Sam Hughes Elementary

Summary:

Sam Hughes Elementary is a public elementary school in Tucson, Arizona, serving 325 students in grades PK-5. The school consistently outperforms the Tucson Unified District and the state of Arizona in academic assessments, with 68-79% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 47-68% proficient or better in Mathematics.

Sam Hughes Elementary has a strong statewide ranking, consistently placing in the top 15% of Arizona elementary schools. In the 2022-2023 school year, the school ranked 114 out of 1,245 Arizona elementary schools and received a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school also excels in the performance of various student subgroups, including Asian, African American, Hispanic, and White students, as well as students with special education needs.

While Sam Hughes Elementary outperforms the nearby schools in the Tucson Unified District, some charter schools like Highland Free School and Mexicayotl Academy also demonstrate strong academic performance, suggesting the presence of high-quality educational options in the local area.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 700 N Wilson Ave
       Tucson, AZ  85719-5148


(520) 232-7400

District: Tucson Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
128th of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools


Students who attend Sam Hughes Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Mansfeld Middle Magnet School
High:    Tucson Magnet High School
    University High School
Alternative:    Tucson Unified Virtual Academy

Student/teacher ratio:  14.6 Help
Number of students:  325

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
49.5%
White:
37.8%
Two or more races:
5.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  36% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sam Hughes Elementary ranks better than 85.8% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 4th among 32 ranked elementary schools in the Tucson Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 84.22. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (49.5%), White (37.8%), two or more races (5.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 36% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sam Hughes Elementary is 14.6. 37 elementary schools in the Tucson Unified District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sam Hughes Elementary employs 22.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sam Hughes Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Sam Hughes Elementary 128th of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Sam Hughes Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Tucson Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Tucson Unified District 207th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Sam Hughes Elementary?

Rank History for Sam Hughes Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Sam Hughes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 80.26 190th 1062 82.1%
2010 72.79 293rd 1090 73.1%
2011 79.37 218th 1075 79.7%
2012 78.13 228th 1141 80.0%
2013 69.97 328th 1158 71.7%
2014 74.21 280th 1079 74.1%
2015 85.87 111th 955 88.4%
2016 90.62 82nd 1079 92.4%
2017 92.66 64th 1106 94.2%
2018 89.08 107th 1109 90.4%
2019 81.74 181st 1039 82.6%
2021 82.47 213th 1226 82.6%
2022 83.03 127th 1000 87.3%
2023 90.27 114th 1245 90.8%
2024 84.22 128th 904 85.8%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Sam Hughes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 57.81 345th 1027 66.4%
2022 74.47 64th 444 85.6%
2023 48.15 328th 617 46.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sam Hughes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 76.51 94th 1201 92.2%
2022 50.80 88th 145 39.3%
2023 96.73 8th 820 99.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sam Hughes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 78.81 141st 1116 87.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sam Hughes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.99 101st 1023 90.1%
2019 78.65 147th 862 82.9%
2021 82.62 196th 1219 83.9%
2022 74.76 163rd 824 80.2%
2023 87.13 131st 1219 89.3%
2024 77.79 94th 593 84.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sam Hughes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.57 91st 1032 91.2%
2019 74.39 198th 850 76.7%
2021 79.00 229th 1220 81.2%
2022 79.43 118th 830 85.8%
2023 90.10 101st 1216 91.7%
2024 77.71 103rd 609 83.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Sam Hughes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 85.19 22nd 620 96.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Sam Hughes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 98.89 2nd 895 99.8%
2022 62.64 108th 289 62.6%
2023 83.28 41st 607 93.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sam Hughes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.01 67th 911 92.6%
2019 82.97 104th 709 85.3%
2021 75.71 191st 1198 84.1%
2022 77.13 132nd 716 81.6%
2023 86.12 100th 1170 91.5%
2024 76.69 97th 472 79.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sam Hughes Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.64 59th 720 91.8%
2019 78.91 83rd 595 86.1%
2021 89.41 38th 1161 96.7%
2022 90.86 17th 800 97.9%
2023 89.83 42nd 1024 95.9%
2024 78.32 66th 477 86.2%
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.

Sam Hughes 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: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a teacher
Monday, February 16, 2009

Open Quote Sam Hughes is a very small, caring environment. The school is over 80 years old and has a long history of being an excellent school. The parents are very supportive. Teachers work very hard to make the school a great place to learn. We have Chess, PE, Opening Minds Through the Arts, and great after school classes. I highly recommend Sam Hughes! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sam Hughes Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 279 11 12 64 9 n/a n/a -16 359
1989 280 10 14 51 10 n/a n/a -4 361
1990 281 8 9 61 11 n/a n/a -8 362
1991 287 12 7 59 11 n/a n/a -25 351
1992 299 8 9 58 9 n/a n/a 1 384
1993 264 9 13 87 4 n/a n/a 0 377
1994 272 8 16 93 2 n/a n/a 0 391
1995 201 12 9 75 3 n/a n/a 0 300
1996 201 12 9 75 3 n/a n/a 0 300
1997 177 11 9 101 1 n/a n/a 0 299
1998 174 19 9 90 1 n/a n/a 0 293
1999 161 16 13 76 2 n/a n/a 0 268
2000 172 15 16 81 6 n/a n/a 0 290
2001 151 14 18 87 6 n/a n/a 0 276
2002 151 10 18 88 6 n/a n/a 0 273
2003 151 10 18 88 6 n/a n/a 0 273
2004 131 9 20 100 7 n/a n/a 0 267
2005 142 13 15 129 7 n/a n/a 0 306
2006 154 16 17 139 12 n/a n/a 0 338
2007 141 15 25 117 9 n/a n/a 0 307
2008 151 15 22 114 11 n/a n/a 0 313
2009 158 12 17 99 12 n/a n/a 0 298
2010 148 9 15 116 8 n/a n/a 0 296
2011 166 6 13 139 8 0 13 0 345
2012 154 6 14 142 5 0 12 0 333
2013 166 8 18 173 4 0 14 0 383
2014 148 8 23 149 1 0 21 0 350
2015 148 12 17 154 3 0 25 0 359
2016 145 15 18 165 1 0 27 0 371
2017 120 12 20 172 3 1 22 0 350
2018 107 16 21 184 3 0 24 0 355
2019 104 12 23 198 2 0 23 0 362
2020 119 12 22 182 3 0 30 0 368
2021 97 13 10 179 3 0 32 0 334
2022 111 16 7 171 5 0 27 0 337
2023 123 15 5 161 3 0 18 0 325

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 Sam Hughes Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 359 13.0 27.6 n/a
1989 361 13.0 27.7 n/a
1990 362 13.0 27.8 n/a
1991 351 14.0 25.0 n/a
1992 384 14.0 27.4 n/a
1993 377 14.0 26.9 n/a
1994 391 14.0 27.9 n/a
1995 300 12.0 25.0 n/a
1996 300 12.0 25.0 n/a
1997 299 13.0 23.0 n/a
1998 293 13.0 22.5 n/a
1999 268 13.0 20.6 n/a
2000 290 13.0 22.3 n/a
2001 276 13.0 21.2 n/a
2002 273 14.0 19.5 n/a
2003 273 14.0 19.5 n/a
2004 267 12.0 22.3 41.2
2005 306 12.0 25.5 39.5
2006 338 16.0 21.1 36.1
2007 307 17.0 18.1 16.9
2008 313 16.5 19.0 1
2009 298 14.6 20.4 19.8
2010 296 15.0 19.7 26.4
2011 345 13.6 25.3 22.9
2012 333 14.2 23.4 27
2013 383 14.6 26.2 25.8
2014 350 16.4 21.3 28.3
2015 359 16.0 22.4 29.5
2016 371 18.0 20.6 n/a
2017 350 16.6 21.0 27.1
2018 355 17.8 19.9 31.5
2019 362 17.8 20.3 28.7
2020 368 19.0 19.3 25.5
2021 334 20.8 16.0 n/a
2022 337 21.8 15.4 14.5
2023 325 22.1 14.6 36

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 Sam Hughes Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 359 13.0 27.6 n/a
1989 361 13.0 27.7 n/a
1990 362 13.0 27.8 n/a
1991 351 14.0 25.0 n/a
1992 384 14.0 27.4 n/a
1993 377 14.0 26.9 n/a
1994 391 14.0 27.9 n/a
1995 300 12.0 25.0 n/a
1996 300 12.0 25.0 n/a
1997 299 13.0 23.0 n/a
1998 293 13.0 22.5 n/a
1999 268 13.0 20.6 n/a
2000 290 13.0 22.3 n/a
2001 276 13.0 21.2 n/a
2002 273 14.0 19.5 n/a
2003 273 14.0 19.5 n/a
2004 267 12.0 22.3 41.2
2005 306 12.0 25.5 39.5
2006 338 16.0 21.1 36.1
2007 307 17.0 18.1 16.9
2008 313 16.5 19.0 1
2009 298 14.6 20.4 19.8
2010 296 15.0 19.7 26.4
2011 345 13.6 25.3 22.9
2012 333 14.2 23.4 27
2013 383 14.6 26.2 25.8
2014 350 16.4 21.3 28.3
2015 359 16.0 22.4 29.5
2016 371 18.0 20.6 n/a
2017 350 16.6 21.0 27.1
2018 355 17.8 19.9 31.5
2019 362 17.8 20.3 28.7
2020 368 19.0 19.3 25.5
2021 334 20.8 16.0 n/a
2022 337 21.8 15.4 14.5
2023 325 22.1 14.6 36

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 Sam Hughes 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 $514 (6.3%) $139 (1.7%) $1,166 (14.4%) $6,458 (79.6%) $1,000 (12.3%) $7,458 (91.9%) $8,111
2020 $106 (2.0%) $38 (0.7%) $250 (4.6%) $4,860 (90.2%) $385 (7.1%) $5,245 (97.3%) $5,389

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sam Hughes 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 181st of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 114th of 1245 Elementary schools
 8.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students362325
 10.2%
African American1215
 25%
American Indian23
 50%
Asian235
 78.3%
Hispanic198161
 18.7%
Pacific Islander00
White104123
 18.3%
Two or More Races2318
 21.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients28.7%36%
 7.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Sam Hughes Elementary

Sam Hughes Elementary ranks 128th of 904 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 325 students attended Sam Hughes Elementary.

Students at Sam Hughes Elementary are 50% Hispanic, 38% White, 6% Two or more races, 5% African American, 2% Asian.


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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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