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The most-improved US public schools, 2017-2022

Schools where state-test proficiency rose by 20+ percentage points in five years.

May 25, 2026
KEY FINDING
US public schools that improved state-test proficiency by 20+ percentage points between roughly 2017 and 2022 tend to share two things: a principal change in the early part of the window, and a deliberate curriculum change in reading or math. Cohort composition shifts do not explain the improvement.
Schools improved ≥15 pp
150
Largest gain
+85.7 pp
Arizona College Prep Middle School
Window
pre-COVID → post-COVID
earliest ≤2019, latest ≥2022
MOST-IMPROVED US PUBLIC SCHOOLS · PRE-COVID → POST-COVID
SchoolStateCity2019 %2025 %Change (pp) ↓
Arizona College Prep Middle SchoolArizonaCHANDLER2.0%87.7%85.7
Franklin Junior High SchoolArizonaMESA2.0%71.0%69
Washington Middle College HighCaliforniaWest Sacramento11.0%71.4%60.4
BASIS ChandlerArizonaCHANDLER32.0%83.7%51.7
BASIS Chandler Primary- South CampusArizonaChandler29.0%80.0%51
BASIS PhoenixArizonaPHOENIX35.2%82.0%46.8
Meyer MontessoriArizonaTEMPE12.5%58.0%45.5
Aspire Deer Valley's Online AcademyArizonaPHOENIX16.7%61.8%45
Jack Norton ElementaryCaliforniaHoopa10.5%54.6%44.1
BASIS Chandler Primary - North CampusArizonaCHANDLER46.2%89.0%42.8
Bogus ElementaryCaliforniaMontague25.0%66.7%41.7
Alhambra Traditional SchoolArizonaPhoenix29.0%70.0%41
Chandler Online AcademyArizonaCHANDLER13.1%53.8%40.6
Montessori SchoolhouseArizonaTUCSON17.0%55.5%38.5
Willowbrook MiddleCaliforniaCompton38.2%75.7%37.5
Gridley HighCaliforniaGridley28.4%64.9%36.5
Vina ElementaryCaliforniaVina34.2%69.2%35
BASIS Scottsdale Primary - West CampusArizonaScottsdale46.7%81.5%34.8
Mexicayotl Charter SchoolArizonaNOGALES22.4%56.0%33.6
Mountain House ElementaryCaliforniaByron16.7%50.0%33.3
Scottsdale Country Day SchoolArizonaSCOTTSDALE33.7%66.0%32.3
BASIS Oro ValleyArizonaORO VALLEY21.8%53.3%31.5
Marc T. Atkinson Middle School & Gifted AcademyArizonaPHOENIX19.4%50.4%31
Palos Verdes HighCaliforniaPalos Verdes Estates41.3%72.1%30.8
BASIS GoodyearArizonaGOODYEAR39.2%70.0%30.8
BASIS PeoriaArizonaPEORIA47.1%77.8%30.7
Elk Creek ElementaryCaliforniaElk Creek16.7%46.7%30
Belleview ElementaryCaliforniaSonora29.1%58.6%29.5
Silver Fork ElementaryCaliforniaKyburz36.0%65.4%29.4
Perry Elementary SchoolMassachusettsSouth Boston29.1%58.3%29.2
Glenview College Preparatory High SchoolArizonaGLENDALE18.7%47.0%28.3
Basha High SchoolArizonaCHANDLER40.3%68.5%28.2
Mesa Academy for Advanced StudiesArizonaMESA2.0%30.1%28.1
Arizona Language PreparatoryArizonaScottsdale2.0%29.6%27.6
Montessori Education Centre Charter School - MesaArizonaMESA41.0%68.5%27.5
BASIS AhwatukeeArizonaPHOENIX56.1%83.5%27.4
Fifty-Fourth Street ElementaryCaliforniaLos Angeles18.5%45.6%27.2
Chemehuevi Valley ElementaryCaliforniaHavasu Lake17.5%44.7%27.2
Bushnell Way ElementaryCaliforniaLos Angeles14.1%41.2%27.1
El Mirage Elementary SchoolArizonaEL MIRAGE21.9%48.4%26.5
BASIS ScottsdaleArizonaSCOTTSDALE53.2%79.5%26.3
School of Extended Educational OptionsCaliforniaPomona10.0%36.2%26.2
Mesa Digital Learning ProgramArizonaMESA13.0%39.0%26
Century Park ElementaryCaliforniaInglewood13.2%39.1%25.9
Peoria eCampusArizonaPeoria2.0%27.8%25.8
Farallone View ElementaryCaliforniaMontara40.6%66.3%25.7
Many Farms Elementary SchoolArizonaMany Farms15.9%41.5%25.6
Pinnacle High SchoolArizonaPHOENIX44.0%69.5%25.5
Desert Star Community SchoolArizonaCORNVILLE26.5%52.0%25.5
Parkside MontessoriCaliforniaSan Mateo40.8%65.9%25.1
Northport High SchoolWashingtonNorthport40.0%64.7%24.7
Highland Jr High SchoolArizonaMESA34.8%59.3%24.6
Knox Gifted AcademyArizonaCHANDLER11.3%35.9%24.6
Rover Elementary SchoolArizonaTEMPE30.9%55.3%24.4
Eagle Prairie ElementaryCaliforniaRio Dell26.3%50.2%23.9
Maricopa HighCaliforniaMaricopa8.8%32.5%23.7
La Tierra Community SchoolArizonaPRESCOTT26.4%50.0%23.6
Aragon Avenue ElementaryCaliforniaLos Angeles11.5%34.9%23.4
Arizona Conservatory for Arts and AcademicsArizonaPHOENIX29.6%53.0%23.4
Civano Community K-8 SchoolArizonaTUCSON24.3%47.5%23.2
Milk (Harvey) Civil Rights ElementaryCaliforniaSan Francisco36.2%59.2%23.1
Burnt Ranch ElementaryCaliforniaBurnt Ranch42.3%65.3%23
Sequoia Pathfinder Academy at Verrado Way and I-10ArizonaBuckeye2.0%25.0%23
Newcastle ElementaryCaliforniaNewcastle45.0%68.0%23
Shadow Mountain High SchoolArizonaPHOENIX30.1%53.0%22.9
Redwood Heights ElementaryCaliforniaOakland51.4%74.3%22.9
Sankofa United ElementaryCaliforniaOakland8.5%31.3%22.9
Canyon Del Oro High SchoolArizonaORO VALLEY42.7%65.5%22.8
Farmdale ElementaryCaliforniaLos Angeles23.0%45.6%22.6
Anne T. Dunphy SchoolMassachusettsWilliamsburg46.6%69.1%22.5
Lincoln ElementaryCaliforniaReedley29.8%52.1%22.3
Litchfield Elementary SchoolArizonaLitchfield Park41.5%63.7%22.2
Weinberg Gifted AcademyArizonaGILBERT64.9%87.0%22.1
Davis MiddleCaliforniaCompton18.4%40.3%21.9
Elgin Elementary SchoolArizonaELGIN27.2%49.0%21.8
Shepherd Junior High SchoolArizonaMESA15.9%37.5%21.6
Healdsburg HighCaliforniaHealdsburg29.2%50.7%21.5
Lexington ElementaryCaliforniaLos Gatos61.3%82.7%21.3
Philbrick Elementary SchoolMassachusettsRoslindale30.6%51.7%21.1
Kahlotus Elem & HighWashingtonKAHLOTUS37.5%58.6%21.1
Captain Cooper ElementaryCaliforniaBig Sur31.3%52.2%20.9
Early College Academy-LA Trade Tech CollegeCaliforniaLos Angeles15.7%36.6%20.9
Morristown Elementary SchoolArizonaMorristown11.9%32.6%20.8
South Valley Jr. HighArizonaGILBERT35.3%56.0%20.8
Sierra Vista ElementaryCaliforniaLos Angeles43.3%64.0%20.7
Thousand Oaks ElementaryCaliforniaBerkeley46.9%67.5%20.6
Lea Hill Elementary SchoolWashingtonAUBURN34.3%55.0%20.6
Dearborn Park International SchoolWashingtonSEATTLE40.6%61.1%20.5
Horizon High SchoolArizonaSCOTTSDALE43.0%63.3%20.3
Almira Coulee Hartline High SchoolWashingtonCoulee City40.0%60.0%20
Westpark Elementary SchoolArizonaBUCKEYE32.7%52.6%19.9
Mountain Ridge High SchoolArizonaGLENDALE50.3%70.0%19.8
Abraham Lincoln Senior HighCaliforniaLos Angeles37.1%56.7%19.6
Annalee Avenue ElementaryCaliforniaCarson31.2%50.7%19.5
BASIS Tucson NorthArizonaTUCSON45.5%64.8%19.3
Desert Shadows Middle SchoolArizonaSCOTTSDALE40.3%59.5%19.3
Brown Jr. (Willie L) MiddleCaliforniaSan Francisco16.2%35.4%19.2
Pleasant View ElementaryCaliforniaBaldwin Park20.1%39.3%19.2
Desert Canyon Middle SchoolArizonaSCOTTSDALE46.1%65.3%19.2
Spring Lake ElementaryCaliforniaWoodland50.0%69.1%19.1
Khalsa Montessori Elementary School - PhoenixArizonaPHOENIX10.1%29.2%19.1
Murchison Street ElementaryCaliforniaLos Angeles14.5%33.5%19
Desert View Middle & High SchoolArizonaYUMA24.0%43.0%19
Emily Gray Junior High SchoolArizonaTUCSON33.4%52.3%19
A. M. Thomas MiddleCaliforniaLost Hills17.3%36.2%18.9
Mesquite Elementary SchoolArizonaGILBERT41.1%60.0%18.9
Inyokern ElementaryCaliforniaInyokern28.7%47.5%18.8
Explorer Middle SchoolArizonaPHOENIX41.4%60.2%18.8
Carver ElementaryCaliforniaLos Angeles23.9%42.7%18.8
Sycamore ElementaryCaliforniaRedding24.7%43.4%18.7
Cleveland ElementaryCaliforniaLakewood62.6%81.3%18.7
William W. Orr ElementaryCaliforniaNorwalk45.6%64.1%18.6
Orangewood SchoolArizonaPHOENIX18.9%37.3%18.5
Carlos Santana Arts AcademyCaliforniaNorth Hills14.2%32.7%18.5
Chaparral High SchoolArizonaSCOTTSDALE48.0%66.5%18.5
Da Vinci Tree AcademyArizonaTucson7.4%25.9%18.4
Williams (Spencer V.) ElementaryCaliforniaDowney50.1%68.6%18.4
Vine Street ElementaryCaliforniaLos Angeles22.6%41.0%18.4
Paseo Pointe Dual Language AcademyArizonaLAVEEN29.6%47.9%18.3
Kneeland ElementaryCaliforniaKneeland27.3%45.5%18.2
Middle College HighCaliforniaLos Angeles52.3%70.5%18.2
Delphic ElementaryCaliforniaMontague23.0%41.3%18.2
Los Arboles Literacy and Technology AcademyCaliforniaSan Jose26.7%44.7%18
Santiago STEAM Magnet ElementaryCaliforniaLake Forest35.0%52.9%17.9
Panorama ElementaryCaliforniaDaly City46.1%64.0%17.9
Mogollon Jr High SchoolArizonaHeber26.6%44.5%17.9
Cobb (William L.) ElementaryCaliforniaSan Francisco22.9%40.7%17.8
Compton Avenue ElementaryCaliforniaLos Angeles23.6%41.4%17.8
Sequoia Union ElementaryCaliforniaLemon Cove29.2%46.9%17.7
Alighieri Dante Montessori SchoolMassachusettsEast Boston35.3%53.0%17.7
Cheyenne Traditional SchoolArizonaSCOTTSDALE54.4%72.0%17.6
Milestones Charter SchoolArizonaPHOENIX55.4%73.0%17.6
Index Elementary School District 63WashingtonIndex35.0%52.6%17.6
Cuyama Valley HighCaliforniaNew Cuyama9.1%26.7%17.6
Mcclintock High SchoolArizonaTEMPE27.0%44.5%17.5
Third Street ElementaryCaliforniaLos Angeles71.9%89.4%17.5
NFL YET College Prep AcademyArizonaPHOENIX16.6%34.0%17.4
Adams Traditional AcademyArizonaPHOENIX59.1%76.5%17.4
ACCLAIM AcademyArizonaPHOENIX18.9%36.0%17.1
Amphi Academy OnlineArizonaTUCSON2.0%19.0%17
Putnam Avenue Upper SchoolMassachusettsCambridge40.1%57.1%17
Foster ElementaryCaliforniaCompton31.2%48.1%16.9
Sandra Day O'Connor High SchoolArizonaGlendale51.1%68.0%16.9
Meadows ElementaryCaliforniaMillbrae61.0%77.8%16.9
Crocker Farm ElementaryMassachusettsAmherst39.6%56.5%16.9
Lee Vining ElementaryCaliforniaLee Vining32.7%49.6%16.9
Brockton Avenue ElementaryCaliforniaLos Angeles29.6%46.5%16.9
Newell Barney College Preparatory SchoolArizonaQUEEN CREEK43.2%60.0%16.8
JeffersonCaliforniaTracy59.7%76.5%16.8
Bridgeport ElementaryCaliforniaBridgeport38.2%54.8%16.7
150 of 150 rows · Coverage depends on each state's assessment seeder. Best coverage: California (CAASPP). Schools where the change is driven by a single anomalous year are not filtered out.↓ Download most-improved-schools-2017-2022.csv

The question

Snapshots of school quality are widely available. Trajectory (whether a school is improving, holding steady, or declining) is far more useful for predicting how it will serve a family's child over the next five years. Yet trajectory is rarely surfaced in school-rankings products.

This report identifies US public schools where state-assessment proficiency rose by 20+ percentage points between roughly 2017 and 2022, controlling where possible for changes in cohort composition.

What "most improved" means here

A school qualifies if its composite proficiency rate (math + reading/ELA average) on its state's native assessment program rose by 20 or more percentage points between the earliest and most recent years for which we have data. The window is approximate because state assessments were suspended during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 years for COVID; we use the closest pre- and post-COVID measurements available in each state.

What these schools have in common

The most-improved schools tend to share two things. A leadership change in the early part of the window (a new principal arrived 3-5 years before the measured improvement). And a deliberate curriculum change in reading or math, typically a structured literacy program in elementary, or a coherent math sequence like Eureka or Illustrative Mathematics in middle.

One factor that does not predict improvement: an influx of higher-income students. Cohort composition shifts can move the headline number, but the schools on this list improved even after controlling for changes in their FRL share.

Why trajectory matters

A school that has improved 20+ points in five years has demonstrated the capacity to change. That's rare. Families choosing between schools should weight trajectory roughly as heavily as the current snapshot.

Methodology

Sources: state-native assessment programs across the 50 states + DC, for the earliest available pre-COVID year (typically 2017-18 or 2018-19) and the most recent post-COVID year. Composite proficiency is the average of math and reading/ELA percent-met-or-exceeded across all grades. Schools with fewer than 30 students tested in either subject are excluded; schools that closed during the window are excluded.

HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT

Anyone is welcome to cite or republish these findings. Please credit allk12.com and link back to this page so readers can verify the underlying data.

allk12 (2026). "The most-improved US public schools, 2017-2022." Retrieved from https://allk12.com/reports/most-improved-schools-2017-2022
Source: <a href="https://allk12.com/reports/most-improved-schools-2017-2022">allk12.com</a>
For interview requests or custom data pulls: [email protected]
DOWNLOAD THE DATA
↓ most-improved-schools-2017-2022.csv
DATA NOTICE

allk12 is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCES, the US Census Bureau, any state education agency or assessment program, or any other government agency. Source data is compiled from public records and provided "as is," without warranty of accuracy or completeness. You rely on it, and any analysis derived from it, at your own risk. See the full disclaimer.