Carson Junior High School

Summary:

Carson Junior High School is a public middle school located in Mesa, Arizona, serving grades 7-9 with a total enrollment of 1,062 students. The school is part of the Mesa Unified District, which is ranked 179 out of 288 districts in Arizona and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Carson Junior High School has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic (56.97%) and Native American (11.86%) students compared to nearby schools, the school consistently performs below the district and state averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency across all grades. For example, in 2023-2024, only 20% of 7th graders and 13% of 8th graders were proficient in ELA, compared to the district's 36% and 29%, and the state's 41% and 35%, respectively. Additionally, the school has experienced a concerning increase in dropout rates, rising from 1.2% in 2019-2020 to 5.3% in 2021-2022. Carson Junior High School has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Arizona middle schools, with a ranking of 505 out of 533 schools in 2023-2024 and a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school's performance is particularly low for several student subgroups, including Hispanic, Native American, and Special Education students, who rank in the bottom 20-30% of Arizona middle schools. Furthermore, Carson Junior High School has a high percentage of students (69.96% in 2022-2023) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. These challenges require a comprehensive and targeted approach to address the underlying issues and support the success of all students at Carson Junior High School.


Detail:

Public 7-9

 525 N Westwood
       Mesa, AZ  85201-5527


(480) 472-2900

District: Mesa Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
505th of 533 Arizona Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,542 Help


Students who attend Carson Junior High School usually attend:

High:    Westwood High School

Feeder schools for Carson Junior High School:

Elementary:    Adams Elementary School
    Emerson Elementary School
    Webster Elementary School
    Whitman Elementary School
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  19.1 Help
Number of students:  1,062

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
57.0%
White:
17.6%
American Indian:
11.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  70% Help


 See top rated Arizona middle schools

 Compare Carson Junior High School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Carson Junior High School ranks worse than 94.7% of middle schools in Arizona. It also ranks 9th among 10 ranked middle schools in the Mesa Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.01. (See more...)
Help
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 Carson Junior High School has the largest middle school student body size in the Mesa Unified District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (57%), White (17.6%), American Indian (11.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 70% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Carson Junior High School is 19.1. 8 middle schools in the Mesa Unified District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Carson Junior High School employs 55.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Carson Junior High School is $6,542. 8 middle schools in the Mesa Unified District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Carson Junior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Carson Junior High School 505th of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Carson Junior High 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:


Mesa Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Mesa Unified District 179th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Carson Junior High School?

Rank History for Carson Junior High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 38.49 418th 663 37.0%
2010 30.17 523rd 692 24.4%
2011 33.47 474th 685 30.8%
2012 36.92 521st 772 32.5%
2013 37.16 524th 787 33.4%
2014 31.33 489th 690 29.1%
2015 22.67 411th 521 21.1%
2016 19.73 557th 677 17.7%
2017 23.11 534th 695 23.2%
2018 27.48 492nd 711 30.8%
2019 18.07 508th 605 16.0%
2021 21.23 673rd 832 19.1%
2022 10.47 571st 605 5.6%
2023 18.33 715th 854 16.3%
2024 10.01 505th 533 5.3%
See the entire list of Arizona Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 33.43 445th 650 31.5%
2022 4.23 209th 211 0.9%
2023 6.94 381st 384 0.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Carson Junior High 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 Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.17 158th 178 11.2%
2021 44.07 359th 789 54.5%
2023 15.22 352nd 363 3.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.34 380th 503 24.5%
2022 10.96 357th 369 3.3%
2023 18.49 633rd 717 11.7%
2024 9.59 310th 314 1.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.32 11th 13 15.4%
2021 32.57 172nd 257 33.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.85 508th 624 18.6%
2019 12.58 419th 466 10.1%
2021 20.01 700th 820 14.6%
2022 8.07 478th 494 3.2%
2023 16.55 718th 806 10.9%
2024 6.06 372nd 379 1.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 38.45 88th 166 47.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.25 432nd 617 30.0%
2019 14.20 384th 435 11.7%
2021 25.67 606th 818 25.9%
2022 8.69 456th 476 4.2%
2023 17.99 698th 810 13.8%
2024 6.01 349th 356 2.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 9.36 396th 404 2.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.17 103rd 125 17.6%
2021 33.23 388th 573 32.3%
2023 16.67 362nd 400 9.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.08 408th 543 24.9%
2019 19.52 328th 387 15.2%
2021 23.67 677th 802 15.6%
2022 11.67 378th 392 3.6%
2023 16.19 700th 760 7.9%
2024 10.26 312th 322 3.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.73 34th 62 45.2%
2019 37.57 7th 12 41.7%
2021 33.65 256th 390 34.4%
2023 13.70 137th 159 13.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 32.00 76th 108 29.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Carson Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.37 328th 436 24.8%
2019 18.27 285th 337 15.4%
2021 33.02 552nd 780 29.2%
2022 8.30 428th 446 4.0%
2023 26.43 518th 675 23.3%
2024 6.50 263rd 273 3.7%
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.

Carson Junior High 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: 3.7)
67%

0%

0%

0%

33%

  

by a parent
Thursday, September 2, 2021

Open Quote This is my son's first year at Carson and he loves it. He was nervous at first, just like any other kid going into 7th grade, but he has made friends and has gotten involved. He tells me about kids that aren't nice, but that can be found at any junior high school. I appreciate the communication from all the teachers and administrators. Everyone I have interacted with at the school seems to truly care about my son and they all seem happy to work at the school. 2 thumbs up! Close Quote


by a parent
Saturday, September 5, 2015

Open Quote My child has been enrolled for two weeks; we are withdrawing. This school is great if you feel your child would benefit from the following:

1) Kids who pull down their pants in class and twerk.
2) Out of control classrooms.
3) Dry humping and making out in the hallways
4) A majority of students are disrespectful, disruptive, and use foul language.
5) vulgar t-shirts/clothing
6) Fist fights
7) Low expectations on homework.

The honor's classes are fine; if they have room for your student. The general classes are terrible because of student behavior not the teacher's. Close Quote


by a citizen
Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Open Quote SEEM TO BE A VERY GOOD SCHOOL, LOOK OUT FOR THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS. THE PRICIPLE SEEMS TO BE AN OUTSTANDING PERSON. THE STAFF SEEM TO BE ON POINT. LOT OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND VERY DIVERSE. EXCELLENT Close Quote



Enrollment information for Carson Junior High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1173 33 13 152 135 n/a n/a -106 1400
1989 1226 37 8 181 95 n/a n/a -111 1436
1990 1223 28 8 233 94 n/a n/a -129 1457
1991 1195 34 6 241 83 n/a n/a -104 1455
1992 1085 37 5 236 99 n/a n/a 0 1462
1993 1018 50 15 267 136 n/a n/a 0 1486
1994 1038 62 14 299 138 n/a n/a 0 1551
1995 764 50 16 275 120 n/a n/a 0 1225
1996 764 50 16 275 120 n/a n/a 0 1225
1997 667 56 16 271 136 n/a n/a 0 1146
1998 649 58 14 299 120 n/a n/a 0 1140
1999 666 45 14 325 127 n/a n/a 0 1177
2000 677 53 15 375 138 n/a n/a 0 1258
2001 675 71 17 425 118 n/a n/a 0 1306
2002 569 73 27 508 127 n/a n/a 0 1304
2003 569 73 27 508 127 n/a n/a 0 1304
2004 532 64 21 536 141 n/a n/a 0 1294
2005 450 64 19 544 135 n/a n/a 0 1212
2006 458 67 21 625 144 n/a n/a 0 1315
2007 388 65 26 668 114 n/a n/a 0 1261
2008 337 66 24 698 109 n/a n/a 0 1234
2009 304 74 25 653 119 n/a n/a 0 1175
2010 292 80 28 592 117 n/a n/a 0 1109
2011 201 66 10 448 97 0 1 0 823
2012 183 48 17 454 94 0 5 0 801
2013 201 62 14 498 116 0 8 0 899
2014 206 85 21 577 134 0 3 0 1026
2015 197 63 27 568 126 0 11 0 992
2016 186 73 15 578 136 3 8 0 999
2017 229 83 9 567 146 9 13 0 1056
2018 199 84 9 567 126 11 23 0 1019
2019 200 84 7 645 127 16 25 0 1104
2020 228 84 8 645 127 13 34 0 1139
2021 197 73 5 651 147 16 34 0 1123
2022 186 82 8 633 162 21 33 0 1125
2023 187 83 4 605 126 18 39 0 1062

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 Carson Junior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1400 68.3 20.4 n/a
1989 1436 71.1 20.1 n/a
1990 1457 71.8 20.2 n/a
1991 1455 70.0 20.7 n/a
1992 1462 74.0 19.7 n/a
1993 1486 72.3 20.6 n/a
1994 1551 77.1 20.1 n/a
1995 1225 70.0 17.5 n/a
1996 1225 70.0 17.5 n/a
1997 1146 64.3 17.8 n/a
1998 1140 64.9 17.6 n/a
1999 1177 64.4 18.3 n/a
2000 1258 66.5 18.9 n/a
2001 1306 69.7 18.7 n/a
2002 1304 69.5 18.8 64
2003 1304 69.5 18.8 64
2004 1294 67.9 19.1 78.6
2005 1212 69.8 17.4 84.3
2006 1315 67.9 19.4 81.7
2007 1261 69.0 18.3 70.7
2008 1234 69.2 17.8 71.5
2009 1175 68.2 17.2 65.7
2010 1109 60.0 18.4 79.1
2011 823 54.6 15.0 80.3
2012 801 45.2 17.7 84.5
2013 899 48.0 18.7 81.8
2014 1026 55.7 18.4 82.1
2015 992 55.0 18.0 74.3
2016 999 49.0 20.3 82.9
2017 1056 56.0 18.8 81.3
2018 1019 52.0 19.5 79.9
2019 1104 54.5 20.2 76.9
2020 1139 57.2 19.8 75.9
2021 1123 57.7 19.4 n/a
2022 1125 57.8 19.4 33.8
2023 1062 55.5 19.1 70

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 Carson Junior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1400 68.3 20.4 n/a
1989 1436 71.1 20.1 n/a
1990 1457 71.8 20.2 n/a
1991 1455 70.0 20.7 n/a
1992 1462 74.0 19.7 n/a
1993 1486 72.3 20.6 n/a
1994 1551 77.1 20.1 n/a
1995 1225 70.0 17.5 n/a
1996 1225 70.0 17.5 n/a
1997 1146 64.3 17.8 n/a
1998 1140 64.9 17.6 n/a
1999 1177 64.4 18.3 n/a
2000 1258 66.5 18.9 n/a
2001 1306 69.7 18.7 n/a
2002 1304 69.5 18.8 64
2003 1304 69.5 18.8 64
2004 1294 67.9 19.1 78.6
2005 1212 69.8 17.4 84.3
2006 1315 67.9 19.4 81.7
2007 1261 69.0 18.3 70.7
2008 1234 69.2 17.8 71.5
2009 1175 68.2 17.2 65.7
2010 1109 60.0 18.4 79.1
2011 823 54.6 15.0 80.3
2012 801 45.2 17.7 84.5
2013 899 48.0 18.7 81.8
2014 1026 55.7 18.4 82.1
2015 992 55.0 18.0 74.3
2016 999 49.0 20.3 82.9
2017 1056 56.0 18.8 81.3
2018 1019 52.0 19.5 79.9
2019 1104 54.5 20.2 76.9
2020 1139 57.2 19.8 75.9
2021 1123 57.7 19.4 n/a
2022 1125 57.8 19.4 33.8
2023 1062 55.5 19.1 70

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 Carson Junior 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 $243 (2.7%) $25 (0.3%) $510 (5.6%) $6,501 (71.3%) $2,346 (25.7%) $8,847 (97.1%) $9,114
2020 $536 (9.8%) $509 (9.3%) $1,580 (28.8%) $4,773 (87.0%) n/a $4,442 (81.0%) $5,487
2021 $1,268 (19.2%) $178 (2.7%) $2,714 (41.2%) $4,529 (68.7%) $613 (9.3%) $5,142 (78.1%) $6,588
2022 $470 (7.2%) $142 (2.2%) $1,083 (16.6%) $5,177 (79.1%) $752 (11.5%) $5,929 (90.6%) $6,542

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Carson Junior 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 508th of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 715th of 854 Middle schools
 0.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11041062
 3.8%
African American8483
 1.2%
American Indian127126
 0.8%
Asian74
 42.9%
Hispanic645605
 6.2%
Pacific Islander1618
 12.5%
White200187
 6.5%
Two or More Races2539
 56%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients76.9%70%
 6.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Carson Junior High School

Carson Junior High School ranks in the bottom 5.3% of Arizona middle schools.

Students at Carson Junior High School are 57% Hispanic, 18% White, 12% American Indian, 8% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% Pacific Islander.

Students who attend Carson Junior High School usually go on to attend Westwood High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,062 students attended Carson Junior 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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