Priest River Elementary School

Summary:

Priest River Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 425 students in grades PK-6 in the rural town of Priest River, Idaho, which is part of the West Bonner County School District. While the school has a predominantly White student population, it faces several key challenges, including high chronic absenteeism, low test scores, and a declining statewide ranking.

Priest River Elementary's chronic absenteeism rates have been significantly higher than nearby schools like Athol Elementary School and Idaho Hill Elementary School. Additionally, the school's proficiency rates on the ISAT (Idaho Standards Achievement Test) in Math (30.7%) and English Language Arts (38.8%) are well below the state averages of 42.2% and 53.3%, respectively. This trend is concerning, as Priest River Elementary's statewide ranking has declined from a high of 63 out of 166 Idaho elementary schools in 2020-2021 to a low of 238 out of 301 in 2023-2024.

One potential contributing factor to Priest River Elementary's lower academic performance may be its relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 41.82% to 47.06% in recent years. This is higher than the nearby Athol Elementary School (29.15%) and Idaho Hill Elementary School (45.86%), suggesting that addressing socioeconomic challenges could be an important part of improving the school's overall performance. Despite these challenges, Priest River Elementary's rural location and small student population could present opportunities for more personalized learning and targeted interventions to help improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

418 Harriet Street
Priest River, ID 83856-6568

(208) 448-1181

District: West Bonner County District

SchoolDigger Rank:
238^th of 301 Idaho Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,553

Students who attend Priest River Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Priest River Junior High School
High:	Priest River Lamanna High

Student/teacher ratio: 18.0

Number of students: 425

Racial breakdown:

White:

95.8%

Two or more races:

2.4%

Hispanic:

1.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 47.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Priest River Elementary School ranks worse than 79.1% of elementary schools in Idaho. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.93. (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 Priest River Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the West Bonner County District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Priest River Elementary School is $11,553, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the West Bonner County District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Priest River Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

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Rank History for Priest River Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile
2008	36.09	246^th	335	26.6%
2009	25.19	303^rd	349	13.2%
2010	48.34	210^th	356	41.0%
2011	52.06	201^st	359	44.0%
2012	43.04	235^th	354	33.6%
2013	19.77	321^st	357	10.1%
2015	9.55	215^th	226	4.9%
2016	12.54	216^th	240	10.0%
2017	22.41	242^nd	292	17.1%
2021	58.43	63^rd	166	62.0%
2022	32.80	128^th	188	31.9%
2023	27.36	185^th	252	26.6%
2024	19.93	238^th	301	20.9%

See the entire list of Idaho Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Priest River Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2000	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	537	537
2001	512	7	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	523
2002	500	0	15	2	3	n/a	n/a	0	520
2003	500	0	15	2	3	n/a	n/a	0	520
2004	526	1	0	11	4	n/a	n/a	0	542
2005	519	2	2	6	4	n/a	n/a	0	533
2006	546	1	5	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	561
2007	581	2	0	11	3	n/a	n/a	0	597
2008	568	2	5	6	4	n/a	n/a	0	585
2009	516	0	4	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	527
2010	510	0	5	10	5	n/a	n/a	0	530
2011	406	0	0	17	1	1	18	0	443
2012	378	1	2	16	1	1	24	0	423
2013	380	1	3	16	1	1	24	0	426
2014	398	1	2	13	6	1	16	0	437
2015	377	2	2	11	2	1	11	0	406
2016	363	0	0	12	0	1	23	0	399
2017	392	0	0	15	0	1	19	0	427
2018	401	0	0	12	0	1	17	0	431
2019	362	0	0	8	0	0	12	0	382
2020	402	0	0	9	0	2	8	0	421
2021	357	0	0	7	0	2	4	0	370
2022	362	0	0	5	0	0	6	0	373
2023	407	0	0	6	0	2	10	0	425

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 Priest River Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	537	27.1	19.8	59.6
2001	523	27.5	19.0	67.3
2002	520	28.8	18.1	63.5
2003	520	28.8	18.1	63.5
2004	542	25.9	20.9	55.4
2005	533	29.7	17.9	53.7
2006	561	29.7	18.9	50.4
2007	597	29.6	20.2	50.8
2008	585	32.2	18.2	35.9
2009	527	31.3	16.8	56
2010	530	29.4	17.9	57.9
2011	443	26.5	16.7	58.5
2012	423	24.6	17.1	56.5
2013	426	22.5	18.8	72.5
2014	437	23.1	18.8	66.6
2015	406	23.0	17.6	59.6
2016	399	23.0	17.3	61.7
2017	427	23.6	18.0	62.8
2018	431	23.6	18.2	57.5
2019	382	21.7	17.5	58.6
2020	421	19.3	21.7	57.2
2021	370	23.1	16.0	42.7
2022	373	20.5	18.1	41.8
2023	425	23.4	18.0	47.1

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 Priest River Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	537	27.1	19.8	59.6
2001	523	27.5	19.0	67.3
2002	520	28.8	18.1	63.5
2003	520	28.8	18.1	63.5
2004	542	25.9	20.9	55.4
2005	533	29.7	17.9	53.7
2006	561	29.7	18.9	50.4
2007	597	29.6	20.2	50.8
2008	585	32.2	18.2	35.9
2009	527	31.3	16.8	56
2010	530	29.4	17.9	57.9
2011	443	26.5	16.7	58.5
2012	423	24.6	17.1	56.5
2013	426	22.5	18.8	72.5
2014	437	23.1	18.8	66.6
2015	406	23.0	17.6	59.6
2016	399	23.0	17.3	61.7
2017	427	23.6	18.0	62.8
2018	431	23.6	18.2	57.5
2019	382	21.7	17.5	58.6
2020	421	19.3	21.7	57.2
2021	370	23.1	16.0	42.7
2022	373	20.5	18.1	41.8
2023	425	23.4	18.0	47.1

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 Priest River Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,171 (18.8%)	$9,383 (81.2%)	$11,553

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Priest River 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.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Priest River Elementary School)	56.3	47	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (West Bonner County District)	56.5	46.3	10.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	56.9	51.7	5.2%
All Grades Math (Priest River Elementary School)	42.7	33.2	9.5%
All Grades Math (West Bonner County District)	37.8	35.4	2.4%
All Grades Math (Idaho)	44.4	41.5	2.9%
All Grades Science (Priest River Elementary School)	87.5	54.9	32.6%
All Grades Science (West Bonner County District)	58.1	48.7	9.4%
All Grades Science (Idaho)	58.9	41.6	17.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Priest River Elementary School)	51.7	38.8	12.9%
All Grades English Language Arts (West Bonner County District)	49.3	46.6	2.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Idaho)	55	52.2	2.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	382	425	11.3%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	8	6	25%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	362	407	12.4%
Two or More Races	12	10	16.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	58.6%	47.1%	11.6%

Schools Near Priest River Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISAT Math (2024)					ISAT Science (2024)	ISAT English Language Arts (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	ISAT Math 3rd Grade	ISAT Math 4th Grade	ISAT Math 5th Grade	ISAT Math 6th Grade	ISAT Math All Grades	ISAT Science All Grades	ISAT English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Priest River Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	418 Harriet Street	Priest River	83856	Bonner County	West Bonner County District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 448-1181	425	23	18.0	47.1%	407 (95.8%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	10 (2.4%)	19.9	238^th of 301 public elementary schools	20.9%		27.4	185^th of 252 public elementary schools	26.6%	53		33.4			30.7						38.8	$11,553	$2,171	$9,383
Idaho Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	402 East 3rd Street South	Oldtown	83822	Bonner County	West Bonner County District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 437-4227	157	10	16.2	45.9%	143 (91.1%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.2%)								(n/a)					57.1					66.7		$14,167	$3,117	$11,050
Southside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	Southside School Road	Cocolalla	83813	Bonner County	Lake Pend Oreille School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 263-3020	183	11	16.9	34.4%	163 (89.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.7%)	3 (1.6%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (6.0%)	72	82^nd of 301 public elementary schools	72.8%		73	65^th of 252 public elementary schools	74.2%	17					46.5				76.0		60.6	$9,382	$1,407	$7,975
Spirit Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	32605 North 5th Avenue	Spirit Lake	83869	Kootenai County	Lakeland District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 623-2501	298	18	16.5	40.3%	268 (89.9%)	1 (0.3%)	17 (5.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.7%)	56.1	127^th of 301 public elementary schools	57.8%		64.8	82^nd of 252 public elementary schools	67.5%	45			40.7		46.0	44.1			61.0		58.2	$8,368	$1,101	$7,267
Sagle Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	550 Sagle Road	Sagle	83860	Bonner County	Lake Pend Oreille School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 263-2757	290	17	17.3	31.0%	260 (89.7%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.5%)	32.9	204^th of 301 public elementary schools	32.2%		52.3	118^th of 252 public elementary schools	53.2%	86					38.2	44.5	31.8	41.3			41.9	$8,495	$837	$7,658
Lposd Home School Academy	Public	K-8	430 South Division Avenue	Sandpoint	83864	Bonner County	Lake Pend Oreille School District	No	No	No	No	(208) 263-2184	84	2	51.2		76 (90.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.6%)	2 (2.4%)	1 (1.2%)								(n/a)												$85,047	$109	$84,938
Farmin Stidwell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1626 Spruce Street	Sandpoint	83864	Bonner County	Lake Pend Oreille School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 265-2417	505	33	15.5	40.0%	424 (84.0%)	2 (0.4%)	43 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (7.1%)	56.8	124^th of 301 public elementary schools	58.8%		57.8	103^rd of 252 public elementary schools	59.1%	21	62.1	50.0	42.8	34.6	47.6	51.5	56.9	48.6	61.5	61.6	56.8	$9,557	$1,587	$7,971
Washington Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	420 South Boyer Avenue	Sandpoint	83864	Bonner County	Lake Pend Oreille School District	No	No	No	No	(208) 263-4759	308	17	17.7	30.8%	260 (84.4%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (10.1%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.9%)	91.2	25^th of 301 public elementary schools	91.7%		89.1	31^st of 252 public elementary schools	87.7%	6				71.1	65.9	78.3	71.7	74.0	71.7	78.9	74.2	$8,283	$578	$7,705
Athol Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6333 East Menser Avenue	Athol	83801	Kootenai County	Lakeland District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 683-2231	319	20	15.9	29.2%	289 (90.6%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.0%)	40.3	180^th of 301 public elementary schools	40.2%		49.3	128^th of 252 public elementary schools	49.2%	52					39.7	52.7		32.2	54.4		43.0	$8,738	$1,107	$7,630

Frequently Asked Questions about Priest River Elementary School

What district is Priest River Elementary School in?

West Bonner County District

What schools do graduates of Priest River Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Priest River Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Priest River Junior High School
High : Priest River Lamanna High

Is Priest River Elementary School a good school?

Priest River Elementary School ranks in the bottom 20.9% of Idaho elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Priest River Elementary School?

Students at Priest River Elementary School are 96% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic.

How many students attend Priest River Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 425 students attended Priest River Elementary School.

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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.