Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Summary:

Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary is a public elementary school in Chandler, Arizona, serving 787 students from pre-kindergarten to 6th grade. This school is part of the Chandler Unified District #80, which is ranked 94 out of 288 districts in the state.

Tarwater Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state in academic proficiency across all grade levels and subjects. In the 2023-2024 school year, 54-72% of Tarwater students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 52-62% for the district and 38-46% for the state. In math, 39-51% of Tarwater students were proficient, compared to 47-56% for the district and 30-43% for the state. Tarwater's 5th-grade science proficiency rate was 70% in 2022-2023, significantly higher than the district's 51% and the state's 34%. The school has maintained a 4 or 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade, ranking among the top elementary schools in Arizona.

Tarwater Elementary's performance is exceptional across various student subgroups, including Asian, African American, Hispanic, and multi-racial students. The school's Asian and multi-racial student subgroups consistently rank in the top 25% of Arizona elementary schools. Tarwater also performs well for English Language Learners and students with special needs, ranking in the top 25% of Arizona elementary schools. While the school has seen a gradual shift in its student racial/ethnic composition, with a decrease in the percentage of White students and an increase in Asian and multi-racial students, it continues to outperform most nearby Chandler Unified District schools, including Frye Elementary, Ira A. Fulton Elementary, and T. Dale Hancock Elementary.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 2300 S Gardner Dr
       Chandler, AZ  85286-8349


(480) 883-4300

District: Chandler Unified District #80

SchoolDigger Rank:
282nd of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,718 Help


Students who attend Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Bogle Junior High School
High:    Hamilton High School

Student/teacher ratio:  18.1 Help
Number of students:  787

Racial breakdown:

White:
47.4%
Hispanic:
22.1%
Two or more races:
12.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  16.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary ranks better than 68.8% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 17th among 29 ranked elementary schools in the Chandler Unified District #80. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 64.71. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (47.4%), Hispanic (22.1%), two or more races (12.3%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 16.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary is 18.1. 25 elementary schools in the Chandler Unified District #80 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary employs 43.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary is $7,718. 23 elementary schools in the Chandler Unified District #80 spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary 282nd of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Chandler Unified District #80:

SchoolDigger ranks Chandler Unified District #80 94th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary?

Rank History for Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 85.78 114th 1062 89.3%
2010 86.05 116th 1090 89.4%
2011 85.25 128th 1075 88.1%
2012 85.95 90th 1141 92.1%
2013 85.46 106th 1158 90.8%
2014 84.10 159th 1079 85.3%
2015 84.34 124th 955 87.0%
2016 79.03 232nd 1079 78.5%
2017 70.09 323rd 1106 70.8%
2018 80.52 213th 1109 80.8%
2019 67.17 341st 1039 67.2%
2021 90.44 117th 1226 90.5%
2022 74.76 206th 1000 79.4%
2023 85.33 178th 1245 85.7%
2024 64.71 282nd 904 68.8%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.07 10th 17 41.2%
2021 84.98 44th 1027 95.7%
2022 48.22 242nd 444 45.5%
2023 70.48 107th 617 82.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 54.17 124th 975 87.3%
2023 69.88 101st 451 77.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.09 100th 417 76.0%
2021 61.54 254th 1201 78.9%
2023 59.57 235th 820 71.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.91 246th 820 70.0%
2023 67.08 273rd 1116 75.5%
2024 78.74 80th 546 85.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.76 265th 1023 74.1%
2019 55.91 363rd 862 57.9%
2021 86.86 143rd 1219 88.3%
2022 60.99 294th 824 64.3%
2023 83.87 169th 1219 86.1%
2024 49.66 282nd 593 52.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.43 156th 1032 84.9%
2019 61.94 301st 850 64.6%
2021 89.89 104th 1220 91.5%
2022 75.56 161st 830 80.6%
2023 82.80 188th 1216 84.5%
2024 47.62 308th 609 49.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 72.03 123rd 620 80.2%
2022 81.15 31st 270 88.5%
2023 80.70 41st 316 87.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 69.81 111th 895 87.6%
2022 38.84 229th 289 20.8%
2023 67.20 150th 607 75.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.15 262nd 911 71.2%
2019 69.71 196th 709 72.4%
2021 77.07 171st 1198 85.7%
2022 68.19 217th 716 69.7%
2023 79.14 177th 1170 84.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 51.46 195th 654 70.2%
2022 67.02 33rd 82 59.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 65.34 33rd 171 80.7%
2022 74.22 5th 24 79.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.88 165th 720 77.1%
2019 43.08 364th 595 38.8%
2021 82.92 128th 1161 89.0%
2022 64.23 236th 800 70.5%
2023 76.36 186th 1024 81.8%
2024 38.15 316th 477 33.8%
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.

Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
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Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)
60%

20%

0%

0%

20%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, April 14, 2023

Open Quote Terrible school. Bullying is rampant and is tolerated. Not a healthy place for children. The principal and staff are indifferent to bullying and seem to be fine with it. Pathetic considering we trust them with our children's well being.
Their only saving grace is the Mandarin immersion program but no program is worth a child's well being. They should be ashamed of themselves and so should CUSD for letting them get away with it knowing very well what's going on there. If bigotry and bullying is what you want your kids to grow up accepting then this is the place for you but if you want your kids to grow up as compassionate, tolerant kind people then definitely stay away from this school. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Open Quote Tarwater has an amazing community. Teachers and Parents have open lines of communication. This year, the school has done a good job of implementing new safety measures to reduce the spread of COVID19. We love all of the traditions and events that help to enhance the typical educational experience. Close Quote


by a parent
Saturday, June 24, 2017

Open Quote My child just completed her first year at Tarwater elementary. We loved her teacher (who unfortunately has left Tarwater at the end of this year), and I love the running club and all of the teachers and parents who offer their time to keep that activity going! The principal was in her first year and it seems like she has a good ten year plan. I didn't feel like she was as personally engaged with the students as I would have liked to see. My child's previous principal was also a first year principal when we first started school there and the interaction was amazing - I'm just missing that same sense here. Maybe over time I will see that change here and I look forward to it. Right now, I highly recommend this school. Close Quote


by a parent
Friday, January 16, 2015

Open Quote Lots of parent participation in this school. They have a really nice class size for now at least. The teachers seem happy and excited to teach. They also have a great running club and many extra activities for kids. We have done a bunch of field trips and my kids really seem to be challenged by the education without having 3 hours of homework like at other schools. I feel like the time spent at school is quality time.

I also love that they find ways to get the kids in front of parents to sing or do plays. I believe this will help kids in the future with their confidence.

At parent teacher night I was impressed that in most families both the Mom and Dad showed up even when they were divorced. It seems like their is a lot of outside support from the families that take their kids here. They also have a Dad's Club which I thought was a great idea. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1999 449 24 27 77 4 n/a n/a 0 581
2000 664 29 41 98 8 n/a n/a 0 840
2001 713 33 50 115 10 n/a n/a 0 921
2004 646 39 64 109 7 n/a n/a 0 865
2005 560 48 81 104 4 n/a n/a 0 797
2006 556 41 91 106 3 n/a n/a 0 797
2007 578 48 99 115 9 n/a n/a 0 849
2008 548 38 93 109 13 n/a n/a 0 801
2009 530 44 75 108 19 n/a n/a 0 776
2010 517 49 88 108 12 n/a n/a 0 774
2011 541 53 75 126 11 2 5 0 813
2012 532 45 79 125 9 1 12 0 803
2013 557 36 79 133 12 1 20 0 838
2014 550 45 80 137 14 1 25 0 852
2015 536 38 80 152 10 1 40 0 857
2016 536 42 78 166 10 3 55 0 890
2017 497 43 72 178 8 3 71 0 872
2018 466 38 84 206 11 3 60 0 868
2019 435 37 80 210 15 2 58 0 837
2020 401 34 73 187 16 3 52 0 766
2021 393 30 82 178 10 8 52 0 753
2022 391 43 73 179 6 9 79 0 780
2023 373 37 90 174 10 6 97 0 787

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 Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 581 30.8 18.9 n/a
2000 840 39.5 21.3 n/a
2001 921 42.9 21.5 n/a
2004 865 40.9 21.1 10.1
2005 797 41.6 19.2 18.1
2006 797 41.1 19.4 9.5
2007 849 45.0 18.9 9.5
2008 801 45.0 17.8 11.1
2009 776 44.0 17.6 14
2010 774 44.0 17.5 17.1
2011 813 42.3 19.1 17
2012 803 42.6 18.8 17.4
2013 838 43.0 19.4 15.8
2014 852 43.0 19.8 16.7
2015 857 45.0 19.0 15.9
2016 890 47.0 18.9 13.1
2017 872 44.8 19.4 15.9
2018 868 47.0 18.4 12.9
2019 837 46.0 18.1 10.9
2020 766 43.2 17.7 14.9
2021 753 43.7 17.2 n/a
2022 780 41.5 18.7 8.2
2023 787 43.2 18.1 16.9

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 Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 581 30.8 18.9 n/a
2000 840 39.5 21.3 n/a
2001 921 42.9 21.5 n/a
2004 865 40.9 21.1 10.1
2005 797 41.6 19.2 18.1
2006 797 41.1 19.4 9.5
2007 849 45.0 18.9 9.5
2008 801 45.0 17.8 11.1
2009 776 44.0 17.6 14
2010 774 44.0 17.5 17.1
2011 813 42.3 19.1 17
2012 803 42.6 18.8 17.4
2013 838 43.0 19.4 15.8
2014 852 43.0 19.8 16.7
2015 857 45.0 19.0 15.9
2016 890 47.0 18.9 13.1
2017 872 44.8 19.4 15.9
2018 868 47.0 18.4 12.9
2019 837 46.0 18.1 10.9
2020 766 43.2 17.7 14.9
2021 753 43.7 17.2 n/a
2022 780 41.5 18.7 8.2
2023 787 43.2 18.1 16.9

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 Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

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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 $6,659 (85.2%) $656 (8.4%) $13,975 (178.8%) $196 (2.5%) $303 (3.9%) $499 (6.4%) $7,814
2020 $116 (1.8%) $01 (0.0%) $235 (3.6%) $5,978 (91.1%) $463 (7.1%) $6,441 (98.2%) $6,559
2021 $94 (1.2%) $44 (0.5%) $232 (2.9%) $6,972 (87.0%) $905 (11.3%) $7,877 (98.3%) $8,015
2022 $742 (9.6%) $72 (0.9%) $1,557 (20.2%) $6,720 (87.1%) $184 (2.4%) $6,904 (89.5%) $7,718

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

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 341st of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 178th of 1245 Elementary schools
 18.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students837787
 6%
African American3737
American Indian1510
 33.3%
Asian8090
 12.5%
Hispanic210174
 17.1%
Pacific Islander26
 200%
White435373
 14.3%
Two or More Races5897
 67.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients10.9%16.9%
 6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary

Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary ranks 282nd of 904 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 787 students attended Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary.

Students at Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary are 47% White, 22% Hispanic, 12% Two or more races, 11% Asian, 5% African American, 1% American Indian.

Students who attend Robert and Danell Tarwater Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bogle Junior High School
High : Hamilton 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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