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Below Average

#1650 of 2,006 schools in AZ

Shepherd Junior High School

Middle School · Mesa Unified District (4235) · Mesa, AZ

A Mesa Unified District (4235) middle school where students score 8 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1407 N ALTA MESA DR, Mesa, AZ 85205

  • Math 22% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 36% proficient (2022)
  • 20.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.9Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.98 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics6.0Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency22% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency36% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency29% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)37% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-8.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile43th
Resources & Environment6.8Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio20.2:1
District spending per student$12,121
Chronic Absenteeism33.7%

Students at Shepherd Junior High School score 29% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 37%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AZ average.

Math Proficiency22%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency36%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 10 points since 2019, to 29% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
80%
ELA
87%
2010
Math
76%
ELA
87%
2011
Math
77%
ELA
87%
2012
Math
80%
ELA
88%
2013
Math
78%
ELA
88%
2014
Math
35%
ELA
34%
2015
Math
39%
ELA
43%
2016
Math
48%
ELA
39%
2017
Math
40%
ELA
37%
2018
Math
41%
ELA
37%
2019
Math
41%
ELA
37%
2020*
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
27%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
22%
ELA
36%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 51% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 55% (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 Shepherd Junior High School 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 46Car-Dependent
  • Transit 0Minimal Transit
  • Bike 76Very Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,955/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Mesa), 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

$71,294

Median home value

$301,200

Median rent

$1,363/mo

College educated

29.5%

Homeownership

72.1%

Poverty rate

9.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 85205; 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
Fremont Junior High SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.37–81.4 mi925Compare →
Mesa Academy for Advanced StudiesEnrollment path unverified7.64–91.4 mi378Compare →
Mesa Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.8privateK–113.2 mi34Compare →
Stapley Junior High SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.57–93.4 mi946Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Mesa Unified District (4235)

Schools in district
78
Rank in district
#58 of 76
District spending per student
$12,121NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Shepherd Junior High School is listed in Mesa Unified District (4235); a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Shepherd Junior High School

Shepherd Junior High School is a public middle school in Mesa, AZ, part of Mesa Unified District (4235), serving approximately 667 students in grades 4th-8th with a 20.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 out of 10 and ranks #1,650 of 2,006 schools in AZ. State assessment records show 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Shepherd Junior High School

What grades does Shepherd Junior High School serve?

Shepherd Junior High School serves students in grades 4th through 8th.

How many students attend Shepherd Junior High School?

Shepherd Junior High School has an enrollment of approximately 667 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Shepherd Junior High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Shepherd Junior High School is 20.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Shepherd Junior High School rank in AZ?

Shepherd Junior High School ranks #1,650 of 2,006 schools in AZ.

What is Shepherd Junior High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Shepherd Junior High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 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 Shepherd Junior High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Shepherd Junior High School has 51% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 55% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Shepherd Junior High School a charter school?

No, Shepherd Junior High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Shepherd Junior High School a Title I school?

No, Shepherd Junior High School is not currently a Title I school.

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

Grades
4th – 8th
Enrollment
667
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
33
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Maricopa County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
33.7%
Area population (ZIP 85205)
44,704
Area average commute
24 min
Area median age
49.9
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 85205; 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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