Is Challenger Elementary School a good school?

Challenger Elementary School ranks 694 th of 1486 Michigan elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Challenger Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 486 students attended Challenger Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Challenger Elementary School?

Students at Challenger Elementary School are 92% White, 5% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Challenger Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Challenger Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Highlander Way Middle School High : Howell High School

Challenger Elementary School

Summary:

Challenger Elementary School is a public elementary school in Howell, Michigan, serving 486 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Howell Public Schools district, which is ranked 206 out of 610 districts in the state.

Challenger Elementary stands out for its strong academic performance, with students generally scoring higher than the state average on M-Step tests, particularly in math. For example, in 2023-2024, 58.6% of 3rd graders were proficient in math, compared to the state average of 43.4%. The school also has a significantly higher percentage of white students (91.56%) compared to the state and nearby schools. However, Challenger has seen a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 9.5% in 2018-2019 to 23.3% in 2022-2023, an issue the school should address.

Compared to other Howell Public Schools elementary schools, Challenger generally outperforms its peers in test scores, with 3rd grade math proficiency at 58.6% compared to 30.3% at Three Fires Elementary and 63.9% at Ruahmah J Hutchings Elementary. However, Challenger's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, suggesting inconsistent performance compared to other Michigan elementary schools.

Detail:

Public K-5

1066 W Grand River Ave
Howell, MI 48843-1499

(517) 548-6375

District: Howell Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
694^th of 1,486 Michigan Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,377

Students who attend Challenger Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Highlander Way Middle School
High:	Howell High School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.7

Number of students: 486

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.6%

Hispanic:

4.5%

Two or more races:

2.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 34%

See top rated Michigan elementary schools

Compare Challenger Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Challenger Elementary School ranks better than 53.3% of elementary schools in Michigan. It also ranks 5^th among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Howell Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 50.11. (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 (91.6%), Hispanic (4.5%), two or more races (2.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 34% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Challenger Elementary School is 18.7, which is the highest among 6 elementary schools in the Howell Public Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Challenger Elementary School employs 25.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Challenger Elementary School is $14,377, which is the 2^nd highest among 6 elementary schools in the Howell Public Schools District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Challenger Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Challenger Elementary School 694^th of 1486 Michigan public elementary schools. (See Challenger Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Howell Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Howell Public Schools 206^th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Challenger Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Challenger Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	79.96	181^st	1545	88.3%
2007	77.74	248^th	1565	84.2%
2008	72.23	419^th	1577	73.4%
2009	71.50	457^th	1589	71.2%
2010	74.49	349^th	1552	77.5%
2011	75.31	338^th	1552	78.2%
2012	69.53	450^th	1566	71.3%
2013	68.49	469^th	1563	70.0%
2014	60.43	631^st	1533	58.8%
2015	52.34	777^th	1580	50.8%
2016	56.45	669^th	1548	56.8%
2017	68.66	370^th	1466	74.8%
2018	64.12	540^th	1448	62.7%
2019	53.74	610^th	1408	56.7%
2021	54.26	460^th	1153	60.1%
2022	49.77	621^st	1344	53.8%
2023	57.34	582^nd	1470	60.4%
2024	50.11	694^th	1486	53.3%

See the entire list of Michigan Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Challenger Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	46.65	100^th	195	48.7%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	59.09	537^th	1397	61.6%
2019	49.50	562^nd	1134	50.4%
2021	76.90	96^th	749	87.2%
2022	36.81	704^th	1099	35.9%
2023	36.80	858^th	1350	36.4%
2024	35.33	896^th	1381	35.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Challenger Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	64.20	505^th	1443	65.0%
2019	58.21	459^th	1171	60.8%
2021	46.84	451^st	902	50.0%
2022	40.32	637^th	1106	42.4%
2023	36.86	811^th	1321	38.6%
2024	42.42	721^st	1342	46.3%

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

Rank History for Male students at Challenger Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	60.88	552^nd	1446	61.8%
2019	44.99	651^st	1196	45.6%
2021	50.02	421^st	915	54.0%
2022	46.36	583^rd	1139	48.8%
2023	60.77	483^rd	1334	63.8%
2024	47.65	670^th	1347	50.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Challenger Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	50.35	631^st	1253	49.6%
2019	41.49	670^th	1128	40.6%
2021	47.32	494^th	1005	50.8%
2022	37.72	685^th	1102	37.8%
2023	44.61	660^th	1198	44.9%
2024	36.75	777^th	1204	35.5%

See the entire list of Best Michigan Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan 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: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Challenger Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1993	570	1	4	6	16	n/a	n/a	597
1994	552	3	5	3	17	n/a	n/a	580
1995	638	1	1	5	17	n/a	n/a	662
1996	638	1	1	5	17	n/a	n/a	662
1997	682	2	2	1	4	n/a	n/a	691
1998	675	2	3	2	5	n/a	n/a	687
1999	495	2	2	2	12	n/a	n/a	513
2000	527	3	1	5	4	n/a	n/a	540
2001	522	2	1	8	3	n/a	n/a	536
2002	561	0	3	9	5	n/a	n/a	578
2003	561	0	3	9	5	n/a	n/a	578
2004	510	1	5	9	5	n/a	n/a	530
2005	502	5	5	4	7	n/a	n/a	523
2006	509	5	8	7	11	n/a	n/a	540
2007	549	6	7	12	15	n/a	n/a	589
2008	503	4	11	13	14	n/a	n/a	545
2009	507	4	6	14	13	n/a	n/a	544
2010	474	4	3	14	10	n/a	n/a	505
2011	459	1	2	11	10	1	0	484
2012	438	0	2	10	7	1	0	458
2013	404	0	3	16	5	0	3	431
2014	404	0	3	12	4	1	8	432
2015	447	1	3	14	5	1	18	489
2016	445	0	2	16	4	1	12	480
2017	421	0	1	16	3	1	14	456
2018	443	0	1	21	3	1	10	479
2019	417	0	2	19	2	1	13	454
2020	449	0	1	15	1	0	16	482
2021	429	1	1	13	1	0	11	456
2022	439	3	2	17	1	0	16	478
2023	445	4	1	22	0	0	14	486

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 Challenger Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	597	n/a	0.0	7.5
1994	580	24.7	23.5	6
1995	662	26.5	25.0	7.4
1996	662	26.5	25.0	7.4
1997	691	28.0	24.7	6.9
1998	687	28.0	24.5	6
1999	513	22.0	23.3	5.8
2000	540	26.5	20.4	9.6
2001	536	28.5	18.8	8.8
2002	578	34.5	16.8	15.9
2003	578	34.5	16.8	15.9
2004	530	31.0	17.1	15.1
2005	523	30.3	17.3	18.2
2006	540	32.5	16.6	18.5
2007	589	34.0	17.3	27
2008	545	30.5	17.9	33
2009	544	30.5	17.8	34.9
2010	505	26.5	19.0	35
2011	484	27.0	17.9	38.6
2012	458	25.0	18.3	43.4
2013	431	25.5	16.9	42.2
2014	432	24.5	17.6	45.8
2015	489	28.0	17.4	47.6
2016	480	26.0	18.4	40.2
2017	456	25.5	17.8	35.3
2018	479	27.0	17.7	38.6
2019	454	27.8	16.2	38.8
2020	482	25.8	18.6	39.6
2021	456	28.8	15.7	36.8
2022	478	28.8	16.5	33.3
2023	486	25.8	18.7	34

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 Challenger Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1993	597	n/a	0.0	7.5
1994	580	24.7	23.5	6
1995	662	26.5	25.0	7.4
1996	662	26.5	25.0	7.4
1997	691	28.0	24.7	6.9
1998	687	28.0	24.5	6
1999	513	22.0	23.3	5.8
2000	540	26.5	20.4	9.6
2001	536	28.5	18.8	8.8
2002	578	34.5	16.8	15.9
2003	578	34.5	16.8	15.9
2004	530	31.0	17.1	15.1
2005	523	30.3	17.3	18.2
2006	540	32.5	16.6	18.5
2007	589	34.0	17.3	27
2008	545	30.5	17.9	33
2009	544	30.5	17.8	34.9
2010	505	26.5	19.0	35
2011	484	27.0	17.9	38.6
2012	458	25.0	18.3	43.4
2013	431	25.5	16.9	42.2
2014	432	24.5	17.6	45.8
2015	489	28.0	17.4	47.6
2016	480	26.0	18.4	40.2
2017	456	25.5	17.8	35.3
2018	479	27.0	17.7	38.6
2019	454	27.8	16.2	38.8
2020	482	25.8	18.6	39.6
2021	456	28.8	15.7	36.8
2022	478	28.8	16.5	33.3
2023	486	25.8	18.7	34

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 Challenger Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$678 (6.9%)	$9,211 (93.1%)	$9,889
2020	$640 (6.1%)	$9,772 (93.9%)	$10,411
2021	$1,241 (10.8%)	$10,258 (89.2%)	$11,499
2022	$793 (6.4%)	$11,653 (93.6%)	$12,446
2023	$2,766 (19.2%)	$11,612 (80.8%)	$14,377

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Challenger 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 610^th of 1408 Elementary schools	Ranks 582^nd of 1470 Elementary schools	3.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Challenger Elementary School)	44	44
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Howell Public Schools)	55.1	46.4	8.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.1	40.9	4.2%
3rd Grade Math (Challenger Elementary School)	38.7	54.9	16.2%
3rd Grade Math (Howell Public Schools)	53.7	48.2	5.5%
3rd Grade Math (Michigan)	46.7	42.9	3.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Challenger Elementary School)	39.1	37.5	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Howell Public Schools)	50.7	49.4	1.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	45.8	44.3	1.5%
4th Grade Math (Challenger Elementary School)	46.9	44.4	2.5%
4th Grade Math (Howell Public Schools)	56.8	46.7	10.1%
4th Grade Math (Michigan)	41.8	38.6	3.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Challenger Elementary School)	58.3	52.2	6.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Howell Public Schools)	57.8	50.1	7.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)	46.2	43.9	2.3%
5th Grade Math (Challenger Elementary School)	58.3	36.8	21.5%
5th Grade Math (Howell Public Schools)	53.4	41.9	11.5%
5th Grade Math (Michigan)	34.8	31.5	3.3%
5th Grade Social Studies (Challenger Elementary School)	20.8	23.5	2.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Howell Public Schools)	24.6	22	2.6%
5th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)	17.4	18.6	1.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	454	486	7%
African American	0	4
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	19	22	15.8%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	417	445	6.7%
Two or More Races	13	14	7.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	38.8%	34%	4.8%

Schools Near Challenger Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				M-Step English Language Arts (2024)			M-Step Math (2024)			M-Step Science (2024)	M-Step Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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	M-Step English Language Arts 3rd Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 4th Grade	M-Step English Language Arts 5th Grade	M-Step Math 3rd Grade	M-Step Math 4th Grade	M-Step Math 5th Grade	M-Step Science 5th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Challenger Elementary School	Public	K-5	1066 W Grand River Ave	Howell	48843	Livingston County	Howell Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 548-6375	486	26	18.7	34.0%	445 (91.6%)	4 (0.8%)	22 (4.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.9%)	50.1	694^th of 1486 public elementary schools	53.3%		57.3	582^nd of 1470 public elementary schools	60.4%	112	47.1	32.6	31.4	58.6	44.6	42.9	38.6	14.3	$14,377	$2,766	$11,612
Southwest Elementary School	Public	K-5	915 Gay St	Howell	48843	Livingston County	Howell Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 548-6288	551	36	15.4	38.3%	451 (81.9%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (11.4%)	6 (1.1%)	2 (0.4%)	14 (2.5%)	15 (2.7%)	67.3	452^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	69.6%		72	366^th of 1470 public elementary schools	75.1%	86	50.0	54.7	47.6	54.8	62.7	47.1	47.1	17.6	$13,816	$1,437	$12,379
Voyager Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1450 Byron Rd	Howell	48843	Livingston County	Howell Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(517) 552-7500	566	33	17.4	26.1%	533 (94.2%)	2 (0.4%)	13 (2.3%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.7%)	64.1	497^th of 1486 public elementary schools	66.6%		68	426^th of 1470 public elementary schools	71.0%	71	37.3	48.4	58.5	38.6	51.6	43.9	59.8	24.4	$12,149	$739	$11,410
Northwest Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1233 Bower St	Howell	48843	Livingston County	Howell Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(517) 548-6297	434	25	17.7	25.3%	406 (93.5%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (4.6%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.9%)	63.7	502^nd of 1486 public elementary schools	66.2%		57.6	578^th of 1470 public elementary schools	60.7%	76	38.5	50.0	62.5	55.4	54.4	45.3	37.5	20.3	$14,192	$1,144	$13,048
Ruahmah J Hutchings Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3503 Bigelow Rd	Howell	48855	Livingston County	Howell Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(517) 234-6074	468	29	16.4	22.2%	428 (91.5%)	4 (0.9%)	16 (3.4%)	7 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.6%)	64.2	495^th of 1486 public elementary schools	66.7%		60	550^th of 1470 public elementary schools	62.6%	55	47.9	43.8	49.4	63.9	50.0	46.1	46.1	19.1	$14,508	$1,461	$13,047
Three Fires Elementary	Public	K-5	4125 Crooked Lake Rd	Howell	48843	Livingston County	Howell Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 548-6387	670	42	15.9	39.7%	614 (91.6%)	7 (1.0%)	23 (3.4%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.3%)	42.7	805^th of 1486 public elementary schools	45.8%		48	723^rd of 1470 public elementary schools	50.8%	82	44.0	45.1	35.6	30.3	36.6	35.6	35.6	13.9	$14,008	$1,299	$12,709
Natalie Kreeger Elementary School	Public	3-5	430 N Hibbard St	Fowlerville	48836	Livingston County	Fowlerville Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 223-6006	554	28	19.7	42.8%	515 (93.0%)	6 (1.1%)	19 (3.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	9 (1.6%)	49.3	708^th of 1486 public elementary schools	52.4%		40.7	840^th of 1470 public elementary schools	42.9%	132	38.3	43.1	42.1	40.9	44.2	34.0	37.6	21.3	$13,856	$831	$13,025
HT Smith Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	440 N Hibbard St	Fowlerville	48836	Livingston County	Fowlerville Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(517) 223-6005	538	31	17.2	49.8%	499 (92.8%)	4 (0.7%)	24 (4.5%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)								(n/a)									$14,430	$1,369	$13,061
Hornung Elementary School	Public	K-4	4680 Bauer Rd	Brighton	48116	Livingston County	Brighton Area Schools	No	No	No	No	(810) 299-4450	545	29	19.0	13.9%	512 (93.9%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.1%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.3%)	94.2	60^th of 1486 public elementary schools	96.0%		93.4	61^st of 1470 public elementary schools	95.9%	1	68.4	84.6		65.8	82.7				$12,941	$1,862	$11,078
Farley Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	8110 Farley Rd	Pinckney	48169	Livingston County	Pinckney Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(810) 225-6400	351	20	17.9	28.2%	323 (92.0%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (3.7%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.9%)	6 (1.7%)								(n/a)									$13,336	$1,478	$11,857

Challenger Elementary School

Challenger Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Howell Public Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Challenger Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Challenger Elementary School

Rank History for Special Education students at Challenger Elementary School

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

Rank History for Female students at Challenger Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Challenger Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Challenger Elementary School

Enrollment information for Challenger Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Challenger Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Challenger Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Challenger Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Challenger Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Challenger Elementary School