Cactus Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Cactus Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Cactus Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Cactus Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Cactus Middle School

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Cactus Middle School

Frequently Asked Questions about Cactus Middle School

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