Grades, awarded annually by the Arizona Department of Education, are in for eastern Santa Cruz County Public Schools:

  • Patagonia Union High School District #20: A
  • Patagonia Elementary School District #6: B
  • Sonoita Elementary School District #25: A

Those grades are unchanged from last year, when both Patagonia High and Sonoita Elementary moved from a “B” to an “A” and Patagonia Elementary stepped up from a “C” to a “B”.

What did change, however, was “total points earned” toward that perfect 100. Patagonia High School scored 85.06, up from last year’s 76.17. Patagonia Elementary ticked up to 77.93 from the 2025 score of 77.26. And, Sonoita Elementary earned a 97.68, stepping it up compared to last year’s 95.3.

Private schools do not receive a report card and are largely independent from government accountability.

Dan Erickson, superintendent/principal of Sonoita Elementary, was decidedly happy with the district’s showing

“Maintaining an A rating for the second consecutive year while achieving our highest score ever is something our entire community should celebrate,” Erickson said. “I am incredibly proud of our students and grateful for the teachers, staff, parents and community members who work together every day to ensure our students receive an outstanding education.”

Kenny Hayes, superintendent/principal of the Patagonia Schools was equally complimentary to the investment faculty, staff, parents and the community have made to area youth.

“While letter grades are one measure of progress, our true focus is supporting each child’s academic and personal growth every single day,” Hayes said.

Where scores come from

Every spring, Arizona students take different tests based on their grade level. Grades 3-8 take Arizona’s Academic Standard test, which assesses English and math. Grades 5, 8 and 11 take the Arizona Science Test, which measures student progress toward achievement on standards adopted by the Board of Education in 2018.        

High school juniors take the American College Test (ACT), which assesses knowledge in English, math, reading and science, with an optional writing test. Freshman take ACT Aspire, which assesses strengths and weaknesses in English, math, reading and science. It is designed to help students and parents track progress toward college and career readiness.

 Independent of those tests is the College and Career Readiness Index that is administered to high school seniors.