Education

The local schools for Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) are James D. Price Elementary (grades K-5), Ron Watson Middle School (grades 6-8), and Gila Ridge High School (9-12).

Yuma School District One Exceptional Student Services provides services for students between the ages of 3 and 14 with special needs. All students with disabilities categorically eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), regardless of severity, may receive services. These include students with impairments in speech and language, hearing, health, and vision, developmental delays, emotional and learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, multiple disabilities, and other health impairments. For more information about services provided, specialists, preschool, technology, and independent living skills please call the exceptional staff office located at Post Complex, 400 W. 5th Street, Yuma, Arizona, 85364

• Matt Kaste, Director of ESS (928) 502-7792 

Local Schools

The local schools for Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) are James D. Price Elementary School (Grades K-5), Ron Watson Middle School (Grades 6-8), and Gila Ridge High School (Grades 9-12).

Public Schools

Yuma County presently has two separate public elementary/middle school districts and one public school high school district.  Each district website provides links to each of their schools where you can find their mission, programs, student handbook, exceptional student services information, contact information, calendar, news and much more.

https://www.yuma.org/  Yuma Elementary School District One (home district for YPG)

https://www.craneschools.org/  Crane Elementary School District

https://www.yumaunion.org/  Yuma Union High School District

Transportation – Students 6^th-12^th grade are bused to/from their schools.                                              

Report cards, test scores, school characteristics, student enrollment and other applicable statistics can be found here by school and/or school district. https://www.azed.gov/

Child Nutrition .

                                                School Breakfast & Lunch

School                                                                       Price

James D. Price                                                         free AM snack & reduced (.40 if eligibility is met), paid ($1.50), or free (must meet eligibility) lunch

Ron Watson                                                              free breakfast & reduced (.40 if eligibility is met), paid ($1.50), or free (must meet eligibility) lunch

Gila Ridge                                                                 free breakfast & reduced (.40 if eligibility is met), paid ($4.00), or free (must meet eligibility) lunch 

Physical Education & Athletics- The physical education program promotes lifelong activity. Staffed by school-based physical education specialists and an adaptive physical education teacher, we provide a comprehensive program that fosters the development of fine and gross motor skills, individual and cooperative sports, human anatomy, and the development of healthy, active lifestyles. We combine and apply these developmental skills by helping students learn to function positively in a physically active environment. Our goal is to encourage a high degree of student participation; however, the competitive nature of the programs means that all students may not experience equal participation. We guarantee students who qualify for a team playing time during practice games. While we encourage participation during regular season games, we leave this to the discretion of the coaches. We expect all players and coaches to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner. Coaches take responsibility for instilling the concepts of teamwork, physical and mental fitness, self-discipline, emotional maturity, respecting the rights of others, as well as promoting the development of motor and intellectual skills.

Art & Music- At Yuma School District #1, we recognize the importance of the arts in education. Every school has at least one certified, endorsed art specialist, and the curriculum matches the Arizona State Standards. We provide students with experiences that include guest artists in residence, art history, critical art, special art events, literacy in the arts, and studio/hands-on projects. We display student artwork at individual schools as well as in the district offices, resource offices, the county fair, and public buildings in the community. Throughout the year, every school has the opportunity to participate in the monthly displays which grace the district board room. Music is an integral part of the curriculum and plays a major role in the educational program of every student. We offer a diverse and balanced array of learning experiences focused on the study of the elements common to all music rather than on the study of a small body of specific content. Our music curriculum aligns to Arizona State Standards and utilizes a diverse repertoire including folk, popular, ethnic, and electronic music forms from various cultures and historical periods. In addition to the required curriculum studies, our music department offers a wide variety of musical opportunities. We require general music for all students in Kindergarten through sixth grade, and we offer music as an elective in our middle schools. Band classes begin in the fifth grade and orchestra begins in the fourth grade. We offer special classes at selected sites including choir, recorder, piano lab, guitar, Suzuki violin, Orff Ensemble, and musical theater.

AVID- Advancement Via Individual Determination is a global nonprofit organization that operates with one guiding principle: hold students accountable to the highest standards; provide academic and social support and they will rise to the challenge. AVID's kindergarten through higher education system brings research-based curriculum and strategies to students each day that develop critical thinking, literacy, and math skills across all content areas. For more information about these programs, please call the AVID office located at 450 W. 6th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364.

• Terry Lowe, AVID District Director
  (928) 502-4310
• tlowe@yuma.org
• Janna Perez, AVID Elementary AVID District Director
  (928) 503-4370
• jperez@yuma.org

Curriculum- Yuma Elementary School District One is committed to having students excel in education.  Arizona's Academic Standards Assessment (AASA) is Arizona's statewide achievement test based on the new standards for reading, writing, and mathematics.  Using this standardized test will help teachers, students, and parents know if students are on track to becoming college and career ready once they graduate from high school. For more information, please visit the Arizona Department of Education's AASA information page.   

Gifted Services- Yuma Elementary School District provides gifted services through individualized gifted education plan, gifted cluster classrooms in elementary schools, and advanced classes at middle schools. The mission is to promote the optimum development of gifted students. Our mission is to promote the optimum development of each student's intellectual, emotional, and social abilities while honoring diversity among gifted students. We believe gifted students are gifted all day every day.  They deserve services that meet their needs throughout the school day.

All Schools

• Instruction tailored to gifted students’ needs
• Using technology to give students choices
• Rigorous course work
• Individualized Gifted Education Plans (GDEPs)

Elementary Schools

Cluster Model: 3-10 gifted students grouped in the same classroom with grade-level peers.

• Allows gifted students to regularly interact with their intellectual peers and age group
• Provides services every day
• Allows for adapting the level of curriculum as needed

Middle Schools

• Advanced core content classes
• Opportunity to earn high school credits through A+ Challenge Tests
• AVID school-wide program to encourage rigorous curriculum and college readiness

Language Acquisition- The primary objective of the Yuma Elementary District One Structured English Immersion Program is to provide the necessary instruction for our English Language Learners to become proficient in oral language development.

This program includes the following:

• An intensive oral language component focused on both social and academic language
• Reading component
• Writing component
• Math component
• Science component
• Ongoing progress monitoring

We assess and place students who require Structured English Immersion. We implement best practices throughout the instruction and duration of the program. 

Supplemental Programs- In addition to the regular programs prescribed by the state, the school district receives federal monies through the “No Child Left Behind Law” to provide additional supplemental services to District One students above and beyond the regular services provided in the classroom.

Title I

• Identifies students most in need of educational help (students do not have to meet income standards to qualify for services)
• Develops programs that add to regular classroom instruction
• Involves parents in all aspects of the program
• Provides on-going training for school staff

Migrant

• Identifies students who have moved during the last three years due to their parent’s agricultural work
• Support for children aged three through the eighth grade
• Migrant Advocates provide support through on-going communication with both students, teachers and parents regarding attendance and academic progress
• Home liaisons/recruiters address the need for medical and social service through agency referrals
• Quarterly parent meetings provide information on education, literacy, community and health issues

Title III

• Supplements Yuma District One’s English Language Learner programs with supplies and materials, staff training, Intervention Teachers and ELL Summer Academy

For more information on the "No Child Left Behind Law," please visit the Arizona Department of Education website.

Right at School- After school, before school, and daytime childcare- with Distance Learning Support- open on-site in some schools.

Private Schools

Yuma Lutheran School                              Southwestern Christian School

2555 S. Engler Ave, Yuma, AZ  85365        3261 S. Avenue 6E, Yuma, AZ  85365

(928) 726-8410                                             (928) 726-3086

(Grades PK-8)                                               (Grades K-8)

Yuma Christian Academy                          St. Francis of Assisi School

101 W 26^th Street, Yuma, AZ  85364            700 West 18 Street, Yuma, AZ  85364

(928) 726-2113                                             (928) 782-1539

(Grades 1-12)                                                (Grades K-8)

Yuma Adventist Christian School             Immaculate Conception Elementary School

PO Box 6499, Yuma, AZ  85366                  501 S. Avenue B., Yuma, AZ  85364

(928) 783-0457                                             (928) 783-5225

(Grades 1-6)                                                 (Grades K-8)

Hands In-Hand Christian Preschool         Freedom Baptist Academy

150 W 28^th Street, Yuma, AZ  85364           11750 S. Mesa Dr., Yuma, AZ  85367

(929) 254-1730                                             (928) 344-2519

(Kindergarten Program)                                (Grades K-12)

Charter Schools

Amerischools Academy                             

South Campus                                            North Campus

2098 S 3^rd Ave., Yuma, AZ  85364               1220 S 4^th Ave., Yuma, AZ  85364

(928) 329-1100                                             (928) 919-7203

(Grades K-8)                                                 (Grades K-8)

Desert View Academy

3777 W 16^th Street, Yuma, AZ  85365     

(928) 314-1102

(Grades K-6)

Yuma School District offers several preschool options with different qualifying requirements.  All preschool programs focus on the whole child in terms of development with program curriculum focusing on the five developmental areas including cognition, social emotional, communication, physical, and adaptive.  Preschool programs do not provide transportation.   

First Things First Preschool programs are located at Desert Mesa Elementary and Pecan Grove Elementary. 

The Yuma School District #1 preschool program is located at O.C. Johnson Elementary. 

The Exceptional Student Services preschool programs are located at Desert Mesa Elementary, Rolle Elementary, and Pecan Grove Elementary. 

The Migrant preschool program is located at Pecan Grove Elementary.

Families must meet eligibility requirements for each program. For more information about these programs, please contact the Preschool Office.

• Wendy Maldonado, Preschool Secretary- 9928) 502-4412                           
• Erica Jimenez- 9928) 502-4414
• Elizabeth Miranda Lomeli, Migrant Coordinator (Migrant Preschool Program)- 928-502-4381

Parents that wish to home school their child, must submit an Affidavit of Intent with the County School Superintendent within 30 days from the time their child begins to attend home school.  Information on policies and procedures and/or support groups can be found here https://www.yumasupt.org/home-schooling.html.

The goal of the Yuma Proving Ground’s Army Education Center is to promote a pathway for soldiers, family members and civilians to reach their individual education goals. The education center uses a multimedia approach supporting soldier career progression, the college/testing programs and the investigation of career opportunities.

The YPG multi-use learning facility operates as a student center offering computer stations available Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m. - 4 p.m., for independent study. Dependents must first check in with the visitors’ center for access through Howard Gate.

The YPG Army Education Center is located at 301 C Street, Building 501, Room 102, Yuma, AZ 85365. Call 928-328-3926. (Installation access is required through the visitors’ center. 

The General Educational Development test series must be taken at a GED Test Center in Yuma, Arizona. It is located at AWC Yuma Campus, College Community Center Building 3C, 2020 S. Ave. 8E, Yuma, AZ 85365. Call 928-344-7641 or visit azwestern.edu.

Higher Education Opportunities:

How can I plan for a successful transition?

When it comes to checklists for moving, finding out about schools typically lands near the too. The Department of Defense provides a variety of resources, whether you are searching for a new school for your child, for yourself or both.

Education consultants at Military OneSource can help connect you to a wide variety of resources. They can help you with information about colleges, and financial aid for yourself. They can also help find a tutor in the area for your child.

Spouse relocation and transition consultants can also help you make a smooth transition.

You can find more information on education, parenting, child care, relocation and special needs on Military OneSource.

Continuing Education

Education assistance for Service Members is provided by the Education Office.

Please contact the YPG Education Center at 928-328-3926 or DSN 312-899-3926 for further information.