Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies

www.mpsaz.org/academy

379 Students

Other 4th - 9th

School Overview

Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies, located in Mesa, Arizona, is a specialized public magnet school within the Mesa Public Schools district that focuses on serving high-achieving students in grades 4 through 8. The school is designed to provide a rigorous, fast-paced academic environment that goes beyond the standard curriculum, catering to gifted and talented learners who thrive on intellectual challenge. By emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving, and a demanding workload, the academy aims to prepare its students for the complexities of honors and Advanced Placement (AP) coursework in high school.

Beyond its academic core, Mesa Academy fosters a unique, tight-knit community where students are grouped by ability rather than strictly by age, allowing for a personalized educational experience. The curriculum integrates technology and collaborative projects to ensure students are well-equipped for modern higher education demands. Because it is a magnet program, the school draws students from across the district who are seeking an accelerated pathway, maintaining a culture of academic excellence and high expectations for all attendees.

379

Total Students

21.7

Full-Time Teachers

17.5

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies
Demographic	Student Count
White	241
Hispanic	88
Black	10
Asian	17
Two or More	20
American Indian	3

White
241 (63.6%)
Hispanic
88 (23.2%)
Two or More
20 (5.3%)
Asian
17 (4.5%)
Black
10 (2.6%)
American Indian
3 (0.8%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Other
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Mesa Unified District (4235)
Phone:	(480)308-7400
Website:	http://www.mpsaz.org/academy
Grade Range:	4th - 9th
Total Students:	379
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	21.7
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	17.5
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 4 68

Grade 5 68

Grade 6 83

Grade 7 84

Grade 8 76