Founders Memorial School

Q: Is Founders Memorial School a good school?

Founders Memorial School ranks 20 th of 113 Vermont elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Founders Memorial School is an elementary school located in Essex Junction, Vermont, serving grades 3-5 with a total enrollment of 346 students. The school is part of the Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School District.

Founders Memorial School consistently ranks among the top 20-35 elementary schools in Vermont, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's students outperform the state average in proficiency rates for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science across all grade levels. For example, in the 2022-2023 school year, 68.42% of 3rd graders, 64.35% of 4th graders, and 58.04% of 5th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 48.91%, 56.41%, and 50.2%, respectively. The school also has a lower percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with only 15.61% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year, compared to the state average.

Founders Memorial School's exceptional performance in serving its special education students is a notable strength, consistently ranking among the top 3 elementary schools in Vermont for this category. When compared to nearby schools, such as Chamberlin School and J.F. Kennedy Elementary School, Founders Memorial School stands out for its consistently high academic achievement, particularly in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. However, the school's relatively homogeneous student population raises questions about equity and access that warrant further exploration, especially when compared to more diverse school districts like South Burlington School District and Winooski Incorporated School District.

Detail:

Public 3-5

33 Founders Road
Essex Junction, VT 05452-3390

(802) 879-6326

District: Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D

SchoolDigger Rank:
20^th of 113 Vermont Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,214

Students who attend Founders Memorial School usually attend:

Middle:	Essex Middle School
High:	Essex High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.5

Number of students: 351

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.8%

Two or more races:

8.0%

Asian:

3.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 25.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Founders Memorial School ranks better than 82.3% of elementary schools in Vermont. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75.54. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (81.8%), two or more races (8%), Asian (3.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 25.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Founders Memorial School is 11.5, which is the 3^rd best among 1 elementary schools in the Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D District. (See more...)

Compare Founders Memorial School employs 30.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Founders Memorial School is $11,214, which is the lowest among 6 elementary schools in the Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D District!

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Founders Memorial School:

SchoolDigger ranks Founders Memorial School 20^th of 113 Vermont public elementary schools. (See Founders Memorial School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

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Rank History for Founders Memorial School

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Rank History for all students at Founders Memorial School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VT State Percentile
2018	77.16	22^nd	142	84.5%
2019	73.42	18^th	138	87.0%
2021	74.03	34^th	148	77.0%
2022	70.93	35^th	133	73.7%
2023	75.54	20^th	113	82.3%

See the entire list of Vermont Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Founders Memorial School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VT State Percentile
2018	59.71	1^st	8	87.5%
2019	70.27	2^nd	17	88.2%
2021	63.27	3^rd	16	81.3%
2022	67.23	3^rd	15	80.0%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Founders Memorial School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	47.12	22^nd	44	50.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Founders Memorial School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	67.04	18^th	66	72.7%
2022	75.55	14^th	61	77.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at Founders Memorial School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	75.89	11^th	67	83.6%
2022	50.13	29^th	62	53.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Founders Memorial School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VT State Percentile
2018	76.11	24^th	117	79.5%
2019	72.25	29^th	146	80.1%
2021	73.91	37^th	147	74.8%
2022	73.09	36^th	145	75.2%
2023	77.05	25^th	133	81.2%

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

Data source: test scores: Vermont Agency 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: Vermont Agency of Education

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Enrollment information for Founders Memorial School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2018	370	6	11	7	0	0	26	420
2019	351	8	14	17	1	3	25	419
2020	334	6	11	18	0	1	23	393
2021	281	14	9	19	0	0	28	351
2022	275	13	6	17	0	1	29	341
2023	281	12	10	15	0	0	28	346
2024	287	10	13	13	0	0	28	351

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 Founders Memorial School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	420	34.9	12.0	22.9
2019	419	34.7	12.0	22.7
2020	393	32.2	12.1	20.1
2021	351	32.4	10.8	21.9
2022	341	31.3	10.8	20.2
2023	346	31.5	10.9	15.6
2024	351	30.5	11.5	25.4

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 Founders Memorial School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	420	34.9	12.0	22.9
2019	419	34.7	12.0	22.7
2020	393	32.2	12.1	20.1
2021	351	32.4	10.8	21.9
2022	341	31.3	10.8	20.2
2023	346	31.5	10.9	15.6
2024	351	30.5	11.5	25.4

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 Founders Memorial School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$293 (2.6%)	$10,921 (97.4%)	$11,214

Data source: Vermont Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Founders Memorial 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 18^th of 138 Elementary schools	Ranks 20^th of 113 Elementary schools	4.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Founders Memorial School)	64.9	50	14.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Vermont)	49.5	41.2	8.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Founders Memorial School)	68.6	54.2	14.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Vermont)	52.5	43.5	9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Founders Memorial School)	60.7	55.5	5.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Vermont)	50.6	44	6.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Founders Memorial School)	57.5	50.9	6.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Vermont)	46.5	38.3	8.2%
5th Grade Science (Founders Memorial School)	38.6	37.3	1.3%
5th Grade Science (Vermont)	37.2	35.1	2.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Founders Memorial School)	66.9	55.5	11.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Vermont)	55.5	46.4	9.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Founders Memorial School)	44.6	33.7	10.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Vermont)	41.7	32.8	8.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	419	346	17.4%
African American	8	12	50%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	14	10	28.6%
Hispanic	17	15	11.8%
Pacific Islander	3	0	100%
White	351	281	19.9%
Two or More Races	25	28	12%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	22.7%	15.6%	7.1%

Schools Near Founders Memorial School

School	Students/Teachers	Ranking (2023)	Ranking (2022)	VTCAP English Language Arts (2023)	VTCAP Mathematics (2023)	VTCAP Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Founders Memorial School	Public	3-5	33 Founders Road	Essex Junction	05452	Chittenden County	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D	(n/a)	No	No	No	(802) 879-6326	351	31	11.5	25.4%	287 (81.8%)	10 (2.8%)	13 (3.7%)	13 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.0%)	75.5	20^th of 113 public elementary schools	82.3%	70.9	35^th of 133 public elementary schools	73.7%	15	68.4	64.4	58.0	60.5	43.2	46.4	56.3		$11,214	$293	$10,921
Essex Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	1 Bixby Hill Road	Essex Junction	05452	Chittenden County	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D	(n/a)	No	No	No	(802) 878-2584	492	34	14.3	21.7%	399 (81.1%)	15 (3.0%)	27 (5.5%)	19 (3.9%)	2 (0.4%)	30 (6.1%)							(n/a)									$15,784	$413	$15,371
Thomas Fleming School	Public	4-5	21 Prospect Street	Essex Junction	05452	Chittenden County	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 878-1381	197	18	11.0	36.5%	157 (79.7%)	6 (3.0%)	8 (4.1%)	16 (8.1%)	1 (0.5%)	9 (4.6%)							(n/a)							53.7		$11,498	$301	$11,197
Summit Street School	Public	PK, KG-3	17 Summit Street	Essex Junction	05452	Chittenden County	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 878-1377	310	18	16.9	25.2%	229 (73.9%)	6 (1.9%)	15 (4.8%)	41 (13.2%)	1 (0.3%)	18 (5.8%)							(n/a)	52.8			29.6					$14,027	$367	$13,660
Jericho Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	90 VT Route 15	Jericho	05465	Chittenden County	Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401	(n/a)	No	No	No	(802) 899-2272	420	24	17.5	15.5%	368 (87.6%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (6.4%)							(n/a)
Hiawatha Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	30 Hiawatha Avenue	Essex Junction	05452	Chittenden County	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D	(n/a)	No	No	No	(802) 878-1384	207	19	10.7	35.7%	152 (73.4%)	5 (2.4%)	6 (2.9%)	29 (14.0%)	1 (0.5%)	14 (6.8%)							(n/a)									$16,129	$422	$15,707
Williston Schools	Public	PK, KG-8	195 Central School Drive	Williston	05495	Chittenden County	Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 878-2762	937	75	12.5	20.6%	783 (83.6%)	30 (3.2%)	35 (3.7%)	54 (5.8%)	3 (0.3%)	32 (3.4%)	81.5	10^th of 113 public elementary schools	91.2%	77.8	26^th of 133 public elementary schools	80.5%	16	66.4	77.2		52.2	46.5		53.9	57.1	$11,879	$244	$11,635
Chamberlin School	Public	PK, KG-5	262 White Street	South Burlington	05403	Chittenden County	South Burlington School District	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 652-7400	480	27	17.9	30.6%	358 (74.6%)	34 (7.1%)	25 (5.2%)	22 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (8.5%)							(n/a)							66.7		$15,829	$287	$15,542
J. F. Kennedy Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	60 Normand Street	Winooski	05404	Chittenden County	Winooski Incorporated School District	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 655-0411	408	41	9.9	73.3%	178 (43.6%)	93 (22.8%)	24 (5.9%)	81 (19.9%)	2 (0.5%)	30 (7.4%)	26	95^th of 113 public elementary schools	15.9%	5.8	133^rd of 133 public elementary schools	0.0%	38	37.7			28.3			18.8		$14,354	$00	$14,354
Union Memorial School	Public	PK, KG-2	253 Main Street	Colchester	05446	Chittenden County	Colchester School District	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 264-5959	211	19	10.9	39.8%	159 (75.4%)	11 (5.2%)	7 (3.3%)	15 (7.1%)	2 (0.9%)	17 (8.1%)							(n/a)									$12,209	$00	$12,209

Frequently Asked Questions about Founders Memorial School

What is the racial makeup of Founders Memorial School?

Students at Founders Memorial School are 82% White, 8% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 4% Hispanic, 3% African American.

How many students attend Founders Memorial School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 351 students attended Founders Memorial School.

Is Founders Memorial School a good school?

Founders Memorial School ranks 20^th of 113 Vermont elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Founders Memorial School in?

Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D

What schools do graduates of Founders Memorial School attend?

Students who attend Founders Memorial School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Essex Middle School
High : Essex High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				VTCAP English Language Arts (2023)			VTCAP Mathematics (2023)			VTCAP Science (2023)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	VTCAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	VTCAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	VTCAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	VTCAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	VTCAP Mathematics 4th Grade	VTCAP Mathematics 5th Grade	VTCAP Science 5th Grade	VTCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Founders Memorial School	Public	3-5	33 Founders Road	Essex Junction	05452	Chittenden County	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D	(n/a)	No	No	No	(802) 879-6326	351	31	11.5	25.4%	287 (81.8%)	10 (2.8%)	13 (3.7%)	13 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.0%)	75.5	20^th of 113 public elementary schools	82.3%		70.9	35^th of 133 public elementary schools	73.7%	15	68.4	64.4	58.0	60.5	43.2	46.4	56.3		$11,214	$293	$10,921
Essex Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	1 Bixby Hill Road	Essex Junction	05452	Chittenden County	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D	(n/a)	No	No	No	(802) 878-2584	492	34	14.3	21.7%	399 (81.1%)	15 (3.0%)	27 (5.5%)	19 (3.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.1%)								(n/a)									$15,784	$413	$15,371
Thomas Fleming School	Public	4-5	21 Prospect Street	Essex Junction	05452	Chittenden County	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 878-1381	197	18	11.0	36.5%	157 (79.7%)	6 (3.0%)	8 (4.1%)	16 (8.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.6%)								(n/a)							53.7		$11,498	$301	$11,197
Summit Street School	Public	PK, KG-3	17 Summit Street	Essex Junction	05452	Chittenden County	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 878-1377	310	18	16.9	25.2%	229 (73.9%)	6 (1.9%)	15 (4.8%)	41 (13.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.8%)								(n/a)	52.8			29.6					$14,027	$367	$13,660
Jericho Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	90 VT Route 15	Jericho	05465	Chittenden County	Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401	(n/a)	No	No	No	(802) 899-2272	420	24	17.5	15.5%	368 (87.6%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.4%)								(n/a)
Hiawatha Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-3	30 Hiawatha Avenue	Essex Junction	05452	Chittenden County	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School D	(n/a)	No	No	No	(802) 878-1384	207	19	10.7	35.7%	152 (73.4%)	5 (2.4%)	6 (2.9%)	29 (14.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.8%)								(n/a)									$16,129	$422	$15,707
Williston Schools	Public	PK, KG-8	195 Central School Drive	Williston	05495	Chittenden County	Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 878-2762	937	75	12.5	20.6%	783 (83.6%)	30 (3.2%)	35 (3.7%)	54 (5.8%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (3.4%)	81.5	10^th of 113 public elementary schools	91.2%		77.8	26^th of 133 public elementary schools	80.5%	16	66.4	77.2		52.2	46.5		53.9	57.1	$11,879	$244	$11,635
Chamberlin School	Public	PK, KG-5	262 White Street	South Burlington	05403	Chittenden County	South Burlington School District	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 652-7400	480	27	17.9	30.6%	358 (74.6%)	34 (7.1%)	25 (5.2%)	22 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (8.5%)								(n/a)							66.7		$15,829	$287	$15,542
J. F. Kennedy Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	60 Normand Street	Winooski	05404	Chittenden County	Winooski Incorporated School District	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 655-0411	408	41	9.9	73.3%	178 (43.6%)	93 (22.8%)	24 (5.9%)	81 (19.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.4%)	26	95^th of 113 public elementary schools	15.9%		5.8	133^rd of 133 public elementary schools	0.0%	38	37.7			28.3			18.8		$14,354	$00	$14,354
Union Memorial School	Public	PK, KG-2	253 Main Street	Colchester	05446	Chittenden County	Colchester School District	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 264-5959	211	19	10.9	39.8%	159 (75.4%)	11 (5.2%)	7 (3.3%)	15 (7.1%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (8.1%)								(n/a)									$12,209	$00	$12,209