Desert Willow Elementary School

Summary:

Desert Willow Elementary School is a public elementary school in Tucson, Arizona, serving students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Vail Unified District, which is ranked 62 out of 288 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Desert Willow Elementary School consistently ranks in the top 25% of Arizona elementary schools, with strong academic performance, particularly in mathematics, where proficiency rates are often 10-20 percentage points higher than the state average. The school's performance on English Language Arts assessments is also above the state and district averages. Desert Willow's student subgroups, including female students, African American students, Hispanic students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, have also shown strong performance, often ranking in the top 25-50% of Arizona elementary schools.

Compared to nearby schools, Desert Willow Elementary's performance is generally stronger than other schools in the Vail Unified District, such as Ocotillo Ridge Elementary and Esmond Station School, which have also consistently ranked in the top 25% of Arizona elementary schools. However, the school's performance is significantly better than schools in other nearby districts, such as Ford Elementary in the Tucson Unified District, which has consistently ranked in the bottom 25% of Arizona elementary schools.


Detail:

Public K-5

 9400 E Esmond Loop
       Tucson, AZ  85747-9195


(520) 879-2302

District: Vail Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
324th of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,728 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  16.6 Help
Number of students:  712

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
48.2%
White:
38.5%
Two or more races:
6.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  33.8% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Desert Willow Elementary School ranks better than 64.2% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 8th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Vail Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.93. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (48.2%), White (38.5%), two or more races (6.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 33.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Vail Unified District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Desert Willow Elementary School is 16.6, which is the 4th best among 9 elementary schools in the Vail Unified District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Desert Willow Elementary School employs 42.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Desert Willow Elementary School is $6,728, which is the 4th highest among 9 elementary schools in the Vail Unified District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Desert Willow Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Desert Willow Elementary School 324th of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Desert Willow Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Vail Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Vail Unified District 62nd of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Desert Willow Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 85.02 127th 1062 88.0%
2010 86.32 110th 1090 89.9%
2011 86.26 110th 1075 89.8%
2012 81.18 176th 1141 84.6%
2013 80.12 181st 1158 84.4%
2014 84.76 153rd 1079 85.8%
2015 78.17 188th 955 80.3%
2016 85.63 149th 1079 86.2%
2017 83.09 183rd 1106 83.5%
2018 84.76 159th 1109 85.7%
2019 81.78 180th 1039 82.7%
2021 78.39 261st 1226 78.7%
2022 83.07 126th 1000 87.4%
2023 86.93 156th 1245 87.5%
2024 60.93 324th 904 64.2%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 55.34 379th 1027 63.1%
2023 46.81 343rd 617 44.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 53.18 151st 975 84.5%
2023 52.86 161st 451 64.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.65 93rd 417 77.7%
2021 59.84 284th 1201 76.4%
2023 64.38 183rd 820 77.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.98 77th 820 90.6%
2022 90.41 25th 618 96.0%
2023 88.98 62nd 1116 94.4%
2024 43.44 279th 546 48.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.16 128th 1023 87.5%
2019 76.73 174th 862 79.8%
2021 73.47 296th 1219 75.7%
2022 81.34 93rd 824 88.7%
2023 88.95 99th 1219 91.9%
2024 42.02 342nd 593 42.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 90.36 4th 306 98.7%
2023 70.28 5th 38 86.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 48.93 148th 239 38.1%
2022 80.56 13th 101 87.1%
2023 74.50 19th 145 86.9%
2024 33.08 2nd 3 33.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.74 202nd 1032 80.4%
2019 76.35 175th 850 79.4%
2021 78.93 230th 1220 81.1%
2022 74.84 168th 830 79.8%
2023 80.17 209th 1216 82.8%
2024 43.80 333rd 609 45.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 19.63 553rd 620 10.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 67.74 129th 895 85.6%
2022 59.57 135th 289 53.3%
2023 79.27 82nd 607 86.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.45 89th 911 90.2%
2019 85.99 78th 709 89.0%
2021 76.42 180th 1198 85.0%
2022 77.82 126th 716 82.4%
2023 86.83 90th 1170 92.3%
2024 46.05 226th 472 52.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 21.99 146th 171 14.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Desert Willow Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.73 146th 720 79.7%
2019 70.58 139th 595 76.6%
2021 76.05 221st 1161 81.0%
2022 85.07 47th 800 94.1%
2023 87.33 70th 1024 93.2%
2024 55.31 204th 477 57.2%
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.

Desert Willow Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Desert Willow Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1997 497 48 25 91 8 n/a n/a 0 669
1998 603 63 27 95 9 n/a n/a 0 797
1999 683 55 29 132 8 n/a n/a 0 907
2000 593 43 22 150 4 n/a n/a 0 812
2001 609 63 28 155 4 n/a n/a 0 859
2002 485 46 24 124 8 n/a n/a 0 687
2003 485 46 24 124 8 n/a n/a 0 687
2004 540 28 17 126 6 n/a n/a 0 717
2005 577 30 18 150 7 n/a n/a 0 782
2006 577 34 26 150 3 n/a n/a 0 790
2007 563 36 24 170 4 n/a n/a 0 797
2008 551 39 27 174 6 n/a n/a 0 797
2009 461 49 32 163 3 n/a n/a 0 708
2010 480 49 32 208 4 n/a n/a 0 773
2011 482 60 34 252 7 0 4 0 839
2012 451 59 39 260 4 0 10 0 823
2013 423 63 35 278 3 2 13 0 817
2014 425 51 30 290 4 3 25 0 828
2015 384 32 24 316 2 6 39 0 803
2016 374 36 21 321 4 1 44 0 801
2017 395 32 17 361 4 2 54 0 865
2018 368 32 15 345 6 0 48 0 814
2019 354 25 12 360 5 2 63 0 821
2020 346 33 10 351 5 3 69 0 817
2021 323 33 8 322 5 1 49 0 741
2022 321 46 7 351 4 3 52 0 784
2023 274 42 7 343 0 2 44 0 712

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 Desert Willow Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1997 669 40.9 16.4 n/a
1998 797 44.3 18.0 n/a
1999 907 48.1 18.9 n/a
2000 812 45.3 17.9 n/a
2001 859 52.5 16.4 n/a
2002 687 39.7 17.3 13.2
2003 687 39.7 17.3 13.2
2004 717 42.0 17.1 14.9
2005 782 50.0 15.6 n/a
2006 790 42.0 18.8 14.6
2007 797 46.9 17.0 16.3
2008 797 45.0 17.7 17.1
2009 708 38.2 18.5 18.6
2010 773 45.0 17.1 22.8
2011 839 40.7 20.5 23.1
2012 823 39.0 21.0 22.8
2013 817 38.2 21.3 31
2014 828 40.9 20.2 28.3
2015 803 39.0 20.5 30.3
2016 801 41.0 19.5 n/a
2017 865 46.5 18.5 33.5
2018 814 48.8 16.6 33.9
2019 821 46.7 17.5 34
2020 817 43.6 18.7 33.9
2021 741 44.7 16.5 n/a
2022 784 40.8 19.1 15.7
2023 712 42.6 16.6 33.8

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 Desert Willow Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1997 669 40.9 16.4 n/a
1998 797 44.3 18.0 n/a
1999 907 48.1 18.9 n/a
2000 812 45.3 17.9 n/a
2001 859 52.5 16.4 n/a
2002 687 39.7 17.3 13.2
2003 687 39.7 17.3 13.2
2004 717 42.0 17.1 14.9
2005 782 50.0 15.6 n/a
2006 790 42.0 18.8 14.6
2007 797 46.9 17.0 16.3
2008 797 45.0 17.7 17.1
2009 708 38.2 18.5 18.6
2010 773 45.0 17.1 22.8
2011 839 40.7 20.5 23.1
2012 823 39.0 21.0 22.8
2013 817 38.2 21.3 31
2014 828 40.9 20.2 28.3
2015 803 39.0 20.5 30.3
2016 801 41.0 19.5 n/a
2017 865 46.5 18.5 33.5
2018 814 48.8 16.6 33.9
2019 821 46.7 17.5 34
2020 817 43.6 18.7 33.9
2021 741 44.7 16.5 n/a
2022 784 40.8 19.1 15.7
2023 712 42.6 16.6 33.8

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 Desert Willow Elementary School

Help

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 $661 (8.0%) $163 (2.0%) $1,486 (18.0%) $6,559 (79.4%) $872 (10.6%) $7,431 (90.0%) $8,256
2020 $674 (7.9%) $342 (4.0%) $1,690 (19.7%) $6,808 (79.4%) $749 (8.7%) $7,557 (88.1%) $8,573
2021 $601 (8.9%) $61 (0.9%) $1,263 (18.7%) $5,958 (88.3%) $123 (1.8%) $6,081 (90.2%) $6,744
2022 $622 (9.2%) $64 (1.0%) $1,309 (19.5%) $5,866 (87.2%) $175 (2.6%) $6,041 (89.8%) $6,728

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Desert Willow 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 180th of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 156th of 1245 Elementary schools
 4.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students821712
 13.3%
African American2542
 68%
American Indian50
 100%
Asian127
 41.7%
Hispanic360343
 4.7%
Pacific Islander22
White354274
 22.6%
Two or More Races6344
 30.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients34%33.8%
 0.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Willow Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 712 students attended Desert Willow Elementary School.

Desert Willow Elementary School ranks 324th of 904 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Desert Willow Elementary School are 48% Hispanic, 38% White, 6% Two or more races, 6% African American.


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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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