Sky Islands Public High School, Tucson | Fees, Rankings, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

By far the best school in Tucson! Sky Islands is a truly unique and powerful educational environment, and its Director and Associate Director, along with all of the teachers and staff, are completely committed to the core values of the school and to each and every one of the students. The program is integrated, hands-on and experiential, and incorporates studies of the environment across the subject areas. The class sizes are small, and every student receives a lot of one-on-one attention. I’ve known the administrators and science teacher for all 7 years of the school so far and have seen the amazing job that they’ve done in truly transforming kids’ lives and really preparing them with the vital skills of critical thinking and inquiry, collaboration, self-directedness, and drive to make the world a better place that will serve them well for the rest of their adult lives, not just for careers or college. I’ve also seen the incredible change in my own child who, after enrolling at Sky Islands, now comes home every day telling me about all the incredible things she’s learned at school today, how she wants to start composting and gardening and change her eating habits, how she loves math, and can’t wait to go back to school after a holiday break!

If you’re looking for one of those “get your credits quick” for-profit charter schools or you are still under the mistaken idea that rote memorization and nonstop standardized testing is the only hallmark of a good education, then maybe this isn’t the place for you. But, if you’re looking for a school with incredible teachers, a challenging and hands-on learning environment, a strong school and academic culture, and a place that will transform your kid for the better for the rest of their lives as well as prepare them for careers or college, then look no further!

My daughter has always been an excellent student, and has always been on honor roll, AP, etc, but still felt that school was irrelevant to her life and was basically just going through the motions. Prior to her graduating middle school, we were looking at Basis, University High, etc., but found that those schools really weren’t effective at preparing her for college, which requires much more than just being able to do hours of homework or rote standardized test-taking. We’re SO glad we found Sky Islands- it is actually much more ‘college prep’ than the other college prep schools because it teaches skills like critical thinking, self-direction and self-advocacy, and the curriculum is rooted in the real world. Not only that, but what they learn in many of the classes is applied to outdoor projects, which teaches teamwork skills and real-world problem solving. These are the things that will really serve her well in college and beyond! The teachers are incredible, and my daughter comes home every night talking all about what she learned in school that day, which is a huge change from how things used to be. She is challenged and engaged with what she is learning. The administration is also fantastic- Dr. Popen’s vision for the school should be a model for all schools, and Sandi is extremely effective at making sure that all of the students are well-counseled in their academic progress and future plans. I highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a challenging and stimulating learning environment for their child, and my only regret is that I wish that more people knew about this place!

I would not suggest attending Sky Islands to anyone. The co-director of the school, Sandi could care less about the students’ and only has her position because she likes to be in control of people. Neither the director nor co-director represent the core values of the school, such as gardening and working in the environment, and you’ll almost never find them outside of their office. The teachers are amazing, and the idea of the school is as well, but issues with the administration completely ruin the experience of the school.