Founded in 1996 as one of the first public charter schools in the valley, Tempe Preparatory Academy serves about 450 students in sixth through twelfth grade.
Here, the faculty and staff follow the academy’s mission to “educate students for the lifelong pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty.” Unlike in most schools, Tempe Prep students in grades 9-11 are required to perform at least 10 hours of community service and seniors must complete and defend a thesis in order to graduate — all in an effort to deepen character and foster career-minded individuals.
Through a rigorous curriculum centered in the Western tradition, students also learn to think critically, both in academics and the fine arts. And as a result, academy students earn stellar test scores in reading and math that are more than twice the state averages, helping Tempe Prep to rank as one of the top high schools in Arizona.
In addition to daily classes, students can pursue passions in more than 30 school clubs, ranging from choir and debate to Math Society and robotics, while aspiring athletes can compete in a dozen interscholastics, from football to swimming.
Tempe Preparatory Academy also hosts a calendar of spirit weeks, school dances, out-of-state field trips, and student concerts to keep Tempe Prep Knights active and engaged all year long.
Tempe Preparatory Academy
Charter Middle, High School
|
Grade 6-12
1251 E Southern Ave,
Tempe, AZ
School Details
Head of School
Dr. Wayne Porter
Student Teacher Ratio
13:1
Average SAT Score
1290
Average ACT Score
28
Math Proficiency
58%
Reading Proficiency
73%
Average GPA
3.59
Graduation Rate
90%
Niche Grade
A
A+
A
A+
A-
A-
B+
A+
Source: Niche
Niche Grade Details
Academics
|
Average GPA
3.59
|
Reading Proficiency
73%
|
|
Math Proficiency
58%
|
|
Teachers
|
Student Teacher Ratio
13:1
Teachers
34
|
Full Time Teachers
34
|
|
Teachers in First or Second Year
3%
|
|
College Prep
|
Average SAT
1290
Math
640
Verbal
650
|
Average ACT
28
Math
27
English
29
Reading
30
Science
27
|
Clubs and Activities
|
Girls Athletic Participation
Average
|
Boys Athletic Participation
Low
|
GreatSchools Rating
Source: GreatSchools
GreatSchools Rating Details
Test Scores
|
Math
13%
State Average
44%
|
Science
55%
State Average
31%
|
Teachers and Staff
|
Students Per Counselor
224:1
|
Student Diversity
|
Male
50.1%
|
Female
49.9%
|
|
White
52%
|
Male
50.1%
|
|
Female
49.9%
|
Hispanic
28.2%
|
|
Economically disadvantaged
18.4%
|
Two or more races
9.6%
|
|
Asian
6.5%
|
|
School Rankings
#1
Best Public HS Teachers in Arizona
#3
Best Public MS Teachers in Arizona
#9
Best Charter MS in Arizona
Specialty School Programs
Free/Reduced Lunch Offered
Athletics Program
Colleges Students are Considering
Students are most interested in or go on to attend these colleges.
Arizona State University
135 Students
Northern Arizona University
91 Students
University of Arizona
90 Students
University of California - Los Angeles
46 Students
University of San Diego
37 Students
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott
25 Students
University of Southern California
24 Students
Grand Canyon University
24 Students
California State University - Northridge
21 Students
Arizona State University - West Campus
21 Students
What Students Want to Study
Niche users from this school are most interested in the following majors.
Business
34 Students
Biology
22 Students
Pre-Medicine Studies
20 Students
Psychology
17 Students
Computer Science
17 Students
Political Science and Government
16 Students
Mechanical Engineering
15 Students
Nursing
13 Students
Engineering
13 Students
Mathematics
10 Students
This School’s Reviews
Niche Reviews
5/3/2026
TPA is a horrible school. This school does not handle hate speech between students. They assign homework every day even on "rest and relax weekends" which are supposed to be homework free weekends. Do not send your child to TPA.
12/1/2025
I have had a very positive experience with teaches. Many classwork resources are made easily accessible, and I often get clear answers to any questions.
4/25/2024
This school is a very good school. I enjoy attending this school. The athletics are very enjoyable to participate in. The clubs are very good. Much discussion takes place in class here.
GreatSchools Reviews
5/1/2026
The teachers here are great. I chose to take Classics for my foreign language, pressured by my parents, and I wavered in my decision, doubting my choice. Yet Dr. Ryan, the Latin teacher, and once Classics head (due to a brief period of sub-par management), ultimately was the reason why I stuck with...
4/27/2026
Tempe Preparatory Academy stands out for its commitment to a classical education model and high academic standards. Students are encouraged to develop strong writing and analytical skills, which can be a big advantage later on. That said, the environment can feel competitive and demanding, and not a...
4/20/2026
I have had a great experience at Tempe prep I feel academically challenged without the work being too much. The best part of the school has to be the people around you and especially the teachers, the teachers are amazing and they make you feel like they really care about your learning and if you ev...
4/10/2026
Tempe Prep is an amazing school. Its attention to each and every student in the classroom is extraordinary. I feel as a student very safe and able to speak my mind and I feel that over the years I have grown and learned so much from these amazing teachers! As I go into college I feel prepared for wh...
Agents Specializing Near This School
-
R. Chris Reece
R. Chris Reece
Good Oak Real Estate
(623) 663-4503
128 Total Sales
4 Near This School
$227K - $610K Price Range
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Edith 'Eydie' Fernandez
Edith 'Eydie' Fernandez
HomeSmart
(623) 254-4398
41 Total Sales
3 Near This School
$370K - $420K Price Range
-
Mario Ballesteros Azar
Mario Ballesteros Azar
Rio Salado Realty, LLC
(844) 907-3908
13 Total Sales
1 Near This School
$309,000 Price
-
Daren Freeman
Daren Freeman
Compass
(623) 246-4270
61 Total Sales
2 Near This School
$407K - $656K Price Range
-
Skyler Keyser
Skyler Keyser
Responds QuicklyThe Agency
(623) 777-2928
126 Total Sales
7 Near This School
$260K - $625K Price Range
-
Stephen Liby
Stephen Liby
HomeSmart
(623) 254-1098
33 Total Sales
1 Near This School
$410,000 Price
Map
List Price Range
$238K - $908K
Homes For Sale
102
Average Home Value
$499,832
Median Lot Size
5,227 Sq Ft
% Renters
60%
Average Household Income
$89,540
% of College Grads
48.4%
Median Age
34
Average House Size
1,836 Sq Ft
% Commercial Property
53.1%
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
$1,085 - $2,695 per month
- THE ACCESS
- Studio - 3 Beds
- 1-3 Baths
- 485+ Sq Ft
- 1811 E Apache Blvd
- Tempe, AZ
$1,399 - $2,199 per month
- Hohokam Villas
- 1 - 3 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 849+ Sq Ft
- 2900 W Highland
- Chandler, AZ
$1,715 - $2,759 per month
- Smith & Rio
- Studio - 2 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 559+ Sq Ft
- 1979 E Rio Salado Pkwy
- Tempe, AZ
$1,715 - $3,694 per month
- The Arden AZ
- Studio - 3 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 559+ Sq Ft
- 2055 W Riverview Auto Dr
- Mesa, AZ
Additional Schools in the Area
Public Schools shown may be Choice Schools
Choice Schools
Choice schools may not serve this home. Please check the school district website to see all schools serving this home.
- 9th to 12th
- Charter
- 9th to 12th
- Charter
- 9th to 12th
- Charter
Parks in this Area
Selleh Park
- Basketball
- Fishing
- Grills
Ehrhardt Park
- Basketball
- Grills
- Picnic Area
Meyer Park
- Baseball/Softball
- Basketball
- Grills
Hollis Park
- Basketball
- Grills
- Picnic Area
Cole Park
- Basketball
- Picnic Area
- Trails
Daumler Park
- Basketball
- Grills
- Picnic Area
Additional Neighborhoods in this Area
Marilyn Ann
Walkable neighborhood just over a mile from downtown Tempe and ASU
Tempe Preparatory Academy is a charter school for students in grades 6-12 located at 1251 E Southern Ave in Tempe, AZ. Annual tuition is $0. The school has a total enrollment of 447 and maintains a student-teacher ratio of 13:1. Academic records show that 58% of students achieve proficiency in math, and 73% are proficient in reading. Tempe Preparatory Academy has received feedback and ratings, with a Niche grade of A+ and a GreatSchools Rating of 8 out of 10. The average GPA is 3.59, the graduation rate is 90%, and average standardized test scores include an SAT score of 1290 and an ACT score of 28. The average home value in this area is $499,832. Discover additional schools in the area, like Educational Models for Learning ? Arizona, New School for the Arts & Academics, Valley Preparatory Academy, and more. Learn more about what Tempe has to offer, and browse homes for sale and for rent near Tempe Preparatory Academy.