Ponderosa Elementary School

Q: Is Ponderosa Elementary School a good school?

Ponderosa Elementary School ranks 171 st of 301 Idaho elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Ponderosa Elementary School is a public elementary school in Post Falls, Idaho, serving 409 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Post Falls School District, which is ranked 28th out of 77 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

While Ponderosa Elementary's test scores are generally on par with the district and state averages, the school has seen a concerning trend of declining performance in recent years. Its statewide ranking has dropped from 59th out of 292 Idaho elementary schools in 2016-2017 to 171st out of 301 in 2023-2024, and its SchoolDigger rating has declined from 4 stars to 2 stars over the same period. The school's proficiency rates in ISAT Math (43%) and ISAT English Language Arts (48.7%) are lower than the district and state averages. Ponderosa's performance for male students and students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds has been particularly concerning, with the school ranking in the bottom half of Idaho elementary schools for these subgroups.

Ponderosa Elementary also faces challenges with higher rates of chronic absenteeism, rising from 10.8% in 2020-2021 to 24.9% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state and district averages. Additionally, the school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (87.78%) compared to the state average and nearby schools, such as Ramsey Magnet School Of Science and Greensferry Elementary School, which are in the Coeur d'Alene School District.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

3483 East Ponderosa Boulevard
Post Falls, ID 83877-0040

(208) 773-1508

District: Post Falls District

SchoolDigger Rank:
171^st of 301 Idaho Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,250

Students who attend Ponderosa Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Post Falls Middle School
High:	New Vision High School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.5

Number of students: 409

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.8%

Hispanic:

8.3%

Two or more races:

2.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.1%

See top rated Idaho elementary schools

Compare Ponderosa Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ponderosa Elementary School ranks worse than 56.8% of elementary schools in Idaho. It also ranks 5^th among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Post Falls District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.42. (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 Ponderosa Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Post Falls District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ponderosa Elementary School is $7,250. 4 elementary schools in the Post Falls District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ponderosa Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Ponderosa Elementary School 171^st of 301 Idaho public elementary schools. (See Ponderosa Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

Post Falls District:

SchoolDigger ranks Post Falls District 28^th of 77 Idaho school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Ponderosa Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Ponderosa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile
2008	76.86	47^th	335	86.0%
2009	71.47	74^th	349	78.8%
2010	67.14	99^th	356	72.2%
2011	79.59	34^th	359	90.5%
2012	73.65	63^rd	354	82.2%
2013	73.89	67^th	357	81.2%
2015	67.38	71^st	226	68.6%
2016	80.03	43^rd	240	82.1%
2017	77.09	59^th	292	79.8%
2018	49.28	128^th	254	49.6%
2019	34.02	117^th	171	31.6%
2021	48.62	82^nd	166	50.6%
2022	44.92	106^th	188	43.6%
2023	45.59	142^nd	252	43.7%
2024	42.42	171^st	301	43.2%

See the entire list of Idaho Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ponderosa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	61.94	12^th	44	72.7%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ponderosa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile
2018	55.00	65^th	121	46.3%
2022	39.95	14^th	23	39.1%
2024	47.32	39^th	69	43.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at Ponderosa Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ID State Percentile
2018	45.78	76^th	121	37.2%
2022	34.04	18^th	23	21.7%
2024	33.75	54^th	69	21.7%

See the entire list of Best Idaho Elementary Schools for Male 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 Ponderosa Elementary School

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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	758	758
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	712	712
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	775	775
1994	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	746	746
1995	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	724	724
1996	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	724	724
1997	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	722	722
1998	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	617	617
1999	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	584	584
2000	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	604	604
2001	522	3	5	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	536
2002	507	4	4	19	4	n/a	n/a	0	538
2003	507	4	4	19	4	n/a	n/a	0	538
2004	487	5	5	15	9	n/a	n/a	0	521
2005	494	5	4	24	11	n/a	n/a	0	538
2006	448	6	5	25	13	n/a	n/a	0	497
2007	446	4	3	26	9	n/a	n/a	0	488
2008	454	9	3	24	7	n/a	n/a	0	497
2009	504	7	5	27	2	n/a	n/a	0	545
2010	513	7	8	26	3	n/a	n/a	0	557
2011	493	8	6	27	2	1	1	0	538
2012	507	6	4	25	2	1	9	0	554
2013	475	6	1	38	3	1	15	0	539
2014	496	11	1	35	4	0	20	0	567
2015	480	7	1	29	4	0	17	0	538
2016	499	7	2	23	4	0	14	0	549
2017	416	4	3	20	0	0	11	0	454
2018	398	3	2	32	1	1	10	0	447
2019	398	3	2	32	2	2	13	0	452
2020	441	0	2	39	1	2	14	0	499
2021	342	0	1	29	1	2	12	0	387
2022	366	2	1	40	3	2	15	0	429
2023	359	1	0	34	4	1	10	0	409

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 Ponderosa Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	758	35.0	21.6	14
1992	712	33.2	21.4	14.7
1993	775	34.2	22.7	13.3
1994	746	35.7	20.9	16.4
1995	724	34.5	21.0	21.5
1996	724	34.5	21.0	21.5
1997	722	33.7	21.4	25.3
1998	617	32.0	19.3	26.9
1999	584	30.2	19.3	41.3
2000	604	32.3	18.7	34.4
2001	536	27.1	19.8	42.2
2002	538	27.9	19.3	46.5
2003	538	27.9	19.3	46.5
2004	521	28.5	18.3	49.3
2005	538	28.1	19.1	48.7
2006	497	26.5	18.8	49.9
2007	488	25.9	18.8	47.5
2008	497	26.5	18.8	51.1
2009	545	28.0	19.5	51
2010	557	26.6	20.9	53.9
2011	538	28.9	18.6	58
2012	554	27.5	20.1	53.8
2013	539	27.9	19.2	44.3
2014	567	26.2	21.6	54.5
2015	538	25.0	21.5	57.1
2016	549	27.0	20.3	54.3
2017	454	22.6	20.0	54
2018	447	23.6	18.9	56.4
2019	452	19.5	23.1	48
2020	499	23.0	21.6	46.3
2021	387	20.9	18.5	31.8
2022	429	20.0	21.4	36.6
2023	409	22.0	18.5	39.1

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 Ponderosa Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	758	35.0	21.6	14
1992	712	33.2	21.4	14.7
1993	775	34.2	22.7	13.3
1994	746	35.7	20.9	16.4
1995	724	34.5	21.0	21.5
1996	724	34.5	21.0	21.5
1997	722	33.7	21.4	25.3
1998	617	32.0	19.3	26.9
1999	584	30.2	19.3	41.3
2000	604	32.3	18.7	34.4
2001	536	27.1	19.8	42.2
2002	538	27.9	19.3	46.5
2003	538	27.9	19.3	46.5
2004	521	28.5	18.3	49.3
2005	538	28.1	19.1	48.7
2006	497	26.5	18.8	49.9
2007	488	25.9	18.8	47.5
2008	497	26.5	18.8	51.1
2009	545	28.0	19.5	51
2010	557	26.6	20.9	53.9
2011	538	28.9	18.6	58
2012	554	27.5	20.1	53.8
2013	539	27.9	19.2	44.3
2014	567	26.2	21.6	54.5
2015	538	25.0	21.5	57.1
2016	549	27.0	20.3	54.3
2017	454	22.6	20.0	54
2018	447	23.6	18.9	56.4
2019	452	19.5	23.1	48
2020	499	23.0	21.6	46.3
2021	387	20.9	18.5	31.8
2022	429	20.0	21.4	36.6
2023	409	22.0	18.5	39.1

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 Ponderosa Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,269 (17.5%)	$5,982 (82.5%)	$7,250

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ponderosa 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 117^th of 171 Elementary schools	Ranks 142^nd of 252 Elementary schools	12.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ponderosa Elementary School)	41.3	45.7	4.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Post Falls District)	55.6	51.6	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	50.5	49.2	1.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ponderosa Elementary School)	49.5	49.3	0.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Post Falls District)	56.2	50.1	6.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	52	48.4	3.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Ponderosa Elementary School)	60.7	61.4	0.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Post Falls District)	62.7	60.1	2.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	56.9	56.6	0.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Ponderosa Elementary School)	50.8	47.7	3.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Post Falls District)	56	53.5	2.5%
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	452	409	9.5%
African American	3	1	66.7%
American Indian	2	4	100%
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	32	34	6.3%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	398	359	9.8%
Two or More Races	13	10	23.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	48%	39.1%	8.9%

Schools Near Ponderosa 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 8th 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 7th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ponderosa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3483 East Ponderosa Boulevard	Post Falls	83877	Kootenai County	Post Falls District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 773-1508	409	22	18.5	39.1%	359 (87.8%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.4%)	42.4	171^st of 301 public elementary schools	43.2%		45.6	142^nd of 252 public elementary schools	43.7%	29	52.6	45.1	31.2			43.0	42.9	48.7	39.0	59.0		48.7	$7,250	$1,269	$5,982
Prairie View Elementary	Public	K-5	2478 East Poleline Road	Post Falls	83854	Kootenai County	Post Falls District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 773-8327	391	19	20.6	30.9%	338 (86.4%)	4 (1.0%)	29 (7.4%)	4 (1.0%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.3%)	71.9	83^rd of 301 public elementary schools	72.4%		63	87^th of 252 public elementary schools	65.5%	4	70.5						45.9	64.7				57.1	$7,834	$1,008	$6,825
Kootenai Classical Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	4318 North Fennecus Road	Post Falls	83854	Kootenai County	Kootenai Classical Academy Inc	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(208) 332-6800	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)			39.2	31.4	25.0	40.2	41.0	33.3		62.9	79.2	55.0
Greensferry Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1520 North Bunting Lane	Post Falls	83854	Kootenai County	Post Falls District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 777-0999	416	20	20.8	24.5%	371 (89.2%)	4 (1.0%)	23 (5.5%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	10 (2.4%)	84.2	47^th of 301 public elementary schools	84.4%		93.2	15^th of 252 public elementary schools	94.0%	32	67.7	56.7	71.4			65.3	76.8			70.0		67.8	$7,411	$932	$6,479
Treaty Rock Elementary	Public	K-5	4916 East Hope Avenue	Post Falls	83854	Kootenai County	Post Falls District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 332-6800	470	24	19.5	41.1%	416 (88.5%)	2 (0.4%)	30 (6.4%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.9%)	5 (1.1%)	12 (2.6%)								(n/a)						49.5	37.7
Mullan Trail Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	300 West Cherry	Post Falls	83854	Kootenai County	Post Falls District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 457-0772	364	19	19.2	34.6%	322 (88.5%)	2 (0.5%)	20 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	16 (4.4%)	49.9	148^th of 301 public elementary schools	50.8%		41.2	158^th of 252 public elementary schools	37.3%	10	64.3		34.9			52.0		41.4				49.0	$8,185	$1,097	$7,088
Seltice Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1100 North Chase	Post Falls	83877	Kootenai County	Post Falls District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 773-1681	423	23	18.3	43.3%	359 (84.9%)	2 (0.5%)	41 (9.7%)	4 (0.9%)	4 (0.9%)	2 (0.5%)	11 (2.6%)	28.7	215^th of 301 public elementary schools	28.6%		23.1	198^th of 252 public elementary schools	21.4%	17			33.8			38.5	36.9		31.9			40.8	$8,850	$1,343	$7,507
West Ridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1758 North Clark Fork Parkway	Post Falls	83854	Kootenai County	Post Falls District	No	No	No	Yes	(208) 773-7291	440	23	19.1	28.2%	395 (89.8%)	3 (0.7%)	22 (5.0%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (3.4%)	45.4	165^th of 301 public elementary schools	45.2%		48	134^th of 252 public elementary schools	46.8%	31	61.6	35.6	38.3			45.7		61.7	33.3	55.0		49.8	$7,030	$1,253	$5,776
Skyway Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6621 Courcelles Parkway	Coeur D Alene	83815	Kootenai County	Coeur D'Alene District	No	No	No	No	(208) 664-8998	592	33	17.9	27.7%	498 (84.1%)	2 (0.3%)	59 (10.0%)	3 (0.5%)	3 (0.5%)	3 (0.5%)	24 (4.1%)	48.5	158^th of 301 public elementary schools	47.5%		58.8	100^th of 252 public elementary schools	60.3%	58	38.2					52.8	50.0	33.7	49.5	65.7		50.3	$7,777	$1,231	$6,547
Ramsey Magnet School Of Science	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	West 1351 Kathleen Avenue	Coeur D Alene	83815	Kootenai County	Coeur D'Alene District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(208) 765-2010	483	28	17.2	31.1%	387 (80.1%)	1 (0.2%)	56 (11.6%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	32 (6.6%)	70.4	88^th of 301 public elementary schools	70.8%		70.1	71^st of 252 public elementary schools	71.8%	17	62.0	54.6	48.9			54.7	54.5	64.8	54.6	68.6		62.9	$7,543	$921	$6,623

Frequently Asked Questions about Ponderosa Elementary School

Is Ponderosa Elementary School a good school?

Ponderosa Elementary School ranks 171^st of 301 Idaho elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Ponderosa Elementary School?

Students at Ponderosa Elementary School are 88% White, 8% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Ponderosa Elementary School in?

Post Falls District

What schools do graduates of Ponderosa Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Post Falls Middle School
High : New Vision High School

How many students attend Ponderosa Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 409 students attended Ponderosa Elementary School.

Rate Ponderosa 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.