How strong are the charter middle schools in Tucson?
With a fresh school year kicking off, we analyzed newly released data from Niche.com — which include comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews — to identify those schools that made the biggest strides last year and those that lead their peers.
Future Investment Middle School's overall rating improved the most among similar schools in Tucson, rising from a C to a B+, according to data from Niche.
For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 1854 S. Alvernon Way, enrolls 55 students. Niche graded the school a B+ for academics (on an A-D scale).
The overall ranking comes from Niche's proprietary algorithms. A school's ranking might change due to many factors, including the relative rankings of similar schools and whether a school gained or lost peers due to openings or closings. Other numbers come from current public data from the U.S. government.
Academically, 45% of Future Investment Middle School's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 35% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 32% in math and 37% in reading. The school's improved overall rating is notable in that it serves a less-affluent population, with 95% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 36% more than the city average.
It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Paulo Freire Freedom School - Downtown Campus saw its overall rating improve from a B to an A. The school is located at 47 E. Pennington St. and currently serves 71 students.
Niche graded the school an A- for academics on an A-D scale. Its latest math proficiency was at 42%, and reading proficiency was 62%.
Academy of Tucson Middle School also improved, from B+ to A-. The school is located at 7310 E. 22nd St. and has 260 students enrolled.
Niche graded Academy of Tucson Middle School a B+ for academics on an A-D scale. Its latest math proficiency was at 34%, and reading proficiency was 56%.
While some charter middle schools in Tucson are moving up the ranks, others are consistently top-rated overall, including Tucson Collegiate Prep, with a B rating overall.
Want more of the latest intel on Tucson schools? Hoodline also analyzed the latest Niche ratings for the city's charter high schools.
This story was created automatically using data from Niche.com, then reviewed by an editor before publication. Click here for more about how and why Hoodline is automating local news. Got thoughts about what we're doing? Go here to share your feedback.
