How strong are the public high schools in Mesa?
With a fresh school year kicking off, we analyzed newly released data from Niche.com, which incorporates comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews to help you choose the right school, to identify those schools that made the biggest strides last year, as well as those that top the city's best public high school rankings.
Westwood High School's overall rating change rank it among the most improved in Mesa, rising from a B to a B+, according to data from Niche.
For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 945 W. Rio Salado Parkway, enrolls 3,225 students. Westwood High School serves a diverse population: 53% of students identify as Hispanic, 26% identify as white and 11% identify as Native American. Niche gave the school mixed grades: B- on an A-D scale for academics, B+ for administration and B- for clubs and activities.
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, 29% of Westwood High School's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 24% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 38% in math and 35% in reading. The school's improved rating is notable since it serves a less affluent population, with 72% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 26% more than the city average.
It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Dobson High School also saw its overall rating improve from a B- to a B. The school is located at 1501 W. Guadalupe and is a bit smaller, currently serving 2,517 students, of whom 49% identify as Hispanic and 35% identify as white.
Niche gave Dobson High School mixed grades: B- on an A-D scale for academics, C- for administration and C for clubs and activities. Dobson High School's latest math proficiency was at 28%, and reading proficiency was 31%. Dobson High School also serves a less affluent population, with 59% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
While some public high schools are moving up the ranks, others are consistently top-rated overall, including:
- Mountain View High School, with an overall rating of A.
- Red Mountain High School, with an A- rating overall.
- Mesa High School, rated B+ overall.
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.
