Mesquite High School

Summary:

Mesquite High School is a public high school located in Gilbert, Arizona, serving grades 8-12 with a total enrollment of 1,430 students. The school is part of the Gilbert Unified District, which is ranked 90 out of 288 districts in Arizona and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Mesquite High School's performance, as measured by state assessments, is generally below the state and district averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 43% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 54% in the Gilbert Unified District and 38% statewide. In Mathematics, the proficiency rate was 31%, compared to 46% in the district and 30% statewide. The school's four-year graduation rate has also declined over the past few years, from 90.5% in 2018-2019 to 83.7% in 2022-2023, which is still above the state average but lower than the district average. Additionally, the school's dropout rate has increased from 1.7% in 2019-2020 to 3.5% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the district and state averages.

Compared to nearby schools, Mesquite High School generally performs worse academically. For example, Dobson High School in the Mesa Unified District and Leading Edge Academy Gilbert Early College (a public charter school) both have higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics than Mesquite High School. However, the nearby Great Hearts Academies - Chandler Prep, a high-performing public charter school, significantly outperforms Mesquite High School and most other schools in the area.


Detail:

Public 8-12

 500 S McQueen Rd
       Gilbert, AZ  85233-6506


(480) 632-4750

District: Gilbert Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
127th of 259 Arizona High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,969 Help


Feeder schools for Mesquite High School:

Elementary:    Gilbert Elementary School
    Harris Elementary School
    Islands Elementary School
    Oak Tree Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Mesquite Junior High School

Student/teacher ratio:  21.8 Help
Number of students:  1,430

Racial breakdown:

White:
42.8%
Hispanic:
39.5%
Two or more races:
5.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  35.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Mesquite High School ranks better than 51% of high schools in Arizona. It also ranks last among 6 ranked high schools in the Gilbert Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.95. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Mesquite High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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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: White (42.8%), Hispanic (39.5%), two or more races (5.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 35.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Gilbert Unified District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mesquite High School is 21.8, which is the 3rd best among 6 high schools in the Gilbert Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Mesquite High School employs 65.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mesquite High School is $6,969, which is the 2nd highest among 6 high schools in the Gilbert Unified District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mesquite High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mesquite High School 127th of 259 Arizona public high schools. (See Mesquite High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Gilbert Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Gilbert Unified District 90th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Mesquite High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 89.58 36th 395 90.9%
2010 87.89 51st 403 87.3%
2011 80.09 89th 397 77.6%
2012 79.87 87th 471 81.5%
2013 79.26 88th 491 82.1%
2014 78.33 85th 394 78.4%
2015 47.26 107th 261 59.0%
2016 54.78 129th 406 68.2%
2017 63.91 98th 416 76.4%
2018 53.33 133rd 420 68.3%
2019 25.30 207th 285 27.4%
2021 47.79 217th 509 57.4%
2022 43.41 195th 464 58.0%
2023 51.84 186th 469 60.3%
2024 45.95 127th 259 51.0%
See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.69 13th 76 82.9%
2021 43.14 199th 374 46.8%
2022 46.15 145th 282 48.6%
2023 55.05 84th 199 57.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.58 29th 312 90.7%
2022 41.67 53rd 258 79.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.01 49th 155 68.4%
2021 56.86 96th 422 77.3%
2022 47.10 121st 380 68.2%
2023 26.68 118th 172 31.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.36 92nd 253 63.6%
2022 25.91 121st 168 28.0%
2023 41.54 187th 347 46.1%
2024 36.43 105th 168 37.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 31.10 69th 168 58.9%
2022 28.02 72nd 150 52.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.73 124th 354 65.0%
2019 25.70 177th 247 28.3%
2021 56.00 177th 492 64.0%
2022 44.83 197th 456 56.8%
2023 48.61 179th 406 55.9%
2024 44.51 104th 193 46.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 45.14 37th 130 71.5%
2022 44.67 44th 116 62.1%
2023 22.61 21st 25 16.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.42 54th 102 47.1%
2022 72.77 25th 125 80.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.81 128th 370 65.4%
2019 23.91 179th 238 24.8%
2021 37.79 266th 492 45.9%
2022 36.98 222nd 455 51.2%
2023 49.30 187th 429 56.4%
2024 38.62 117th 207 43.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.82 54th 83 34.9%
2019 21.49 40th 44 9.1%
2021 23.00 172nd 231 25.5%
2022 33.42 171st 238 28.2%
2023 70.71 35th 146 76.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.90 61st 122 50.0%
2021 44.33 129th 306 57.8%
2022 39.39 149th 301 50.5%
2023 11.70 196th 201 2.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.43 98th 311 68.5%
2019 20.46 155th 183 15.3%
2021 36.64 268th 479 44.1%
2022 43.44 177th 441 59.9%
2023 42.20 201st 379 47.0%
2024 42.33 89th 164 45.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.29 115th 256 55.1%
2022 32.28 136th 255 46.7%
2023 53.32 47th 128 63.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 20.13 80th 129 38.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Mesquite High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.30 149th 291 48.8%
2019 15.36 199th 217 8.3%
2021 47.63 231st 448 48.4%
2022 31.84 264th 409 35.5%
2023 44.62 203rd 371 45.3%
2024 33.91 117th 174 32.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High 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.

Mesquite High School 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 Mesquite High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1999 859 33 34 133 7 n/a n/a 0 1066
2000 1043 46 54 180 11 n/a n/a 0 1334
2001 1951 93 130 316 19 n/a n/a 0 2509
2002 2196 131 188 372 28 n/a n/a 0 2915
2003 2196 131 188 372 28 n/a n/a 0 2915
2004 2248 137 204 420 25 n/a n/a 0 3034
2005 2321 158 219 429 33 n/a n/a 0 3160
2006 2299 148 237 434 22 n/a n/a 0 3140
2007 2339 161 217 476 27 n/a n/a 0 3220
2008 2305 171 219 503 33 n/a n/a 0 3231
2009 2299 157 223 505 33 n/a n/a 0 3217
2010 1888 143 192 460 27 n/a n/a 0 2710
2011 1646 143 190 465 36 5 6 0 2491
2012 1380 129 176 425 32 12 15 0 2169
2013 1241 123 145 435 31 7 28 0 2010
2014 1233 122 141 446 26 7 41 0 2016
2015 1196 114 133 471 29 8 49 0 2000
2016 1153 106 118 470 21 3 43 0 1914
2017 1057 88 108 451 17 6 52 0 1779
2018 913 86 89 444 16 3 56 0 1607
2019 810 82 73 440 15 3 66 0 1489
2020 764 86 59 444 24 4 63 0 1444
2021 577 48 35 376 18 3 62 0 1119
2022 648 68 39 538 29 6 83 0 1411
2023 612 83 50 565 28 8 84 0 1430

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 Mesquite High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 1066 57.8 18.4 n/a
2000 1334 108.5 12.3 n/a
2001 2509 110.5 22.7 n/a
2002 2915 172.0 16.9 n/a
2003 2915 172.0 16.9 n/a
2004 3034 173.3 17.5 0.2
2005 3160 175.4 18.0 1.9
2006 3140 172.9 18.2 10.4
2007 3220 176.4 18.3 11.1
2008 3231 178.7 18.1 11.9
2009 3217 180.1 17.9 15.4
2010 2710 148.6 18.2 17.3
2011 2491 118.2 21.0 23.2
2012 2169 109.5 19.8 16.1
2013 2010 98.4 20.4 1.6
2014 2016 89.5 22.5 0.6
2015 2000 82.0 24.3 0.3
2016 1914 85.0 22.5 0.9
2017 1779 79.1 22.4 30.6
2018 1607 74.5 21.5 28.9
2019 1489 76.4 19.4 33
2020 1444 74.4 19.4 31.9
2021 1119 62.2 17.9 n/a
2022 1411 62.4 22.6 12.4
2023 1430 65.5 21.8 35.9

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 Mesquite High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 1066 57.8 18.4 n/a
2000 1334 108.5 12.3 n/a
2001 2509 110.5 22.7 n/a
2002 2915 172.0 16.9 n/a
2003 2915 172.0 16.9 n/a
2004 3034 173.3 17.5 0.2
2005 3160 175.4 18.0 1.9
2006 3140 172.9 18.2 10.4
2007 3220 176.4 18.3 11.1
2008 3231 178.7 18.1 11.9
2009 3217 180.1 17.9 15.4
2010 2710 148.6 18.2 17.3
2011 2491 118.2 21.0 23.2
2012 2169 109.5 19.8 16.1
2013 2010 98.4 20.4 1.6
2014 2016 89.5 22.5 0.6
2015 2000 82.0 24.3 0.3
2016 1914 85.0 22.5 0.9
2017 1779 79.1 22.4 30.6
2018 1607 74.5 21.5 28.9
2019 1489 76.4 19.4 33
2020 1444 74.4 19.4 31.9
2021 1119 62.2 17.9 n/a
2022 1411 62.4 22.6 12.4
2023 1430 65.5 21.8 35.9

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 Mesquite High 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 $146 (1.5%) $134 (1.4%) $426 (4.3%) $7,251 (73.7%) $2,303 (23.4%) $9,554 (97.2%) $9,834
2020 $63 (0.9%) $176 (2.6%) $301 (4.4%) $6,207 (90.3%) $424 (6.2%) $6,631 (96.5%) $6,870
2021 $56 (0.7%) $302 (3.8%) $413 (5.2%) $7,131 (89.2%) $503 (6.3%) $7,634 (95.5%) $7,991
2022 $49 (0.7%) $10 (0.1%) $108 (1.5%) $6,507 (93.4%) $403 (5.8%) $6,910 (99.2%) $6,969

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Mesquite High 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 207th of 285 High schoolsRanks 186th of 469 High schools
 33%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students14891430
 4%
African American8283
 1.2%
American Indian1528
 86.7%
Asian7350
 31.5%
Hispanic440565
 28.4%
Pacific Islander38
 166.7%
White810612
 24.4%
Two or More Races6684
 27.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients33%35.9%
 3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Mesquite High School

Students at Mesquite High School are 43% White, 40% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 6% African American, 3% Asian, 2% American Indian.

Mesquite High School ranks 127th of 259 Arizona high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,430 students attended Mesquite 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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