Birch Elementary School

Q: Is Birch Elementary School a good school?

Birch Elementary School ranks 147 th of 301 Idaho elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Birch Elementary School is a public elementary school in Nampa, Idaho, serving 662 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Vallivue School District. While the school consistently outperforms the district and state in academic proficiency, it has seen a decline in its statewide ranking and rating in recent years.

Birch Elementary stands out for its strong academic performance, with 49.6% of students proficient or better in ISAT Math and 52.8% proficient or better in ISAT English Language Arts, compared to the district averages of 35.3% and 52.8%, respectively. The school also has a higher percentage of White students (66.92%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 41.04% to 67.22% White students. However, Birch Elementary has a lower percentage of free and reduced lunch recipients (32.78%) compared to the nearby schools, which range from 39.43% to 87.52%.

Despite its academic success, Birch Elementary has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 14.6% in 2020-2021 to 31.0% in 2021-2022 and 24.1% in 2022-2023. This decline in attendance may be contributing to the school's drop in statewide ranking, from 36 out of 254 schools and a 4-star rating in 2017-2018 to 147 out of 301 schools and a 3-star rating in 2023-2024. When compared to schools in the Nampa School District, which has a lower overall ranking, Birch Elementary's performance is more on par with the district's average.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

6900 Birch Lane
Nampa, ID 83687-8304

(208) 461-5960

District: Vallivue School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
147^th of 301 Idaho Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,529

Students who attend Birch Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Sage Valley Middle School
High:	Ridgevue High School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.6

Number of students: 630

Racial breakdown:

White:

64.6%

Hispanic:

27.1%

Two or more races:

5.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Birch Elementary School ranks better than 51.2% of elementary schools in Idaho. It also ranks 2^nd among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Vallivue School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 50.21. (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 Racial makeup is: White (64.6%), Hispanic (27.1%), two or more races (5.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 37.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Vallivue School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Birch Elementary School is 19.6, which is the 3^rd best among 7 elementary schools in the Vallivue School District. (See more...)

Compare Birch Elementary School employs 32 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Birch Elementary School is $7,529, which is the highest among 7 elementary schools in the Vallivue School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Birch Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Birch Elementary School 147^th of 301 Idaho public elementary schools. (See Birch Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Vallivue School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Vallivue School District 46^th of 77 Idaho school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Birch Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Birch Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile
2008	40.94	229^th	335	31.6%
2009	73.07	70^th	349	79.9%
2010	65.66	108^th	356	69.7%
2011	72.08	77^th	359	78.6%
2012	72.66	70^th	354	80.2%
2013	62.52	133^rd	357	62.7%
2015	76.31	50^th	226	77.9%
2016	79.60	45^th	240	81.3%
2017	79.07	49^th	292	83.2%
2018	81.19	36^th	254	85.8%
2019	67.59	54^th	171	68.4%
2021	63.64	56^th	166	66.3%
2022	58.98	77^th	188	59.0%
2023	44.23	148^th	252	41.3%
2024	50.21	147^th	301	51.2%

See the entire list of Idaho Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Birch Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	70.35	39^th	121	67.8%
2024	39.33	46^th	69	33.3%

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

Rank History for Male students at Birch Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	72.99	38^th	121	68.6%
2024	61.19	29^th	69	58.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Birch Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile
2018	76.51	5^th	31	83.9%
2021	69.92	3^rd	11	72.7%
2022	64.93	9^th	37	75.7%
2024	57.31	55^th	135	59.3%

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.

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Birch Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2002	424	3	6	49	4	n/a	n/a	486
2003	424	3	6	49	4	n/a	n/a	486
2004	536	8	7	93	3	n/a	n/a	647
2005	546	17	5	116	5	n/a	n/a	689
2006	488	8	10	67	5	n/a	n/a	578
2007	523	12	16	90	2	n/a	n/a	643
2008	515	10	16	79	2	n/a	n/a	622
2009	509	24	24	44	2	n/a	n/a	603
2010	513	9	21	38	1	n/a	n/a	582
2011	478	12	15	53	2	2	8	570
2012	463	11	11	56	1	2	8	552
2013	488	9	11	74	3	0	13	598
2014	508	10	9	100	0	1	17	645
2015	453	7	8	115	1	2	22	608
2016	479	6	10	130	1	4	25	655
2017	466	5	6	119	0	3	25	624
2018	468	7	3	144	0	5	21	648
2019	467	6	4	141	1	5	28	652
2020	471	6	7	147	0	5	25	661
2021	375	5	9	156	0	2	24	571
2022	439	7	12	180	0	2	38	678
2023	443	7	9	170	0	1	32	662
2024	407	9	9	171	0	2	32	630

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 Birch Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	486	24.6	19.8	36
2003	486	24.6	19.8	36
2004	647	29.8	21.7	40
2005	689	34.9	19.7	39.5
2006	578	31.0	18.6	36.7
2007	643	31.0	20.7	38.7
2008	622	32.0	19.4	36
2009	603	30.0	20.1	34.7
2010	582	28.9	20.1	51
2011	570	28.0	20.3	52.3
2012	552	25.0	22.0	54.7
2013	598	25.9	23.0	54
2014	645	28.2	22.8	52.7
2015	608	28.0	21.7	54.9
2016	655	30.0	21.8	54.2
2017	624	30.1	20.6	52.6
2018	648	30.1	21.4	47.7
2019	652	31.0	21.0	39
2020	661	32.0	20.6	38.7
2021	571	33.9	16.7	29.9
2022	678	32.0	21.1	23
2023	662	33.0	20.0	32.8
2024	630	32.0	19.6	37.6

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 Birch Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	486	24.6	19.8	36
2003	486	24.6	19.8	36
2004	647	29.8	21.7	40
2005	689	34.9	19.7	39.5
2006	578	31.0	18.6	36.7
2007	643	31.0	20.7	38.7
2008	622	32.0	19.4	36
2009	603	30.0	20.1	34.7
2010	582	28.9	20.1	51
2011	570	28.0	20.3	52.3
2012	552	25.0	22.0	54.7
2013	598	25.9	23.0	54
2014	645	28.2	22.8	52.7
2015	608	28.0	21.7	54.9
2016	655	30.0	21.8	54.2
2017	624	30.1	20.6	52.6
2018	648	30.1	21.4	47.7
2019	652	31.0	21.0	39
2020	661	32.0	20.6	38.7
2021	571	33.9	16.7	29.9
2022	678	32.0	21.1	23
2023	662	33.0	20.0	32.8
2024	630	32.0	19.6	37.6

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 Birch Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,066 (14.2%)	$6,463 (85.8%)	$7,529

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Birch 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 54^th of 171 Elementary schools	Ranks 148^th of 252 Elementary schools	27.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Birch Elementary School)	57.8	53	4.8%
3rd Grade Math (Vallivue School District)	56.3	51	5.3%
3rd Grade Math (Idaho)	53	49.4	3.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Birch Elementary School)	56.4	48.6	7.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Vallivue School District)	56.1	53.7	2.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	50.5	49.2	1.3%
4th Grade Math (Birch Elementary School)	80.6	64.6	16%
4th Grade Math (Vallivue School District)	57	51	6%
4th Grade Math (Idaho)	49.9	48.7	1.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Birch Elementary School)	74.8	65.2	9.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Vallivue School District)	59.5	57.8	1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	52	52
5th Grade Math (Birch Elementary School)	50.1	28.2	21.9%
5th Grade Math (Vallivue School District)	52.1	36.8	15.3%
5th Grade Math (Idaho)	44.9	41.5	3.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Birch Elementary School)	62.5	47.7	14.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Vallivue School District)	62.4	53.9	8.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	56.9	51.7	5.2%
All Grades Math (Birch Elementary School)	62.5	43.9	18.6%
All Grades Math (Vallivue School District)	43.3	37.7	5.6%
All Grades Math (Idaho)	44.4	41.5	2.9%
All Grades Science (Birch Elementary School)	64.3	39.1	25.2%
All Grades Science (Vallivue School District)	55.1	39.5	15.6%
All Grades Science (Idaho)	58.9	41.6	17.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Birch Elementary School)	64.6	47.3	17.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Vallivue School District)	57.4	54.3	3.1%
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	652	662	1.5%
African American	6	7	16.7%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	4	9	125%
Hispanic	141	170	20.6%
Pacific Islander	5	1	80%
White	467	443	5.1%
Two or More Races	28	32	14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	39%	32.8%	6.2%

Schools Near Birch 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 All Grades	ISAT Science 5th Grade	ISAT Science 8th Grade	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 8th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Birch Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6900 Birch Lane	Nampa	83687	Canyon County	Vallivue School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 461-5960	630	32	19.6	37.6%	407 (64.6%)	9 (1.4%)	171 (27.1%)	9 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	32 (5.1%)	50.2	147^th of 301 public elementary schools	51.2%		44.2	148^th of 252 public elementary schools	41.3%	1	42.9	66.1	38.4	49.6			42.3			50.9		52.8	$7,529	$1,066	$6,463
Snake River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	500 Stampede Drive	Nampa	83687	Canyon County	Nampa School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 468-4614	332	27	12.2	38.9%	134 (40.4%)	2 (0.6%)	167 (50.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (7.8%)	5.1	294^th of 301 public elementary schools	2.3%		6.4	249^th of 252 public elementary schools	1.2%	45	16.6	23.4	14.0	18.2			12.0	19.0	30.0	26.5		25.2	$8,881	$1,993	$6,887
Endeavor Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2824 East Powerline Road	Nampa	83687	Canyon County	Nampa School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 468-4629	474	28	16.9	73.8%	200 (42.2%)	0 (0.0%)	247 (52.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	23 (4.9%)	8.5	283^rd of 301 public elementary schools	6.0%		8.9	240^th of 252 public elementary schools	4.8%	43	30.1	16.1	13.1	20.3			17.1	34.8	30.2	29.1		31.5	$7,330	$1,593	$5,736
East Canyon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	18408 Northside Boulevard	Nampa	83687	Canyon County	Vallivue School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 466-6929	723	34	21.2	40.5%	384 (53.1%)	18 (2.5%)	287 (39.7%)	5 (0.7%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	24 (3.3%)	27.6	217^th of 301 public elementary schools	27.9%		49.9	125^th of 252 public elementary schools	50.4%	92	39.7	43.2	22.2	34.6			24.4	44.8	47.2	43.8		45.3	$7,529	$1,066	$6,463
Park Ridge Elementary	Public	K-8	3313 Parkridge Drive	Nampa	83687	Canyon County	Nampa School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 468-4622	302	20	15.0	57.6%	193 (63.9%)	0 (0.0%)	93 (30.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	6 (2.0%)	8 (2.6%)	6.2	291^st of 301 public elementary schools	3.3%		4	250^th of 252 public elementary schools	0.8%	41	20.9			19.1			20.0					25.7	$8,558	$1,532	$7,025
New Horizon Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	3313 Park Ridge Drive	Nampa	83687	Ada County	Nampa School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(208) 468-4619	655	35	18.5	69.6%	63 (9.6%)	2 (0.3%)	588 (89.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	16.7	248^th of 301 public elementary schools	17.6%		14	223^rd of 252 public elementary schools	11.5%	25	42.7	26.2	29.6	29.4	27.2	30.4	28.1	37.6	29.7	32.9	42.4	34.2	$7,113	$1,098	$6,015
Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1415 5th Street South	Nampa	83651	Canyon County	Nampa School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 468-4611	238	17	13.9	87.4%	115 (48.3%)	1 (0.4%)	109 (45.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	10 (4.2%)								(n/a)				19.7								29.7	$8,679	$1,461	$7,217
Sherman Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1521 East Sherman Avenue	Nampa	83686	Canyon County	Nampa School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 468-4628	440	28	15.7	87.7%	219 (49.8%)	4 (0.9%)	184 (41.8%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.6%)	22 (5.0%)	10.9	276^th of 301 public elementary schools	8.3%		7.7	244^th of 252 public elementary schools	3.2%	32	29.3	11.1	20.3	20.6			24.6	39.5	26.0	33.8		33.5	$8,277	$1,870	$6,406
Desert Springs Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	18178 Santa Ana Avenue	Nampa	83687	Canyon County	Vallivue School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 466-1555	702	35	20.0	44.2%	361 (51.4%)	8 (1.1%)	302 (43.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	8 (1.1%)	21 (3.0%)	35.1	197^th of 301 public elementary schools	34.6%		63.8	85^th of 252 public elementary schools	66.3%	112	46.5	40.4	36.2	40.8			33.1			50.4		47.4	$7,529	$1,066	$6,463
Willow Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	198 Elementary Lane	Nampa	83651	Canyon County	Nampa School District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 468-4617	555	31	17.9	58.0%	301 (54.2%)	1 (0.2%)	223 (40.2%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	21 (3.8%)	36.7	192^nd of 301 public elementary schools	36.2%		48.5	132^nd of 252 public elementary schools	47.6%	60	44.5	43.1	31.8	40.2			34.1	46.0	48.5	51.7		48.6	$7,567	$1,381	$6,186

Frequently Asked Questions about Birch Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Birch Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Birch Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Sage Valley Middle School
High : Ridgevue High School

Is Birch Elementary School a good school?

Birch Elementary School ranks 147^th of 301 Idaho elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Birch Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 630 students attended Birch Elementary School.

What district is Birch Elementary School in?

Vallivue School District

What is the racial makeup of Birch Elementary School?

Students at Birch Elementary School are 65% White, 27% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% African American, 1% Asian.

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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.