J. O. Combs Middle School

Summary:

J. O. Combs Middle School is a public school serving grades K-8 in the J O Combs Unified School District in San Tan Valley, Arizona, with an enrollment of 655 students. The school has seen a steady increase in its dropout rate over the past few years, rising from 0.4% in 2017-2018 to 3.5% in 2021-2022.

J. O. Combs Middle School consistently underperforms the state average in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, only 26% of 7th graders and 27% of 8th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 41% and 35%, respectively. The school's Mathematics proficiency rates are even lower, with only 21% of 7th graders and 19% of 8th graders meeting or exceeding standards, compared to the state averages of 30% and 28%. Additionally, the school has seen a significant increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 17.15% in 2021-2022 to 44.89% in 2022-2023, suggesting a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

When comparing J. O. Combs Middle School to the nearby Combs Traditional Academy, which is just 0.8 miles away, the performance gap is evident. Combs Traditional Academy consistently outperforms J. O. Combs Middle School in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency across all grade levels. The student-teacher ratio at J. O. Combs Middle School has remained relatively high, ranging from 23.4 to 25 students per teacher over the past three school years, which can affect the level of individual attention and support students receive.


Detail:

Public K-8

 37611 N Pecan Crk
       San Tan Valley, AZ  85140-5100


(480) 882-3510

District: J O Combs Unified School District

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $5,736 Help


Students who attend J. O. Combs Middle School usually attend:

High:    Combs High School

Student/teacher ratio:  23.4 Help
Number of students:  655

Racial breakdown:

White:
51.6%
Hispanic:
35.7%
Two or more races:
6.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  44.9% Help


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 Compare J. O. Combs Middle School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details J. O. Combs Middle School ranks worse than 73.7% of middle schools in Arizona. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.59. (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 J. O. Combs Middle School has the largest elementary school student body size in the J O Combs Unified School District. Racial makeup is: White (51.6%), Hispanic (35.7%), two or more races (6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 44.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at J. O. Combs Middle School is 23.4. 4 elementary schools in the J O Combs Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare J. O. Combs Middle School employs 27.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at J. O. Combs Middle School is $5,736, which is the lowest among 6 elementary schools in the J O Combs Unified School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

J. O. Combs Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks J. O. Combs Middle School 393rd of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See J. O. Combs 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:


J O Combs Unified School District:

SchoolDigger ranks J O Combs Unified School District 216th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for J. O. Combs Middle School

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Rank History for all students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 45.70 354th 663 46.6%
2010 48.21 347th 692 49.9%
2011 54.79 296th 685 56.8%
2012 52.22 362nd 772 53.1%
2013 55.05 348th 787 55.8%
2014 47.54 350th 690 49.3%
2015 31.43 327th 521 37.2%
2016 38.89 371st 677 45.2%
2017 38.88 381st 695 45.2%
2018 34.14 436th 711 38.7%
2019 33.87 357th 605 41.0%
2021 36.29 468th 832 43.8%
2022 24.53 429th 605 29.1%
2023 33.15 515th 854 39.7%
2024 21.59 393rd 533 26.3%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 48.06 300th 650 53.8%
2023 7.20 380th 384 1.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 42.31 196th 606 67.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.45 140th 178 21.3%
2021 32.91 563rd 789 28.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.17 345th 503 31.4%
2022 21.68 299th 369 19.0%
2023 35.89 435th 717 39.3%
2024 18.64 267th 314 15.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 33.31 143rd 257 44.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.44 400th 624 35.9%
2019 29.26 313th 466 32.8%
2021 34.12 486th 820 40.7%
2022 18.20 418th 494 15.4%
2023 33.52 485th 806 39.8%
2024 16.19 319th 379 15.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 31.16 129th 166 22.3%
2023 53.61 18th 37 51.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.42 415th 617 32.7%
2019 27.65 293rd 435 32.6%
2021 40.27 412th 818 49.6%
2022 22.36 366th 476 23.1%
2023 31.23 530th 810 34.6%
2024 14.93 305th 356 14.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.77 260th 404 35.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 37.57 322nd 573 43.8%
2023 40.38 233rd 400 41.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.47 439th 543 19.2%
2019 22.18 312th 387 19.4%
2021 31.82 528th 802 34.2%
2022 14.22 365th 392 6.9%
2023 29.62 527th 760 30.7%
2024 19.12 260th 322 19.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 27.92 361st 390 7.4%
2023 22.53 117th 159 26.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 52.84 39th 108 63.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at J. O. Combs Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.39 363rd 436 16.7%
2019 20.24 278th 337 17.5%
2021 36.72 511th 780 34.5%
2022 14.64 404th 446 9.4%
2023 22.87 550th 675 18.5%
2024 7.21 262nd 273 4.0%
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.

J. O. Combs Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a teacher
Saturday, August 4, 2018

Open Quote Best place to be. Some of the best students. Close Quote



Enrollment information for J. O. Combs Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 190 0 1 46 0 n/a n/a 29 266
1989 214 2 0 69 0 n/a n/a -25 260
1990 203 2 n/a 67 1 n/a n/a -13 260
1991 197 2 2 67 0 n/a n/a -29 239
1992 153 0 3 63 3 n/a n/a -1 221
1993 142 2 3 70 2 n/a n/a 0 219
1994 132 2 1 76 3 n/a n/a 0 214
1995 153 2 1 89 3 n/a n/a 0 248
1996 153 2 1 89 3 n/a n/a 0 248
1997 113 3 1 96 2 n/a n/a 0 215
1998 137 3 2 88 2 n/a n/a 0 232
1999 155 1 2 95 6 n/a n/a 0 259
2000 173 1 2 98 4 n/a n/a 0 278
2001 212 2 4 109 3 n/a n/a 0 330
2002 266 5 6 157 3 n/a n/a 0 437
2003 266 5 6 157 3 n/a n/a 0 437
2004 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 0
2005 175 6 5 96 4 n/a n/a 0 286
2006 246 11 2 108 3 n/a n/a 0 370
2007 363 38 15 172 2 n/a n/a 0 590
2008 581 58 26 306 6 n/a n/a 0 977
2009 433 43 20 204 8 n/a n/a 0 708
2010 650 63 24 302 27 n/a n/a 0 1066
2011 419 29 4 214 17 7 7 0 697
2012 673 52 10 305 21 9 19 0 1089
2013 411 34 11 210 9 6 15 0 696
2014 405 34 12 196 4 2 12 0 665
2015 426 27 9 206 8 6 16 0 698
2016 387 28 12 199 5 5 17 0 653
2017 384 30 14 211 8 4 23 0 674
2018 419 23 10 230 17 3 26 0 728
2019 407 23 6 221 14 2 30 0 703
2020 386 32 6 242 15 4 38 0 723
2021 350 25 7 254 8 5 25 0 674
2022 361 25 4 235 6 3 25 0 659
2023 338 23 5 234 14 2 39 0 655

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 J. O. Combs Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 266 11.0 24.1 n/a
1989 260 12.0 21.6 n/a
1990 260 12.0 21.6 n/a
1991 239 12.0 19.9 n/a
1992 221 11.0 20.0 n/a
1993 219 11.0 19.9 n/a
1994 214 11.0 19.5 n/a
1995 248 12.0 20.7 n/a
1996 248 12.0 20.7 n/a
1997 215 13.0 16.5 n/a
1998 232 12.0 19.3 n/a
1999 259 13.0 19.9 n/a
2000 278 16.0 17.4 n/a
2001 330 15.3 21.6 n/a
2002 437 22.5 19.4 53.5
2003 437 22.5 19.4 53.5
2004 0 1.0 0.0 n/a
2005 286 15.0 19.1 50.3
2006 370 23.0 16.1 45.1
2007 590 29.3 20.1 36.3
2008 977 42.3 23.1 33.6
2009 708 35.0 20.2 35
2010 1066 51.9 20.5 45.4
2011 697 46.0 15.1 49.6
2012 1089 46.0 23.6 43.8
2013 696 31.8 21.8 44.7
2014 665 30.2 22.0 44.5
2015 698 28.0 24.9 46.7
2016 653 28.0 23.3 49.2
2017 674 26.6 25.3 54.5
2018 728 n/a n/a 47.9
2019 703 20.6 34.1 44
2020 723 19.8 36.5 46.9
2021 674 26.9 25.0 n/a
2022 659 26.4 24.9 17.1
2023 655 27.9 23.4 44.9

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 J. O. Combs Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 266 11.0 24.1 n/a
1989 260 12.0 21.6 n/a
1990 260 12.0 21.6 n/a
1991 239 12.0 19.9 n/a
1992 221 11.0 20.0 n/a
1993 219 11.0 19.9 n/a
1994 214 11.0 19.5 n/a
1995 248 12.0 20.7 n/a
1996 248 12.0 20.7 n/a
1997 215 13.0 16.5 n/a
1998 232 12.0 19.3 n/a
1999 259 13.0 19.9 n/a
2000 278 16.0 17.4 n/a
2001 330 15.3 21.6 n/a
2002 437 22.5 19.4 53.5
2003 437 22.5 19.4 53.5
2004 0 1.0 0.0 n/a
2005 286 15.0 19.1 50.3
2006 370 23.0 16.1 45.1
2007 590 29.3 20.1 36.3
2008 977 42.3 23.1 33.6
2009 708 35.0 20.2 35
2010 1066 51.9 20.5 45.4
2011 697 46.0 15.1 49.6
2012 1089 46.0 23.6 43.8
2013 696 31.8 21.8 44.7
2014 665 30.2 22.0 44.5
2015 698 28.0 24.9 46.7
2016 653 28.0 23.3 49.2
2017 674 26.6 25.3 54.5
2018 728 n/a n/a 47.9
2019 703 20.6 34.1 44
2020 723 19.8 36.5 46.9
2021 674 26.9 25.0 n/a
2022 659 26.4 24.9 17.1
2023 655 27.9 23.4 44.9

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 J. O. Combs Middle 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 $476 (6.7%) $111 (1.6%) $1,063 (15.1%) $5,488 (77.7%) $988 (14.0%) $6,476 (91.7%) $7,063
2020 $276 (5.8%) $288 (6.0%) $840 (17.6%) $3,893 (81.7%) $310 (6.5%) $4,203 (88.2%) $4,767
2021 $412 (7.4%) $695 (12.4%) $1,520 (27.1%) $4,258 (76.0%) $235 (4.2%) $4,494 (80.2%) $5,602
2022 $521 (9.1%) $52 (0.9%) $1,094 (19.1%) $4,572 (79.7%) $591 (10.3%) $5,163 (90.0%) $5,736

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

Impact of COVID-19 on J. O. Combs 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 357th of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 515th of 854 Middle schools
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students703655
 6.8%
African American2323
American Indian1414
Asian65
 16.7%
Hispanic221234
 5.9%
Pacific Islander22
White407338
 17%
Two or More Races3039
 30%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients44%44.9%
 0.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about J. O. Combs Middle School

In the 2022-23 school year, 655 students attended J. O. Combs Middle School.

Students who attend J. O. Combs Middle School usually go on to attend:

High : Combs High School

Students at J. O. Combs Middle School are 52% White, 36% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 4% African American, 2% American Indian.


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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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