Emerson Elementary School

Summary:

Emerson Elementary School is a public elementary school in Mesa, Arizona, serving 735 students in grades PK-6. The school is part of the Mesa Unified District, which has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger, and Emerson Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Arizona elementary schools with a 0-1 star rating.

Emerson Elementary faces significant challenges in supporting the academic achievement of its diverse student population. The school has a higher percentage of Hispanic (54.69%), Native American (3.27%), and Pacific Islander (1.77%) students compared to the state average. Academically, Emerson Elementary consistently underperforms the state and district averages in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 27% of 3rd graders, 25% of 4th graders, 16% of 5th graders, and 21% of 6th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 39%, 46%, 38%, and 43%, respectively. The school also struggles to support the academic achievement of Hispanic, English Language Learner, and Special Education students, ranking in the bottom 10% of Arizona elementary schools for these subgroups.

Emerson Elementary's performance has been declining over the past several years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 695 out of 1,106 Arizona elementary schools in 2016-2017 to 842 out of 904 in 2023-2024. Nearby schools, such as Franklin Accelerated Academy - Downtown Campus and Eisenhower Center for Innovation, which are also part of the Mesa Unified District, outperform Emerson Elementary across all grade levels and subject areas. Addressing the school's performance gaps, especially for its Hispanic, English Language Learner, and Special Education students, should be a priority for the district.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 415 N Westwood
       Mesa, AZ  85201-5530


(480) 472-4700

District: Mesa Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
842nd of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,225 Help


Students who attend Emerson Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Carson Junior High School
High:    Westwood High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.8 Help
Number of students:  735

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
54.7%
White:
27.6%
African American:
7.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  69.9% Help


 See top rated Arizona elementary schools

 Compare Emerson Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Emerson Elementary School ranks worse than 93.1% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 46th among 51 ranked elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.45. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (54.7%), White (27.6%), African American (7.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 69.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Emerson Elementary School is 16.8. 47 elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Emerson Elementary School employs 43.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Emerson Elementary School is $7,225. 49 elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Emerson Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Emerson Elementary School 842nd of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Emerson Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Mesa Unified District:

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


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Your rating for Emerson Elementary School?

Rank History for Emerson Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 22.34 898th 1062 15.4%
2010 29.35 817th 1090 25.0%
2011 29.54 800th 1075 25.6%
2012 36.79 795th 1141 30.3%
2013 35.64 818th 1158 29.4%
2014 27.83 814th 1079 24.6%
2015 19.03 790th 955 17.3%
2016 30.36 722nd 1079 33.1%
2017 34.26 695th 1106 37.2%
2018 32.04 729th 1109 34.3%
2019 23.11 782nd 1039 24.7%
2021 28.75 811th 1226 33.8%
2022 13.74 867th 1000 13.3%
2023 20.77 990th 1245 20.5%
2024 11.45 842nd 904 6.9%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 24.38 863rd 1027 16.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.30 85th 155 45.2%
2021 39.29 545th 975 44.1%
2023 20.17 392nd 451 13.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.40 159th 417 61.9%
2021 44.93 533rd 1201 55.6%
2023 14.97 804th 820 2.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.31 596th 820 27.3%
2022 12.00 601st 618 2.8%
2023 19.19 996th 1116 10.8%
2024 9.57 535th 546 2.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 43.49 189th 423 55.3%
2023 62.90 34th 102 66.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.83 762nd 1023 25.5%
2019 18.17 718th 862 16.7%
2021 26.11 890th 1219 27.0%
2022 10.04 784th 824 4.9%
2023 17.20 1059th 1219 13.1%
2024 5.68 583rd 593 1.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 54.13 61st 306 80.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.17 589th 1032 42.9%
2019 14.94 745th 850 12.4%
2021 33.63 749th 1220 38.6%
2022 12.05 768th 830 7.5%
2023 23.13 940th 1216 22.7%
2024 5.39 601st 609 1.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 33.46 631st 895 29.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.02 742nd 911 18.6%
2019 17.91 621st 709 12.4%
2021 24.28 965th 1198 19.4%
2023 15.98 1090th 1170 6.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.13 310th 654 52.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.92 113th 171 33.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Emerson Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.06 409th 720 43.2%
2019 29.55 450th 595 24.4%
2021 52.51 525th 1161 54.8%
2022 27.45 641st 800 19.9%
2023 35.78 670th 1024 34.6%
2024 29.15 366th 477 23.3%
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.

Emerson Elementary 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: 4)
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100%

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Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, January 4, 2010

Open Quote Emerson is a wonderful school!! Our principal Mark Norris is amazing. He truly cares for the students and staff at Emerson. He is fair to all students and treats them with respect. The teachers really care about their students too. The staff is very welcoming to parents. Parents are encouraged to come and visit the new Parent Resource room. Overall I think Emerson is awesome!!!!! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Emerson Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 698 9 5 103 23 n/a n/a 10 848
1989 752 8 4 114 24 n/a n/a -57 845
1990 737 10 4 117 31 n/a n/a -58 841
1991 717 14 8 118 28 n/a n/a -17 868
1992 706 24 6 174 31 n/a n/a 0 941
1993 672 22 9 204 48 n/a n/a 0 955
1994 662 21 9 209 52 n/a n/a 0 953
1995 589 33 11 313 36 n/a n/a 0 982
1996 589 33 11 313 36 n/a n/a 0 982
1997 525 44 8 375 35 n/a n/a 0 987
1998 480 46 11 386 47 n/a n/a 0 970
1999 456 47 6 413 45 n/a n/a 0 967
2000 395 36 8 414 42 n/a n/a 0 895
2001 379 58 8 488 45 n/a n/a 0 978
2002 356 53 8 550 42 n/a n/a 0 1009
2003 356 53 8 550 42 n/a n/a 0 1009
2004 305 48 13 559 49 n/a n/a 0 974
2005 299 52 10 570 52 n/a n/a 0 983
2006 261 44 6 580 55 n/a n/a 0 946
2007 246 77 8 547 55 n/a n/a 0 933
2008 217 55 6 515 55 n/a n/a 0 848
2009 220 61 5 480 55 n/a n/a 0 821
2010 236 61 6 468 81 n/a n/a 0 852
2011 254 47 10 431 87 0 1 0 830
2012 230 47 16 430 62 2 7 0 794
2013 264 60 9 433 56 1 5 0 828
2014 261 53 10 440 67 0 14 0 845
2015 245 64 10 436 56 1 16 0 828
2016 242 75 4 434 46 2 11 0 814
2017 219 74 6 449 46 7 16 0 817
2018 240 69 4 435 43 9 24 0 824
2019 226 73 6 436 44 11 32 0 828
2020 259 64 5 437 40 15 34 0 854
2021 179 69 8 408 43 11 30 0 748
2022 220 46 5 386 34 8 32 0 731
2023 203 58 4 402 24 13 31 0 735

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 Emerson Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 848 41.3 20.5 n/a
1989 845 45.0 18.7 n/a
1990 841 45.0 18.6 n/a
1991 868 44.0 19.7 n/a
1992 941 44.5 21.1 n/a
1993 955 45.0 21.2 n/a
1994 953 46.0 20.7 n/a
1995 982 50.3 19.5 n/a
1996 982 50.3 19.5 n/a
1997 987 49.5 19.9 n/a
1998 970 50.5 19.2 n/a
1999 967 47.6 20.3 n/a
2000 895 47.2 19.0 n/a
2001 978 46.3 21.1 n/a
2002 1009 47.7 21.2 77.8
2003 1009 47.7 21.2 77.8
2004 974 48.5 20.1 96.1
2005 983 45.7 21.5 95
2006 946 45.0 21.0 99.7
2007 933 46.1 20.2 74.9
2008 848 44.7 19.0 77
2009 821 42.0 19.5 73.2
2010 852 42.3 20.1 77.3
2011 830 41.4 20.0 81.7
2012 794 41.2 19.2 81.2
2013 828 41.8 19.7 79.3
2014 845 40.1 21.0 79.2
2015 828 41.0 20.1 67.1
2016 814 40.0 20.3 78
2017 817 42.9 19.0 83.2
2018 824 39.7 20.7 77.9
2019 828 40.6 20.3 78.9
2020 854 38.9 21.9 73.9
2021 748 37.0 20.1 n/a
2022 731 39.1 18.6 33.7
2023 735 43.6 16.8 69.9

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 Emerson Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 848 41.3 20.5 n/a
1989 845 45.0 18.7 n/a
1990 841 45.0 18.6 n/a
1991 868 44.0 19.7 n/a
1992 941 44.5 21.1 n/a
1993 955 45.0 21.2 n/a
1994 953 46.0 20.7 n/a
1995 982 50.3 19.5 n/a
1996 982 50.3 19.5 n/a
1997 987 49.5 19.9 n/a
1998 970 50.5 19.2 n/a
1999 967 47.6 20.3 n/a
2000 895 47.2 19.0 n/a
2001 978 46.3 21.1 n/a
2002 1009 47.7 21.2 77.8
2003 1009 47.7 21.2 77.8
2004 974 48.5 20.1 96.1
2005 983 45.7 21.5 95
2006 946 45.0 21.0 99.7
2007 933 46.1 20.2 74.9
2008 848 44.7 19.0 77
2009 821 42.0 19.5 73.2
2010 852 42.3 20.1 77.3
2011 830 41.4 20.0 81.7
2012 794 41.2 19.2 81.2
2013 828 41.8 19.7 79.3
2014 845 40.1 21.0 79.2
2015 828 41.0 20.1 67.1
2016 814 40.0 20.3 78
2017 817 42.9 19.0 83.2
2018 824 39.7 20.7 77.9
2019 828 40.6 20.3 78.9
2020 854 38.9 21.9 73.9
2021 748 37.0 20.1 n/a
2022 731 39.1 18.6 33.7
2023 735 43.6 16.8 69.9

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 Emerson Elementary 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 $148 (1.6%) $22 (0.2%) $318 (3.5%) $6,310 (68.6%) $2,712 (29.5%) $9,022 (98.2%) $9,192
2020 $541 (9.2%) $719 (12.2%) $1,801 (30.6%) $4,984 (84.6%) n/a $4,634 (78.6%) $5,894
2021 $525 (7.3%) $53 (0.7%) $1,104 (15.4%) $5,942 (82.9%) $647 (9.0%) $6,588 (91.9%) $7,167
2022 $625 (8.7%) $52 (0.7%) $1,302 (18.0%) $6,147 (85.1%) $402 (5.6%) $6,548 (90.6%) $7,225

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Emerson Elementary 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 782nd of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 990th of 1245 Elementary schools
 4.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students828735
 11.2%
African American7358
 20.5%
American Indian4424
 45.5%
Asian64
 33.3%
Hispanic436402
 7.8%
Pacific Islander1113
 18.2%
White226203
 10.2%
Two or More Races3231
 3.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients78.9%69.9%
 8.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Emerson Elementary School

Students at Emerson Elementary School are 55% Hispanic, 28% White, 8% African American, 4% Two or more races, 3% American Indian, 2% Pacific Islander.

Emerson Elementary School ranks in the bottom 6.9% of Arizona elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 735 students attended Emerson Elementary School.

Students who attend Emerson Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Carson Junior High School
High : Westwood 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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