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Safford Middle School

Summary:

Safford Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 7-8 in Safford, Arizona, with a student population of 449. The school is part of the Safford Unified District, which is ranked 188 out of 288 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Safford Middle School's academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates in AASA English Language Arts and Mathematics, is consistently below the state average across grades 7 and 8. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 7th grade ELA proficiency rate was 33% compared to the state average of 41%, and its 8th grade Math proficiency rate was 20% compared to the state average of 28%. In comparison, the nearby Thatcher Middle School outperforms Safford Middle School in academic metrics, with higher proficiency rates across all subjects and grade levels. Additionally, Safford Middle School has seen a steady increase in its dropout rate, rising from 1.9% in 2017-2018 to 4.6% in 2021-2022, which is higher than the dropout rate at the nearby Pima Junior High School.

Safford Middle School's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups. The school's African American and Native American students perform relatively well, ranking in the top half of Arizona middle schools in their respective subgroups. However, the school's Hispanic, White, and female students perform poorly, ranking in the bottom half or bottom quarter of Arizona middle schools. Additionally, Safford Middle School has a high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 49.89% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023, significantly higher than the nearby Thatcher Middle School, which had a free/reduced-lunch rate of 27.59% in the same year.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 698 W 11th St
       Safford, AZ  85546-2998

(928) 348-7040

District: Safford Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
333rd of 533 Arizona Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $4,927 Help


Students who attend Safford Middle School usually attend:

High:    Safford High School

Feeder schools for Safford Middle School:

Elementary:    Dorothy Stinson School
    Lafe Nelson School
    Ruth Powell Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  23.6 Help
Number of students:  449

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
56.6%
White:
39.2%
Two or more races:
1.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  49.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Safford Middle School ranks worse than 62.5% of middle schools in Arizona. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.84. (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 (56.6%), White (39.2%), two or more races (1.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 49.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Safford Middle School is 23.6. (See more...)
Help
Compare Safford Middle School employs 19 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Safford Middle School is $4,927.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Safford Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Safford Middle School 333rd of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Safford Middle 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:


Safford Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Safford Unified District 188th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Safford Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Safford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2010 67.38 210th 692 69.7%
2011 64.42 222nd 685 67.6%
2012 63.01 262nd 772 66.1%
2013 58.44 316th 787 59.8%
2014 70.45 192nd 690 72.2%
2015 42.79 263rd 521 49.5%
2016 54.17 255th 677 62.3%
2017 47.81 298th 695 57.1%
2018 60.44 236th 711 66.8%
2019 43.20 295th 605 51.2%
2021 55.71 289th 832 65.3%
2022 32.27 363rd 605 40.0%
2023 40.58 426th 854 50.1%
2024 28.84 333rd 533 37.5%
See the entire list of Arizona Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Safford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 42.93 342nd 650 47.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Safford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.17 101st 178 43.3%
2021 53.55 197th 789 75.0%
2023 19.98 313th 363 13.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Safford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.64 141st 503 72.0%
2022 36.44 220th 369 40.4%
2023 42.33 361st 717 49.7%
2024 28.40 211th 314 32.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Safford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.93 185th 624 70.4%
2019 44.86 234th 466 49.8%
2021 58.29 272nd 820 66.8%
2022 32.54 321st 494 35.0%
2023 37.02 447th 806 44.5%
2024 22.10 280th 379 26.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Safford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.27 251st 617 59.3%
2019 28.91 288th 435 33.8%
2021 52.03 310th 818 62.1%
2022 21.80 367th 476 22.9%
2023 41.14 402nd 810 50.4%
2024 19.82 279th 356 21.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Safford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 68.06 83rd 400 79.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Safford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.31 216th 543 60.2%
2019 42.30 199th 387 48.6%
2021 58.32 229th 802 71.4%
2022 31.49 245th 392 37.5%
2023 41.71 393rd 760 48.3%
2024 22.96 239th 322 25.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Safford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 41.21 189th 390 51.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Safford Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.47 202nd 436 53.7%
2019 22.72 267th 337 20.8%
2021 50.88 349th 780 55.3%
2022 17.35 388th 446 13.0%
2023 27.91 503rd 675 25.5%
2024 17.18 230th 273 15.8%
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.

Safford Middle School Test Scores
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Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Safford Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 264 10 2 128 2 n/a n/a -45 361
1989 254 10 3 105 15 n/a n/a 169 556
1990 358 16 5 204 2 n/a n/a 9 594
1991 405 14 1 208 4 n/a n/a -77 555
1992 386 19 3 203 0 n/a n/a 0 611
1993 368 22 3 264 3 n/a n/a 0 660
1994 401 13 7 281 1 n/a n/a 0 703
1995 398 8 8 271 0 n/a n/a 0 685
1996 398 8 8 271 0 n/a n/a 0 685
1997 412 10 6 254 3 n/a n/a 0 685
1998 391 10 10 238 2 n/a n/a 0 651
1999 368 16 12 291 4 n/a n/a 0 691
2000 352 10 8 298 10 n/a n/a 0 678
2001 325 10 8 316 10 n/a n/a 0 669
2002 209 11 3 183 11 n/a n/a 0 417
2003 209 11 3 183 11 n/a n/a 0 417
2004 221 16 0 197 12 n/a n/a 0 446
2005 215 8 1 186 6 n/a n/a 0 416
2006 218 7 1 189 4 n/a n/a 0 419
2007 204 14 1 196 2 n/a n/a 0 417
2008 186 18 1 187 7 n/a n/a 0 399
2009 211 9 0 185 9 n/a n/a 0 414
2010 225 10 0 209 12 n/a n/a 0 456
2011 220 9 3 235 5 0 2 0 474
2012 230 10 1 238 2 1 1 0 483
2013 239 8 2 247 2 1 1 0 500
2014 194 7 3 244 2 1 4 0 455
2015 202 5 3 239 3 0 4 0 456
2016 193 7 1 215 3 0 7 0 426
2017 195 3 0 233 2 0 9 0 442
2018 217 4 1 224 2 0 8 0 456
2019 228 6 2 217 2 0 8 0 463
2020 212 5 1 234 7 0 11 0 470
2021 186 3 1 225 8 0 4 0 427
2022 202 4 0 259 7 0 11 0 483
2023 176 6 1 254 5 0 7 0 449

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 Safford Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 361 18.0 20.0 n/a
1989 556 25.2 22.0 n/a
1990 594 27.2 21.8 n/a
1991 555 27.5 20.1 n/a
1992 611 27.5 22.2 n/a
1993 660 30.0 22.0 n/a
1994 703 32.7 21.5 n/a
1995 685 32.2 21.3 n/a
1996 685 32.2 21.3 n/a
1997 685 34.2 20.0 n/a
1998 651 33.8 19.3 n/a
1999 691 33.5 20.6 n/a
2000 678 33.0 20.5 n/a
2001 669 33.0 20.3 n/a
2002 417 22.8 18.3 n/a
2003 417 22.8 18.3 n/a
2004 446 24.0 18.6 53.8
2005 416 24.0 17.3 54.3
2006 419 26.0 16.1 n/a
2007 417 22.8 18.3 n/a
2008 399 22.8 17.5 46.4
2009 414 23.2 17.8 42.5
2010 456 24.1 18.8 0.9
2011 474 23.8 19.8 6.3
2012 483 24.0 20.1 0
2013 500 25.0 20.0 56
2014 455 25.0 18.2 53
2015 456 24.0 19.0 50.7
2016 426 25.0 17.0 56.6
2017 442 23.7 18.6 59.5
2018 456 23.0 19.8 59
2019 463 23.0 20.1 54.9
2020 470 22.0 21.3 55.7
2021 427 23.0 18.5 n/a
2022 483 22.0 21.9 25.3
2023 449 19.0 23.6 49.9

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 Safford Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 361 18.0 20.0 n/a
1989 556 25.2 22.0 n/a
1990 594 27.2 21.8 n/a
1991 555 27.5 20.1 n/a
1992 611 27.5 22.2 n/a
1993 660 30.0 22.0 n/a
1994 703 32.7 21.5 n/a
1995 685 32.2 21.3 n/a
1996 685 32.2 21.3 n/a
1997 685 34.2 20.0 n/a
1998 651 33.8 19.3 n/a
1999 691 33.5 20.6 n/a
2000 678 33.0 20.5 n/a
2001 669 33.0 20.3 n/a
2002 417 22.8 18.3 n/a
2003 417 22.8 18.3 n/a
2004 446 24.0 18.6 53.8
2005 416 24.0 17.3 54.3
2006 419 26.0 16.1 n/a
2007 417 22.8 18.3 n/a
2008 399 22.8 17.5 46.4
2009 414 23.2 17.8 42.5
2010 456 24.1 18.8 0.9
2011 474 23.8 19.8 6.3
2012 483 24.0 20.1 0
2013 500 25.0 20.0 56
2014 455 25.0 18.2 53
2015 456 24.0 19.0 50.7
2016 426 25.0 17.0 56.6
2017 442 23.7 18.6 59.5
2018 456 23.0 19.8 59
2019 463 23.0 20.1 54.9
2020 470 22.0 21.3 55.7
2021 427 23.0 18.5 n/a
2022 483 22.0 21.9 25.3
2023 449 19.0 23.6 49.9

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 Safford Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $532 (9.6%) $5,260 (95.2%) $5,528
2022 $264 (5.4%) $4,795 (97.3%) $4,927

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Safford Middle 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 295th of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 426th of 854 Middle schools
 1.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students463449
 3%
African American66
American Indian25
 150%
Asian21
 50%
Hispanic217254
 17.1%
Pacific Islander00
White228176
 22.8%
Two or More Races87
 12.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients54.9%49.9%
 5%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Safford Middle School

In the 2022-23 school year, 449 students attended Safford Middle School.

Students who attend Safford Middle School usually go on to attend Safford High School

Students at Safford Middle School are 57% Hispanic, 39% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American, 1% American Indian.

Safford Middle School ranks 333rd of 533 Arizona middle 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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