Prairie Ridge Elementary

Q: Is Prairie Ridge Elementary a good school?

Prairie Ridge Elementary ranks 179 th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Prairie Ridge Elementary is a public elementary school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, serving 440 students from pre-kindergarten to 4th grade. The school is part of the College Community School District, which is ranked 197 out of 309 school districts in the state.

Prairie Ridge Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state averages in standardized test scores for both English Language Arts and Mathematics. In the 2023-2024 school year, 80.5% of 3rd-grade students and 76.8% of 4th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 68.5% and 76.4% for the district, and 64.2% and 72.9% for the state. In Mathematics, 85.7% of 3rd-grade students and 72% of 4th-grade students were proficient or better, compared to 75.9% and 75.9% for the district, and 76.3% and 72.7% for the state. The school has consistently ranked among the top elementary schools in Iowa, with a ranking of 179 out of 557 schools in the 2023-2024 school year.

Prairie Ridge Elementary has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 14.4, which is slightly higher than the nearby Prairie View Elementary (14.4) and Prairie Crest Elementary (13.9), but lower than Prairie Hill Elementary (14.1) and Prairie Heights Elementary (13.5). The school serves a diverse socioeconomic population, with 29.36% to 36.32% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which is lower than some nearby schools but higher than others.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

278 South Prairie Rd SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

(319) 848-5100

District: College Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
179^th of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,649

Students who attend Prairie Ridge Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Prairie Creek
	Prairie Point
High:	Prairie High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.8

Number of students: 449

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.6%

African American:

10.7%

Two or more races:

8.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 33.2%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Prairie Ridge Elementary ranks better than 67.9% of elementary schools in Iowa. It also ranks 2^nd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the College Community School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.17. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (72.6%), African American (10.7%), two or more races (8.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 33.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the College Community School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Prairie Ridge Elementary is 14.8, which is the highest among 5 elementary schools in the College Community School District! (See more...)

Compare Prairie Ridge Elementary employs 30.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Prairie Ridge Elementary is $14,649, which is the highest among 5 elementary schools in the College Community School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Prairie Ridge Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

College Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks College Community School District 197^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Prairie Ridge Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	71.37	133^rd	626	78.8%
2013	64.18	229^th	624	63.3%
2014	69.69	170^th	603	71.8%
2015	70.32	180^th	616	70.8%
2016	74.90	113^th	599	81.1%
2017	77.87	94^th	574	83.6%
2018	55.97	296^th	567	47.8%
2019	69.01	177^th	603	70.6%
2021	69.11	166^th	567	70.7%
2022	84.65	46^th	574	92.0%
2023	77.58	104^th	565	81.6%
2024	68.17	179^th	557	67.9%

See the entire list of Iowa Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Prairie Ridge Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2004	394	22	5	9	2	n/a	n/a	432
2005	418	31	7	16	1	n/a	n/a	473
2006	449	34	6	12	2	n/a	n/a	503
2007	451	34	4	16	2	n/a	n/a	507
2008	465	31	4	8	2	n/a	n/a	510
2009	469	43	9	8	1	n/a	n/a	530
2010	450	17	9	11	0	0	24	511
2011	470	18	5	14	0	0	23	530
2012	478	20	5	18	2	0	23	546
2013	456	30	4	30	0	0	29	549
2014	461	30	2	25	0	0	34	552
2015	365	27	5	23	0	0	31	451
2016	376	21	5	28	0	0	30	460
2017	364	27	3	24	0	0	31	449
2018	366	28	1	18	1	0	42	456
2019	360	28	1	26	1	0	35	451
2020	357	33	3	25	0	0	35	453
2021	349	32	4	28	0	0	23	436
2022	335	37	3	28	2	0	30	435
2023	328	49	4	31	0	0	28	440
2024	326	48	3	32	2	1	37	449

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Prairie Ridge Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	432	33.0	13.1	26.2
2005	473	35.0	13.5	26
2006	503	37.0	13.6	22.9
2007	507	36.0	14.1	26
2008	510	36.0	14.2	25.5
2009	530	37.0	14.3	27.5
2010	511	33.5	15.2	27.4
2011	530	32.5	16.3	28.9
2012	546	32.1	17.0	26.6
2013	549	33.1	16.5	28.6
2014	552	34.2	16.1	31.2
2015	451	31.0	14.5	28.6
2016	460	31.0	14.8	28
2017	449	31.2	14.3	30.1
2018	456	31.0	14.7	31.6
2019	451	31.0	14.5	31.5
2020	453	31.0	14.6	30.2
2021	436	30.4	14.3	29.4
2022	435	30.4	14.3	36.3
2023	440	30.4	14.4	34.5
2024	449	30.3	14.8	33.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Prairie Ridge Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	432	33.0	13.1	26.2
2005	473	35.0	13.5	26
2006	503	37.0	13.6	22.9
2007	507	36.0	14.1	26
2008	510	36.0	14.2	25.5
2009	530	37.0	14.3	27.5
2010	511	33.5	15.2	27.4
2011	530	32.5	16.3	28.9
2012	546	32.1	17.0	26.6
2013	549	33.1	16.5	28.6
2014	552	34.2	16.1	31.2
2015	451	31.0	14.5	28.6
2016	460	31.0	14.8	28
2017	449	31.2	14.3	30.1
2018	456	31.0	14.7	31.6
2019	451	31.0	14.5	31.5
2020	453	31.0	14.6	30.2
2021	436	30.4	14.3	29.4
2022	435	30.4	14.3	36.3
2023	440	30.4	14.4	34.5
2024	449	30.3	14.8	33.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Prairie Ridge Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$720 (4.9%)	$13,930 (95.1%)	$14,649

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Prairie Ridge Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 177^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 104^th of 565 Elementary schools	10.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Prairie Ridge Elementary)	75.6	81.9	6.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (College Community School District)	66	69.8	3.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Prairie Ridge Elementary)	76.8	86.7	9.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (College Community School District)	72	77.9	5.9%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Prairie Ridge Elementary)	74.4	78.9	4.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (College Community School District)	70.9	73.1	2.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Prairie Ridge Elementary)	82.6	84.2	1.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (College Community School District)	75.1	79	3.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	451	440	2.4%
African American	28	49	75%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	1	4	300%
Hispanic	26	31	19.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	360	328	8.9%
Two or More Races	35	28	20%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	31.5%	34.5%	3.1%

Schools Near Prairie Ridge Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)			ISASP Mathematics (2024)			ISASP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Prairie Ridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	278 South Prairie Rd SW	Cedar Rapids	52404	Linn County	College Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 848-5100	449	30	14.8	33.2%	326 (72.6%)	48 (10.7%)	32 (7.1%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	37 (8.2%)	68.2	179^th of 557 public elementary schools	67.9%		77.6	104^th of 565 public elementary schools	81.6%	75	80.5	76.8		85.7	72.0			$14,649	$720	$13,930
Prairie View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	251 Prairie Hill Ct SW	Cedar Rapids	52404	Linn County	College Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 848-5260	426	29	14.6	34.3%	282 (66.2%)	60 (14.1%)	44 (10.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.2%)	34 (8.0%)	74.3	114^th of 557 public elementary schools	79.5%		72.6	142^nd of 565 public elementary schools	74.9%	28	81.0	76.9		87.1	79.5			$13,666	$358	$13,308
Prairie Crest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	301 76th Ave SW	Cedar Rapids	52404	Linn County	College Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 848-5280	419	30	13.8	40.8%	284 (67.8%)	49 (11.7%)	27 (6.4%)	15 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.7%)	37 (8.8%)	48.8	345^th of 557 public elementary schools	38.1%		53.6	300^th of 565 public elementary schools	46.9%	45	52.1	85.0		66.2	76.3			$12,972	$439	$12,533
Prairie Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	151 Prairie Hill Ct SW	Cedar Rapids	52404	Linn County	College Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 848-5330	473	33	14.4	35.3%	309 (65.3%)	85 (18.0%)	34 (7.2%)	4 (0.8%)	2 (0.4%)	5 (1.1%)	34 (7.2%)	64.5	204^th of 557 public elementary schools	63.4%		54.1	291^st of 565 public elementary schools	48.5%	87	73.7	75.0		75.0	84.2			$14,231	$351	$13,880
Prairie Early Childhood Center	Public	PK	125 Prairie Hill Ct SW	Cedar Rapids	52404	Linn County	College Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 848-5296	79	4	20.2	36.7%	44 (55.7%)	17 (21.5%)	10 (12.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (10.1%)								(n/a)
Prairie Heights Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	190 76th Ave SW	Cedar Rapids	52404	Linn County	College Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 848-5230	396	30	13.2	41.4%	270 (68.2%)	64 (16.2%)	25 (6.3%)	6 (1.5%)	3 (0.8%)	2 (0.5%)	26 (6.6%)	32.7	433^rd of 557 public elementary schools	22.3%		40.4	395^th of 565 public elementary schools	30.1%	38	52.7	68.7		63.5	68.7			$13,856	$415	$13,441
Grant Elementary School	Public	K-5	254 Outlook DR SW	Cedar Rapids	52404	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2020	294	26	11.3	82.7%	144 (49.0%)	67 (22.8%)	33 (11.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (1.0%)	46 (15.6%)	10.8	508^th of 557 public elementary schools	8.8%		11.4	516^th of 565 public elementary schools	8.7%	8	50.0	43.4	41.7	60.5	50.9	52.8	41.7	$16,225	$884	$15,341
Van Buren Elementary School	Public	K-5	2525 29th ST SW	Cedar Rapids	52404	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2377	409	29	14.1	86.3%	102 (24.9%)	172 (42.1%)	99 (24.2%)	6 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.5%)	23 (5.6%)	7.4	523^rd of 557 public elementary schools	6.1%		23	470^th of 565 public elementary schools	16.8%	53	40.9	42.6	43.2	43.2	54.1	56.8	27.3	$15,319	$2,181	$13,139
Cedar River Academy at Taylor	Public	PK, KG-5	720 7th AVE SW	Cedar Rapids	52404	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2477	344	29	11.8	83.7%	120 (34.9%)	122 (35.5%)	39 (11.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	10 (2.9%)	50 (14.5%)	5	535^th of 557 public elementary schools	3.9%		2.3	557^th of 565 public elementary schools	1.4%	22	20.4	42.2	52.6	33.3	44.4	42.1	42.1	$19,246	$2,030	$17,216
Cleveland Elementary School	Public	K-5	2200 1st AVE NW	Cedar Rapids	52405	Linn County	Cedar Rapids Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 558-2463	277	22	12.6	76.2%	128 (46.2%)	79 (28.5%)	24 (8.7%)	5 (1.8%)	1 (0.4%)	7 (2.5%)	33 (11.9%)	1.6	553^rd of 557 public elementary schools	0.7%		2.5	556^th of 565 public elementary schools	1.6%	3	22.6	45.5	26.8	41.9	33.3	31.7	31.7	$14,650	$723	$13,927

Frequently Asked Questions about Prairie Ridge Elementary

Is Prairie Ridge Elementary a good school?

Prairie Ridge Elementary ranks 179^th of 557 Iowa elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Prairie Ridge Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 449 students attended Prairie Ridge Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Prairie Ridge Elementary attend?

Students who attend Prairie Ridge Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Prairie Creek
Middle : Prairie Point
High : Prairie High School

What is the racial makeup of Prairie Ridge Elementary?

Students at Prairie Ridge Elementary are 73% White, 11% African American, 8% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic.

What district is Prairie Ridge Elementary in?

College Community School District

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.