Ponemah Elementary

Summary:

Ponemah Elementary is a public school in Ponemah, Minnesota, serving grades PK-8 with a total enrollment of 130 students. The school stands out for its unique student demographics, with over 99% of its students identifying as Native American, significantly higher than the nearby Red Lake Elementary.

Ponemah Elementary consistently ranks among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Minnesota, with proficiency rates in math, reading, and science often in the single digits, well below the state and Red Lake Public School District averages. This trend has persisted for over a decade, indicating significant and ongoing challenges. Additionally, the school has an extremely high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 97.69% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to 89.98% at Red Lake Elementary.

Despite its small student-teacher ratio, ranging from 6.4 to 7.2 students per teacher, Ponemah Elementary's academic struggles suggest that factors beyond just class size, such as cultural, social, and resource-related challenges, may be at play. Understanding these nuances and how they compare to nearby schools like Red Lake Elementary and Endazhi-Nitaawiging, could inform more targeted interventions and support to improve educational outcomes for the students of Ponemah Elementary.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

 25039 Abinoojiin Dr
       Ponemah, MN  56666-8888


(218) 554-7337

District: Red Lake Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
861st of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $26,064 Help


Students who attend Ponemah Elementary usually attend:

High:    Red Lake Secondary

Student/teacher ratio:  6.3 Help
Number of students:  115

Racial breakdown:

American Indian:
98.3%
Hispanic:
0.9%
Two or more races:
0.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  79.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Ponemah Elementary ranks worse than 97.7% of elementary schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 3.28. (See more...)
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Compare Details Ponemah Elementary ranks worse than 97.4% of middle schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.95. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: American Indian (98.3%), Hispanic (0.9%), two or more races (0.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 79.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ponemah Elementary is 6.3, which is the lowest among 4 elementary schools in the Red Lake Public School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Ponemah Elementary employs 18 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ponemah Elementary is $26,064, which is the highest among 4 elementary schools in the Red Lake Public School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ponemah Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Ponemah Elementary 861st of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Ponemah Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Male students:
Native American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Ponemah Elementary 531st of 545 Minnesota public middle schools. (See Ponemah Elementary in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Native American students:




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Rank History for Ponemah Elementary

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Ponemah Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 0.17 669th 674 0.7%
2004 2.34 654th 676 3.3%
2006 5.05 724th 756 4.2%
2007 1.96 762nd 777 1.9%
2008 0.41 772nd 781 1.2%
2009 0.29 430th 434 0.9%
2010 8.43 754th 803 6.1%
2011 0.75 808th 814 0.7%
2012 0.38 814th 820 0.7%
2013 1.54 813th 824 1.3%
2014 1.57 810th 826 1.9%
2015 0.45 837th 840 0.4%
2016 0.86 838th 848 1.2%
2017 1.17 840th 853 1.5%
2018 2.12 829th 847 2.1%
2019 1.91 859th 870 1.3%
2021 1.73 869th 869 0.0%
2022 1.32 858th 858 0.0%
2023 2.35 837th 845 0.9%
2024 3.28 861st 881 2.3%
See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Ponemah Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.01 717th 728 1.5%
2019 6.34 726th 740 1.9%
2021 5.10 682nd 683 0.1%
2022 3.87 663rd 663 0.0%
2023 5.14 759th 774 1.9%
2024 6.75 769th 793 3.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Ponemah Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 1.53 769th 774 0.6%
2019 1.77 779th 787 1.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Ponemah Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 1.79 770th 779 1.2%
2019 2.57 785th 798 1.6%
2023 0.76 799th 799 0.0%
2024 1.37 825th 826 0.1%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Native American students at Ponemah Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.55 21st 22 4.5%
2019 12.91 26th 26 0.0%
2021 7.17 20th 20 0.0%
2022 8.58 21st 21 0.0%
2023 12.71 36th 39 7.7%
2024 13.79 38th 42 9.5%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Ponemah Elementary

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Rank History for all middle school students at Ponemah Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 2.03 367th 387 5.2%
2007 0.40 400th 403 0.7%
2008 0.29 408th 409 0.2%
2009 0.24 228th 230 0.9%
2010 1.20 442nd 454 2.6%
2011 1.16 470th 478 1.7%
2015 3.51 494th 516 4.3%
2016 0.52 507th 508 0.2%
2017 0.78 522nd 523 0.2%
2018 0.96 517th 518 0.2%
2019 5.05 508th 533 4.7%
2022 2.83 519th 520 0.2%
2023 4.76 517th 529 2.3%
2024 4.95 531st 545 2.6%
See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Ponemah Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 71.18 53rd 282 81.2%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Ponemah Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 2.26 398th 401 0.7%
2019 11.93 389th 415 6.3%
2022 5.99 403rd 404 0.2%
2023 10.89 438th 459 4.6%
2024 9.89 449th 473 5.1%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Ponemah Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 1.17 436th 438 0.5%
2019 7.68 423rd 454 6.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Native American students at Ponemah Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.94 23rd 23 0.0%
2019 24.16 20th 23 13.0%
2022 11.30 22nd 22 0.0%
2023 18.08 44th 49 10.2%
2024 14.06 53rd 55 3.6%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota 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.

Ponemah Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 








Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Ponemah Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 0 0 0 0 174 n/a n/a 0 174
1989 0 0 0 0 174 n/a n/a 0 174
1990 0 0 0 0 161 n/a n/a 0 161
1991 0 0 0 0 153 n/a n/a 0 153
1992 0 0 0 0 179 n/a n/a 0 179
1993 0 0 0 0 209 n/a n/a 0 209
1994 0 0 0 0 215 n/a n/a 0 215
1995 0 0 0 0 225 n/a n/a 0 225
1996 0 0 0 0 225 n/a n/a 0 225
1997 0 0 0 0 207 n/a n/a 0 207
1998 0 0 0 0 177 n/a n/a 13 190
1999 0 0 0 0 192 n/a n/a 0 192
2000 0 0 0 0 184 n/a n/a 0 184
2001 0 0 0 0 189 n/a n/a 0 189
2002 0 0 0 0 189 n/a n/a 0 189
2003 0 0 0 0 189 n/a n/a 0 189
2004 0 0 0 0 189 n/a n/a 0 189
2005 0 0 0 0 174 n/a n/a 0 174
2006 0 0 0 0 185 n/a n/a 0 185
2007 0 0 0 0 178 n/a n/a 0 178
2008 0 0 0 0 185 n/a n/a 0 185
2009 0 0 0 0 182 n/a n/a 0 182
2010 0 0 0 0 185 n/a n/a 0 185
2011 0 0 0 0 190 0 1 0 191
2012 0 0 0 0 177 0 0 0 177
2013 0 0 0 0 206 0 0 0 206
2014 0 0 0 0 207 0 1 0 208
2015 0 0 0 0 203 0 0 0 203
2016 0 0 0 0 219 0 0 0 219
2017 0 0 0 0 210 0 0 0 210
2018 0 0 0 0 201 0 2 0 203
2019 0 0 0 0 190 0 2 0 192
2020 0 0 0 0 176 0 1 0 177
2021 0 0 0 0 143 0 1 0 144
2022 0 0 0 0 149 0 2 0 151
2023 0 0 0 0 129 0 1 0 130
2024 0 0 0 1 113 0 1 0 115

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 Ponemah Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 174 12.0 14.5 90.2
1989 174 9.5 18.3 90.2
1990 161 10.3 15.6 0
1991 153 14.5 10.5 61.4
1992 179 15.9 11.2 54.2
1993 209 13.6 15.4 45.5
1994 215 14.4 14.9 94.9
1995 225 21.7 10.4 92.9
1996 225 21.7 10.4 92.9
1997 207 13.4 15.4 94.7
1998 190 n/a 0.0 101.7
1999 192 32.1 6.0 93.2
2000 184 29.6 6.2 97.3
2001 189 34.7 5.4 98.4
2002 189 36.6 5.2 66.7
2003 189 36.6 5.2 66.7
2004 189 34.5 5.5 91
2005 174 29.6 5.9 96.6
2006 185 27.7 6.7 88.1
2007 178 24.8 7.2 93.3
2008 185 24.8 7.5 77.8
2009 182 25.1 7.3 89.6
2010 185 23.5 7.8 90.8
2011 191 22.5 8.4 91.6
2012 177 25.5 6.9 92.7
2013 206 26.0 7.9 89.8
2014 208 29.0 7.1 95.7
2015 203 27.0 7.5 94.6
2016 219 23.0 9.5 95.9
2017 210 26.0 8.0 94.8
2018 203 29.0 7.0 93.1
2019 192 23.9 8.0 90.6
2020 177 24.0 7.3 84.7
2021 144 22.3 6.4 97.9
2022 151 22.3 6.7 84.8
2023 130 17.8 7.2 97.7
2024 115 18.0 6.3 79.1

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 Ponemah Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 174 12.0 14.5 90.2
1989 174 9.5 18.3 90.2
1990 161 10.3 15.6 0
1991 153 14.5 10.5 61.4
1992 179 15.9 11.2 54.2
1993 209 13.6 15.4 45.5
1994 215 14.4 14.9 94.9
1995 225 21.7 10.4 92.9
1996 225 21.7 10.4 92.9
1997 207 13.4 15.4 94.7
1998 190 n/a 0.0 101.7
1999 192 32.1 6.0 93.2
2000 184 29.6 6.2 97.3
2001 189 34.7 5.4 98.4
2002 189 36.6 5.2 66.7
2003 189 36.6 5.2 66.7
2004 189 34.5 5.5 91
2005 174 29.6 5.9 96.6
2006 185 27.7 6.7 88.1
2007 178 24.8 7.2 93.3
2008 185 24.8 7.5 77.8
2009 182 25.1 7.3 89.6
2010 185 23.5 7.8 90.8
2011 191 22.5 8.4 91.6
2012 177 25.5 6.9 92.7
2013 206 26.0 7.9 89.8
2014 208 29.0 7.1 95.7
2015 203 27.0 7.5 94.6
2016 219 23.0 9.5 95.9
2017 210 26.0 8.0 94.8
2018 203 29.0 7.0 93.1
2019 192 23.9 8.0 90.6
2020 177 24.0 7.3 84.7
2021 144 22.3 6.4 97.9
2022 151 22.3 6.7 84.8
2023 130 17.8 7.2 97.7
2024 115 18.0 6.3 79.1

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 Ponemah Elementary

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $26,064

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Ponemah Elementary

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 859th of 870 Elementary schoolsRanks 837th of 845 Elementary schools
 0.3%
Ranks 508th of 533 Middle schoolsRanks 517th of 529 Middle schools
 2.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Ponemah Elementary)50
 5%
   3rd Grade Math (Red Lake Public School District)25.47.2
 18.1%
   3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)65.659.1
 6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Ponemah Elementary)1512.5
 2.5%
   3rd Grade Reading (Red Lake Public School District)16.98
 8.9%
   3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)54.647.4
 7.2%
4th Grade Math (Ponemah Elementary)33.30
 33.3%
   4th Grade Math (Red Lake Public School District)25.30.9
 24.5%
   4th Grade Math (Minnesota)63.957.1
 6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Ponemah Elementary)00
   4th Grade Reading (Red Lake Public School District)18.93.5
 15.4%
   4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)55.448.4
 7.1%
5th Grade Math (Ponemah Elementary)50
 5%
   5th Grade Math (Red Lake Public School District)170.9
 16.1%
   5th Grade Math (Minnesota)5244.4
 7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Ponemah Elementary)13.615.4
 1.7%
   5th Grade Reading (Red Lake Public School District)25.810.3
 15.6%
   5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)65.858.7
 7%
5th Grade Science (Ponemah Elementary)4.67.7
 3.1%
   5th Grade Science (Red Lake Public School District)6.55.9
 0.6%
   5th Grade Science (Minnesota)54.948.4
 6.5%
6th Grade Math (Ponemah Elementary)00
   6th Grade Math (Red Lake Public School District)10.52
 8.5%
   6th Grade Math (Minnesota)50.539.7
 10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Ponemah Elementary)1520
 5%
   6th Grade Reading (Red Lake Public School District)27.417.5
 9.9%
   6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)62.853.4
 9.4%
7th Grade Math (Ponemah Elementary)5.99.1
 3.2%
   7th Grade Math (Red Lake Public School District)7.40.9
 6.6%
   7th Grade Math (Minnesota)52.139.7
 12.4%
7th Grade Reading (Ponemah Elementary)23.59.1
 14.4%
   7th Grade Reading (Red Lake Public School District)23.56.1
 17.3%
   7th Grade Reading (Minnesota)57.545.2
 12.3%
8th Grade Math (Ponemah Elementary)21.10
 21.1%
   8th Grade Math (Red Lake Public School District)8.40
 8.4%
   8th Grade Math (Minnesota)55.240.3
 14.9%
8th Grade Reading (Ponemah Elementary)11.110
 1.1%
   8th Grade Reading (Red Lake Public School District)2810
 18%
   8th Grade Reading (Minnesota)57.744.8
 12.9%
8th Grade Science (Ponemah Elementary)200
 20%
   8th Grade Science (Red Lake Public School District)10.42.2
 8.3%
   8th Grade Science (Minnesota)4327.6
 15.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students192130
 32.3%
African American00
American Indian190129
 32.1%
Asian00
Hispanic00
Pacific Islander00
White00
Two or More Races21
 50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients90.6%97.7%
 7.1%


Schools Near Ponemah Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Ponemah Elementary

Students at Ponemah Elementary are 98% American Indian.

Students who attend Ponemah Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Red Lake Secondary

In the 2023-24 school year, 115 students attended Ponemah Elementary.

Ponemah Elementary ranks in the bottom 2.3% of Minnesota elementary schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Minnesota 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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