Seventy-three schools are appealing the letter grades they’ve been given by state school officials, citing a variety of reasons that their grade should be improved.
For about two-thirds of those appealing, school officials say either that the Arizona Department of Education used incorrect data to calculate their letter grade or that the formula the Arizona State Board of Education used to grade schools is flawed.
Four schools say the teacher shortage in Arizona resulted in their poor letter grade.
Other appeals blame road construction, building construction, plumbing problems, air conditioning problems or an outbreak of the flu for their letter grade.
A small number of schools cited unusual conditions.
• Flagstaff High School received threats of “Columbine-style” violence, resulting in a spike of absences while parents kept their kids at home.
• Casa Grande Union High School explained that its principal was in China when data was provided to the Department of Education, and that the school’s staff did not include all the data.
• George Gervin Prep Academy described several specific teachers at the school who caused problems for students and needed to be disciplined or removed from the classroom. One teacher, the school administrators said, was “immensely affected” by and became erratic following the election of Donald Trump as president. Another, they said, bullied and intimidated students.
The Board of Education said they plan to review the appeals and make decisions on them in coming months, but do not have a firm date for when that process will be completed.
Additionally, the Board of Education announced this month that it will revamp the formula used to calculate the grades and issue a new set of “final” grades later this year.
Download the school appeals here
| School | District/Charter | Grade assigned | Grade requested | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aguila Elementary School | Aguila Elementary District | D | C | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Aire Libre Elementary School | Paradise Valley Unified District | B | A | Challenge to how formula works |
| Alchesay High School | Whiteriver Unified District | F | D | School not aware of deadline |
| Antelope Union High School | Antelope Union High School District | D | C | Remote location, athletic events and fair preparation |
| Bagdad Middle / Senior High School | Bagdad Unified District | B/F | “Unknown” | Grade system is unconventional |
| Bales Elementary School | Buckeye Elementary District | D | “B or Above” | Teacher shortage |
| Betty Fairfax High School | Phoenix Union High School District | D | C | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Blue Ridge Elementary School | Blue Ridge Unified School District No. 32 | D | D | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Buckeye Elementary School | Buckeye Elementary District | D | Does not specify | Teacher shortage |
| Buckeye Union High School | Buckeye Union High School District | D | C | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Canyon Del Oro High School | Amphitheater Unified District | C | B | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Casa Grande Union High School | Casa Grande Union High School District | D | C | Principal was in China / Staff sent incomplete data |
| Cesar Chavez High School | Phoenix Union High School District | D | C | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Children Reaching for the Sky Preparatory | Charter | D | C | Incorrect data used in formula (appeal filed after close of window) |
| Chinle High School | Chinle Unified District | D | C | Power outages (appeal filed after close of window) |
| Cloves C Campbell Sr Elementary School | Roosevelt Elementary District | C | B | Flooding due to storm |
| Copper Ridge School | Scottsdale Unified District | B | A | 6th-grade teacher took medical leave |
| Copper Trails | Avondale Elementary District | B | A | Absences caused by “flu/illness” |
| Cordova Elementary School | Alhambra Elementary District | C | B | Flooding due to storm |
| Country Gardens Charter School | Charter | D | C | Road closures, school construction, “Air Conditioning Debacle” |
| Desert Horizon Elementary School | Pendergast Elementary District | D | C | Student death |
| Eliseo C. Felix School | Avondale Elementary District | D | C | Absences, changed from K-8 to 2-5 school |
| Fine Arts Academy | Littleton Elementary District | F | Does not specify | Construction |
| Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy | Charter | C | A | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Flagstaff High School | Flagstaff Unified District | C | A | Shootin threat caused spike in absences during testing period |
| Flagstaff Junior Academy | Charter | C | B | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Fountain Hills High School | Fountain Hills Unified District | C | B | Challenge to how formula works |
| George Gervin Prep Academy | Charter | F | No Grade | Multiple severe staffing issues |
| Great Hearts Academies – Trivium Prep | Charter | C | A | Incorrect data used in formula or Challenge to formula |
| Helen Keeling Elementary School | Amphitheater Unified District | D | C | Construction / Roof repair / Sick teacher |
| Horizon High School | Paradise Valley Unified District | B | A | Challenge to how formula works |
| Imagine Prep Coolidge | Charter | F/C | Does not specify | Challenge to how formula works |
| Indian Bend Elementary School | Paradise Valley Unified District | C | B | Challenge to how formula works |
| Indian Oasis Primary Elementary School | Baboquivari Unified School District #40 | NR | B | Overcrowding / Students moved among schools in school system |
| Keystone Montessori Charter School | Charter | B | Does not specify | Challenge to how formula works |
| Kyrene Akimel A-Al Middle School | Kyrene Elementary District | C | B | Challenge to how formula works |
| Kyrene Altadena Middle School | Kyrene Elementary District | B | A | Challenge to how formula works |
| Kyrene de la Estrella Elementary School | Kyrene Elementary District | B | A | Challenge to how formula works |
| Kyrene de la Mariposa School | Kyrene Elementary District | B | A | Challenge to how formula works |
| L M Prince School | Amphitheater Unified District | F | D | Flooding due to plumbing problems / Teacher left mid-year |
| Leading Edge Academy at East Mesa | Charter | B | A | Challenge to how formula works |
| Littleton Elementary School | Littleton Elementary District | D | C | Problems with/changes in leadership and staff |
| Madison #1 Elementary School | Madison Elementary District | C | A | Challenge to how formula works |
| Madison Highland Prep | Charter | B | A | Challenge to how formula works |
| Madison Traditional Academy | Madison Elementary District | B | A | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Mary C O’Brien Elementary School | Mary C O’Brien Accommodation District | B | A | Challenge to how formula works |
| Metro Tech High School | Phoenix Union High School District | C | B | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Michael Anderson | Avondale Elementary District | C | B | Absences caused by “flu/illness” |
| Mingus Union High School | Mingus Union High School District | C | B | Changes in administration |
| Montessori Academy | Charter | C | B | Technical/IT problems during testing |
| Mountain Trail Middle School | Paradise Valley Unified District | C | B | Challenge to how formula works |
| New School for the Arts | Charter | F | Does not specify | Incorrect data used in formula |
| New School for the Arts Middle School | Charter | F | C | Incorrect data used in formula or Challenge to formula |
| North Ranch Elementary School | Paradise Valley Unified District | B | A | Challenge to how formula works |
| Paragon Science Academy | Charter | C | A | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Paramount Academy | Charter | D | C | 4th grade teacher left, students were emotionally distressed |
| Pinnacle High School | Paradise Valley Unified District | B | A | Challenge to how formula works |
| Prescott High School | Prescott Unified District | C | B | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Queen Creek High School | Queen Creek Unified District | B | A | Incorrect data used in formula |
| San Simon School | San Simon Unified District | D | Does not specify | Challenge to how formula works |
| San Tan Foothills High School | Florence Unified School District | C | B | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Sequoia Secondary School | Charter | F | Does not specify | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Shea Middle School | Paradise Valley Unified District | D | Does not specify | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Sinagua Middle School | Flagstaff Unified District | D | C | Security, shooting, threats |
| Sonoran Science Academy – Tucson | Charter | B | A | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Stanfield Elementary School | Stanfield Elementary District | F | D/C | Teacher shortage |
| Steven R. Jasinski Elementary School | Buckeye Elementary District | D | D | Teacher shortage |
| Sundance Elementary | Buckeye Elementary District | C | “B or above” | Challenge to how formula works |
| Superior Junior/Senior High School | Superior Unified School District | D | C | Incorrect data used in formula |
| Topock Elementary School | Topock Elementary District | D | B | Challenge to how formula works / Teacher left |
| Valley Union High School | Valley Union High School District | C | B | Challenge to how formula works |
| Vista Verde Middle School | Paradise Valley Unified District | D | C | Challenge to how formula works |
| Westview High School | Tolleson Union High School District | C | B | Challenge to how formula works |
