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J.R. Simplot Elementary School

Summary:

J.R. Simplot Elementary School is a public elementary school in American Falls, Idaho, serving grades 3-5 with a total enrollment of 362 students. This school stands out for its diverse student population, with a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (51.1%) compared to nearby Aberdeen Elementary School (64.41%) and Hillcrest Elementary School (51.34%).

Despite its diverse student body, J.R. Simplot Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Idaho elementary schools, with a ranking of 232 out of 301 schools in the 2023-2024 school year. Its performance on standardized tests, such as the ISAT, is also below the state and American Falls Joint District averages. However, the school has relatively low chronic absenteeism rates, with 2.0% in 2021-2022 and 1.7% in 2020-2021, significantly lower than the 10.0% rate at the nearby Hillcrest Elementary School.

The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at J.R. Simplot Elementary School (68.51%) is similar to the 68.98% rate at Hillcrest Elementary School, but higher than the 70.85% rate at Aberdeen Elementary School. The school's declining ranking and below-average performance on standardized tests, coupled with its diverse student population, suggest potential achievement gaps that may require targeted interventions and a comprehensive approach to address the school's challenges.


Detail:

Public 3-5

 820 Tyhee
       American Falls, ID  83211-1457

(208) 226-5733

District: American Falls Joint District

SchoolDigger Rank:
232nd of 301 Idaho Elementary Schools


Students who attend J.R. Simplot Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    William Thomas Middle School
High:    American Falls High School

Student/teacher ratio:  19.0 Help
Number of students:  362

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
51.1%
White:
46.7%
American Indian:
1.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  68.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details J.R. Simplot Elementary School ranks worse than 77.1% of elementary schools in Idaho. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.55. (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
Teachers
Finance
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

J.R. Simplot Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks J.R. Simplot Elementary School 232nd of 301 Idaho public elementary schools. (See J.R. Simplot Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Hispanic students:
White students:




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Rank History for J.R. Simplot Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at J.R. Simplot Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2008 30.29 272nd 335 18.8%
2009 32.88 278th 349 20.3%
2010 46.61 217th 356 39.0%
2011 56.14 178th 359 50.4%
2012 44.32 226th 354 36.2%
2013 45.06 233rd 357 34.7%
2015 22.01 186th 226 17.7%
2016 22.87 191st 240 20.4%
2017 10.57 276th 292 5.5%
2018 6.17 249th 254 2.0%
2024 22.55 232nd 301 22.9%
See the entire list of Idaho Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at J.R. Simplot Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.40 120th 121 0.8%
See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at J.R. Simplot Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.35 119th 121 1.7%
See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at J.R. Simplot Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 27.75 43rd 58 25.9%
See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at J.R. Simplot Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 37.91 84th 135 37.8%
See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for White 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.

J.R. Simplot Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Idaho Department of Education

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Enrollment information for J.R. Simplot Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 130 2 2 99 10 n/a n/a 0 243
2003 130 2 2 99 10 n/a n/a 0 243
2004 142 3 1 87 6 n/a n/a 0 239
2005 142 1 2 94 8 n/a n/a 0 247
2006 117 0 2 97 8 n/a n/a 0 224
2007 130 1 2 87 11 n/a n/a 0 231
2008 126 1 2 81 11 n/a n/a 0 221
2009 120 0 3 80 9 n/a n/a 0 212
2010 116 0 5 88 8 n/a n/a 0 217
2011 115 0 0 87 8 1 0 0 211
2012 104 0 1 103 7 1 0 0 216
2013 101 0 2 109 7 1 0 0 220
2014 85 1 1 101 7 1 0 0 196
2015 94 0 0 112 10 2 0 0 218
2016 101 2 0 130 7 0 0 0 240
2017 106 3 0 122 3 0 1 0 235
2018 94 2 0 130 6 0 1 0 233
2019 88 3 0 138 5 0 0 0 234
2020 174 4 0 179 9 0 1 0 367
2021 163 0 0 168 7 0 2 0 340
2022 169 1 0 163 9 0 2 0 344
2023 169 2 0 185 6 0 0 0 362

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 J.R. Simplot Elementary School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 243 13.5 18.0 0
2003 243 13.5 18.0 0
2004 239 12.5 19.1 66.1
2005 247 14.2 17.4 68
2006 224 13.5 16.6 67.9
2007 231 12.2 18.9 61
2008 221 12.3 18.0 59.7
2009 212 11.6 18.2 68.4
2010 217 11.6 18.6 75.1
2011 211 9.0 23.4 73.5
2012 216 11.0 19.6 75
2013 220 13.3 16.4 77.3
2014 196 11.5 16.9 75.5
2015 218 11.0 19.8 79.8
2016 240 13.0 18.4 75
2017 235 13.2 17.6 68.9
2018 233 14.4 16.1 67.8
2019 234 11.5 20.3 68.8
2020 367 19.5 18.8 66.2
2021 340 18.0 18.8 63.2
2022 344 19.5 17.6 52.6
2023 362 19.0 19.0 68.5

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 J.R. Simplot Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 243 13.5 18.0 0
2003 243 13.5 18.0 0
2004 239 12.5 19.1 66.1
2005 247 14.2 17.4 68
2006 224 13.5 16.6 67.9
2007 231 12.2 18.9 61
2008 221 12.3 18.0 59.7
2009 212 11.6 18.2 68.4
2010 217 11.6 18.6 75.1
2011 211 9.0 23.4 73.5
2012 216 11.0 19.6 75
2013 220 13.3 16.4 77.3
2014 196 11.5 16.9 75.5
2015 218 11.0 19.8 79.8
2016 240 13.0 18.4 75
2017 235 13.2 17.6 68.9
2018 233 14.4 16.1 67.8
2019 234 11.5 20.3 68.8
2020 367 19.5 18.8 66.2
2021 340 18.0 18.8 63.2
2022 344 19.5 17.6 52.6
2023 362 19.0 19.0 68.5

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.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for J.R. Simplot Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,549 (16.3%) $7,947 (83.7%) $9,496

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

Impact of COVID-19 on J.R. Simplot 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 (%)
All Grades Math (J.R. Simplot Elementary School)28.822.1
 6.7%
   All Grades Math (American Falls Joint District)26.519.8
 6.7%
   All Grades Math (Idaho)44.441.5
 2.9%
All Grades Science (J.R. Simplot Elementary School)51.325.2
 26.1%
   All Grades Science (American Falls Joint District)37.821.7
 16.1%
   All Grades Science (Idaho)58.940.8
 18.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (J.R. Simplot Elementary School)39.930.7
 9.2%
   All Grades English Language Arts (American Falls Joint District)41.135.1
 6%
   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 Students234362
 54.7%
African American32
 33.3%
American Indian56
 20%
Asian00
Hispanic138185
 34.1%
Pacific Islander00
White88169
 92%
Two or More Races00
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients68.8%68.5%
 0.3%

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Frequently Asked Questions about J.R. Simplot Elementary School

Students at J.R. Simplot Elementary School are 51% Hispanic, 47% White, 2% American Indian.

Students who attend J.R. Simplot Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : William Thomas Middle School
High : American Falls High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 362 students attended J.R. Simplot Elementary School.

J.R. Simplot Elementary School ranks in the bottom 22.9% of Idaho 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 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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