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Which teacher or staff member at McDowell Mountain Elementary School deserves more recognition?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
382
Elementary
DISTRICT 210 · STATE 451
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·FOUNTAIN HILLS UNIFIED DISTRICT (4247)·NCES 040304001296
McDowell Mountain Elementary School
15414 N MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN RD, FOUNTAIN HLS, AZ 85268 · (480) 664-5210 · Maricopa County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY41-RURALREGULAR SCHOOL382 STUDENTS
C+
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 40% of Arizona public elementary schools
- BTest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- ·Beats expectations Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
- FThree-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Arizona public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
11.4:1
34 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 11.4:1 · STATE 17.0:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
,
Title I proxy
STATE 95%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 53 | 14% |
| Grade 1 | 63 | 16% |
| Grade 2 | 55 | 14% |
| Grade 3 | 73 | 19% |
| Grade 4 | 74 | 19% |
| Grade 5 | 64 | 17% |
This year's kindergarten class (53) is 17% smaller than its 5th grade class (64).
Student demographics
71%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 65% · STATE 65% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
AASA 2024-25 . % PassingEnglish Language Arts
35.0%
AZ avg 45.4% . -28.0pp since 2017
What this means: On the AASA, Arizona's statewide test, about 35 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level. The Arizona average is about 45 of 100. Reading and writing scores are down about 28 points since 2017.
AASA results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 35.0% | N/A |
| 2023-24 | 35.0% | 27.0% |
| 2022-23 | 35.0% | 28.0% |
| 2021-22 | 38.0% | 33.0% |
| 2020-21 | 58.0% | 48.0% |
| 2018-19 | 66.0% | 59.0% |
| 2017-18 | 63.0% | 61.0% |
% Passing, all students and all tested grades.
Source: AASA. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Where McDowell Mountain Elementary School ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Arizona | In Maricopa County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 27.0% | #594 of 1,072 ▼ 33 | #377 of 646 ▼ 21 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 35.0% | #530 of 1,072 ▲ 27 | #346 of 646 ▲ 11 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -22.0pp | #3 of 930 | #2 of 577 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 382 | #748 of 1,223 | #530 of 692 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 11.4:1 | #44 of 991 | #19 of 615 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 70.8% | #28 of 1,007 | #27 of 627 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +6.7% | #166 of 256 | #88 of 138 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
382
+49 (+15%) vs 2020
-38% since 1990-91, when it was 618
Student : Teacher
11.4:1
was 12.8:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 382 | 33.5 | 11.4:1 | N/A |
| 2023-24 | 418 | 29 | 14.4:1 | N/A |
| 2022-23 | 297 | N/A | N/A | 32% (94) |
| 2020-21 | 333 | 26 | 12.8:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 358 | 27 | 13.3:1 | 35% (125) |
| 2015-16 | 402 | 26 | 15.5:1 | 39% (156) |
| 2010-11 | 412 | 30 | 13.7:1 | 0% (0) |
| 2000-01 | 615 | 42 | 14.6:1 | N/A |
| 1990-91 | 618 | 27 | 22.9:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for McDowell Mountain Elementary School.
Since 2017-18: students up 7% (358 to 382); teachers up 24% (27 to 33.5).
About McDowell Mountain Elementary School
In FOUNTAIN HLS, Arizona, part of Maricopa County, McDowell Mountain Elementary School is an elementary school. The school enrolls 382 students in pre-K through 5.
McDowell Mountain Elementary School is one school in a 5-school district, Fountain Hills Unified District (4247), which enrolls 1,072 students.
At McDowell Mountain Elementary School, White students make up the biggest share, 42%. The remaining students are 23% Hispanic, 23% Native American, 8% multiracial, and 2% Black. Among people living in Maricopa County, the White share is about 59%. On a 0 to 100 scale, the school's diversity index is 71, compared with 70 nationally.
On staff are 33.5 full-time-equivalent teachers; the student-to-teacher ratio is 11.4:1. The average for elementary schools in Arizona is 17.0:1, so this school has fewer students per teacher.
McDowell Mountain Elementary School holds a C+ allk12 Grade, placing it above 40% of Arizona public elementary schools.
In the surrounding county, Maricopa County, median household income comes to about $89,300, about 37% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and roughly 8% of residents are in poverty. The county has 1,352 public schools and about 725,139 students.
Among nearby public schools, Little Falcons Preschool is closest at about 0.7 miles. In all, 5 other public schools sit within five miles of McDowell Mountain Elementary School.
The school's locale code, Rural: Fringe, means it is in rural territory close to an urban area.
Federal enrollment counts increased from 333 (2020-21) to 382 (2024-25). From 2020-21 to 2024-25, the ratio dropped from 12.8:1 to 11.4:1.
The McDowell Mountain Elementary School discussion page is a place for special education services, counseling, and support programs. Teachers and staff are welcome to share updates too.
Maricopa County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
4,559,748
Census ACS
Median income
$89,300
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
37%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
8%
Below federal line
Schools in county
1,352
725,139 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Fountain Hills Unified District (4247)
- Fountain Hills High SchoolHigh · 347 students
- Fountain Hills Middle SchoolMiddle · 250 students
- Fountain Hills Virtual AcademyCombined · 55 students
- Little Falcons PreschoolElementary · 38 students
Other schools in FOUNTAIN HLS
- Fountain Hills Middle SchoolMiddle · 250 students
- Little Falcons PreschoolElementary · 38 students
- Fountain Hills Charter SchoolElementary
Nearby schools
- Little Falcons Preschool0.7 mi · 38
- Fountain Hills High School1.1 mi · 347
- Fountain Hills Virtual Academy1.3 mi · 55
- Fountain Hills Middle School1.3 mi · 250
- BASIS Scottsdale Primary - East Campus4.7 mi · 489
- Mission Montessori Academy5.6 mi · 129
Frequently asked questions
About McDowell Mountain Elementary SchoolHow large is McDowell Mountain Elementary School?
McDowell Mountain Elementary School enrolls approximately 382 students in grades PK-05.
What age range does McDowell Mountain Elementary School serve?
McDowell Mountain Elementary School serves students from grade PK through grade 05.
What is the student-teacher ratio at McDowell Mountain Elementary School?
The student-to-teacher ratio at McDowell Mountain Elementary School is approximately 11.4:1 (34 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at McDowell Mountain Elementary School?
At McDowell Mountain Elementary School, the student body is approximately 42% White, 23% Hispanic, 2% Black, 1% Asian, 8% Two or more.
Who oversees McDowell Mountain Elementary School?
McDowell Mountain Elementary School is overseen by Fountain Hills Unified District (4247) in Maricopa County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.