U.S. News & World Report Ranks Vista del Sur and Trailside Point as “Best” Schools Laveen’s Vista del Sur Accelerated Academy and Trailside Point Performing Arts Academy have been included in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best” elementary and middle school rankings. Vista del Sur received a “Best” ranking in both the elementary and middle school categories while Trailside Point was recognized as a Best Middle School. This recognition is based on the schools’ success in educating students from all socioeconomic backgrounds with the goal of preparing them for success in high school. “Vista and Trailside’s impressive rankings speak to the commitment of the schools’ leadership, teachers, and staff to provide each and every student a quality education,” said Dr. Jeff Sprout, Laveen Superintendent. “Our families must also be commended for the level of support they provide to their children as well as their support of the schools’ educational programs.” The rankings are based on students’ performance on the 2018-19 mathematics and reading/language arts state assessments and their results in the context of socioeconomic demographics, such as free or reduced-price lunch and underserved ethnicity groups. U.S. News & World Report predicted math and reading achievement levels based on this data. The
greater the actual results compared to the predicted results determined a school’s ranking. Over 118,000 schools nationwide were included in the rankings. Vista del Sur was one of 5,300 K-8 schools to be included in both the elementary and middle school rankings. In addition to being named a Best Elementary and Middle School, Vista was named one of the top ten schools in Arizona, being ranked as #6 among Arizona elementary schools and #8 among Arizona middle schools. Vista del Sur is an accelerated school where all students work a grade level ahead in mathematics and English language arts. The school is a U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and an Arizona Educational Foundation A+ School of Excellence. It has historically received an “A” label from the Arizona Department of Education each year. Trailside Point focuses on the performing arts. It has received the Arizona Educational Foundation’s A+ School of Excellence designation twice and it has received the Gold Achievement Award in Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports (PBIS) each year since 2015. Learn more at www.LaveenSchools.org.
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