Ponderosa Elementary School

Summary:

Ponderosa Elementary School is a public elementary school in Post Falls, Idaho, serving 409 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Post Falls School District, which is ranked 28th out of 77 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

While Ponderosa Elementary's test scores are generally on par with the district and state averages, the school has seen a concerning trend of declining performance in recent years. Its statewide ranking has dropped from 59th out of 292 Idaho elementary schools in 2016-2017 to 171st out of 301 in 2023-2024, and its SchoolDigger rating has declined from 4 stars to 2 stars over the same period. The school's proficiency rates in ISAT Math (43%) and ISAT English Language Arts (48.7%) are lower than the district and state averages. Ponderosa's performance for male students and students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds has been particularly concerning, with the school ranking in the bottom half of Idaho elementary schools for these subgroups.

Ponderosa Elementary also faces challenges with higher rates of chronic absenteeism, rising from 10.8% in 2020-2021 to 24.9% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state and district averages. Additionally, the school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (87.78%) compared to the state average and nearby schools, such as Ramsey Magnet School Of Science and Greensferry Elementary School, which are in the Coeur d'Alene School District.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 3483 East Ponderosa Boulevard
       Post Falls, ID  83877-0040


(208) 773-1508

District: Post Falls District

SchoolDigger Rank:
171st of 301 Idaho Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,250 Help


Students who attend Ponderosa Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Post Falls Middle School
High:    New Vision High School

Student/teacher ratio:  19.5 Help
Number of students:  431

Racial breakdown:

White:
87.7%
Hispanic:
6.5%
Two or more races:
4.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  45.2% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Ponderosa Elementary School ranks worse than 56.8% of elementary schools in Idaho. It also ranks 5th among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Post Falls District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.42. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Ponderosa Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Post Falls District. Racial makeup is: White (87.7%), Hispanic (6.5%), two or more races (4.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 45.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Post Falls District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ponderosa Elementary School is 19.5. 4 elementary schools in the Post Falls District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Ponderosa Elementary School employs 22 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ponderosa Elementary School is $7,250. 4 elementary schools in the Post Falls District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ponderosa Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Ponderosa Elementary School 171st of 301 Idaho public elementary schools. (See Ponderosa Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:


Post Falls District:

SchoolDigger ranks Post Falls District 28th of 77 Idaho school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Ponderosa Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Ponderosa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2008 76.86 47th 335 86.0%
2009 71.47 74th 349 78.8%
2010 67.14 99th 356 72.2%
2011 79.59 34th 359 90.5%
2012 73.65 63rd 354 82.2%
2013 73.89 67th 357 81.2%
2015 67.38 71st 226 68.6%
2016 80.03 43rd 240 82.1%
2017 77.09 59th 292 79.8%
2018 49.28 128th 254 49.6%
2019 34.02 117th 171 31.6%
2021 48.62 82nd 166 50.6%
2022 44.92 106th 188 43.6%
2023 45.59 142nd 252 43.7%
2024 42.42 171st 301 43.2%
See the entire list of Idaho Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ponderosa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.94 12th 44 72.7%
See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ponderosa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.00 65th 121 46.3%
2022 39.95 14th 23 39.1%
2024 47.32 39th 69 43.5%
See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ponderosa Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.78 76th 121 37.2%
2022 34.04 18th 23 21.7%
2024 33.75 54th 69 21.7%
See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Male Students!

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

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Ponderosa Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Idaho Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Ponderosa Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 758 758
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 712 712
1993 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 775 775
1994 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 746 746
1995 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 724 724
1996 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 724 724
1997 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 722 722
1998 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 617 617
1999 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 584 584
2000 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 604 604
2001 522 3 5 6 0 n/a n/a 0 536
2002 507 4 4 19 4 n/a n/a 0 538
2003 507 4 4 19 4 n/a n/a 0 538
2004 487 5 5 15 9 n/a n/a 0 521
2005 494 5 4 24 11 n/a n/a 0 538
2006 448 6 5 25 13 n/a n/a 0 497
2007 446 4 3 26 9 n/a n/a 0 488
2008 454 9 3 24 7 n/a n/a 0 497
2009 504 7 5 27 2 n/a n/a 0 545
2010 513 7 8 26 3 n/a n/a 0 557
2011 493 8 6 27 2 1 1 0 538
2012 507 6 4 25 2 1 9 0 554
2013 475 6 1 38 3 1 15 0 539
2014 496 11 1 35 4 0 20 0 567
2015 480 7 1 29 4 0 17 0 538
2016 499 7 2 23 4 0 14 0 549
2017 416 4 3 20 0 0 11 0 454
2018 398 3 2 32 1 1 10 0 447
2019 398 3 2 32 2 2 13 0 452
2020 441 0 2 39 1 2 14 0 499
2021 342 0 1 29 1 2 12 0 387
2022 366 2 1 40 3 2 15 0 429
2023 359 1 0 34 4 1 10 0 409
2024 378 1 0 28 5 0 19 0 431

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 Ponderosa Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 758 35.0 21.6 14
1992 712 33.2 21.4 14.7
1993 775 34.2 22.7 13.3
1994 746 35.7 20.9 16.4
1995 724 34.5 21.0 21.5
1996 724 34.5 21.0 21.5
1997 722 33.7 21.4 25.3
1998 617 32.0 19.3 26.9
1999 584 30.2 19.3 41.3
2000 604 32.3 18.7 34.4
2001 536 27.1 19.8 42.2
2002 538 27.9 19.3 46.5
2003 538 27.9 19.3 46.5
2004 521 28.5 18.3 49.3
2005 538 28.1 19.1 48.7
2006 497 26.5 18.8 49.9
2007 488 25.9 18.8 47.5
2008 497 26.5 18.8 51.1
2009 545 28.0 19.5 51
2010 557 26.6 20.9 53.9
2011 538 28.9 18.6 58
2012 554 27.5 20.1 53.8
2013 539 27.9 19.2 44.3
2014 567 26.2 21.6 54.5
2015 538 25.0 21.5 57.1
2016 549 27.0 20.3 54.3
2017 454 22.6 20.0 54
2018 447 23.6 18.9 56.4
2019 452 19.5 23.1 48
2020 499 23.0 21.6 46.3
2021 387 20.9 18.5 31.8
2022 429 20.0 21.4 36.6
2023 409 22.0 18.5 39.1
2024 431 22.0 19.5 45.2

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 Ponderosa Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 758 35.0 21.6 14
1992 712 33.2 21.4 14.7
1993 775 34.2 22.7 13.3
1994 746 35.7 20.9 16.4
1995 724 34.5 21.0 21.5
1996 724 34.5 21.0 21.5
1997 722 33.7 21.4 25.3
1998 617 32.0 19.3 26.9
1999 584 30.2 19.3 41.3
2000 604 32.3 18.7 34.4
2001 536 27.1 19.8 42.2
2002 538 27.9 19.3 46.5
2003 538 27.9 19.3 46.5
2004 521 28.5 18.3 49.3
2005 538 28.1 19.1 48.7
2006 497 26.5 18.8 49.9
2007 488 25.9 18.8 47.5
2008 497 26.5 18.8 51.1
2009 545 28.0 19.5 51
2010 557 26.6 20.9 53.9
2011 538 28.9 18.6 58
2012 554 27.5 20.1 53.8
2013 539 27.9 19.2 44.3
2014 567 26.2 21.6 54.5
2015 538 25.0 21.5 57.1
2016 549 27.0 20.3 54.3
2017 454 22.6 20.0 54
2018 447 23.6 18.9 56.4
2019 452 19.5 23.1 48
2020 499 23.0 21.6 46.3
2021 387 20.9 18.5 31.8
2022 429 20.0 21.4 36.6
2023 409 22.0 18.5 39.1
2024 431 22.0 19.5 45.2

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 Ponderosa Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,269 (17.5%) $5,982 (82.5%) $7,250

Data source: Idaho Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ponderosa Elementary School

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 117th of 171 Elementary schoolsRanks 142nd of 252 Elementary schools
 12.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ponderosa Elementary School)41.345.7
 4.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Post Falls District)55.651.6
 4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)50.549.2
 1.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ponderosa Elementary School)49.549.3
 0.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Post Falls District)56.250.1
 6.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)5248.4
 3.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Ponderosa Elementary School)60.761.4
 0.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Post Falls District)62.760.1
 2.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)56.956.6
 0.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Ponderosa Elementary School)50.847.7
 3.1%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Post Falls District)5653.5
 2.5%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Idaho)5552.2
 2.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students452409
 9.5%
African American31
 66.7%
American Indian24
 100%
Asian20
 100%
Hispanic3234
 6.3%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White398359
 9.8%
Two or More Races1310
 23.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients48%39.1%
 8.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Ponderosa Elementary School

Students at Ponderosa Elementary School are 88% White, 6% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 431 students attended Ponderosa Elementary School.

Students who attend Ponderosa Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Post Falls Middle School
High : New Vision High School

Ponderosa Elementary School ranks 171st of 301 Idaho elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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





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