Ponder Elementary

Summary:

Ponder Elementary is a public elementary school in Ponder, Texas, serving 754 students in grades PK-5 as part of the North Texas Collegiate Academy district. While the school has a diverse student population, its academic performance is generally below the state average, with particularly low scores in Science and for certain student subgroups.

Ponder Elementary's STAAR test scores lag behind the state, with only 33.59% to 41.3% of students proficient or better in Reading, compared to state averages of 50.66% to 53.96%. The school's performance has declined over the years, dropping from a statewide ranking of 1,331 out of 4,286 Texas elementary schools in 2015-2016 to 3,531 out of 4,675 in 2023-2024. This is especially true for Hispanic students, English Language Learners, and Gifted and Talented students, who perform in the bottom 25% of Texas elementary schools in their respective categories. In contrast, the school's Special Education students perform relatively better, ranking in the top 25% of Texas elementary schools.

Interestingly, nearby schools such as North Texas Collegiate Academy-North Campus, Hilltop Elementary, and Argyle West generally outperform Ponder Elementary in academic achievement, despite having similar per-student spending and student-teacher ratios. This suggests that factors beyond funding and class size, such as the high percentage of economically disadvantaged students at Ponder Elementary, may be contributing to the school's academic challenges.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 401 W Bailey
       Ponder, TX  76259


(940) 479-8320

District: Ponder Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
3531st of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,255 Help


Students who attend Ponder Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Ponder J H
High:    Ponder High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.1 Help
Number of students:  754

Racial breakdown:

White:
58.0%
Hispanic:
36.2%
Two or more races:
4.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  44.2% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Ponder Elementary ranks worse than 75.5% of elementary schools in Texas. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.44. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (58%), Hispanic (36.2%), two or more races (4.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 44.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ponder Elementary is 15.1. (See more...)
Help
Compare Ponder Elementary employs 49.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ponder Elementary is $9,255.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Ponder Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Ponder Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Ponder Independent School District (Isd) 440th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Ponder Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 49.28 2057th 3465 40.6%
2005 47.78 2115th 3475 39.1%
2006 47.02 2188th 3476 37.1%
2007 51.92 2116th 3724 43.2%
2008 65.06 1350th 3768 64.2%
2009 55.24 1967th 3884 49.4%
2010 59.90 1768th 3937 55.1%
2011 56.29 2047th 4095 50.0%
2012 67.12 1305th 4206 69.0%
2013 46.41 2499th 4221 40.8%
2014 61.34 1676th 4260 60.7%
2015 63.52 1587th 4320 63.3%
2016 68.97 1331st 4286 68.9%
2017 55.43 1687th 4329 61.0%
2018 45.74 2204th 4359 49.4%
2019 51.68 1941st 4479 56.7%
2021 55.47 1754th 4578 61.7%
2022 49.31 2186th 4581 52.3%
2023 33.72 3175th 4647 31.7%
2024 28.44 3531st 4675 24.5%
See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 11.90 984th 1046 5.9%
2019 21.66 946th 1112 14.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.31 2585th 3226 19.9%
2019 39.15 2157th 3333 35.3%
2021 41.48 1977th 3446 42.6%
2022 32.87 2617th 3487 24.9%
2023 23.99 3066th 3556 13.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.97 2991st 3558 15.9%
2019 34.29 2469th 3684 33.0%
2021 63.77 771st 3799 79.7%
2022 54.04 1342nd 3952 66.0%
2023 62.52 980th 4086 76.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.33 3154th 4264 26.0%
2019 33.22 3254th 4309 24.5%
2021 48.40 2142nd 4451 51.9%
2022 38.72 2919th 4477 34.8%
2023 31.76 3411th 4521 24.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.32 2410th 4306 44.0%
2019 47.52 2199th 4348 49.4%
2021 52.07 1910th 4499 57.5%
2022 41.52 2685th 4561 41.1%
2023 27.59 3566th 4588 22.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.81 1657th 3106 46.7%
2019 67.83 973rd 3184 69.4%
2021 54.42 1607th 3006 46.5%
2022 55.11 1641st 2958 44.5%
2023 37.07 2358th 2980 20.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.42 3878th 4240 8.5%
2019 45.04 2320th 4295 46.0%
2021 37.18 2787th 4331 35.6%
2022 33.36 3285th 4461 26.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.71 2116th 4319 51.0%
2019 54.94 1711th 4357 60.7%
2021 57.88 1591st 4498 64.6%
2022 56.56 1784th 4563 60.9%
2023 42.46 2597th 4585 43.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.09 2378th 2483 4.2%
2019 9.84 2490th 2515 1.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.03 3370th 4168 19.1%
2019 37.04 2832nd 4188 32.4%
2021 41.16 2515th 4329 41.9%
2022 32.61 3242nd 4376 25.9%
2023 24.00 3741st 4401 15.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Ponder Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.60 1962nd 3127 37.3%
2019 45.14 1801st 3142 42.7%
2021 46.01 1659th 3082 46.2%
2022 43.73 1862nd 3082 39.6%
2023 26.47 2551st 3106 17.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, 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.

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





Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Ponder Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 190 0 3 8 3 n/a n/a 0 204
1990 205 0 3 15 3 n/a n/a 0 226
1991 152 0 2 16 3 n/a n/a 0 173
1992 167 0 2 14 1 n/a n/a 0 184
1993 168 0 2 16 0 n/a n/a 0 186
1994 178 4 1 17 0 n/a n/a 0 200
1995 219 0 0 14 0 n/a n/a 0 233
1996 219 0 0 14 0 n/a n/a 0 233
1997 263 0 0 19 0 n/a n/a 0 282
1998 294 2 0 21 0 n/a n/a 0 317
1999 328 1 0 28 0 n/a n/a 0 357
2000 390 3 0 40 0 n/a n/a 0 433
2001 397 5 0 32 3 n/a n/a 0 437
2002 412 5 0 52 0 n/a n/a 0 469
2003 412 5 0 52 0 n/a n/a 0 469
2004 403 3 0 53 0 n/a n/a 0 459
2005 436 8 1 57 3 n/a n/a 0 505
2006 441 5 0 46 0 n/a n/a 0 492
2007 459 11 0 59 1 n/a n/a 0 530
2008 455 12 0 75 4 n/a n/a 0 546
2009 474 16 2 80 8 n/a n/a 0 580
2010 481 12 2 100 7 n/a n/a 0 602
2011 432 10 3 128 4 0 6 0 583
2012 430 8 4 124 7 0 5 0 578
2013 421 11 6 123 2 0 4 0 567
2014 412 13 2 126 4 0 8 0 565
2015 444 12 2 141 1 0 10 0 610
2016 419 11 1 152 0 0 13 0 596
2017 422 11 1 179 2 0 21 0 636
2018 409 11 1 208 3 0 23 0 655
2019 450 18 1 238 3 1 31 0 742
2020 461 12 1 242 3 1 27 0 747
2021 423 8 2 251 3 1 26 0 714
2022 424 4 1 260 3 0 31 0 723
2023 437 9 1 273 0 0 34 0 754

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 Ponder Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 204 n/a n/a n/a
1990 226 15.0 15.0 n/a
1991 173 15.4 11.2 n/a
1992 184 16.6 11.0 22.8
1993 186 16.0 11.6 29
1994 200 16.6 12.0 20.5
1995 233 18.4 12.7 15
1996 233 18.4 12.7 15
1997 282 23.3 12.1 15.2
1998 317 26.9 11.8 17.4
1999 357 30.6 11.7 24.1
2000 433 36.9 11.7 26.3
2001 437 41.8 10.5 24.3
2002 469 43.6 10.8 33.5
2003 469 43.6 10.8 33.5
2004 459 44.0 10.4 32
2005 505 43.3 11.7 34.3
2006 492 40.1 12.3 33.9
2007 530 41.1 12.9 41.1
2008 546 41.1 13.3 37
2009 580 40.9 14.2 39.3
2010 602 44.3 13.5 43.7
2011 583 43.9 13.2 43.7
2012 578 42.0 13.7 43.6
2013 567 42.0 13.4 43.2
2014 565 41.9 13.4 46.5
2015 610 43.0 14.1 47.5
2016 596 44.0 13.5 45.6
2017 636 44.4 14.2 44.7
2018 655 46.0 14.2 42.7
2019 742 49.6 14.9 43.8
2020 747 49.0 15.2 42.2
2021 714 54.2 13.1 45.4
2022 723 51.7 13.9 40.4
2023 754 49.7 15.1 44.2

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 Ponder Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 204 n/a n/a n/a
1990 226 15.0 15.0 n/a
1991 173 15.4 11.2 n/a
1992 184 16.6 11.0 22.8
1993 186 16.0 11.6 29
1994 200 16.6 12.0 20.5
1995 233 18.4 12.7 15
1996 233 18.4 12.7 15
1997 282 23.3 12.1 15.2
1998 317 26.9 11.8 17.4
1999 357 30.6 11.7 24.1
2000 433 36.9 11.7 26.3
2001 437 41.8 10.5 24.3
2002 469 43.6 10.8 33.5
2003 469 43.6 10.8 33.5
2004 459 44.0 10.4 32
2005 505 43.3 11.7 34.3
2006 492 40.1 12.3 33.9
2007 530 41.1 12.9 41.1
2008 546 41.1 13.3 37
2009 580 40.9 14.2 39.3
2010 602 44.3 13.5 43.7
2011 583 43.9 13.2 43.7
2012 578 42.0 13.7 43.6
2013 567 42.0 13.4 43.2
2014 565 41.9 13.4 46.5
2015 610 43.0 14.1 47.5
2016 596 44.0 13.5 45.6
2017 636 44.4 14.2 44.7
2018 655 46.0 14.2 42.7
2019 742 49.6 14.9 43.8
2020 747 49.0 15.2 42.2
2021 714 54.2 13.1 45.4
2022 723 51.7 13.9 40.4
2023 754 49.7 15.1 44.2

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 Ponder Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $659 (7.6%) $7,975 (92.4%) $8,635
2020 $702 (8.1%) $7,923 (91.9%) $8,625
2021 $1,163 (12.6%) $8,092 (87.4%) $9,255

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Ponder 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 1941st of 4479 Elementary schoolsRanks 3175th of 4647 Elementary schools
 25%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Ponder Elementary)3343
 10%
   3rd Grade Reading (Ponder Independent School District (Isd))3343
 10%
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)4450
 6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ponder Elementary)5241
 11%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Ponder Independent School District (Isd))5241
 11%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)4843
 5%
4th Grade Reading (Ponder Elementary)5632
 24%
   4th Grade Reading (Ponder Independent School District (Isd))5632
 24%
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)4347
 4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ponder Elementary)5636
 20%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Ponder Independent School District (Isd))5636
 20%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4647
 1%
5th Grade Reading (Ponder Elementary)4146
 5%
   5th Grade Reading (Ponder Independent School District (Isd))4146
 5%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ponder Elementary)5439
 15%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Ponder Independent School District (Isd))5439
 15%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5650
 6%
5th Grade Science (Ponder Elementary)2618
 8%
   5th Grade Science (Ponder Independent School District (Isd))2618
 8%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)4834
 14%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students742754
 1.6%
African American189
 50%
American Indian30
 100%
Asian11
Hispanic238273
 14.7%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White450437
 2.9%
Two or More Races3134
 9.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients43.8%44.2%
 0.4%


Schools Near Ponder Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Ponder Elementary

Students at Ponder Elementary are 58% White, 36% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Students who attend Ponder Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Ponder J H
High : Ponder High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 754 students attended Ponder Elementary.

Ponder Elementary ranks in the bottom 24.5% of Texas 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 Texas Education Agency.

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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