Is Pioneer Elementary a good school?

Pioneer Elementary ranks 3010 th of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Pioneer Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 643 students attended Pioneer Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Pioneer Elementary?

Students at Pioneer Elementary are 35% Hispanic, 29% White, 13% Two or more races, 11% Asian, 9% African American, 3% Pacific Islander.

What schools do graduates of Pioneer Elementary attend?

Students who attend Pioneer Elementary usually go on to attend: High : Foothill High

Pioneer Elementary

Summary:

Pioneer Elementary is a public K-8 school in Sacramento, California, serving 639 students as part of the Twin Rivers Unified School District. While the district is ranked 1122 out of 1568 in California and has a 1-star rating, Pioneer Elementary stands out with its strong academic performance, particularly among specific student groups.

Pioneer Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 68.97% of 7th-grade students at Pioneer Elementary were proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy, compared to 31.09% for the district and 47.19% for the state. The school also ranks in the top 25% of California elementary schools for its English Language Learner student population and the top 146 out of 662 for its African American students. However, the school's performance for its White student population is relatively low, ranking in the bottom 25% of California elementary schools for this subgroup.

Despite its academic strengths, Pioneer Elementary faces significant challenges, including a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.7% in 2017-2018 to 47.1% in 2021-2022, notably higher than the district's rate of 17.5%. Additionally, the school serves a predominantly economically disadvantaged population, with 88.58% to 90.86% of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch over the past three school years. Addressing these issues while building on the school's strengths could lead to improved outcomes for all students at Pioneer Elementary.

Detail:

Public K-8

5816 Pioneer Way
Sacramento, CA 95841-2215

(916) 566-1940

District: Twin Rivers Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
3010^th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Students who attend Pioneer Elementary usually attend:

High:

Foothill High

Student/teacher ratio: 24.8

Number of students: 643

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

35.0%

White:

28.9%

Two or more races:

12.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 86.9%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Pioneer Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Pioneer Elementary ranks worse than 51.3% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 10^th among 28 ranked elementary schools in the Twin Rivers Unified School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.78. (See more...)

Compare Details Pioneer Elementary ranks better than 68.1% of middle schools in California. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.83. (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 Student population at Pioneer Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (35%), White (28.9%), two or more races (12.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 86.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pioneer Elementary is 24.8. 16 elementary schools in the Twin Rivers Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Pioneer Elementary employs 25.8 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pioneer Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Pioneer Elementary 3010^th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Pioneer Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Pioneer Elementary 887^th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Pioneer Elementary in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Twin Rivers Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Twin Rivers Unified 1122^nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Pioneer Elementary

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2010	52.48	2420^th	5314	54.5%
2011	40.79	3188^th	5377	40.7%
2012	31.35	3846^th	5390	28.6%
2013	37.18	3514^th	5530	36.5%
2015	26.69	3964^th	5611	29.4%
2016	36.70	3285^th	5614	41.5%
2017	27.45	4050^th	5692	28.8%
2018	41.80	3037^th	5662	46.4%
2019	44.53	2907^th	5789	49.8%
2022	38.65	3190^th	5883	45.8%
2023	43.15	2939^th	5874	50.0%
2024	42.78	3010^th	5862	48.7%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	54.65	1052^nd	3246	67.6%
2019	39.63	1806^th	3275	44.9%
2022	62.56	680^th	3311	79.5%
2023	74.41	390^th	3250	88.0%
2024	58.63	778^th	3160	75.4%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	25.21	1896^th	2420	21.7%
2024	44.80	1131^st	2634	57.1%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	50.59	2318^th	5084	54.4%
2019	50.57	2372^nd	5173	54.1%
2022	49.46	2309^th	5264	56.1%
2023	56.37	1966^th	5374	63.4%
2024	52.20	2250^th	5511	59.2%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	45.21	2766^th	5413	48.9%
2019	39.38	3150^th	5492	42.6%
2022	37.64	3146^th	5635	44.2%
2023	37.98	3146^th	5617	44.0%
2024	35.19	3390^th	5605	39.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Disabled students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	31.43	1426^th	2227	36.0%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	38.89	3117^th	5431	42.6%
2019	48.82	2514^th	5510	54.4%
2022	40.07	3000^th	5663	47.0%
2023	48.42	2543^rd	5650	55.0%
2024	50.47	2432^nd	5636	56.8%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	68.83	146^th	662	77.9%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	44.61	2578^th	4830	46.6%
2019	53.50	2067^th	4963	58.4%
2022	55.38	1879^th	5084	63.0%
2023	52.22	2106^th	5098	58.7%
2024	51.59	2166^th	5102	57.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	24.50	2224^th	2737	18.7%
2019	26.30	2243^rd	2834	20.9%
2022	20.48	2262^nd	2726	17.0%
2023	20.03	2225^th	2662	16.4%
2024	29.81	1962^nd	2647	25.9%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Pioneer Elementary

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Rank History for all middle school students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2011	41.39	1323^rd	2236	40.8%
2012	40.57	1339^th	2259	40.7%
2013	33.85	1590^th	2379	33.2%
2015	18.69	2059^th	2477	16.9%
2016	23.23	1903^rd	2497	23.8%
2017	26.83	1774^th	2508	29.3%
2018	44.79	1228^th	2480	50.5%
2019	54.38	1044^th	2715	61.5%
2022	54.67	1039^th	2740	62.1%
2023	63.78	797^th	2802	71.6%
2024	59.83	887^th	2777	68.1%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	53.08	378^th	1364	72.3%
2019	46.89	494^th	1442	65.7%
2022	67.36	219^th	1540	85.8%
2023	86.51	72^nd	1529	95.3%
2024	80.41	79^th	1477	94.7%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	61.84	656^th	2230	70.6%
2019	65.49	596^th	2369	74.8%
2022	68.59	540^th	2458	78.0%
2023	79.30	339^th	2549	86.7%
2024	73.65	459^th	2575	82.2%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	42.27	1229^th	2262	45.7%
2019	46.09	1157^th	2380	51.4%
2022	56.86	886^th	2509	64.7%
2023	72.96	565^th	2547	77.8%
2024	52.58	990^th	2546	61.1%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	46.66	1084^th	2273	52.3%
2019	60.63	790^th	2407	67.2%
2022	52.28	992^nd	2527	60.7%
2023	54.47	952^nd	2558	62.8%
2024	64.00	737^th	2547	71.1%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	29.85	423^rd	600	29.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	67.74	496^th	2072	76.1%
2019	68.23	520^th	2213	76.5%
2022	73.27	423^rd	2359	82.1%
2023	69.47	520^th	2391	78.3%
2024	76.55	387^th	2383	83.8%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Pioneer Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	32.72	1036^th	1496	30.7%
2019	32.33	1103^rd	1602	31.1%
2022	25.67	1176^th	1555	24.4%
2023	47.99	781^st	1552	49.7%
2024	40.06	895^th	1535	41.7%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California 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.

Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, January 10, 2012

This once a great school is rapidly decorating because of the lack of a morale principal. She has repeatedly abused her authority and does nothing to improve the school morale with her depressing appearance and non caring attitude. She does not accept her responsibility diligently or even reasonably so. No good times for the staff and pupils must be her motto. Just wish she would resign. Let someone with more enthusiasm for the better quality of life, education, perks and some little fun for the pupils. So sad. Very sad for the past 7 years. Please resign Mrs. Nun, Please. I know that this school will prosper so much without your dead weight. Thank you in advance for considering this option for your staff and students. This will be a much better school with out you as you don't care. Kind Regards, Very Concerned Parent Close Quote

Enrollment information for Pioneer Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2009	259	65	25	128	10	1	65	553
2010	227	68	27	148	7	1	38	516
2011	249	95	28	147	8	3	45	575
2012	271	114	28	182	11	2	46	654
2013	258	94	26	196	14	4	42	634
2014	270	94	26	208	11	4	44	657
2015	279	90	22	205	6	5	37	644
2016	273	84	22	197	5	5	52	638
2017	261	60	27	210	5	5	63	631
2018	274	72	32	198	3	9	63	651
2019	236	83	42	193	3	7	63	627
2020	224	72	42	228	5	10	55	636
2021	208	62	35	226	6	10	66	613
2022	187	63	50	216	2	14	71	603
2023	198	60	67	221	3	15	75	639
2024	186	60	71	225	1	17	83	643

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 Pioneer Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	553	25.0	19.8	69.8
2010	516	24.0	21.5	78.7
2011	575	n/a	n/a	79.8
2012	654	24.6	26.5	n/a
2013	634	23.5	26.9	73
2014	657	24.0	27.3	88.4
2015	644	26.0	24.7	83.1
2016	638	24.0	26.5	77.9
2017	631	25.0	25.2	88.4
2018	651	26.0	25.0	88.6
2019	627	23.0	27.2	87.2
2020	636	n/a	n/a	90.3
2021	613	24.4	25.1	90.9
2022	603	23.8	25.3	89.9
2023	639	25.8	24.7	88.6
2024	643	25.8	24.8	86.9

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 Pioneer Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	553	25.0	19.8	69.8
2010	516	24.0	21.5	78.7
2011	575	n/a	n/a	79.8
2012	654	24.6	26.5	n/a
2013	634	23.5	26.9	73
2014	657	24.0	27.3	88.4
2015	644	26.0	24.7	83.1
2016	638	24.0	26.5	77.9
2017	631	25.0	25.2	88.4
2018	651	26.0	25.0	88.6
2019	627	23.0	27.2	87.2
2020	636	n/a	n/a	90.3
2021	613	24.4	25.1	90.9
2022	603	23.8	25.3	89.9
2023	639	25.8	24.7	88.6
2024	643	25.8	24.8	86.9

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates