Pioneer Elementary School

Summary:

Pioneer Elementary School is a public magnet elementary school located in Gig Harbor, Washington, serving 506 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Peninsula School District, which is ranked 24th out of 247 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Pioneer Elementary consistently performs above the state and district averages in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math proficiency across all grade levels. In the 2023-2024 school year, 61.67% of students were proficient or better in ELA, and 61.14% in Math, compared to the state averages of 52.63% and 41.68%, respectively. The school's 5th-grade students particularly stand out, with 65.15% proficient or better in ELA and 42.42% in Math, outperforming the state and district. Pioneer Elementary also excels in Science, with 71.21% of 5th-grade students proficient or better in the WCAS exam.

While Pioneer Elementary has a predominantly White student population (78.06%), the school has seen a slight decrease in the percentage of White students over the past three years, suggesting a gradual increase in racial diversity. The school's higher percentage of students identifying as two or more races (10.47%) compared to the state average may also indicate a more diverse community. However, the performance gap between Pioneer Elementary's female and male students, as well as between its White/multi-racial students and special education/low-SES students, suggests the need for targeted interventions and support to ensure equitable outcomes for all students. When compared to nearby schools, such as Tacoma Online Elementary School and Skyline Elementary School, which lag behind in academic performance, Pioneer Elementary stands out as a high-performing elementary school within the Peninsula School District.


Detail:

Public, Magnet K-5

 8402 Skansie Ave
       Gig Harbor, WA  98332


(253) 530-3500

District: Peninsula School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
279th of 1,168 Washington Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,658 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  17.5 Help
Number of students:  506

Racial breakdown:

White:
78.1%
Two or more races:
10.5%
Hispanic:
7.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  13.4% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Pioneer Elementary School ranks better than 76.1% of elementary schools in Washington. It also ranks 7th among 10 ranked elementary schools in the Peninsula School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.33. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Pioneer Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Peninsula School District. Racial makeup is: White (78.1%), two or more races (10.5%), Hispanic (7.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 13.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pioneer Elementary School is 17.5, which is the highest among 10 elementary schools in the Peninsula School District! (See more...)
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Compare Pioneer Elementary School employs 28.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pioneer Elementary School is $16,658, which is the lowest among 10 elementary schools in the Peninsula School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Pioneer Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Pioneer Elementary School 279th of 1168 Washington public elementary schools. (See Pioneer Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Peninsula School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Peninsula School District 24th of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Pioneer Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Pioneer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 82.92 177th 1107 84.0%
2022 77.41 250th 1169 78.6%
2023 81.36 206th 1169 82.4%
2024 74.33 279th 1168 76.1%
See the entire list of Washington Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Pioneer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 58.07 79th 194 59.3%
2024 52.20 89th 188 52.7%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Pioneer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 56.65 148th 478 69.0%
2023 59.81 95th 308 69.2%
2024 45.73 185th 339 45.4%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 60.40 363rd 1024 64.6%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Pioneer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 72.03 244th 1008 75.8%
2022 67.18 332nd 1100 69.8%
2023 77.52 218th 1094 80.1%
2024 76.25 234th 1093 78.6%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Pioneer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 86.32 136th 1025 86.7%
2022 82.34 180th 1113 83.8%
2023 81.85 180th 1099 83.6%
2024 70.83 297th 1099 73.0%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Pioneer Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 76.53 195th 943 79.3%
2022 67.38 321st 1031 68.9%
2023 70.89 288th 1011 71.5%
2024 60.87 384th 1009 61.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction, 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.

Pioneer Elementary School Test Scores
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Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
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100%

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Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, March 5, 2022

Open Quote Pioneer is the most sought after school in the district with there being a lottery to get your kid in there. Their specialty classes are art & tinkering, innovation, music & PE which rotate on a weekly basis. So yes your kid has PE for a week straight.
I suppose this school is great for your typical child but if your child has any behavioral or academic challenges I highly recommend hiring an educational advocate to help you navigate the IEP process. Don’t make the mistake I did by not hiring one, I didn’t know any better.
I was told by my child’s new school that their IEP from Pioneer was one of the most poorly written IEP’s that they’ve ever seen. Not a single educational goal, only behavioral but as soon as the IEP was signed all communication which was great in the beginning cut down to minimal. Next thing I find out my child was spending quite a bit of time with the special ed teacher even though there was NO educational goal nor was this written into their IEP. They only reached out once bribing my child with candy & edible treats was no longer working for them. Not acceptable to be loading my child up with dyes, sugars & toxins and it’s no wonder things were on the decline. They had a wonderful speech therapist but she went out on a year long maternity leave so they only have a virtual therapist now for the kids.
I will add that the school counselor Mr Sullivan is a saint and the school is very lucky to have him. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Pioneer Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2021 246 3 10 18 1 0 29 0 307
2022 333 5 10 27 1 0 40 0 416
2023 395 2 16 39 1 0 53 0 506

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 Elementary School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2021 307 20.0 15.3 11.4
2022 416 27.6 15.0 9.6
2023 506 28.8 17.5 13.4

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 Pioneer Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2021 307 20.0 15.3 11.4
2022 416 27.6 15.0 9.6
2023 506 28.8 17.5 13.4

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates

Pioneer Elementary School

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YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionConditionalPersonal ExemptionPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaPertussisTetanus
202198.2%1.8%0.0%0.0%1.8%98.2%98.2%98.2%98.2%98.2%100.0%98.2%98.2%98.2%
202296.0%2.7%1.3%0.0%0.0%97.3%98.7%98.7%98.7%97.3%96.0%98.7%97.3%97.3%
202395.2%0.0%1.2%0.0%2.4%98.8%96.4%96.4%96.4%100.0%97.6%96.4%100.0%100.0%
202495.0%1.3%1.3%1.3%0.0%98.8%97.5%97.5%97.5%98.8%100.0%95.0%98.8%98.8%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Pioneer Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2021 $142 (1.0%) $14,694 (99.0%) $14,836
2022 $386 (2.3%) $16,272 (97.7%) $16,658

Data source: Washington Department of Education


Schools Near Pioneer Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Pioneer Elementary School

Students at Pioneer Elementary School are 78% White, 10% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic, 3% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 506 students attended Pioneer Elementary School.

Pioneer Elementary School ranks 279th of 1168 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 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, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

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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