Incompetent self serving administration choosing the easy way for them. Some not flexible or willing to accommodate documented special student situations. Was optimistic and hopeful, but big disappointment and mistake! Not a good supportive environment for all children! read more

I enrolled in Rancho Solano for my junior year, and let's just say; it wasn't exactly a caring and friendly environment. I went to Rancho thinking I would get one of the best educations ever, many reviews (i'm assuming are either payed reviews or the extremely rich parents who's kids lied to them about enjoying it) seemed amazing. However, when I arrived I found all the kids my age to be the most stuck up, snobby, rich kids I had ever met. So extremely out of touch, dimwitted, racist, and tone deaf. I was sitting in study hall when I overheard a group of people gossiping about a senior the previous year who cheated on some very hard/important finals and got caught. The parents allegedly paid the principal an additional 25k (which is the same amount as tuition) to stay quiet about it and let him pass. However, that could easily be untrue and just a rumor (wouldn't be surprised with the amount of liars enrolled). I was in Integrated 2 math class. The absolute worst math teacher EVER had. I was more of a quiet kid, I wanted to keep to myself and not talk to any of the out of touch students there. She would often call me out during break asking why I wasn't with my friends, knowing I had pretty much none (by choice). She was more focused on being a "tough"/"strict"/"intimidating" teacher than a good teacher. I learnt more about her unnecessary classroom rules than about what I needed to pass the class. On the midterm final, I spent 2 weeks studying everything we had learnt throughout the year. We weren't made aware until the week of that we weren't allowed calculators on the test, although we had practiced with calculators the whole year. The final felt like a whole new class, for a moment I thought I was at the wrong final exam when I saw what was on it. The housekeeping of this school is very poorly looked after. It's disgusting, specifically the bathrooms. I can only speak for the girls bathroom, there was always toilets that hadn't been bothered to be flushed. The janitors do not do a good job to clean it up, there would be the same unflushed mess in the same toilets for a week straight. More importantly maybe the adults should teach these kids how to flush a toilet as their maids have been doing it all their lives. I will be calling out another teacher who I thankfully did not have but I did witness doing some strange things to a sophomore girl. We were doing presentations in class and this teacher came in to watch a group of girls who obviously he gets along with and has for a class. I always think it's a little strange whenever teachers and students have oddly close or even flirty relationships with one another. I didn't think too much of it until out of nowhere one of the girls screams bursting out of laughter. This 35+ man was tickling a 15 year old girls waist. Absolutely disgusting and predatory behavior. I won't be saying names but all I know is that he teaches science classes. They always emphasized how strict their rules were about dress code. About how skirts should be 4 inches from the middle of the knee, most girls were walking around with their underwear visible and nobody batted an eye. This place does not deserve to be ranked #2 in Arizona's private schools. Disgusting, sloppy, shady, and overall a complete joke. read more

Rancho is undoubtedly one of the top schools in the nation. There is a palpable calmness & sense of community that students, teachers, & parents can feel that is deliberately fostered by the entire community. The beautiful campus, gifted & caring teachers, excellent administration, inclusive community, and many choices in academics is what sets Rancho apart from other schools. Strongly recommend. read more

I can't say enough great things about this school. I find myself sharing our experience with anyone who will listen. I'm not an easy sell given I am the owner of several schools and so my expectations may be a bit skewed. The decision to move came after having a perpetually disappointing experience at Great Hearts. We were on a waiting list for years and felt like we hit the lottery when we received our acceptance letter. Sadly we were constantly concerned with many issues that went unaddressed. So I decided to take a tour of Rancho Solano school and took my child along with me. The tour itself was awesome because it's immaculately clean, the classrooms are more on the basic traditional education side but were very nice and the over all campus had a great energy. My son was immediately sold but he doesn't have to pay the tuition which is a commitment for sure. I found the admission team to be EXTREMELY patient with my 20+ emails back and forth over the summer regarding all things Rancho. Fast forward: Our first day, I'm a nervous wreck for my son and his first day of middle school as the new kid. I brought him a special lunch that day and the security team, who were making rounds, could see I was out of sorts. They asked me who my student was and endured that they would keep him safe and ensure his transition was smooth. That alone made my first experience with the school amazing. That was an immediate sigh of relief. Communication - this is not something I find easy to master at my own schools let alone any other schools we have been a part of however I give Rancho Solano a 100%. I haven't sent an email yet that hasn't been responded within a few minutes max few hours and feel satisfied with the out come. Academics - I have a total appreciation for how the material is delivered. I found GH to be militant in their delivery which was concerning because that pace can really turn off certain learners. The classes are very interesting and the way in which they go about teaching really allows the students to thrive. In moments when he struggles I feel supported by the teaching team and included in how to help him over come any obstacles. TOTAL honesty- I am not a fan of my sons ELA teacher I feel as though she has taught too many years and may be in Teacher Burn Out mode. I know that in the real world you can't get along with everyone so I am even accepting this not so great experience with her as a plus because we are having to learn to push past it and manage relationships that aren't all sparkles. Teachers - The teachers at RS are very committed to fostering an environment that encourages the students to be Happy! My son can't wait to get to school everyday and that truly warms by heart. He feels loved and cared for by his teachers and two in particular are OUTSTANDING!!! Ms. Martinson is Amazing she teaches STEM and Robotics I highly suggest if you are thinking of enrolling getting into one of her classes. Mr. Hertzberg teaches math he is absolutely outstanding. He shows us so much care and patience. It truly warms my heart that the teachers see my son as an important part of their day. They are very committed to his success Multicultural Environment - Our family is multiracial and it is so magical to see so many teachers, admin, and students of so many backgrounds and such diversity. I appreciate that the school looks to offer that to their student body. Sports and Arts - I appreciate how committed the school is to providing world class athletics and arts programs. My son is such an athlete and he is absolutely loving getting to participate in the school sports. I could go on and on and I may make an update as my time continues. My daughter is now scheduled for a tour because I have decided that I also want her to have this world class experience in elementary as her brother is in middle school I have to give it a 95% in over all happiness which again is probably 100% for most but because I am an educator and I wish that the ELA experience was going better I am giving the school and honest and accurate rating. If you find a school that meets 95% of your needs You Have Found an Academic Platinum Mine read more

Outstanding environment for learning, dedicated caring teachers and best of all in addition to academics they stress development of the whole individual. read more

We have been at Rancho Solano for 7 years and could not be any happier. My children have been challenged in each grade and are surrounded by such caring teachers and staff. In addition to a strong curriculum, my kids are also getting sufficient time with fine arts and of course time to just play and hang with friends :) We love their principal and the front staff, and of course are grateful for the teachers at Rancho. Starting their education at Rancho is one of the best decisions our family has made :) read more

Our family moved to Scottsdale in 2021 from Pittsburgh, PA. Our public school there is ranked in the top 5 in PA. Upon very thoroughly researching and visiting both public and private Scottsdale and Phoenix schools, we selected Rancho Solano Preparatory School for children. We cannot say enough about the academic quality, the balance of rigor and support of extracurricular activities to developed balanced students. And even as Rancho has grown over the last couple of years, they are staying small in the ways that are important. We have absolute access and partnership with all of the teachers and all the way up to our principal. She is a rock star and her leadership style of Rancho Middle school is personal and energetic but appropriately commanding. After 6 months of entering Rancho, we asked our children why they love Rancho. Their answer "Because the teachers are happy and all want to be there". I can't give a more glowing recommendation than those words from our children. read more

To say I love this school is an understatement. My son attended their lower school for 4 years - he is now at the upper school campus (6th grade). He LOVES the upper campus on Via Ventura even more. Unlike public schools, they have smaller class room sizes and prep the kids to be great students and polite members of society. They teach children structure, guide them with approachable goals as well as habits to help them be successful students. A beautiful campus, easy to navigate car pool lane and of course the education is amazing, not boring. Nice sports offered, nice kids, nice parents. An east coast feel. Not too much pressure or stress (like a BASIS). It is very structured (which I believe is VERY important). The staff is stellar. The parents are welcoming to new families, they are educated but not pretentious in the least. I LOVE RSPS! Highly recommend this wonderful school. read more

Rancho Solano provides an amazing environment for children to grow and learn in a safe and friendly environment. The teachers are the best and truly care about their students. I am grateful for the growth that my children have experienced since starting here. The preschool is much higher caliber than any other traditional preschool in the area. My daughter went from being very shy and somewhat of a loner to flourishing!!! It is amazing to see the incredible little people they are becoming thanks to this school. read more

Our son goes to Rancho Solano and we are very happy. He started young as a mini mustang and is now completing PreK 4. He is continuing here for Kindergarten too. It will be hard to take him out of RS, the only reason for us to pull him out will be the expense that RS comes with. Apart from that, it is excellent in each aspect. read more

I've heard through the grapevine some changes that would lower my opinion of the Greenway campus. Some of the best teachers for 4th and 5th grade have not been retained and Rancho Greenway may be no longer specializing teaching in those grades. Upon hearing this, I don't feel I can give the campus a full 5 stars as it's seems that things that bumped it up my be changing. read more

My daughter has been attending here since she was 4 years old. She loves her teachers and all the diversity in the programs she is offered. She is now in the 4th Grade and I can't imagine her leaving to go anywhere else. We have had our ups and downs as any family would but we have always been met by the Administration openly and honestly. I've heard from those that have never been to Rancho how hard it is, and how strict it is...For those don't knock it till you try it. My daughter definitely has to work hard, but that is why I send her...She is going there for a First Class Education and I believe that is what we are giving her...She has her sights set on Pepperdine University and I see nothing getting in her way!!! read more

Wonderful academic environment as well as people who really care. Starting with Scott, head of admissions, who often personally does tours to Rose at the front desk, everyone has a great positive and welcoming energy every single day and to me that says the most if people love what they do and truly care. I really appreciate the fact that even the principal, Ms. Laurie Clark, who i am sure has more important things than answer my many questions I get all the time, but she goes out of her way to make every single parent feel they are a welcome addition into the community and are valued. That positive attitude and ideal of humbleness are character traits most schools don't teach and rarely exhibit but they can be some of the very best life skills a child can learn that may affect his or her life long perspective of happiness and success in the future. We love this place, thanks yall! read more

If you are looking for a school that will produce a well rounded student, this is the school for you. The entire staff knows my daughter by name. Everyone is so friendly. I can't say enough wonderful things about this school. read more

I was planing to register my son but seeing the review's I wanna throw up, these scammers need to be stopped. it seems to me they just want your money and forget about your kids, my god thank you everyone to let someone like me know, I was planing to put my baby in that school as a boarding school. read more

Bullying was really bad here when I attended. Everyone just turned a blind eye and allowed it to happen especially if the bullies came from a wealthier family than the Victims. In the end it was not about what the bullying was all about but they would take the side of the child whose family have the most money to give. Don't send your kids here. Public is probably better. read more

Our son went there for 3 years - Pre K3, Pre K4 and K. Overall it was a great experience for our son and us. The teachers were almost all great and really brought out the best in our son. The kids in these grades only had light homework, but they received good education. For example at end of K, my son was able to do things like reading time, adding coins (using skip counting). They did a lot to encourage reading, and our son was reading at grade 3 level. He was also given more advanced books to read by the teachers. Even in the pre-K and K, they had many quality specials classes, including Music, Science experiments, Art, Spanish and Computer programming. The smaller class sizes (mostly less than 14 in these grades) and higher teacher to student ratios (1:7?) also mean that kids get more individual attention from the teachers. Special thanks to Ms Smith, Ms Davidson, Ms Parde, Ms Hagge, Ms Patricia, Ms Rogers, Ms Snyder and Ms Tang ! You pay a larger amount of money as fees, but that's mostly it - they don't charge for many other things like what I see charter schools do (supplies, text books, etc). The aftercare is also very reasonably priced and they have good selection of activities. The only catch is that you sign up to pay fees for the entire year. We were also happy with the hot lunch provided by the caterers at the school cafeteria, both in terms of choices and quality. One concern we however had was that higher grade results in terms of university admissions weren't that impressive (not much of ivy league/top in the nation admissions). But that doesn't reflect on the quality of elementary school. read more

The Greenway campus has been on a steep decline since the new principal and owners came on board (apx 3 years ago). Ever since then, the wonderful legacy of Rancho Solano died. The academic standards and progress are now below public schools that my friends' children attend. Most of the teachers are apathetic and the principal is self-serving, so the students' needs come last. Lots of bullying and aggressive behavior that is ignored b/c the school needs enrollment and doesn't kick anyone out (they just keep giving useless infractions). As a result, there are lots of bad kids that can't get into other private schools. Sad to see this happen to a school that used to be great. read more

We have been a Rancho family for over 10 years. We started when my son was 3 y.o. The curriculum has always been at least a year ahead, if not more, compared with local public schools. Class size is often 10 children/ class room. The individual attention each student receives is incredible. Every teacher and staff member, knows who my children are and where they should be. Furthermore, the teachers knowledge of our children's strengths and weaknesses is unparalleled. The nurturing environment is why my children feel so safe and content at this school. We feel very lucky to be able to be party of this community read more

We had just moved to the area and heard good things about Rancho Solano. Wanting the best for our child, we decided to take the leap into private school education. Our son was entering the 5th Grade and was ready for a challenge. The school had tested him and assured us that he was ready and would be supported through the transition. Then, as school started, we were told that math would be moved up from a Saxon 6-7 to a Saxon 7-8. Our son was about to skip at least 1 if not 2 years of math fundamentals. The Rancho Solano advice to our son was "pull yourself by the bootstraps" and "improve your attitude!" They never offered or provided homework assistance or tutoring. When our son started becoming frustrated, they decided to just write him up in a callous calculation to expel him for behavior and keep ALL of the full year tuition (almost $14K!). They shattered our son's confidence and self-esteem, criticizing him constantly, after a month we were forced to pull him out to prevent further damage. A word of caution; Rancho Solano wants nothing more than good willing parents to buy into the false illusion that they are a great preparatory school. In reality, they are giving children 2 hours of homework for every 45 minutes of math instruction, putting the entire burden on the children and the paying parents and ostracizing the ones that do not comply. GREAT SCAM IF YOU CAN PULL IT OFF! It is really unfair business practices to provide an inferior education, damage my child's self-confidence and then keep a full years tuition. The Admissions Director who -"administers admissions tests"-, grades them and them -"counsels families regarding next steps"- is neither a counselor nor an educator. This person's only background is in accounts payable and sales The Principal used to be the school nurse and just recently finished her on line master in Educational Leadership. Do not trust a school that does not allow transfer or withdrawal without forfeiting the entire years tuition. They are putting their investors interests ahead of your child's well-being. The only individualized instruction your child will get is from you trying to help through torturous hours of homework . read more

A disaster. After many, many years we left. Heinous leadership (Principal Clark) does not exemplify the Rancho 5 (considerate, polite, respectful, responsible & successful) and it trickles down to the students. The school's standards have dropped dramatically in terms of academics and behavior. read more

I would have given this school 5 stars a year ago, but they are closing our campus and gave the parents and teachers no time to prepare for this. They made their announcement after the open enrollment period for competing schools and now we are stuck scrambling for a school. After over 7 years with this institution I believe we deserve more! I will never choose another Rancho or Meritas owned school!! read more

I would be cautious to recommend. We attended the Gilbert Rancho Solano for 5 years and had excellent experiences until the parent company, Meritas, elected to close the Gilbert campus to build a "super campus" at Greenway. The school intends to try to grow its Scottsdale base by 40% to financially support its investment in the Ventura campus (spent over $30M in 2013/2013). They appear to be having financial trouble over the past four years closing 3 campuses now to support their investment. The closure of our campus was done the first of the year after many other schools had started enrollment and we were left paying high tuition yet knowing that their excellent teachers would be offered no financial incentive to stay and support the students. Financial decisions appear to overrule when faced with a choice between those paying tuition/being educated vs. the bottom line. Sad to see this progression. The Gilbert staff was amazing, my son loved the school, but students are not the top priority for the parent company - national rankings and financials are. read more

Our children went to Rancho for 6 years. While we loved it and were sad our campus closed....it was for the best. Greathearts has been an adjustment and FAR more challenging. Our children now have all "fill in the blank" tests....no multiple guesses. You know it, or you don't. A's are very hard to earn. This is their first year taking AIMS! Private schools used CTP4 which is impossible to compare to other schools..applesvsoranges. Teachers are top notch...some at Rancho were too, but many were not. Rancho had a fantastic music program...that's the only thing we miss, other than the principles & a few teachers. The charm of the original school was replaced by the Meritas "global view" of education. Global warming mantra and coexisting ideology are not what we paid 20K/yr. for. I really question their debt and long term ability to stay afloat. Meritas seeking $245M loan? Wowza..We're sticking with a charter for $1,200 yr.it's a bargain, and a proven model. Rancho used to suit our needs, but once we were away, we realized our kids needed much more than they were getting at the "new" Rancho/Meritas model. They are trying to cater to the uber wealthy and international families, in my opinion. "Elite-boarding" is your first clue to what you're dealing with under Meritas. Nothing wrong with that....just not what they used to be about. My opinions are my own and are not meant to harm,..just my take on our experience there. read more

We are in our fourth year at Rancho Greenway, and are thrilled with the education our two children are receiving. The accelerated curriculum is balanced with a focus on Spanish, arts, technology and character development. We transferred from the Scottsdale district, and were significantly behind in all aspects - Rancho teachers quickly and enthusiastically helped bring our children up to speed. And our 2nd grader, who began Rancho in PreK 4, is substantially ahead of where our 5th grader was, when he began Rancho at her age. We are grateful. read more

My daughter went to pre k there...did above her grade level..when it came to report card they gave her satisfactory when I questioned her grades I was told that the teacher couldn't get her accompanished as it would not show her progress. they manipulate the grading system and try to make the parents think that there child is accomplishing something when in readity the child may aleady know. This system designed to please the parents and on top of it ...the administration gave such a hard time when I wanted to pull my child out of their school. read more

I went to middle school here, 5th-8th grade. I'll start out by saying that the idea that they give you about being the best is crap. They tell you that you are honors kids, and that it is a tough education. Yes, I did do A LOT of work. On my first day I stayed up till 1 in the morning doing homework. That was 5th grade homework. I loved some of the teachers, Mr. Abbott, Ms. Claire, Mr. Brown, they were fantastic and I did learn a lot. I did not learn as much as they tell you, and tell the parents. Overall, some of the teachers were great, some terrible, but I guess thats in every school. When I moved into highschool, I was in all AP classes, and had to drop out of a few. If I had kids, I would not send them here. Believe it or not, honor roll kids in public schools can beat most of these kids in any class. They put out the idea that is it 'elite' and is the best of the best, and for few, that is true. In the end, most of the kids end up going to ASU or UA (Go Wildcats), although there were some that ended up at Yale and such. Summary? Don't send your kids there. Save your money. read more

When someone shows you their true nature...believe them! We loved Rancho Solano Private schools until they basically stole $40,000 from us. We have 4 kids, we wanted to keep them at Rancho, but we were having some issues right at the end of last school year. We tried to contact the incoming middle school principal Teri Bonn, to discuss the issues and she never returned our 5 phone calls. Worried that the issue would not be resolved, we enrolled our children grades K-6 at another school, just in case. She never called, and our kids went to the other school. Rancho would not let us out of our enrollment contract and charged us a full years tuition for each child. They had no waiting list, my kids did not go one day or get one thing in return. If you do decide to go there because of the reputation built before Meritas) don't sign an enrollment contract until a week before school. They always say there are waiting lists, but there aren't. They look at you and see dollar signs. The old Rancho would have NEVER done this. It was like a family, they cared about you and your kids. Now, not so much. Many of the great teachers have left. There are some that are still loyal to the Rancho ideal, but every year it gets harder to find that ideal. read more

Rancho Solano has disappointed me completely. The newly opened prep school lacks any expectation a teenager would have from a high school. The education is not high enough for a private high school and the school lacks any respect towards students. Even the teachers resent the administration, and it affects their position in the school. The school is more a corporation than a high school, seeking money and public attention and puts it before the sake of any student. The administration is completely careless about the students, and is only interested in using them as advertisement. The international program is the worst i have ever seen, the international students have been living in a world of problems, and the school has not shown any sign that they are trying to fix it for 7 months. 5 things to define Rancho by would be: money, public attention, homework, ib and chinese students. 30 of the 100 students are chinese, living miserably in the dorm. My daughter had the highest GPA in school, but she still didn't get any respect from this school. I would not recommend this school to anyone nor ever send my kid there ever again. read more