How do the public high schools in Phoenix stack up?
We analyzed newly released data from Niche.com, which incorporates comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews to help you choose the right school, to find out how schools in your area are performing and which have made the biggest leaps over the past year.
Central High School's overall rating improved the most among its peers in Phoenix, rising from a C to a C+, according to data from Niche.
For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 4525 N. Central Ave., enrolls 2,176 students. Central High School serves a diverse population: 69% of students identify as Hispanic and 11% identify as black. Niche gave the school mixed grades: C on an A-D scale for academics, C+ 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, 30% of Central High School's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 24% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 39% in math and 33% in reading. The school's improved overall rating is notable since it serves a less affluent population, with 94% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 30% more than the city average.
It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Paradise Valley High School saw its overall rating go from an A- to an A. The school is located at 3950 E. Bell Road and is a bit smaller, currently serving 1,809 students, of whom 44% identify as Hispanic and 42% identify as white.
Niche gave Paradise Valley High School mixed grades: B+ on an A-D scale for academics, A for administration and A- for clubs and activities. Paradise Valley High School's latest math proficiency was at 40%, and reading proficiency was 38%.
Arcadia High School also improved, from a B+ to an A-. The school is located at 4703 E. Indian School Road and has 1,705 students currently enrolled, of whom 54% identify as white and 35% identify as Hispanic.
Niche gave Arcadia High School mixed grades — B+ on an A-D scale for academics, B for administration and C for clubs and activities. Arcadia High School's latest math proficiency was at 49%, and reading proficiency was 42%.
While some public high schools are moving up the ranks, others are consistently top-rated overall, including:
- Phoenix Union Bioscience High School, with an overall rating of A+.
- Desert Vista High School, with an A rating overall.
- Sunnyslope High School, rated A 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.
