Van Buren Elementary School

Summary:

Van Buren Elementary School is a public elementary school in Caldwell, Idaho, serving 561 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school faces significant challenges, including low academic performance, high chronic absenteeism, and a student population with a high percentage of Hispanic students.

Van Buren's test scores are consistently lower than the state and Caldwell School District averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 20.1% of students were proficient or better in ISAT/Math, compared to the state average of 42.2%. The school's performance on subgroup metrics is also concerning, with Van Buren ranking 134th out of 135 Idaho elementary schools for White students and 32nd out of 58 for Hispanic students. Additionally, Van Buren has had high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 27.5% to 38% over the past few years, which is well above the state average.

While Van Buren's performance is generally lower than the state and district averages, it is interesting to note that the other Caldwell District elementary schools, such as Lewis And Clark Elementary, Washington Elementary School, and Lincoln Elementary School, also have relatively low performance and rankings compared to the state. This suggests that the challenges faced by Van Buren may be systemic within the Caldwell District. In contrast, the nearby Middleton School District has several elementary schools, such as Middleton Heights Elementary and Middleton Mill Creek Elementary, that consistently outperform Van Buren and the Caldwell District schools on various metrics.


Detail:

Public K-5

 3115 Marble Front Road
       Caldwell, ID  83605-8001


(208) 455-3326

District: Caldwell District

SchoolDigger Rank:
285th of 301 Idaho Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,967 Help


Students who attend Van Buren Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Jefferson Middle School
High:    Caldwell Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.4 Help
Number of students:  561

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
60.6%
White:
34.6%
Two or more races:
2.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  89.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Van Buren Elementary School ranks worse than 94.7% of elementary schools in Idaho. It also ranks 2nd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Caldwell District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.69. (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
Help
Compare Details Van Buren Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Caldwell District.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Van Buren Elementary School is $7,967. 2 elementary schools in the Caldwell District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Van Buren Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Van Buren Elementary School 285th of 301 Idaho public elementary schools. (See Van Buren Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Hispanic students:
White students:


Caldwell District:

SchoolDigger ranks Caldwell District 75th of 77 Idaho school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Van Buren Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Van Buren Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2008 7.15 329th 335 1.8%
2009 22.28 311th 349 10.9%
2010 25.00 313th 356 12.1%
2011 41.47 245th 359 31.8%
2012 30.66 283rd 354 20.1%
2013 41.60 248th 357 30.5%
2015 12.20 206th 226 8.8%
2016 23.23 187th 240 22.1%
2017 40.43 184th 292 37.0%
2018 47.03 133rd 254 47.6%
2019 36.38 112th 171 34.5%
2023 11.96 228th 252 9.5%
2024 7.69 285th 301 5.3%
See the entire list of Idaho Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Van Buren Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 11.92 23rd 23 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Van Buren Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 28.80 20th 23 13.0%
See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Van Buren Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 43.83 10th 19 47.4%
2024 39.45 32nd 58 44.8%
See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Van Buren Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools ID State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 57.06 12th 18 33.3%
2024 7.34 134th 135 0.7%
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.

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






Data source: Idaho Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)
50%

0%

50%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, August 7, 2017

Open Quote The Teachers and staff are great! Close Quote


by a parent
Saturday, June 17, 2017

Open Quote Great school with caring teachers that want to be there!. Positive up tempo diverse culture among staff and students. A solid choice for those moving to the area. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Van Buren 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 640 640
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 539 539
1993 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 588 588
1994 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 587 587
1995 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 646 646
1996 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 646 646
1997 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 614 614
1998 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 458 458
1999 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 526 526
2000 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 547 547
2001 228 0 0 254 2 n/a n/a 0 484
2002 231 2 2 269 3 n/a n/a 0 507
2003 231 2 2 269 3 n/a n/a 0 507
2004 210 4 0 294 2 n/a n/a 0 510
2005 168 2 4 276 1 n/a n/a 0 451
2006 170 4 3 332 2 n/a n/a 0 511
2007 178 1 2 347 2 n/a n/a 0 530
2008 148 28 3 336 0 n/a n/a 0 515
2009 158 0 5 387 3 n/a n/a 0 553
2010 208 2 3 391 1 n/a n/a 0 605
2011 194 0 1 468 0 3 6 0 672
2012 199 3 1 459 2 3 13 0 680
2013 194 3 1 480 8 3 15 0 704
2014 207 3 0 411 8 2 16 0 647
2015 196 1 0 403 7 2 17 0 626
2016 203 3 0 442 7 2 17 0 674
2017 198 1 0 459 6 2 12 0 678
2018 196 2 0 447 4 0 13 0 662
2019 195 3 3 396 7 0 19 0 623
2020 210 1 1 370 8 0 17 0 607
2021 183 2 1 333 7 2 15 0 543
2022 182 1 0 319 4 2 15 0 523
2023 194 5 0 340 5 1 16 0 561

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 Van Buren Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 640 33.0 19.3 54.7
1992 539 27.2 19.8 39.5
1993 588 27.6 21.3 36.4
1994 587 29.3 20.0 48
1995 646 30.1 21.5 52.9
1996 646 30.1 21.5 52.9
1997 614 29.3 21.0 53.1
1998 458 24.2 18.9 52.6
1999 526 25.1 21.0 67.9
2000 547 25.2 21.7 63.6
2001 484 27.2 17.8 67.6
2002 507 29.0 17.5 79.3
2003 507 29.0 17.5 79.3
2004 510 34.7 14.7 68.6
2005 451 27.3 16.5 84.7
2006 511 29.7 17.2 99.4
2007 530 27.9 19.0 74.7
2008 515 27.5 18.7 74
2009 553 28.5 19.4 75.4
2010 605 31.5 19.2 75.9
2011 672 28.5 23.5 78
2012 680 33.3 20.4 85.7
2013 704 n/a n/a 91.2
2014 647 31.6 20.4 87.6
2015 626 29.0 21.5 92
2016 674 30.0 22.4 89.9
2017 678 32.6 20.7 89.8
2018 662 33.0 20.0 89.9
2019 623 32.0 19.4 89.9
2020 607 32.1 18.8 89.8
2021 543 32.0 16.9 89.9
2022 523 34.0 15.3 89.9
2023 561 34.1 16.4 89.8

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 Van Buren Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 640 33.0 19.3 54.7
1992 539 27.2 19.8 39.5
1993 588 27.6 21.3 36.4
1994 587 29.3 20.0 48
1995 646 30.1 21.5 52.9
1996 646 30.1 21.5 52.9
1997 614 29.3 21.0 53.1
1998 458 24.2 18.9 52.6
1999 526 25.1 21.0 67.9
2000 547 25.2 21.7 63.6
2001 484 27.2 17.8 67.6
2002 507 29.0 17.5 79.3
2003 507 29.0 17.5 79.3
2004 510 34.7 14.7 68.6
2005 451 27.3 16.5 84.7
2006 511 29.7 17.2 99.4
2007 530 27.9 19.0 74.7
2008 515 27.5 18.7 74
2009 553 28.5 19.4 75.4
2010 605 31.5 19.2 75.9
2011 672 28.5 23.5 78
2012 680 33.3 20.4 85.7
2013 704 n/a n/a 91.2
2014 647 31.6 20.4 87.6
2015 626 29.0 21.5 92
2016 674 30.0 22.4 89.9
2017 678 32.6 20.7 89.8
2018 662 33.0 20.0 89.9
2019 623 32.0 19.4 89.9
2020 607 32.1 18.8 89.8
2021 543 32.0 16.9 89.9
2022 523 34.0 15.3 89.9
2023 561 34.1 16.4 89.8

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 Van Buren Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,386 (17.4%) $6,581 (82.6%) $7,967

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Van Buren 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 112th of 171 Elementary schoolsRanks 228th of 252 Elementary schools
 25%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
4th Grade English Language Arts (Van Buren Elementary School)38.938.8
 0.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Caldwell District)33.630.2
 3.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)5248.4
 3.6%
5th Grade Math (Van Buren Elementary School)52.117.2
 34.9%
   5th Grade Math (Caldwell District)31.317.4
 13.9%
   5th Grade Math (Idaho)44.941.5
 3.4%
All Grades Math (Van Buren Elementary School)52.223
 29.2%
   All Grades Math (Caldwell District)27.520.4
 7.1%
   All Grades Math (Idaho)44.441.5
 2.9%
All Grades Science (Van Buren Elementary School)37.121.7
 15.4%
   All Grades Science (Caldwell District)39.323
 16.3%
   All Grades Science (Idaho)58.941.6
 17.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Van Buren Elementary School)44.532.5
 12%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Caldwell District)34.634.7
 0.1%
   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 Students623561
 10%
African American35
 66.7%
American Indian75
 28.6%
Asian30
 100%
Hispanic396340
 14.1%
Pacific Islander01
White195194
 0.5%
Two or More Races1916
 15.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients89.9%89.8%
 0%


Schools Near Van Buren Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Van Buren Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 561 students attended Van Buren Elementary School.

Students who attend Van Buren Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Jefferson Middle School
High : Caldwell Senior High School

Van Buren Elementary School ranks in the bottom 5.3% of Idaho elementary schools.

Students at Van Buren Elementary School are 61% Hispanic, 35% White, 3% Two or more races.


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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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