Taft Elementary School

Summary:

Taft Elementary School is a public elementary school in Mesa, Arizona, serving grades PK-6 with a student population of 462. The school is part of the Mesa Unified District, which has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Taft Elementary has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with a higher percentage of Hispanic students (around 55%) and a lower percentage of White students (around 40%). Academically, Taft's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics are generally lower than the district and state averages. The school also has a higher percentage of students receiving special education services and a higher rate of free/reduced-price lunch recipients (around 69%) compared to nearby schools.

While Taft Elementary's academic performance is lower than that of some nearby schools, such as Zaharis Elementary and Patterson Elementary, it performs better than others, such as Salk Elementary and Stevenson Elementary. Additionally, Taft's per-student spending and student-teacher ratio have fluctuated in recent years, suggesting potential changes in resources and support for students.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 9800 E Quarterline Rd
       Mesa, AZ  85207-6228


(480) 472-9100

District: Mesa Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
524th of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,372 Help


Students who attend Taft Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Smith Junior High School
High:    Skyline High School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.4 Help
Number of students:  462

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
54.8%
White:
37.4%
Two or more races:
4.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  68.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Taft Elementary School ranks worse than 58% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 25th 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 34.78. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (54.8%), White (37.4%), two or more races (4.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 68.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Taft Elementary School is 12.4, which is the 8th best among 51 elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Taft Elementary School employs 37.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Taft Elementary School is $10,372, which is the 6th highest among 51 elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Taft Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Taft Elementary School 524th of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Taft Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary 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.)


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Your rating for Taft Elementary School?

Rank History for Taft Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 48.78 559th 1062 47.4%
2010 49.56 544th 1090 50.1%
2011 55.04 470th 1075 56.3%
2012 62.57 421st 1141 63.1%
2013 47.97 625th 1158 46.0%
2014 52.99 518th 1079 52.0%
2015 47.87 433rd 955 54.7%
2016 51.44 471st 1079 56.3%
2017 61.96 400th 1106 63.8%
2018 60.11 414th 1109 62.7%
2019 49.25 483rd 1039 53.5%
2021 49.04 544th 1226 55.6%
2022 38.37 560th 1000 44.0%
2023 49.48 560th 1245 55.0%
2024 34.78 524th 904 42.0%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 55.08 384th 1027 62.6%
2022 12.72 436th 444 1.8%
2023 15.57 582nd 617 5.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.29 545th 975 44.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.04 92nd 417 77.9%
2021 44.70 538th 1201 55.2%
2023 49.29 342nd 820 58.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.04 169th 820 79.4%
2022 34.31 426th 618 31.1%
2023 52.58 456th 1116 59.1%
2024 46.38 252nd 546 53.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 72.20 4th 7 42.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 31.86 324th 423 23.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.79 408th 1023 60.1%
2019 50.00 402nd 862 53.4%
2021 54.48 486th 1219 60.1%
2022 41.22 506th 824 38.6%
2023 48.54 543rd 1219 55.5%
2024 24.93 457th 593 22.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 30.32 218th 306 28.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.87 372nd 1032 64.0%
2019 34.31 513th 850 39.6%
2021 44.01 610th 1220 50.0%
2022 31.61 561st 830 32.4%
2023 50.27 537th 1216 55.8%
2024 25.26 456th 609 25.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 22.62 805th 895 10.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.75 302nd 911 66.8%
2019 51.46 304th 709 57.1%
2021 47.33 550th 1198 54.1%
2022 28.84 518th 716 27.7%
2023 44.81 591st 1170 49.5%
2024 43.20 240th 472 49.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Taft Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.08 408th 720 43.3%
2019 28.36 464th 595 22.0%
2021 48.16 592nd 1161 49.0%
2022 38.55 525th 800 34.4%
2023 43.51 574th 1024 43.9%
2024 18.55 423rd 477 11.3%
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.

Taft 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: 2.5)
0%

50%

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50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Open Quote This school has given my children great opportunities to learn using a variety of programs. I feel that their education is in good hands with the teachers and administrators at this school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Taft 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 884 9 1 127 12 n/a n/a -14 1019
1989 936 10 1 139 6 n/a n/a -377 715
1990 636 3 n/a 115 4 n/a n/a -56 702
1991 624 5 5 106 8 n/a n/a -45 703
1992 555 5 4 125 8 n/a n/a 1 698
1993 568 8 1 98 11 n/a n/a 0 686
1994 564 8 2 96 13 n/a n/a 0 683
1995 520 9 5 87 15 n/a n/a 0 636
1996 520 9 5 87 15 n/a n/a 0 636
1997 523 14 5 95 13 n/a n/a 0 650
1998 512 15 12 109 19 n/a n/a 0 667
1999 573 9 3 129 13 n/a n/a 0 727
2000 568 11 4 127 14 n/a n/a 0 724
2001 590 10 7 121 29 n/a n/a 0 757
2002 512 17 7 184 19 n/a n/a 0 739
2003 512 17 7 184 19 n/a n/a 0 739
2004 498 10 5 219 18 n/a n/a 0 750
2005 455 13 7 264 14 n/a n/a 0 753
2006 432 16 6 259 16 n/a n/a 0 729
2007 360 8 9 301 14 n/a n/a 0 692
2008 360 9 11 339 5 n/a n/a 0 724
2009 329 12 11 291 8 n/a n/a 0 651
2010 266 17 8 244 8 n/a n/a 0 543
2011 247 7 5 223 11 0 0 0 493
2012 271 8 6 212 9 0 6 0 512
2013 248 8 8 215 9 0 10 0 498
2014 230 3 5 221 2 0 7 0 468
2015 222 3 9 206 4 0 6 0 450
2016 225 4 1 208 4 5 10 0 457
2017 221 7 1 218 5 7 11 0 470
2018 205 11 0 246 8 3 9 0 482
2019 195 5 1 238 3 7 9 0 458
2020 222 4 1 242 3 4 18 0 494
2021 203 7 2 264 5 4 18 0 503
2022 218 7 2 266 2 1 20 0 516
2023 173 10 2 253 3 1 20 0 462

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 Taft Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1019 40.5 25.1 n/a
1989 715 31.0 23.0 n/a
1990 702 31.0 22.6 n/a
1991 703 31.0 22.6 n/a
1992 698 31.0 22.5 n/a
1993 686 33.0 20.8 n/a
1994 683 32.0 21.3 n/a
1995 636 34.8 18.3 n/a
1996 636 34.8 18.3 n/a
1997 650 36.1 18.0 n/a
1998 667 36.9 18.1 n/a
1999 727 40.0 18.2 n/a
2000 724 43.0 16.8 n/a
2001 757 44.7 16.9 n/a
2002 739 40.5 18.2 60.1
2003 739 40.5 18.2 60.1
2004 750 38.8 19.3 72.7
2005 753 40.3 18.7 73.4
2006 729 40.8 17.9 76.7
2007 692 42.1 16.4 68.6
2008 724 41.2 17.6 71.8
2009 651 41.7 15.6 66.2
2010 543 35.2 15.4 77.7
2011 493 31.1 15.8 75.3
2012 512 29.9 17.1 79.1
2013 498 28.1 17.6 76.3
2014 468 28.7 16.3 74.8
2015 450 29.0 15.5 73.6
2016 457 29.0 15.7 75.5
2017 470 30.2 15.5 83
2018 482 28.0 17.1 71.8
2019 458 27.3 16.7 69.9
2020 494 29.5 16.7 71.9
2021 503 34.2 14.7 n/a
2022 516 37.3 13.8 32.9
2023 462 37.2 12.4 68.8

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 Taft Elementary School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1019 40.5 25.1 n/a
1989 715 31.0 23.0 n/a
1990 702 31.0 22.6 n/a
1991 703 31.0 22.6 n/a
1992 698 31.0 22.5 n/a
1993 686 33.0 20.8 n/a
1994 683 32.0 21.3 n/a
1995 636 34.8 18.3 n/a
1996 636 34.8 18.3 n/a
1997 650 36.1 18.0 n/a
1998 667 36.9 18.1 n/a
1999 727 40.0 18.2 n/a
2000 724 43.0 16.8 n/a
2001 757 44.7 16.9 n/a
2002 739 40.5 18.2 60.1
2003 739 40.5 18.2 60.1
2004 750 38.8 19.3 72.7
2005 753 40.3 18.7 73.4
2006 729 40.8 17.9 76.7
2007 692 42.1 16.4 68.6
2008 724 41.2 17.6 71.8
2009 651 41.7 15.6 66.2
2010 543 35.2 15.4 77.7
2011 493 31.1 15.8 75.3
2012 512 29.9 17.1 79.1
2013 498 28.1 17.6 76.3
2014 468 28.7 16.3 74.8
2015 450 29.0 15.5 73.6
2016 457 29.0 15.7 75.5
2017 470 30.2 15.5 83
2018 482 28.0 17.1 71.8
2019 458 27.3 16.7 69.9
2020 494 29.5 16.7 71.9
2021 503 34.2 14.7 n/a
2022 516 37.3 13.8 32.9
2023 462 37.2 12.4 68.8

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 Taft 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 $358 (3.0%) $22 (0.2%) $739 (6.3%) $8,619 (73.1%) $2,785 (23.6%) $11,405 (96.8%) $11,785
2020 $1,091 (12.3%) $643 (7.2%) $2,825 (31.7%) $7,519 (84.5%) n/a $7,166 (80.5%) $8,900
2021 $1,132 (11.3%) $190 (1.9%) $2,454 (24.5%) $8,065 (80.4%) $646 (6.4%) $8,711 (86.8%) $10,033
2022 $728 (7.0%) $200 (1.9%) $1,656 (16.0%) $9,141 (88.1%) $303 (2.9%) $9,444 (91.1%) $10,372

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Taft 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 483rd of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 560th of 1245 Elementary schools
 1.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students458462
 0.9%
African American510
 100%
American Indian33
Asian12
 100%
Hispanic238253
 6.3%
Pacific Islander71
 85.7%
White195173
 11.3%
Two or More Races920
 122.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients69.9%68.8%
 1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Taft Elementary School

Students at Taft Elementary School are 55% Hispanic, 37% White, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American.

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

Middle : Smith Junior High School
High : Skyline High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 462 students attended Taft Elementary School.

Taft Elementary School ranks 524th of 904 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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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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