Smith Junior High School

Summary:

Smith Junior High School is a public middle school located in Mesa, Arizona, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 841 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.

Smith Junior High School faces several challenges, including lower academic performance compared to nearby schools. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics are consistently lower than the district and state averages. For example, in 2023-2024, only 33% of 7th-grade students and 25% of 8th-grade students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the district's 36% and 29%, and the state's 41% and 35%, respectively. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, ranging from 257 out of 690 Arizona middle schools in 2013-2014 (3 stars) to 525 out of 854 in 2022-2023 (2 stars), indicating a relative decline in performance compared to other middle schools in the state.

Interestingly, the nearby schools, such as Stapley Junior High, Franklin Junior High, and Highland Junior High, generally outperform Smith Junior High School in academic measures and statewide rankings. For example, Franklin Junior High, which is only 6.92 miles away, ranked 13th out of 533 Arizona middle schools in 2023-2024 and had significantly higher proficiency rates in ELA and Mathematics. Addressing the needs of the diverse student population and implementing targeted interventions to improve student outcomes should be a priority for Smith Junior High School and the Mesa Unified District.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 10100 E Adobe Rd
       Mesa, AZ  85207-5404


(480) 472-9900

District: Mesa Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
448th of 550 Arizona Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,326 Help


Students who attend Smith Junior High School usually attend:

High:    Skyline High School

Feeder schools for Smith Junior High School:

Elementary:    Brinton Elementary
    Patterson Elementary
    Sousa Elementary School
    Stevenson Elementary School
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  16.9 Help
Number of students:  762

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
46.6%
White:
41.1%
African American:
5.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  55.9% Help


 See top rated Arizona middle schools

 Compare Smith Junior High School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Smith Junior High School ranks worse than 81.5% of middle schools in Arizona. It also ranks 7th 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 18.11. (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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (46.6%), White (41.1%), African American (5%). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Smith Junior High School is 16.9, which is the 4th best among 10 middle schools in the Mesa Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Smith Junior High School employs 45 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Smith Junior High School is $7,326, which is the 5th highest among 10 middle schools in the Mesa Unified District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Smith Junior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Smith Junior High School 448th of 550 Arizona public middle schools. (See Smith 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 187th of 297 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Smith Junior High School?

Rank History for Smith Junior High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 83.79 88th 663 86.7%
2010 82.22 107th 692 84.5%
2011 77.83 136th 685 80.1%
2012 73.61 180th 772 76.7%
2013 63.85 259th 787 67.1%
2014 61.56 257th 690 62.8%
2015 39.48 276th 521 47.0%
2016 42.18 343rd 677 49.3%
2017 35.04 409th 695 41.2%
2018 45.54 339th 711 52.3%
2019 33.33 364th 605 39.8%
2021 41.41 408th 832 51.0%
2022 26.17 411th 605 32.1%
2023 32.24 525th 854 38.5%
2024 18.11 448th 550 18.5%
See the entire list of Arizona Middle School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.82 356th 650 45.2%
2023 26.79 313th 384 18.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Smith 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 Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.97 106th 178 40.4%
2021 48.60 280th 789 64.5%
2023 23.09 294th 363 19.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.37 322nd 503 36.0%
2022 23.41 287th 369 22.2%
2023 27.81 520th 717 27.5%
2024 16.77 286th 320 10.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 46.52 13th 29 55.2%
2023 65.35 5th 19 73.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 55.72 44th 257 82.9%
2023 60.93 14th 64 78.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.14 324th 624 48.1%
2019 30.45 305th 466 34.5%
2021 43.81 391st 820 52.3%
2022 24.59 370th 494 25.1%
2023 33.78 482nd 806 40.2%
2024 13.42 336th 386 13.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 53.42 42nd 166 74.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.19 366th 617 40.7%
2019 23.56 317th 435 27.1%
2021 39.91 420th 818 48.7%
2022 18.75 384th 476 19.3%
2023 29.11 550th 810 32.1%
2024 11.89 329th 370 11.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 62.64 140th 404 65.3%
2023 18.71 228th 247 7.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.71 98th 125 21.6%
2021 48.92 208th 573 63.7%
2023 32.14 274th 400 31.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.83 354th 543 34.8%
2019 21.17 320th 387 17.3%
2021 39.60 430th 802 46.4%
2022 21.13 318th 392 18.9%
2023 25.06 578th 760 23.9%
2024 14.35 299th 329 9.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.72 17th 62 72.6%
2021 62.32 58th 390 85.1%
2023 15.38 132nd 159 17.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 55.96 32nd 108 70.4%
2022 98.12 1st 16 93.8%
2023 9.23 17th 19 10.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Smith Junior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.93 319th 436 26.8%
2019 19.42 279th 337 17.2%
2021 39.39 472nd 780 39.5%
2022 17.26 390th 446 12.6%
2023 26.71 515th 675 23.7%
2024 9.94 265th 288 8.0%
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.

Smith 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: 1.2)
0%

0%

0%

17%

83%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Open Quote This school is honestly terrible the behavior that's in it is so bad there are too many fights involving social media and I think its unacceptable I wouldn't recommend this school AT ALL, parents don't enroll your kids here if you want them to come home either suspended or expelled for being in a fight or doing drugs and coming home crying because of bullying Close Quote


by a parent
Friday, September 14, 2018

Open Quote I'm sorry to have rate this so low because most of the teachers and Adm. staff are great but their leader Mr. Eagleburger is not. He feels the need to intimidate the students and staff. There has been a lot of fights this year and the discipline is not consistent. There are many issues that happen on campus that us parents are not aware, And info that is not shared with us so we can be aware and watch what may be going on wtih our children. Close Quote


by a student
Monday, March 30, 2015

Open Quote When I went there the first time in 2009-2010, it was a good school. The teachers there were okay, and the students had somewhat respect towards each other. By the time I reached 8th grade (2010-2011), it just gotten a lot worst. I was bullied very harshly by other students; they would threaten me, physically hit me for no reason, spray water at me with the drinking fountains, ect. What's more is that my old friends that I knew from childhood thought that this "bullying" stuff was cool, and decided to pick on people who they think are weak.

In short, the teachers and staff there are somewhat okay, but I should warn about sending your child there, as many students over there don't really respect each other. Then again, I went there in 2009, this was my personal experience, and I'm not sure how good this school is today. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Smith 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
2002 1004 41 32 233 16 n/a n/a 0 1326
2003 1004 41 32 233 16 n/a n/a 0 1326
2004 1047 57 41 291 20 n/a n/a 0 1456
2005 1027 50 46 299 25 n/a n/a 0 1447
2006 1000 60 43 333 29 n/a n/a 0 1465
2007 972 48 36 353 29 n/a n/a 0 1438
2008 953 53 53 348 28 n/a n/a 0 1435
2009 997 48 40 335 27 n/a n/a 0 1447
2010 956 50 42 345 24 n/a n/a 0 1417
2011 580 38 25 228 17 0 0 0 888
2012 557 42 25 223 22 0 2 0 871
2013 634 41 26 310 20 0 8 0 1039
2014 630 33 25 328 17 0 7 0 1040
2015 584 38 18 319 14 0 15 0 988
2016 588 36 13 312 12 1 21 0 983
2017 522 44 16 360 16 3 15 0 976
2018 526 32 16 375 28 5 21 0 1003
2019 509 32 10 363 27 5 29 0 975
2020 454 33 9 376 18 7 26 0 923
2021 391 34 9 377 9 7 25 0 852
2022 370 38 12 393 14 10 27 0 864
2023 353 31 13 383 21 6 34 0 841
2024 313 38 5 355 13 3 35 0 762

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 Smith Junior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 1326 64.8 20.5 34.1
2003 1326 64.8 20.5 34.1
2004 1456 71.9 20.3 44
2005 1447 76.8 18.8 44.6
2006 1465 77.2 19.0 44.4
2007 1438 75.7 19.0 35.6
2008 1435 75.0 19.1 36.6
2009 1447 73.8 19.6 35.1
2010 1417 75.8 18.6 44.5
2011 888 49.9 17.7 49.2
2012 871 47.4 18.3 53.3
2013 1039 52.5 19.7 57.1
2014 1040 53.7 19.3 57.3
2015 988 51.0 19.3 54.9
2016 983 52.0 18.9 59.3
2017 976 49.5 19.7 62.2
2018 1003 52.0 19.2 57.9
2019 975 52.8 18.4 59.9
2020 923 48.5 19.0 58.9
2021 852 47.2 18.0 n/a
2022 864 47.0 18.3 25.9
2023 841 50.3 16.7 55.9
2024 762 45.0 16.9 n/a

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 Smith Junior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 1326 64.8 20.5 34.1
2003 1326 64.8 20.5 34.1
2004 1456 71.9 20.3 44
2005 1447 76.8 18.8 44.6
2006 1465 77.2 19.0 44.4
2007 1438 75.7 19.0 35.6
2008 1435 75.0 19.1 36.6
2009 1447 73.8 19.6 35.1
2010 1417 75.8 18.6 44.5
2011 888 49.9 17.7 49.2
2012 871 47.4 18.3 53.3
2013 1039 52.5 19.7 57.1
2014 1040 53.7 19.3 57.3
2015 988 51.0 19.3 54.9
2016 983 52.0 18.9 59.3
2017 976 49.5 19.7 62.2
2018 1003 52.0 19.2 57.9
2019 975 52.8 18.4 59.9
2020 923 48.5 19.0 58.9
2021 852 47.2 18.0 n/a
2022 864 47.0 18.3 25.9
2023 841 50.3 16.7 55.9
2024 762 45.0 16.9 n/a

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 Smith 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 $369 (4.0%) $23 (0.2%) $760 (8.2%) $6,656 (71.5%) $2,267 (24.3%) $8,922 (95.8%) $9,314
2020 $813 (13.4%) $273 (4.5%) $1,899 (31.3%) $5,407 (89.1%) n/a $4,981 (82.1%) $6,067
2021 $1,610 (22.3%) $42 (0.6%) $3,262 (45.2%) $5,259 (72.9%) $299 (4.1%) $5,558 (77.1%) $7,210
2022 $580 (7.9%) $22 (0.3%) $1,182 (16.1%) $6,370 (87.0%) $354 (4.8%) $6,725 (91.8%) $7,326

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Smith 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 364th of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 525th of 854 Middle schools
 1.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students975841
 13.7%
African American3231
 3.1%
American Indian2721
 22.2%
Asian1013
 30%
Hispanic363383
 5.5%
Pacific Islander56
 20%
White509353
 30.6%
Two or More Races2934
 17.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients59.9%55.9%
 4%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Smith Junior High School

Students at Smith Junior High School are 47% Hispanic, 41% White, 5% African American, 5% Two or more races, 2% American Indian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 762 students attended Smith Junior High School.

Smith Junior High School ranks in the bottom 18.5% of Arizona middle schools.

Students who attend Smith Junior High School usually go on to attend Skyline 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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