Pierce Elementary

Summary:

Pierce Elementary is a public elementary school located in Ridgecrest, California, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 315 students. The school is part of the Sierra Sands Unified School District, which is ranked 893 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Pierce Elementary faces significant challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates, consistently underperforming academic achievement compared to district and state averages, and struggles to support the academic success of various student subgroups. The school's performance is particularly low in 4th and 5th-grade English Language Arts and Mathematics, with proficiency rates ranging from 0% to 22.22%. Additionally, Pierce Elementary has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 68.45% to 76.51%, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When compared to nearby schools within the Sierra Sands Unified School District, such as Inyokern Elementary, Faller Elementary, and Las Flores Elementary, Pierce Elementary consistently underperforms in academic achievement, with lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. The nearby Trona Elementary, located in the Trona Joint Unified School District, also struggles academically, with proficiency rates well below the state averages. Additionally, the Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language Music and Science, a public charter school in Ridgecrest, also underperforms compared to the state averages in academic achievement.


Detail:

Public K-5

 674 North Gold Canyon
       Ridgecrest, CA  93555-5797


(760) 499-1670

District: Sierra Sands Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
5348th of 5,862 California Elementary Schools


Students who attend Pierce Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Murray Middle
High:    Burroughs High

Student/teacher ratio:  20.7 Help
Number of students:  315

Racial breakdown:

White:
38.4%
Hispanic:
36.5%
African American:
14.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  70.5% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Pierce Elementary ranks worse than 91.2% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks last among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Sierra Sands Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.51. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
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Compare Details Student population at Pierce Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (38.4%), Hispanic (36.5%), African American (14.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 70.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Sierra Sands Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pierce Elementary is 20.7, which is the 2nd best among 6 elementary schools in the Sierra Sands Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Pierce Elementary employs 15.1 full-time teachers.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pierce Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Pierce Elementary 5348th of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Pierce 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:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Sierra Sands Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Sierra Sands Unified 893rd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Pierce Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Pierce Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 27.09 3414th 4809 29.0%
2005 34.85 3015th 4822 37.5%
2006 28.15 3438th 4818 28.6%
2007 47.10 2487th 5113 51.4%
2008 40.59 2910th 5113 43.1%
2009 48.75 2564th 5193 50.6%
2010 44.33 2890th 5314 45.6%
2011 40.99 3167th 5377 41.1%
2012 56.40 2247th 5390 58.3%
2013 57.92 2245th 5530 59.4%
2015 68.28 1565th 5611 72.1%
2016 67.36 1644th 5614 70.7%
2017 45.16 2791st 5692 51.0%
2018 32.60 3625th 5662 36.0%
2019 29.43 3976th 5789 31.3%
2021 20.97 1134th 1417 20.0%
2022 20.97 4756th 5883 19.2%
2023 16.92 5162nd 5874 12.1%
2024 14.51 5348th 5862 8.8%
See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Pierce Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 21.12 3027th 3160 4.2%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Pierce Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 25.90 1864th 2420 23.0%
2024 34.21 1601st 2634 39.2%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pierce Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.79 3498th 5084 31.2%
2019 26.35 4138th 5173 20.0%
2021 26.41 884th 1110 20.4%
2022 22.38 4477th 5264 15.0%
2023 15.01 5042nd 5374 6.2%
2024 11.54 5329th 5511 3.3%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Pierce Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.74 3945th 5413 27.1%
2019 27.40 4041st 5492 26.4%
2021 17.91 1099th 1267 13.3%
2022 21.32 4584th 5635 18.7%
2023 21.97 4532nd 5617 19.3%
2024 19.43 4755th 5605 15.2%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Pierce Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.35 1625th 2128 23.6%
2019 59.61 741st 2585 71.3%
2021 60.00 78th 293 73.4%
2022 20.50 1990th 2227 10.6%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Pierce Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.12 3153rd 5431 41.9%
2019 32.15 3611th 5510 34.5%
2021 26.69 904th 1272 28.9%
2022 23.80 4341st 5663 23.3%
2023 14.38 5215th 5650 7.7%
2024 11.64 5389th 5636 4.4%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Pierce Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 12.88 581st 593 2.0%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Pierce Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.67 4002nd 4830 17.1%
2019 44.85 2625th 4963 47.1%
2022 21.26 4420th 5084 13.1%
2023 19.48 4534th 5098 11.1%
2024 24.82 4118th 5102 19.3%
See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Pierce Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.44 2226th 2737 18.7%
2019 11.31 2590th 2834 8.6%
2022 14.55 2408th 2726 11.7%
2023 10.83 2451st 2662 7.9%
2024 5.64 2562nd 2647 3.2%
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.

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






Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Pierce Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 408 40 15 37 8 n/a n/a 0 508
1989 494 40 19 51 16 n/a n/a 0 620
1990 470 34 37 77 11 n/a n/a 0 629
1991 424 38 27 72 23 n/a n/a 0 584
1992 449 33 45 80 11 n/a n/a 0 618
1993 291 32 16 70 4 n/a n/a 0 413
1994 306 26 16 37 1 n/a n/a 0 386
1995 313 24 12 108 3 n/a n/a 0 460
1996 313 24 12 108 3 n/a n/a 0 460
1997 270 29 15 118 7 n/a n/a 0 439
1998 291 28 11 119 8 n/a n/a 0 457
1999 279 34 16 122 16 n/a n/a 0 467
2000 272 37 14 130 12 n/a n/a 7 472
2001 264 45 10 144 11 n/a n/a 9 483
2002 230 25 13 155 2 n/a n/a 22 447
2003 230 25 13 155 2 n/a n/a 22 447
2004 217 29 18 161 4 n/a n/a 27 456
2005 181 27 16 184 10 n/a n/a 22 440
2006 190 44 11 223 7 n/a n/a 1 476
2007 170 28 10 207 9 n/a n/a 0 424
2008 161 34 12 159 6 n/a n/a 0 372
2009 161 23 10 161 16 6 1 0 378
2010 136 27 9 131 9 7 3 0 322
2011 146 25 8 139 12 2 3 0 335
2012 159 19 10 130 13 2 4 0 337
2013 171 19 9 130 8 1 3 0 341
2014 174 21 4 129 7 1 2 0 338
2015 176 19 5 130 2 1 4 0 337
2016 160 16 5 121 3 2 2 0 309
2017 171 21 8 123 3 3 2 0 331
2018 167 37 9 136 5 1 6 0 361
2019 177 40 13 140 7 0 15 0 392
2020 182 41 10 143 4 0 12 0 392
2021 156 33 6 118 3 0 16 0 332
2022 136 30 7 116 5 1 22 0 317
2023 121 47 4 115 5 0 23 0 315

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 Pierce Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 508 19.0 26.7 n/a
1989 620 21.0 29.5 n/a
1990 629 21.0 29.9 n/a
1991 584 23.0 25.3 n/a
1992 618 23.4 26.4 34.8
1993 413 15.0 27.5 50.8
1994 386 15.0 25.7 48.2
1995 460 20.8 22.1 61.5
1996 460 20.8 22.1 61.5
1997 439 22.5 19.5 71.3
1998 457 25.6 17.9 74.8
1999 467 23.8 19.6 73.7
2000 472 23.6 20.0 70.8
2001 483 25.8 18.7 75.9
2002 447 23.8 18.8 71.8
2003 447 23.8 18.8 71.8
2004 456 20.3 22.5 79.5
2005 440 22.8 19.3 80.6
2006 476 24.5 19.4 78.1
2007 424 23.0 18.4 75.2
2008 372 21.2 17.5 77.7
2009 378 22.2 16.3 74.9
2010 322 16.6 19.4 72
2011 335 n/a n/a 69.6
2012 337 13.3 25.3 n/a
2013 341 13.3 25.6 73.3
2014 338 12.0 28.1 74.9
2015 337 12.0 28.0 73.6
2016 309 12.0 25.7 75.1
2017 331 14.0 23.6 73.7
2018 361 16.0 22.5 82.5
2019 392 17.0 23.0 80.4
2020 392 n/a n/a 75.5
2021 332 16.0 20.7 76.5
2022 317 14.6 21.6 68.5
2023 315 15.1 20.7 70.5

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 Pierce Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 508 19.0 26.7 n/a
1989 620 21.0 29.5 n/a
1990 629 21.0 29.9 n/a
1991 584 23.0 25.3 n/a
1992 618 23.4 26.4 34.8
1993 413 15.0 27.5 50.8
1994 386 15.0 25.7 48.2
1995 460 20.8 22.1 61.5
1996 460 20.8 22.1 61.5
1997 439 22.5 19.5 71.3
1998 457 25.6 17.9 74.8
1999 467 23.8 19.6 73.7
2000 472 23.6 20.0 70.8
2001 483 25.8 18.7 75.9
2002 447 23.8 18.8 71.8
2003 447 23.8 18.8 71.8
2004 456 20.3 22.5 79.5
2005 440 22.8 19.3 80.6
2006 476 24.5 19.4 78.1
2007 424 23.0 18.4 75.2
2008 372 21.2 17.5 77.7
2009 378 22.2 16.3 74.9
2010 322 16.6 19.4 72
2011 335 n/a n/a 69.6
2012 337 13.3 25.3 n/a
2013 341 13.3 25.6 73.3
2014 338 12.0 28.1 74.9
2015 337 12.0 28.0 73.6
2016 309 12.0 25.7 75.1
2017 331 14.0 23.6 73.7
2018 361 16.0 22.5 82.5
2019 392 17.0 23.0 80.4
2020 392 n/a n/a 75.5
2021 332 16.0 20.7 76.5
2022 317 14.6 21.6 68.5
2023 315 15.1 20.7 70.5

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

Pierce Elementary

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPolioHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMMR
201254.0%4.0%0.0%42.0%63.0%85.0%85.0%63.0%62.0%
201389.0%0.0%0.0%11.0%95.0%98.0%98.0%92.0%94.0%
201466.0%4.0%0.0%30.0%70.0%80.0%84.0%70.0%70.0%
201575.0%0.0%0.0%25.0%78.0%93.0%92.0%81.0%76.0%
2016100.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%
201795.0%0.0%0.0%5.0%≥98.0%97.0%≥98.0%95.0%≥98.0%
201897.0%0.0%0.0%3.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%97.0%
201995.0%0.0%2.0%96.0%≥98.0%≥98.0%95.0%96.0%
202294.3%0.0%2.9%94.3%

Data source: California Department of Public Health
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pierce 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 3976th of 5789 Elementary schoolsRanks 5162nd of 5874 Elementary schools
 19.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pierce Elementary)36.225.8
 10.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sierra Sands Unified)47.638.3
 9.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.543
 5.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Pierce Elementary)35.128.6
 6.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Sierra Sands Unified)48.542.6
 5.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (California)50.245.1
 5.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pierce Elementary)36.613.6
 23%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sierra Sands Unified)49.936.3
 13.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.543.7
 5.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Pierce Elementary)30.511.9
 18.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Sierra Sands Unified)44.730.8
 13.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (California)44.940.8
 4.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Pierce Elementary)35.321.2
 14.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Sierra Sands Unified)49.441.2
 8.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.746.7
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Pierce Elementary)29.413.5
 16%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Sierra Sands Unified)3826.8
 11.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (California)3833.4
 4.6%
5th Grade Science (Pierce Elementary)27.515.4
 12.1%
   5th Grade Science (Sierra Sands Unified)3633
 3%
   5th Grade Science (California)31.731.9
 0.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students392315
 19.6%
African American4047
 17.5%
American Indian75
 28.6%
Asian134
 69.2%
Hispanic140115
 17.9%
Pacific Islander00
White177121
 31.6%
Two or More Races1523
 53.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients80.4%70.5%
 9.9%


Schools Near Pierce Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Pierce Elementary

Students who attend Pierce Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Murray Middle
High : Burroughs High

In the 2022-23 school year, 315 students attended Pierce Elementary.

Students at Pierce Elementary are 38% White, 37% Hispanic, 15% African American, 7% Two or more races, 2% American Indian, 1% Asian.

Pierce Elementary ranks in the bottom 8.8% of California elementary schools.


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