Ponderosa Elementary

Summary:

Ponderosa Elementary is a public elementary school in Houston, Texas, serving 784 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Spring Independent School District, which is ranked 776 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Ponderosa Elementary faces several key challenges. The school has a significantly higher percentage of minority students compared to the state average, with 34.31% African American and 58.42% Hispanic students. Academically, Ponderosa consistently underperforms the state and district averages on STAAR tests, with proficiency rates in reading, math, and science that are significantly lower than the state and district across all grade levels. The school's performance also varies greatly among different student subgroups, with its special education and low socioeconomic status students ranking in the bottom 10% of Texas elementary schools.

Ponderosa's academic struggles are further compounded by funding and resource challenges. The school has a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, with over 89% eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and its per-student spending has declined in recent years. In comparison, nearby schools in the Klein Independent School District, such as Haude Elementary and Benfer Elementary, consistently outperform Ponderosa on STAAR tests and have higher statewide rankings.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 17202 Butte Creek Rd
       Houston, TX  77090-2322


(281) 891-8180

District: Spring Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
4465th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,474 Help


Students who attend Ponderosa Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Edwin M Wells Middle
High:    Westfield High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.3 Help
Number of students:  784

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
58.4%
African American:
34.3%
White:
2.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  89.3% Help


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 Compare Ponderosa Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Ponderosa Elementary ranks worse than 95.5% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks 23rd among 25 ranked elementary schools in the Spring Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.15. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (58.4%), African American (34.3%), two or more races (2.6%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 89.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ponderosa Elementary is 16.3. 21 elementary schools in the Spring Independent School District (Isd) have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Ponderosa Elementary employs 47.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ponderosa Elementary is $7,474, which is the lowest among 25 elementary schools in the Spring Independent School District (Isd)!
Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Spring Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Spring Independent School District (Isd) 776th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Ponderosa Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 75.97 637th 3465 81.6%
2005 68.48 1076th 3475 69.0%
2006 58.36 1620th 3476 53.4%
2007 65.17 1356th 3724 63.6%
2008 66.59 1271st 3768 66.3%
2009 50.57 2220th 3884 42.8%
2010 33.16 3152nd 3937 19.9%
2011 33.38 3241st 4095 20.9%
2012 35.01 3153rd 4206 25.0%
2013 36.66 3053rd 4221 27.7%
2014 48.72 2408th 4260 43.5%
2015 31.81 3261st 4320 24.5%
2016 18.84 3777th 4286 11.9%
2017 36.33 2754th 4329 36.4%
2018 34.06 2938th 4359 32.6%
2019 43.39 2472nd 4479 44.8%
2021 39.31 2599th 4578 43.2%
2022 35.92 3012th 4581 34.3%
2023 25.36 3672nd 4647 21.0%
2024 11.15 4465th 4675 4.5%
See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 56.63 479th 1112 56.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.28 302nd 3226 90.6%
2019 70.75 612th 3333 81.6%
2021 61.81 919th 3446 73.3%
2022 62.28 989th 3487 71.6%
2023 62.16 1044th 3556 70.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.45 2888th 3558 18.8%
2019 45.84 1672nd 3684 54.6%
2021 66.63 675th 3799 82.2%
2022 15.35 3849th 3952 2.6%
2023 14.83 3976th 4086 2.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.64 2525th 4264 40.8%
2019 57.29 1542nd 4309 64.2%
2021 48.55 2134th 4451 52.1%
2022 43.58 2585th 4477 42.3%
2023 28.80 3594th 4521 20.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.31 2662nd 4306 38.2%
2019 48.54 2144th 4348 50.7%
2021 41.48 2503rd 4499 44.4%
2022 39.58 2790th 4561 38.8%
2023 28.63 3494th 4588 23.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.76 1209th 3106 61.1%
2019 72.21 648th 3184 79.6%
2021 75.90 612th 3006 79.6%
2022 53.92 1697th 2958 42.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.39 1853rd 4240 56.3%
2019 43.73 2427th 4295 43.5%
2021 51.69 1719th 4331 60.3%
2022 53.63 1843rd 4461 58.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.61 3145th 4319 27.2%
2019 38.61 2761st 4357 36.6%
2021 38.24 2657th 4498 40.9%
2022 33.01 3199th 4563 29.9%
2023 24.01 3770th 4585 17.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.22 1741st 2483 29.9%
2019 48.33 1192nd 2515 52.6%
2021 45.37 1218th 2444 50.2%
2022 45.10 1268th 2421 47.6%
2023 43.99 1292nd 2443 47.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.50 1625th 4168 61.0%
2019 59.17 1434th 4188 65.8%
2021 54.92 1641st 4329 62.1%
2022 52.93 1901st 4376 56.6%
2023 34.09 3154th 4401 28.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 95.25 1st 23 95.7%
2019 89.05 2nd 25 92.0%
2022 55.80 2nd 9 77.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Ponderosa Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.12 1770th 3127 43.4%
2019 43.33 1885th 3142 40.0%
2021 28.42 2412th 3082 21.7%
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.

Ponderosa Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Texas Education Agency

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

by a parent
Saturday, August 24, 2019

Open Quote Excellent staff they really care about your child. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Ponderosa Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 428 65 18 60 8 n/a n/a 0 579
1989 442 67 23 49 5 n/a n/a 0 586
1990 431 39 25 69 3 n/a n/a 0 567
1991 430 27 33 68 3 n/a n/a 0 561
1992 441 35 24 63 2 n/a n/a 0 565
1993 434 24 21 69 2 n/a n/a 0 550
1994 395 29 18 63 5 n/a n/a 0 510
1995 364 47 28 65 11 n/a n/a 0 515
1996 364 47 28 65 11 n/a n/a 0 515
1997 357 79 38 94 6 n/a n/a 0 574
1998 336 76 33 121 7 n/a n/a 0 573
1999 340 99 35 114 0 n/a n/a 0 588
2000 294 95 27 119 0 n/a n/a 0 535
2001 302 140 38 153 4 n/a n/a 0 637
2002 238 179 44 153 1 n/a n/a 0 615
2003 238 179 44 153 1 n/a n/a 0 615
2004 244 178 38 168 2 n/a n/a 0 630
2005 220 198 41 175 0 n/a n/a 0 634
2006 211 322 36 252 2 n/a n/a 0 823
2007 170 301 32 300 3 n/a n/a 0 806
2008 155 297 30 333 4 n/a n/a 0 819
2009 125 314 25 365 4 n/a n/a 0 833
2010 118 242 25 336 3 n/a n/a 0 724
2011 128 265 19 330 0 2 5 0 749
2012 107 333 13 326 4 1 4 0 788
2013 109 306 12 320 12 1 6 0 766
2014 99 246 20 322 25 1 16 0 729
2015 87 238 22 331 22 1 20 0 721
2016 68 197 24 390 20 3 26 0 728
2017 59 198 13 403 22 2 24 0 721
2018 50 251 8 330 52 0 23 0 714
2019 53 236 8 371 52 1 23 0 744
2020 49 262 11 426 41 0 19 0 808
2021 39 249 13 421 32 1 18 0 773
2022 27 265 8 442 19 1 13 0 775
2023 20 269 6 458 11 0 20 0 784

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

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 579 35.0 16.5 n/a
1989 586 n/a n/a n/a
1990 567 34.0 16.6 n/a
1991 561 33.7 16.6 n/a
1992 565 34.5 16.3 6.9
1993 550 35.0 15.7 14.7
1994 510 30.1 16.9 8.6
1995 515 34.2 15.1 14.6
1996 515 34.2 15.1 14.6
1997 574 39.0 14.7 20.9
1998 573 39.4 14.5 15
1999 588 38.9 15.1 24.3
2000 535 37.4 14.3 29.5
2001 637 40.7 15.7 35.3
2002 615 41.5 14.8 41
2003 615 41.5 14.8 41
2004 630 41.0 15.4 41.1
2005 634 42.2 15.0 49.7
2006 823 52.9 15.6 56
2007 806 51.9 15.5 61.2
2008 819 55.7 14.7 68.6
2009 833 52.5 15.9 62.1
2010 724 48.4 14.9 69.6
2011 749 46.9 15.9 71.7
2012 788 43.0 18.3 77.7
2013 766 45.4 16.8 76.4
2014 729 44.5 16.3 74.6
2015 721 43.0 16.7 76.8
2016 728 44.0 16.5 73.4
2017 721 42.8 16.8 77.5
2018 714 45.3 15.7 79.1
2019 744 44.8 16.5 76.9
2020 808 48.4 16.6 88.7
2021 773 50.9 15.1 92.4
2022 775 53.8 14.3 89.4
2023 784 47.9 16.3 89.3

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

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 579 35.0 16.5 n/a
1989 586 n/a n/a n/a
1990 567 34.0 16.6 n/a
1991 561 33.7 16.6 n/a
1992 565 34.5 16.3 6.9
1993 550 35.0 15.7 14.7
1994 510 30.1 16.9 8.6
1995 515 34.2 15.1 14.6
1996 515 34.2 15.1 14.6
1997 574 39.0 14.7 20.9
1998 573 39.4 14.5 15
1999 588 38.9 15.1 24.3
2000 535 37.4 14.3 29.5
2001 637 40.7 15.7 35.3
2002 615 41.5 14.8 41
2003 615 41.5 14.8 41
2004 630 41.0 15.4 41.1
2005 634 42.2 15.0 49.7
2006 823 52.9 15.6 56
2007 806 51.9 15.5 61.2
2008 819 55.7 14.7 68.6
2009 833 52.5 15.9 62.1
2010 724 48.4 14.9 69.6
2011 749 46.9 15.9 71.7
2012 788 43.0 18.3 77.7
2013 766 45.4 16.8 76.4
2014 729 44.5 16.3 74.6
2015 721 43.0 16.7 76.8
2016 728 44.0 16.5 73.4
2017 721 42.8 16.8 77.5
2018 714 45.3 15.7 79.1
2019 744 44.8 16.5 76.9
2020 808 48.4 16.6 88.7
2021 773 50.9 15.1 92.4
2022 775 53.8 14.3 89.4
2023 784 47.9 16.3 89.3

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

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,611 (17.1%) $7,801 (82.9%) $9,412
2020 $1,559 (17.3%) $7,427 (82.7%) $8,986
2021 $1,667 (22.3%) $5,807 (77.7%) $7,474

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Ponderosa 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 2472nd of 4479 Elementary schoolsRanks 3672nd of 4647 Elementary schools
 23.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Ponderosa Elementary)3026
 4%
   3rd Grade Reading (Spring Independent School District (Isd))3135
 4%
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)4450
 6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ponderosa Elementary)3823
 15%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Spring Independent School District (Isd))3132
 1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)4843
 5%
3rd Grade Reading (Ponderosa Elementary)5110
 41%
   3rd Grade Reading (Spring Independent School District (Isd))4323
 20%
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)3926
 13%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ponderosa Elementary)420
 42%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Spring Independent School District (Isd))3116
 15%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)3123
 8%
4th Grade Reading (Ponderosa Elementary)4134
 7%
   4th Grade Reading (Spring Independent School District (Isd))3132
 1%
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)4347
 4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ponderosa Elementary)5629
 27%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Spring Independent School District (Isd))3332
 1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4647
 1%
4th Grade Reading (Ponderosa Elementary)5512
 43%
   4th Grade Reading (Spring Independent School District (Isd))2721
 6%
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)2931
 2%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ponderosa Elementary)500
 50%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Spring Independent School District (Isd))2213
 9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)2622
 4%
5th Grade Reading (Ponderosa Elementary)3744
 7%
   5th Grade Reading (Spring Independent School District (Isd))3842
 4%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ponderosa Elementary)4537
 8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Spring Independent School District (Isd))4437
 7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5650
 6%
5th Grade Science (Ponderosa Elementary)4530
 15%
   5th Grade Science (Spring Independent School District (Isd))3218
 14%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)4834
 14%
5th Grade Reading (Ponderosa Elementary)439
 34%
   5th Grade Reading (Spring Independent School District (Isd))2533
 8%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5333
 20%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ponderosa Elementary)08
 8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Spring Independent School District (Isd))724
 17%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)2823
 5%
5th Grade Science (Ponderosa Elementary)140
 14%
   5th Grade Science (Spring Independent School District (Isd))1014
 4%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)189
 9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students744784
 5.4%
African American236269
 14%
American Indian5211
 78.8%
Asian86
 25%
Hispanic371458
 23.5%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White5320
 62.3%
Two or More Races2320
 13%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients76.9%89.3%
 12.4%


Schools Near Ponderosa Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Ponderosa Elementary

Students who attend Ponderosa Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Edwin M Wells Middle
High : Westfield High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 784 students attended Ponderosa Elementary.

Ponderosa Elementary ranks in the bottom 4.5% of Texas elementary schools.

Students at Ponderosa Elementary are 58% Hispanic, 34% African American, 3% White, 3% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.


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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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