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Public elementary school · Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) · Phoenix, Arizona

Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School

Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School rates 8.9, among the strongest elementary schools in Paradise Valley Unified District (4241), where the rated median is 7.7.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
8.9this school

8.9 on a one-to-ten scale; the Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) median is 7.7.

#82 of 2,019 schools in Arizona · Paradise Valley Unified District (4241): 25 elementary schools rated, median 7.7 · Based on limited data

The brief

A Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) elementary school where students score 50 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 82 of 2,019 schools in Arizona and 5 of 44 in Paradise Valley Unified District (4241).

Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School is listed in Paradise Valley Unified District (4241), and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math48%13 points above the Arizona average of 35%2024 AASA
Reading51%10 points above the Arizona average of 41%2024 AASA
In 2024, 48% of students were proficient in math and 51% in reading, against Arizona averages of 35% and 41%.2024 AASA; 38 test records from AZ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
Requires 2+ years of test data
Academics
8.5
60% of the rating
Resources & Environment
9.6
40% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 6 sources, 2019–2024

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

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

  • Based on limited data: 50% component coverage.
  • Component weights adjusted due to data availability.

Partial Profile · 2/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 59% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 66% (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

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.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • 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 · 2024 AASA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 AASA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 AASA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 AASA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
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 85032; 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, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$74,331
Median home value
$387,900
Median rent
$1,492/mo
College educated
34.2%
Homeownership
57.9%
Poverty rate
12.1%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 85032; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
32
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
26
Some Transit
Bike Score
58
Bikeable
City reported crime
2,733/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Phoenix. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Phoenix), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 9.4Compare →
  2. 9.3Compare →
  3. 9.0Compare →
  4. Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary Schoolthis school
    8.9
  5. 8.7Compare →
  6. 8.4Compare →
  7. 8.2Compare →
  8. 5.5Compare →
  9. 4.8Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and three rate higher than Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

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.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School serve?

Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 6th.

How many students attend Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School?

Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 354 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School is 10.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School rank in AZ?

Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School ranks #82 of 2,019 schools in AZ.

What is Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.9 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 Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School has 59% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 66% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School a charter school?

No, Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Desert Springs Preparatory Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

School facts

Grades
Pre-K – 6th
Enrollment
354
Student-teacher ratio
10.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
34
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large City
County
Maricopa County
Rank in district
#5 of 44
Schools in district
45
District spending per student
$11,848
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
8.5%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 85032)
70,447
Area average commute
23.2 min
Area median age
37.9

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Arizona Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.