Boulder Creek Elementary

Summary:

Boulder Creek Elementary is a public elementary school located in Mesa, Arizona, serving grades PK-6 with a student population of 465. 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.

While Boulder Creek Elementary has a relatively diverse student population, with 54.41% White, 32.04% Hispanic, and smaller percentages of other racial groups, its academic performance, as measured by the percentage of students proficient or better in AASA English Language Arts and Mathematics, is generally lower than the Gilbert Unified District and the state of Arizona averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Boulder Creek's 3rd-grade ELA proficiency was 52%, compared to 59% for the district and 39% for the state. Additionally, the school has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 39.78% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is higher than some of the nearby schools, such as Towne Meadows Elementary (26.85%) and Highland Park Elementary (14.9%).

Despite the school's academic performance being below the district and state averages, Boulder Creek Elementary has maintained a consistent 3-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past several years, indicating that it is performing at an average level compared to other elementary schools in Arizona. The nearby schools, such as Towne Meadows Elementary, Highland Park Elementary, and Carol Rae Ranch Elementary, generally outperform Boulder Creek Elementary in academic measures, have lower percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, and have higher SchoolDigger ratings.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 8045 E Portobello Ave
       Mesa, AZ  85212-1690


(480) 507-1404

District: Gilbert Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
345th of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,569 Help


Students who attend Boulder Creek Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Desert Ridge Junior High
High:    Desert Ridge High

Student/teacher ratio:  11.7 Help
Number of students:  465

Racial breakdown:

White:
54.4%
Hispanic:
32.0%
African American:
5.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  39.8% Help


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 Compare Boulder Creek Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Boulder Creek Elementary ranks better than 61.8% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 20th among 26 ranked elementary schools in the Gilbert Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 57.41. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (54.4%), Hispanic (32%), African American (5.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 39.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Boulder Creek Elementary is 11.7, which is the 3rd best among 26 elementary schools in the Gilbert Unified District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Boulder Creek Elementary employs 39.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Boulder Creek Elementary is $9,569, which is the 9th highest among 26 elementary schools in the Gilbert Unified District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Boulder Creek Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Boulder Creek Elementary 345th of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Boulder Creek Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Gilbert Unified District:

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


What do you think?

Your rating for Boulder Creek Elementary?

Rank History for Boulder Creek Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 72.11 318th 1062 70.1%
2010 68.66 349th 1090 68.0%
2011 66.16 362nd 1075 66.3%
2012 69.24 335th 1141 70.6%
2013 67.48 363rd 1158 68.7%
2014 64.30 390th 1079 63.9%
2015 52.99 391st 955 59.1%
2016 52.90 459th 1079 57.5%
2017 48.96 501st 1106 54.7%
2018 54.71 455th 1109 59.0%
2019 40.04 561st 1039 46.0%
2021 65.93 379th 1226 69.1%
2022 47.49 465th 1000 53.5%
2023 58.38 451st 1245 63.8%
2024 57.41 345th 904 61.8%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 53.79 401st 1027 61.0%
2022 15.33 433rd 444 2.5%
2023 30.22 504th 617 18.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 46.61 290th 975 70.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.76 337th 417 19.2%
2021 52.16 399th 1201 66.8%
2023 49.28 343rd 820 58.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.58 300th 820 63.4%
2022 51.67 301st 618 51.3%
2023 57.47 387th 1116 65.3%
2024 57.03 190th 546 65.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.74 24th 60 60.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 49.65 123rd 423 70.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.94 405th 1023 60.4%
2019 35.00 530th 862 38.5%
2021 65.40 369th 1219 69.7%
2022 46.09 457th 824 44.5%
2023 57.30 461st 1219 62.2%
2024 40.78 352nd 593 40.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 75.18 12th 306 96.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.98 472nd 1032 54.3%
2019 35.92 495th 850 41.8%
2021 64.28 390th 1220 68.0%
2022 40.98 491st 830 40.8%
2023 55.18 481st 1216 60.4%
2024 48.93 295th 609 51.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 46.93 383rd 620 38.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 50.44 319th 895 64.4%
2023 58.99 222nd 607 63.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.47 572nd 911 37.2%
2019 35.92 435th 709 38.6%
2021 58.84 399th 1198 66.7%
2022 49.09 367th 716 48.7%
2023 47.21 552nd 1170 52.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Boulder Creek Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.67 411th 720 42.9%
2019 24.09 485th 595 18.5%
2021 60.43 407th 1161 64.9%
2022 39.83 506th 800 36.8%
2023 48.65 513th 1024 49.9%
2024 32.09 347th 477 27.3%
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.

Boulder Creek Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4.2)
80%

0%

0%

0%

20%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, April 11, 2024

Open Quote I am so glad we chose to put our kids in Boulder Creek. All three of our kids were identified as gifted very young, so we really thought about what schools would be best for them. We considered charter schools, other schools in the district that had higher test scores, or schools with more robust gifted programming. Ultimately, we decided to stay with our neighborhood school, and it has been a wonderful experience. My kids had good teachers that found creative ways to challenge and engage them, they made good friends from all sorts of different backgrounds and our whole family has enjoyed the strong sense of community we get from going to our neighborhood school. I’ve had the opportunity to be involved with the school, volunteering in different classrooms as well as with the PTSO and it has been inspiring to see the dedication and creative problem solving of the teachers and staff. I feel confident sending my children to Boulder Creek, and I brag all the time about the school garden, the therapy dog, the yoga and mindfulness classes that have made the elementary experience even richer for my family. My older two kids have gone on to rigorous gifted programs in middle and high school, and I feel like Boulder Creek prepared them well in terms of academics, work ethic, character and social skills. Choosing Boulder Creek has been a great decision. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Open Quote I have had children at Boulder Creek for the past 12 years and we have never had a bad experience. Even though we have moved out of boundary, we kept our younger children at this school because we love the staff and teachers. We have seen lots of changes through the years, both in the school and in the neighborhood. The staff has changed to meet the needs of the changing community. We'll miss it when our youngest graduates in 2 years. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Open Quote Boulder Creek exceeds my expectations. Their teachers are top notch and they care about their students. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, August 13, 2009

Open Quote This school make you feel so unwelcome. You are not allowed to view your child's class freely at any time. So education is not a concern for the teachers. You need a pass just to step on their grass or even pick your child up after school and so much more to say about that school. If I had my way I would go back to zaharis. Now that's a school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Boulder Creek Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2001 960 33 21 160 7 n/a n/a 0 1181
2002 559 18 13 178 13 n/a n/a 0 781
2003 559 18 13 178 13 n/a n/a 0 781
2004 602 19 11 208 16 n/a n/a 0 856
2005 644 27 19 212 10 n/a n/a 0 912
2006 596 31 21 217 11 n/a n/a 0 876
2007 584 42 30 205 12 n/a n/a 0 873
2008 575 61 25 229 11 n/a n/a 0 901
2009 557 50 22 234 12 n/a n/a 0 875
2010 539 41 22 207 8 n/a n/a 0 817
2011 479 27 17 179 2 2 8 0 714
2012 451 28 14 166 6 4 14 0 683
2013 447 22 8 181 5 1 16 0 680
2014 430 25 9 202 3 2 25 0 696
2015 428 26 12 188 2 2 32 0 690
2016 389 20 11 192 5 5 36 0 658
2017 384 16 10 205 3 2 31 0 651
2018 336 22 8 185 6 2 33 0 592
2019 322 28 9 178 6 3 35 0 581
2020 291 33 5 180 8 9 39 0 565
2021 272 28 4 177 5 12 27 0 525
2022 279 25 5 185 6 5 27 0 532
2023 253 25 5 149 7 6 20 0 465

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 Boulder Creek Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 1181 54.0 21.9 n/a
2002 781 45.8 17.1 22.2
2003 781 45.8 17.1 22.2
2004 856 44.6 19.2 20.1
2005 912 48.6 18.8 12.7
2006 876 48.6 18.0 31.1
2007 873 50.9 17.2 28.5
2008 901 49.5 18.2 30.4
2009 875 52.3 16.7 35.8
2010 817 50.1 16.2 36.5
2011 714 47.9 14.8 39.1
2012 683 45.0 15.1 27.8
2013 680 44.6 15.2 1.8
2014 696 42.9 16.1 0.7
2015 690 42.0 16.4 0.7
2016 658 41.0 16.0 1.5
2017 651 39.9 16.2 35.8
2018 592 41.4 14.2 38.9
2019 581 43.5 13.3 37.9
2020 565 40.5 13.9 36.8
2021 525 33.0 15.9 n/a
2022 532 37.1 14.3 18
2023 465 39.5 11.7 39.8

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 Boulder Creek Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2001 1181 54.0 21.9 n/a
2002 781 45.8 17.1 22.2
2003 781 45.8 17.1 22.2
2004 856 44.6 19.2 20.1
2005 912 48.6 18.8 12.7
2006 876 48.6 18.0 31.1
2007 873 50.9 17.2 28.5
2008 901 49.5 18.2 30.4
2009 875 52.3 16.7 35.8
2010 817 50.1 16.2 36.5
2011 714 47.9 14.8 39.1
2012 683 45.0 15.1 27.8
2013 680 44.6 15.2 1.8
2014 696 42.9 16.1 0.7
2015 690 42.0 16.4 0.7
2016 658 41.0 16.0 1.5
2017 651 39.9 16.2 35.8
2018 592 41.4 14.2 38.9
2019 581 43.5 13.3 37.9
2020 565 40.5 13.9 36.8
2021 525 33.0 15.9 n/a
2022 532 37.1 14.3 18
2023 465 39.5 11.7 39.8

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 Boulder Creek Elementary

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,136 (10.5%) $10,127 (94.0%) $10,776
2020 $1,012 (11.8%) $7,974 (93.1%) $8,566
2021 $1,331 (15.0%) $7,962 (89.6%) $8,882
2022 $1,621 (16.9%) $8,418 (88.0%) $9,569

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Boulder Creek 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 561st of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 451st of 1245 Elementary schools
 17.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students581465
 20%
African American2825
 10.7%
American Indian67
 16.7%
Asian95
 44.4%
Hispanic178149
 16.3%
Pacific Islander36
 100%
White322253
 21.4%
Two or More Races3520
 42.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients37.9%39.8%
 1.9%


Schools Near Boulder Creek Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Boulder Creek Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 465 students attended Boulder Creek Elementary.

Students who attend Boulder Creek Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Desert Ridge Junior High
High : Desert Ridge High

Boulder Creek Elementary ranks 345th of 904 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Boulder Creek Elementary are 54% White, 32% Hispanic, 5% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 1% Pacific Islander, 1% Asian.


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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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