Zaharis Elementary

Summary:

Zaharis Elementary is a public elementary school in Mesa, Arizona, serving 769 students in grades PK-6. The school is part of the Mesa Unified District, which is ranked 179 out of 288 districts in the state.

Zaharis Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state in academic proficiency, with 60% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 38% for the district and 39% for the state. The school has been ranked in the top 25% of Arizona elementary schools for several years and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. Zaharis also has a higher per-student spending of $7,143, compared to the district and state averages.

When compared to nearby schools, Stevenson Elementary and others have a more diverse student population and a higher percentage of students from low-income families. These schools also have lower per-student spending, ranging from $8,129 to $10,372 in the 2021-2022 school year. The strong academic performance and higher funding at Zaharis Elementary likely contribute to the educational experience it provides to its students.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 9410 E McKellips Rd
       Mesa, AZ  85207-2631


(480) 308-7200

District: Mesa Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
222nd of 912 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,143 Help


Students who attend Zaharis Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Smith Junior High School
High:    Skyline High School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.2 Help
Number of students:  731

Racial breakdown:

White:
79.9%
Hispanic:
13.5%
Two or more races:
3.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  16.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Zaharis Elementary ranks better than 75.7% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 9th 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 72.56. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (79.9%), Hispanic (13.5%), two or more races (3.6%). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Zaharis Elementary is 17.2. 44 elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Zaharis Elementary employs 42.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Zaharis Elementary is $7,143. 51 elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Zaharis Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Zaharis Elementary 222nd of 912 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Zaharis Elementary 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 187th of 297 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Zaharis Elementary.

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Rank History for Zaharis Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Zaharis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 76.91 246th 1062 76.8%
2010 78.76 223rd 1090 79.5%
2011 78.75 225th 1075 79.1%
2012 72.96 291st 1141 74.5%
2013 79.34 193rd 1158 83.3%
2014 82.30 185th 1079 82.9%
2015 69.40 262nd 955 72.6%
2016 81.43 198th 1079 81.6%
2017 80.85 203rd 1106 81.6%
2018 82.48 186th 1109 83.2%
2019 77.55 231st 1039 77.8%
2021 82.44 214th 1226 82.5%
2022 70.51 249th 1000 75.1%
2023 82.60 211th 1245 83.1%
2024 72.56 222nd 912 75.7%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Zaharis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 63.12 283rd 1027 72.4%
2022 63.70 130th 444 70.7%
2023 63.12 154th 617 75.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Zaharis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.79 187th 417 55.2%
2021 58.62 305th 1201 74.6%
2023 40.23 453rd 820 44.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Zaharis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.26 194th 820 76.3%
2022 80.64 87th 618 85.9%
2023 73.00 198th 1116 82.3%
2024 81.53 65th 556 88.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Zaharis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 78.50 9th 102 91.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Zaharis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.45 226th 1023 77.9%
2019 74.80 187th 862 78.3%
2021 83.30 189th 1219 84.5%
2022 66.36 237th 824 71.2%
2023 80.86 203rd 1219 83.3%
2024 55.58 224th 602 62.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Zaharis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.05 161st 1032 84.4%
2019 67.57 253rd 850 70.2%
2021 78.49 233rd 1220 80.9%
2022 65.80 238th 830 71.3%
2023 80.29 208th 1216 82.9%
2024 60.12 222nd 628 64.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Zaharis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 21.08 885th 895 1.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Zaharis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.61 213th 911 76.6%
2019 85.43 83rd 709 88.3%
2021 70.99 248th 1198 79.3%
2022 85.46 63rd 716 91.2%
2023 75.01 215th 1170 81.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Zaharis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 29.43 488th 654 25.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Zaharis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.69 228th 720 68.3%
2019 52.66 286th 595 51.9%
2021 72.07 271st 1161 76.7%
2022 53.49 354th 800 55.8%
2023 68.77 277th 1024 72.9%
2024 37.76 326th 486 32.9%
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.

Zaharis Elementary 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)
40%

0%

0%

40%

20%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, November 21, 2015

Open Quote Mr. Oliver is fantastic, too bad he is a temporary worker. My kids have been bullied and inappropriately touched by older kids. Another kids had a nasty cut and got stitches and I found by a very late night phone call by the parent's mother saying my child was involved. He has learned many swear words at this school and now hates school. Many other kids don't even do recess more Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, March 3, 2011

Open Quote This is probably the worst environment I have ever seen for a child in my life. Children do not learn at this school. They leave the school without the skills to be successful in life. They focus on holding children's hands and catering to a growing population entitled parents and children. From my interaction the teachers are hand picked by a principal that runs the school like a dictator. Placing church members and friends in high ranking spots that back stab each other while plastering their faces with fake smiles. Zaharis holds itself up like it is a fine establishment for learning and talks about all that they do for furthering education, but in reality their scores are low and the children come out with weak skill sets and are lacking in knowledge. Close Quote


by a parent
Saturday, August 7, 2010

Open Quote Zaharis is a wonderful school and provides a well rounded atmosphere for learning. The teachers are wonderful. We have two children attending Zaharis this year and we're looking forward to another great year. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Zaharis Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 385 8 6 56 3 n/a n/a 0 458
2003 385 8 6 56 3 n/a n/a 0 458
2004 518 8 10 77 5 n/a n/a 0 618
2005 613 14 17 88 3 n/a n/a 0 735
2006 666 12 15 75 3 n/a n/a 0 771
2007 731 10 18 87 4 n/a n/a 0 850
2008 752 11 17 92 5 n/a n/a 0 877
2009 757 12 19 88 8 n/a n/a 0 884
2010 737 15 17 82 6 n/a n/a 0 857
2011 747 18 14 78 1 1 6 0 865
2012 740 13 16 75 3 0 12 0 859
2013 776 9 14 74 3 0 25 0 901
2014 800 8 11 82 3 0 19 0 923
2015 773 7 8 87 3 0 18 0 896
2016 781 8 3 101 6 2 24 0 925
2017 730 9 2 99 7 3 23 0 873
2018 740 6 1 99 5 3 25 0 879
2019 725 4 1 100 6 3 21 0 860
2020 794 5 2 92 5 4 25 0 927
2021 658 5 3 83 3 2 28 0 782
2022 663 6 3 87 4 0 23 0 786
2023 631 7 6 98 2 2 23 0 769
2024 584 7 7 99 5 3 26 0 731

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 Zaharis Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 458 21.8 21.0 19.7
2003 458 21.8 21.0 19.7
2004 618 28.5 21.7 22.7
2005 735 32.2 22.8 20.8
2006 771 37.2 20.7 22
2007 850 39.1 21.7 17.9
2008 877 42.5 20.6 19.7
2009 884 42.9 20.6 18.3
2010 857 40.0 21.4 21.6
2011 865 41.2 20.9 20.8
2012 859 41.4 20.7 20.1
2013 901 39.8 22.6 21
2014 923 41.0 22.5 18
2015 896 42.0 21.3 19.9
2016 925 43.0 21.5 21.4
2017 873 43.8 19.9 20.4
2018 879 42.8 20.5 18.9
2019 860 45.6 18.8 18.8
2020 927 45.3 20.4 15.9
2021 782 46.2 16.9 n/a
2022 786 45.0 17.4 7.3
2023 769 45.7 16.8 16.9
2024 731 42.3 17.2 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 Zaharis Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 458 21.8 21.0 19.7
2003 458 21.8 21.0 19.7
2004 618 28.5 21.7 22.7
2005 735 32.2 22.8 20.8
2006 771 37.2 20.7 22
2007 850 39.1 21.7 17.9
2008 877 42.5 20.6 19.7
2009 884 42.9 20.6 18.3
2010 857 40.0 21.4 21.6
2011 865 41.2 20.9 20.8
2012 859 41.4 20.7 20.1
2013 901 39.8 22.6 21
2014 923 41.0 22.5 18
2015 896 42.0 21.3 19.9
2016 925 43.0 21.5 21.4
2017 873 43.8 19.9 20.4
2018 879 42.8 20.5 18.9
2019 860 45.6 18.8 18.8
2020 927 45.3 20.4 15.9
2021 782 46.2 16.9 n/a
2022 786 45.0 17.4 7.3
2023 769 45.7 16.8 16.9
2024 731 42.3 17.2 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 Zaharis Elementary

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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 $252 (2.6%) $22 (0.2%) $527 (5.4%) $6,714 (68.6%) $2,804 (28.6%) $9,518 (97.2%) $9,792
2020 $182 (3.1%) $108 (1.8%) $471 (8.0%) $5,354 (91.1%) $231 (3.9%) $5,585 (95.1%) $5,875
2021 $321 (4.5%) $45 (0.6%) $687 (9.6%) $6,250 (87.5%) $527 (7.4%) $6,777 (94.9%) $7,143
2022 $148 (2.1%) $04 (0.1%) $300 (4.2%) $6,763 (94.7%) $227 (3.2%) $6,990 (97.9%) $7,143

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Zaharis Elementary

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 231st of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 211th of 1245 Elementary schools
 5.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students860769
 10.6%
African American47
 75%
American Indian62
 66.7%
Asian16
 500%
Hispanic10098
 2%
Pacific Islander32
 33.3%
White725631
 13%
Two or More Races2123
 9.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients18.8%16.9%
 1.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Zaharis Elementary

Zaharis Elementary ranks 222nd of 912 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 731 students attended Zaharis Elementary.

Students at Zaharis Elementary are 80% White, 14% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

Students who attend Zaharis Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Smith Junior High School
High : 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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