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Excellent

#205 of 2,006 schools in AZ

Top 10% in state

Cortina Elementary

Elementary School · Higley Unified School District (4248) · Queen Creek, AZ

A Higley Unified School District (4248) elementary school where students score 13 points above what's typical for similar communities.

19680 S 188TH ST, Queen Creek, AZ 85142

  • Math 62% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 62% proficient (2022)
  • 17:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.7Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.95 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics9.0Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency62% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency62% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency62% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)49% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected+13.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile84th
Resources & Environment7.5Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio17:1
District spending per student$9,611
Chronic Absenteeism29.7%

Students at Cortina Elementary score 62% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 49%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AZ average.

Math Proficiency62%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency62%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 10 points since 2019, to 62% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
89%
2010
Math
79%
ELA
90%
2011
Math
82%
ELA
91%
2012
Math
83%
ELA
92%
2013
Math
85%
ELA
97%
2014
Math
71%
ELA
66%
2015
Math
76%
ELA
72%
2016
Math
74%
ELA
73%
2017
Math
77%
ELA
71%
2018
Math
70%
ELA
73%
2019
Math
70%
ELA
73%
2020*
Math
60%
ELA
66%
2021*
Math
60%
ELA
66%
2022
Math
62%
ELA
62%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 73% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 77% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from AZ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Cortina Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Phoenix map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 25Car-Dependent
  • Bike 34Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated950/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Queen Creek), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$125,236

Median home value

$521,300

Median rent

$2,092/mo

College educated

37.9%

Homeownership

88.7%

Poverty rate

5.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 85142; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Sue Sossaman Early Childhood Development CenterEnrollment path unverified6.5PK0.9 mi65Compare →
American Leadership Academy of Applied TechnologiesCharter · enrollment unverifiedNot ratedK–121.0 mi472Compare →
Power Ranch ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.2PK–81.1 mi592Compare →
Heritage Academy GatewayCharter · enrollment unverified8.0K–121.2 mi1,510Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Higley Unified School District (4248)

Schools in district
16
Rank in district
#4 of 16
District spending per student
$9,611NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
5.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Cortina Elementary is listed in Higley Unified School District (4248); a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Cortina Elementary

Cortina Elementary is a public elementary school in Queen Creek, AZ, part of Higley Unified School District (4248), serving approximately 664 students in grades Pre-K-8th with a 17:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.5 out of 10 and ranks #205 of 2,006 schools in AZ. State assessment records show 73% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 77% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Cortina Elementary

What grades does Cortina Elementary serve?

Cortina Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 8th.

How many students attend Cortina Elementary?

Cortina Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 664 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Cortina Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Cortina Elementary is 17:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Cortina Elementary rank in AZ?

Cortina Elementary ranks #205 of 2,006 schools in AZ.

What is Cortina Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Cortina Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Cortina Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Cortina Elementary has 73% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 77% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Cortina Elementary a charter school?

No, Cortina Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Cortina Elementary a Title I school?

No, Cortina Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 8th
Enrollment
664
Student-Teacher Ratio
17:1
Teachers (FTE)
39
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Maricopa County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
29.7%
Area population (ZIP 85142)
87,201
Area average commute
30.9 min
Area median age
36.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 85142; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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