Two Rose Academies campuses received "A" ratings in Arizona's official FY26 alternative school letter grades, placing them among just nine alternative charter high schools statewide to earn the top mark this year, according to results released by the Tucson-based charter network.
Mountain Rose Academy and Canyon Rose Academy East Campus each received an "A" rating. Canyon Rose Academy, Desert Rose Academy and Pima Rose Academy were each rated "B" under the state's alternative school accountability model.
The results matter beyond the individual campuses because Arizona's alternative letter grade system is designed specifically for schools serving students who are recovering credits and working toward a diploma, rather than for traditional comprehensive high schools. The model evaluates proficiency, growth to graduation, graduation rates, and college and career readiness indicators tailored to those student populations. A strong showing under that framework offers a measure of how well a school moves students who arrive behind on credits toward completion.
The most notable result came from Canyon Rose Academy East Campus, which performed strongly on the state ACT test. Compared against all public alternative high schools statewide, including both district and charter alternative schools, the campus ranked second in Arizona for alternative school proficiency. Within Pima County, Canyon Rose Academy East earned the highest point total overall, placing first among all district and charter alternative schools in the county.
The letter grades carry practical weight for families choosing among alternative options, since the ratings offer an external comparison point for schools that often serve students who have struggled in traditional settings. For the charter sector, the results also provide evidence that the credit-recovery model can produce measurable academic outcomes on state proficiency measures, not only on graduation tracking.
The Rose Academies Superintendent Hurtado tied the ratings to the network's long-standing mission. "Since opening our first school in 1999, our focus has been helping students who need a different path to graduation find success," Hurtado said. "These 'A' and 'B' ratings show that our model continues to deliver the academic structure and support our families look for. It's a reflection of the daily effort put in by our students and staff."
Rose Academies operates tuition-free public charter high schools in Arizona, describing its approach as a small, personalized learning environment designed to help young adults catch up on credits, improve academic skills and prepare for post-secondary opportunities. The network said families and students seeking information about its tuition-free high school programs or enrollment options can visit go2rose.com.
