Pioneer Trail Elementary

Q: Is Pioneer Trail Elementary a good school?

Pioneer Trail Elementary ranks 422 nd of 906 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Pioneer Trail Elementary is a public elementary school in Jefferson City, Missouri, serving 477 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Jefferson City School District, which is ranked 153 out of 386 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Pioneer Trail Elementary has consistently ranked in the middle range of Missouri elementary schools, with performance on state assessments generally below the district and state averages, particularly in mathematics. However, the school's performance in English Language Arts is closer to the district and state averages. Pioneer Trail has shown some improvement over time, moving from a 2-star to a 3-star rating. The school's high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 45.7% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, may be a contributing factor to its lower academic performance compared to the district and state.

Compared to nearby schools, Pioneer Trail Elementary generally performs below the likes of Moreau Heights Elementary, East Elementary, and South Elementary, but outperforms some others, such as Thorpe J. Gordon Elementary. The nearby school with the strongest performance is Clarence Lawson Elementary, which consistently ranks in the top 25% of Missouri elementary schools. Additionally, Pioneer Trail Elementary has struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, which may be negatively impacting its academic outcomes.

Detail:

Public K-5

301 Pioneer Trail
Jefferson City, MO 65109-1508

(573) 632-3400

District: Jefferson City

SchoolDigger Rank:
422^nd of 906 Missouri Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,663

Students who attend Pioneer Trail Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Thomas Jefferson Middle
High:	Jefferson City High

Student/teacher ratio: 13.2

Number of students: 477

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.2%

Two or more races:

9.9%

Hispanic:

7.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 45.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Pioneer Trail Elementary ranks better than 53.4% of elementary schools in Missouri. It also ranks 4^th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Jefferson City School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.68. (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 Pioneer Trail Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Jefferson City School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pioneer Trail Elementary is $10,663. 9 elementary schools in the Jefferson City School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pioneer Trail Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Pioneer Trail Elementary 422^nd of 906 Missouri public elementary schools. (See Pioneer Trail Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Jefferson City:

SchoolDigger ranks Jefferson City 153^rd of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Pioneer Trail Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Pioneer Trail Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2011	45.34	672^nd	1088	38.2%
2012	44.71	682^nd	1085	37.1%
2013	51.73	573^rd	1108	48.3%
2014	47.24	620^th	1089	43.1%
2015	44.24	646^th	1058	38.9%
2016	33.11	635^th	865	26.6%
2017	42.70	623^rd	1032	39.6%
2018	40.20	653^rd	1045	37.5%
2019	39.03	676^th	1052	35.7%
2021	65.44	298^th	901	66.9%
2022	60.14	361^st	908	60.2%
2023	57.61	378^th	898	57.9%
2024	52.68	422^nd	906	53.4%

See the entire list of Missouri Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Pioneer Trail Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	32.54	678^th	887	23.6%
2019	31.65	701^st	907	22.7%
2021	67.66	112^th	574	80.5%
2022	52.91	200^th	532	62.4%
2023	54.48	234^th	611	61.7%
2024	43.64	348^th	625	44.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Pioneer Trail Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	38.54	555^th	898	38.2%
2019	36.19	616^th	917	32.8%
2021	65.84	214^th	691	69.0%
2022	51.19	321^st	675	52.4%
2023	48.57	332^nd	673	50.7%
2024	41.69	394^th	668	41.0%

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

Data source: test scores: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary 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: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Bad experience. Our kindergarten teacher was non-caring. The office staff and principal weren't any better. Fortunately, we were renting while going there - we've since purchased a house in a different JCPS school district and it's WONDERFUL!!! Teachers and principal at new school ROCK. They actually give kids a chance! They CARE. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, August 1, 2011

it is a wonderful school with caring teachers and staff. My daughters love it and have been learning in a scheduled manner Close Quote

Enrollment information for Pioneer Trail Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2010	439	47	7	28	2	n/a	n/a	523
2011	430	50	13	35	1	0	26	555
2012	386	57	12	38	0	0	25	518
2013	412	68	11	32	0	0	26	549
2014	413	59	13	36	0	0	32	553
2015	410	61	8	39	0	0	42	560
2016	412	57	5	51	0	0	49	574
2017	384	51	6	52	0	0	50	543
2018	362	36	6	57	0	0	46	507
2019	366	40	8	55	0	0	43	512
2020	373	40	10	49	0	0	39	511
2021	358	43	4	42	0	0	38	485
2022	352	46	8	40	0	0	47	493
2023	354	34	7	35	0	0	47	477

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 Pioneer Trail Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	523	30.1	17.3	43.4
2011	555	31.3	17.7	47.6
2012	518	31.6	16.3	51.2
2013	549	31.2	17.5	48.1
2014	553	31.7	17.4	49.7
2015	560	32.0	17.5	52.3
2016	574	32.0	17.9	56.1
2017	543	33.7	16.0	58.4
2018	507	33.0	15.3	53.5
2019	512	33.5	15.2	52.3
2020	511	35.1	14.5	50.1
2021	485	35.5	13.6	48.9
2022	493	37.4	13.1	36.1
2023	477	35.9	13.2	45.7

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 Pioneer Trail Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2010	523	30.1	17.3	43.4
2011	555	31.3	17.7	47.6
2012	518	31.6	16.3	51.2
2013	549	31.2	17.5	48.1
2014	553	31.7	17.4	49.7
2015	560	32.0	17.5	52.3
2016	574	32.0	17.9	56.1
2017	543	33.7	16.0	58.4
2018	507	33.0	15.3	53.5
2019	512	33.5	15.2	52.3
2020	511	35.1	14.5	50.1
2021	485	35.5	13.6	48.9
2022	493	37.4	13.1	36.1
2023	477	35.9	13.2	45.7

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 Pioneer Trail Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$86 (1.0%)	$8,568 (99.0%)	$8,655
2020	$131 (1.4%)	$9,022 (98.6%)	$9,152
2021	$344 (3.2%)	$10,359 (96.8%)	$10,702
2022	$477 (4.5%)	$10,186 (95.5%)	$10,663

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pioneer Trail 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 676^th of 1052 Elementary schools	Ranks 378^th of 898 Elementary schools	22.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Pioneer Trail Elementary)	38.4	42.9	4.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Jefferson City)	36.7	41.4	4.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46	41.1	4.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pioneer Trail Elementary)	48.7	62.9	14.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson City)	42.7	47.7	5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	48.7	42.4	6.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Pioneer Trail Elementary)	34.7	38.7	4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Jefferson City)	36.5	35.8	0.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46.8	43.8	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pioneer Trail Elementary)	44	42	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson City)	43.6	41.1	2.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	49.3	45.9	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Pioneer Trail Elementary)	30.6	31.7	1.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Jefferson City)	28.7	26.8	1.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	40.3	39.1	1.2%
5th Grade Science (Pioneer Trail Elementary)	34.5	50	15.5%
5th Grade Science (Jefferson City)	36.1	37.1	1%
5th Grade Science (Missouri)	42.5	40.9	1.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pioneer Trail Elementary)	50.6	57.4	6.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Jefferson City)	43.7	46.8	3.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.1	44	3.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	512	477	6.8%
African American	40	34	15%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	8	7	12.5%
Hispanic	55	35	36.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	366	354	3.3%
Two or More Races	43	47	9.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	52.3%	45.7%	6.6%

Schools Near Pioneer Trail Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MAP Mathematics (2024)			MAP Science (2024)	MAP English Language Arts (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	MAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAP Science 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Pioneer Trail Elementary	Public	K-5	301 Pioneer Trail	Jefferson City	65109	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 632-3400	477	36	13.2	45.7%	354 (74.2%)	34 (7.1%)	35 (7.3%)	7 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (9.9%)	52.7	422^nd of 906 public elementary schools	53.4%		57.6	378^th of 898 public elementary schools	57.9%	44	24.5	32.0	40.1	54.2	38.5	45.3	47.8	$10,663	$477	$10,187
Clarence Lawson Elementary	Public	K-5	1105 Fairgrounds Rd	Jefferson City	65109	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3175	419	37	11.2	53.2%	245 (58.5%)	70 (16.7%)	39 (9.3%)	18 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (11.2%)	73	220^th of 906 public elementary schools	75.7%		63.5	317^th of 898 public elementary schools	64.7%	97	53.8	63.0	37.8	41.7	53.1	66.1	53.8	$13,283	$1,396	$11,887
Belair Elementary	Public	K-5	701 Belair	Jefferson City	65109	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3155	377	31	12.3	55.7%	216 (57.3%)	70 (18.6%)	46 (12.2%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (11.1%)	60.8	343^rd of 906 public elementary schools	62.1%		60.8	344^th of 898 public elementary schools	61.7%	1	39.1	57.8	28.9	46.6	43.7	55.3	49.9	$10,418	$535	$9,883
Cedar Hill Elementary	Public	K-5	1510 Vieth	Jefferson City	65109	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3160	324	28	11.5	43.8%	216 (66.7%)	40 (12.3%)	20 (6.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (13.9%)	41.7	544^th of 906 public elementary schools	40.0%		51.8	436^th of 898 public elementary schools	51.4%	108	19.3	50.9	29.6	42.1	32.8		35.8	$12,097	$267	$11,829
West Elementary	Public	K-5	100 Dix Rd	Jefferson City	65109	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3195	307	24	12.5	51.8%	204 (66.4%)	52 (16.9%)	17 (5.5%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (9.4%)	61.1	339^th of 906 public elementary schools	62.6%		58	376^th of 898 public elementary schools	58.1%	37	32.6	62.6	39.9	39.9	49.0		46.6	$11,954	$313	$11,640
South Elementary	Public	K-5	707 Linden Dr	Jefferson City	65109	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3185	312	26	11.8	99.0%	114 (36.5%)	122 (39.1%)	18 (5.8%)	24 (7.7%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (9.9%)	44.6	512^th of 906 public elementary schools	43.5%		34.6	613^th of 898 public elementary schools	31.7%	101	30.7	30.0	38.9	41.3	36.4		38.9	$12,068	$415	$11,654
Thorpe J. Gordon Elementary	Public	K-5	1101 Jackson	Jefferson City	65101	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3170	281	27	10.3	98.9%	93 (33.1%)	138 (49.1%)	16 (5.7%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (11.4%)	43.4	525^th of 906 public elementary schools	42.1%		34.5	616^th of 898 public elementary schools	31.4%	91	34.5	35.7	14.7		42.3	48.0	41.3	$11,935	$487	$11,448
Mocap Elem.School	Public, Virtual	K-5	205 Jefferson Street	Jefferson City	65102	Cole County	Mo Virtual Instruction Program	No	No	Yes	No	(573) 751-2453	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Moreau Heights Elementary	Public	K-5	1410 Hough Park	Jefferson City	65101	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3180	328	33	9.8	59.5%	177 (54.0%)	89 (27.1%)	14 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	45 (13.7%)	41.5	548^th of 906 public elementary schools	39.5%		30.4	657^th of 898 public elementary schools	26.8%	109	12.3	38.8	29.8	44.3	28.7	40.7	48.1	$13,106	$777	$12,328
East Elementary	Public	K-5	1229 E McCarty	Jefferson City	65101	Cole County	Jefferson City	No	No	No	Yes	(573) 659-3165	305	29	10.3	99.0%	122 (40.0%)	102 (33.4%)	27 (8.9%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (16.4%)	28.5	669^th of 906 public elementary schools	26.2%		34.3	619^th of 898 public elementary schools	31.1%	50	22.3	10.9	21.0	37.4	29.0		39.5	$12,006	$608	$11,399

Frequently Asked Questions about Pioneer Trail Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Pioneer Trail Elementary?

Students at Pioneer Trail Elementary are 74% White, 10% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 7% African American, 1% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Pioneer Trail Elementary attend?

Students who attend Pioneer Trail Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Thomas Jefferson Middle
High : Jefferson City High

What district is Pioneer Trail Elementary in?

Jefferson City

How many students attend Pioneer Trail Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 477 students attended Pioneer Trail Elementary.

Is Pioneer Trail Elementary a good school?

Pioneer Trail Elementary ranks 422^nd of 906 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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