River Valley Elementary School

Q: Is River Valley Elementary School a good school?

River Valley Elementary School ranks 140 th of 301 Idaho elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

River Valley Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Meridian, Idaho, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 427. The school is part of the Joint School District No. 2, which is ranked 10th out of 77 districts in Idaho and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While River Valley Elementary has a higher percentage of White students (70.73%) compared to the state average, its test scores are generally lower than the district and state averages across all grades and subjects. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates in ISAT Math (50.6%) and ISAT English Language Arts (51.9%) were lower than the district (57.5% and 69%, respectively) and state (42.2% and 53.3%, respectively) averages. Additionally, River Valley Elementary has experienced higher chronic absenteeism rates in recent years, reaching 29% in 2021-2022, which is significantly higher than the district and state averages.

When comparing River Valley Elementary to other nearby schools in the same district, some interesting patterns emerge. Frontier Elementary and Prospect Elementary consistently outperform River Valley Elementary in test scores, with proficiency rates that are 20-30 percentage points higher in many subjects and grade levels. Additionally, schools with higher percentages of White students, such as Pioneer School of the Arts, tend to have stronger academic performance compared to schools with more diverse student populations, like River Valley Elementary and Ustick Elementary.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

2900 East River Valley Street
Meridian, ID 83646-2393

(208) 884-1741

District: Joint School District No. 2

SchoolDigger Rank:
140^th of 301 Idaho Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,929

Student/teacher ratio: 16.1

Number of students: 427

Racial breakdown:

White:

70.7%

Hispanic:

18.3%

Two or more races:

5.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details River Valley Elementary School ranks better than 53.5% of elementary schools in Idaho. It also ranks 29^th among 33 ranked elementary schools in the Joint School District No. 2. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.22. (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 River Valley Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Joint School District No. 2. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at River Valley Elementary School is $6,929, which is the 13^th highest among 33 elementary schools in the Joint School District No. 2.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

River Valley Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks River Valley Elementary School 140^th of 301 Idaho public elementary schools. (See River Valley Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Joint School District No. 2:

SchoolDigger ranks Joint School District No. 2 10^th of 77 Idaho school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for River Valley Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at River Valley Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile
2008	70.37	78^th	335	76.7%
2009	54.56	172^nd	349	50.7%
2010	58.79	156^th	356	56.2%
2011	61.61	142^nd	359	60.4%
2012	59.05	153^rd	354	56.8%
2013	56.55	174^th	357	51.3%
2015	80.09	36^th	226	84.1%
2016	70.01	70^th	240	70.8%
2017	58.88	123^rd	292	57.9%
2018	66.59	76^th	254	70.1%
2019	73.46	38^th	171	77.8%
2021	53.47	70^th	166	57.8%
2022	59.79	71^st	188	62.2%
2023	65.88	79^th	252	68.7%
2024	52.22	140^th	301	53.5%

See the entire list of Idaho Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at River Valley Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile
2018	74.52	32^nd	121	73.6%
2022	53.86	9^th	23	60.9%
2024	62.76	25^th	69	63.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at River Valley Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile
2018	57.83	54^th	121	55.4%
2022	51.16	12^th	23	47.8%
2024	43.31	46^th	69	33.3%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at River Valley Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	76.55	5^th	58	91.4%

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

Rank History for White students at River Valley Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	84.49	3^rd	18	83.3%
2024	54.91	57^th	135	57.8%

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.

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

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Enrollment information for River Valley Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2001	634	6	18	15	1	n/a	n/a	674
2002	841	15	28	12	1	n/a	n/a	897
2003	841	15	28	12	1	n/a	n/a	897
2004	525	6	15	12	1	n/a	n/a	559
2005	534	5	19	22	1	n/a	n/a	581
2006	529	6	27	20	1	n/a	n/a	583
2007	503	11	23	22	1	n/a	n/a	560
2008	511	11	22	23	1	n/a	n/a	568
2009	520	6	15	20	4	n/a	n/a	565
2010	460	6	18	46	0	n/a	n/a	530
2011	453	4	12	42	2	1	17	531
2012	412	3	12	49	3	1	15	495
2013	389	2	4	54	2	1	15	467
2014	401	4	9	52	2	1	20	489
2015	371	4	10	53	5	3	20	466
2016	365	5	11	57	4	3	19	464
2017	363	6	9	60	5	4	22	469
2018	363	8	8	65	5	3	36	488
2019	378	7	10	70	4	0	28	497
2020	330	6	11	66	3	0	29	445
2021	277	5	13	61	6	1	29	392
2022	321	5	15	75	7	0	29	452
2023	302	7	11	78	5	1	23	427

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 River Valley Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	674	29.0	23.2	12.3
2002	897	38.4	23.4	13
2003	897	38.4	23.4	13
2004	559	26.4	21.2	14.7
2005	581	27.6	21.1	16
2006	583	28.3	20.6	13.7
2007	560	27.0	20.7	14.1
2008	568	24.8	22.9	18.5
2009	565	25.3	22.3	20
2010	530	25.3	20.8	23.4
2011	531	25.4	20.8	24.9
2012	495	25.5	19.4	34.3
2013	467	20.4	22.8	33
2014	489	21.3	22.9	31.9
2015	466	22.0	21.1	32
2016	464	22.0	21.0	24.4
2017	469	22.1	21.1	33.9
2018	488	25.8	18.9	29.5
2019	497	25.5	19.4	27.4
2020	445	24.4	18.2	27.9
2021	392	21.3	18.3	23.5
2022	452	26.4	17.1	15.5
2023	427	26.5	16.1	39.3

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 River Valley Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	674	29.0	23.2	12.3
2002	897	38.4	23.4	13
2003	897	38.4	23.4	13
2004	559	26.4	21.2	14.7
2005	581	27.6	21.1	16
2006	583	28.3	20.6	13.7
2007	560	27.0	20.7	14.1
2008	568	24.8	22.9	18.5
2009	565	25.3	22.3	20
2010	530	25.3	20.8	23.4
2011	531	25.4	20.8	24.9
2012	495	25.5	19.4	34.3
2013	467	20.4	22.8	33
2014	489	21.3	22.9	31.9
2015	466	22.0	21.1	32
2016	464	22.0	21.0	24.4
2017	469	22.1	21.1	33.9
2018	488	25.8	18.9	29.5
2019	497	25.5	19.4	27.4
2020	445	24.4	18.2	27.9
2021	392	21.3	18.3	23.5
2022	452	26.4	17.1	15.5
2023	427	26.5	16.1	39.3

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 River Valley Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$609 (8.8%)	$6,320 (91.2%)	$6,929

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on River Valley 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 38^th of 171 Elementary schools	Ranks 79^th of 252 Elementary schools	9.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (River Valley Elementary School)	80.2	52.6	27.6%
3rd Grade Math (Joint School District No. 2)	67.3	67.2	0.1%
3rd Grade Math (Idaho)	53	49.4	3.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Elementary School)	67.4	49.4	18%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Joint School District No. 2)	62.3	60.6	1.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	50.5	45.2	5.3%
4th Grade Math (River Valley Elementary School)	66.7	60.6	6.1%
4th Grade Math (Joint School District No. 2)	61.7	68	6.3%
4th Grade Math (Idaho)	49.9	47.2	2.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Elementary School)	63.1	54.5	8.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Joint School District No. 2)	63	65.3	2.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	52	48.4	3.6%
5th Grade Math (River Valley Elementary School)	53	56.5	3.5%
5th Grade Math (Joint School District No. 2)	60	63.6	3.6%
5th Grade Math (Idaho)	44.9	41.5	3.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (River Valley Elementary School)	60.2	56.5	3.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Joint School District No. 2)	69.3	69.7	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	56.9	51.7	5.2%
All Grades Math (River Valley Elementary School)	67.3	56.4	10.9%
All Grades Math (Joint School District No. 2)	58.9	57.7	1.2%
All Grades Math (Idaho)	44.4	41.5	2.9%
All Grades Science (River Valley Elementary School)	69.9	47.8	22.1%
All Grades Science (Joint School District No. 2)	73.3	57.5	15.8%
All Grades Science (Idaho)	58.9	41.6	17.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (River Valley Elementary School)	63.7	53.3	10.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Joint School District No. 2)	68	68.7	0.7%
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	497	427	14.1%
African American	7	7
American Indian	4	5	25%
Asian	10	11	10%
Hispanic	70	78	11.4%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	378	302	20.1%
Two or More Races	28	23	17.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	27.4%	39.3%	12%

Schools Near River Valley 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 All Grades	ISAT English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
River Valley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2900 East River Valley Street	Meridian	83646	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	No	No	No	(208) 884-1741	427	27	16.1	39.3%	302 (70.7%)	7 (1.6%)	78 (18.3%)	11 (2.6%)	5 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (5.4%)	52.2	140^th of 301 public elementary schools	53.5%		65.9	79^th of 252 public elementary schools	68.7%	61	51.4	51.7	48.9	50.6	40.7	52.1	48.3	55.4	51.9	$6,929	$609	$6,320
Ustick Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12435 West Ustick Road	Boise	83713	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 855-4120	357	27	13.2	59.7%	214 (59.9%)	20 (5.6%)	76 (21.3%)	27 (7.6%)	5 (1.4%)	2 (0.6%)	13 (3.6%)	28.8	214^th of 301 public elementary schools	28.9%		28	180^th of 252 public elementary schools	28.6%	34		29.4		30.9	32.5	37.5	48.5	50.0	46.0	$7,145	$1,245	$5,900
Discovery Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2100 East Leigh Field Drive	Meridian	83642	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	No	No	No	(208) 855-4090	463	26	17.8	19.7%	372 (80.3%)	7 (1.5%)	45 (9.7%)	20 (4.3%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.5%)	93.2	15^th of 301 public elementary schools	95.0%		91.4	24^th of 252 public elementary schools	90.5%	9	84.2	73.3	67.7	74.6	68.9	82.8	74.4	75.6	77.3	$7,320	$609	$6,711
Chief Joseph School Of The Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1100 East Chateau	Meridian	83646	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	Yes	No	Yes	(208) 350-4200	521	33	15.7	42.2%	338 (64.9%)	9 (1.7%)	132 (25.3%)	12 (2.3%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.4%)	80.9	58^th of 301 public elementary schools	80.7%		87.4	32^nd of 252 public elementary schools	87.3%	26	67.1	67.7	63.3	66.1	48.8	71.8	59.4	71.3	66.8	$7,649	$1,034	$6,615
Pioneer School Of The Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	13255 West McMillian Road	Boise	83713	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	Yes	No	No	(208) 855-4100	667	34	19.8	15.1%	552 (82.8%)	3 (0.4%)	52 (7.8%)	20 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	39 (5.8%)	92.5	18^th of 301 public elementary schools	94.0%		95	6^th of 252 public elementary schools	97.6%	12	79.7	77.7	63.9	73.8	66.7	80.6	74.1	75.9	76.9	$6,560	$609	$5,951
Frontier Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	11851 Musket Drive	Boise	83713	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 350-4190	269	23	11.5	60.6%	187 (69.5%)	30 (11.2%)	23 (8.6%)	12 (4.5%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.6%)	91.4	24^th of 301 public elementary schools	92.0%		91.4	23^rd of 252 public elementary schools	90.9%	1	73.8	67.4	73.5	71.2	76.5				70.5	$10,116	$1,487	$8,629
Prospect Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4300 North Red Horse Way	Meridian	83646	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	No	No	No	(208) 350-4000	532	29	18.2	14.8%	417 (78.4%)	9 (1.7%)	47 (8.8%)	19 (3.6%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	33 (6.2%)	93.9	9^th of 301 public elementary schools	97.0%		94.6	7^th of 252 public elementary schools	97.2%	2		83.1		75.4	66.0	68.2	85.0	81.2	78.4	$6,599	$609	$5,990
Meridian Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1035 Northwest 1st Street	Meridian	83642	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 855-4335	448	30	14.7	66.5%	308 (68.8%)	6 (1.3%)	104 (23.2%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (5.4%)	49.7	150^th of 301 public elementary schools	50.2%		44.5	147^th of 252 public elementary schools	41.7%	3	54.7	45.7	43.3	48.1					49.7	$7,537	$1,263	$6,274
Eliza Hart Spalding Stem Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	12311 West Braddock Drive	Boise	83709	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	Yes	No	No	(208) 321-2150	678	35	19.3	17.4%	556 (82.0%)	6 (0.9%)	55 (8.1%)	16 (2.4%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	41 (6.0%)	89.1	32^nd of 301 public elementary schools	89.4%		91.6	22^nd of 252 public elementary schools	91.3%	10	75.9	77.2	62.5	72.4	60.4	74.1	75.2	68.7	72.9	$6,780	$609	$6,171
Joplin Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12081 West Demeyer Street	Boise	83713	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	No	No	No	(208) 855-4345	266	16	17.0	28.2%	213 (80.1%)	2 (0.8%)	29 (10.9%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	19 (7.1%)	58.7	116^th of 301 public elementary schools	61.5%		67	77^th of 252 public elementary schools	69.4%	39	47.5	41.7	53.2	47.4	66.0			67.4	50.8	$6,573	$609	$5,964

Frequently Asked Questions about River Valley Elementary School

Is River Valley Elementary School a good school?

River Valley Elementary School ranks 140^th of 301 Idaho elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is River Valley Elementary School in?

Joint School District No. 2

What is the racial makeup of River Valley Elementary School?

Students at River Valley Elementary School are 71% White, 18% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% African American, 1% American Indian.

How many students attend River Valley Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 427 students attended River Valley Elementary School.

Rate River Valley 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.