Pioneer Elementary School

Q: Is Pioneer Elementary School a good school?

Pioneer Elementary School ranks 279 th of 1168 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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:
279^th of 1,168 Washington Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,658

Student/teacher ratio: 17.5

Number of students: 506

Racial breakdown:

White:

78.1%

Two or more races:

10.5%

Hispanic:

7.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 13.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Pioneer Elementary School ranks better than 76.1% of elementary schools in Washington. It also ranks 7^th among 10 ranked elementary schools in the Peninsula School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.33. (See more...)

Student Body

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...)

Compare Details 13.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

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...)

Compare Pioneer Elementary School employs 28.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

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 279^th 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 24^th of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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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
2021	82.92	177^th	1107	84.0%
2022	77.41	250^th	1169	78.6%
2023	81.36	206^th	1169	82.4%
2024	74.33	279^th	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	79^th	194	59.3%
2024	52.20	89^th	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
2022	56.65	148^th	478	69.0%
2023	59.81	95^th	308	69.2%
2024	45.73	185^th	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	363^rd	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
2021	72.03	244^th	1008	75.8%
2022	67.18	332^nd	1100	69.8%
2023	77.52	218^th	1094	80.1%
2024	76.25	234^th	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
2021	86.32	136^th	1025	86.7%
2022	82.34	180^th	1113	83.8%
2023	81.85	180^th	1099	83.6%
2024	70.83	297^th	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
2021	76.53	195^th	943	79.3%
2022	67.38	321^st	1031	68.9%
2023	70.89	288^th	1011	71.5%
2024	60.87	384^th	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.

Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, March 5, 2022

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	Two or More Races	Total
2021	246	3	10	18	1	29	307
2022	333	5	10	27	1	40	416
2023	395	2	16	39	1	53	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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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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Year	Completely Immunized	Religious Exemption	Medical Exemption	Conditional	Personal Exemption	Polio	Measles	Mumps	Rubella	Diphtheria	Hepatitis B	Varicella	Pertussis	Tetanus
2021	98.2%	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%
2022	96.0%	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%
2023	95.2%	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%
2024	95.0%	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

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total 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

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				WCAS Science (2024)		SBAC English Language Arts (2024)				SBAC Math (2024)				% Completely Immunized (2024)	% Polio (2024)	% Measles (2024)	% Mumps (2024)	% Rubella (2024)	% Diphtheria (2024)	% Hepatitis B (2024)	% Varicella (2024)	% Pertussis (2024)	% Tetanus (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	WCAS Science 5th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts All Grades	SBAC Math 3rd Grade	SBAC Math 4th Grade	SBAC Math 5th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	% Completely Immunized KG	% Polio KG	% Measles KG	% Mumps KG	% Rubella KG	% Diphtheria KG	% Hepatitis B KG	% Varicella KG	% Pertussis KG	% Tetanus KG	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Pioneer Elementary School	Public, Magnet	K-5	8402 Skansie Ave	Gig Harbor	98332	Pierce County	Peninsula School District	No	Yes	No	No	(253) 530-3500	506	29	17.5	13.4%	395 (78.1%)	2 (0.4%)	39 (7.7%)	16 (3.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (10.5%)	74.3	279^th of 1168 public elementary schools	76.1%		81.4	206^th of 1169 public elementary schools	82.4%	73	71.2	71.2	56.8	63.8	65.2	61.7	69.9	67.5	42.4	61.1	95.0	98.8	97.5	97.5	97.5	98.8	100.0	95.0	98.8	98.8	$16,658	$386	$16,272
Discovery Elementary School	Public	K-5	4905 Rosedale St NW	Gig Harbor	98335	Pierce County	Peninsula School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 530-1200	316	22	14.6	21.8%	247 (78.2%)	3 (0.9%)	35 (11.1%)	6 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.9%)	89.3	120^th of 1168 public elementary schools	89.7%		80.6	215^th of 1169 public elementary schools	81.6%	95	87.5	87.5	61.8	73.1	82.1	72.5	70.9	70.2	75.0	71.9	92.9	95.2	97.6	97.6	97.6	95.2	95.2	95.2	95.2	95.2	$19,263	$2,646	$16,618
Swift Water Elementary	Public	K-5	10811 Harbor Hill Drive	Gig Harbor	98332	Pierce County	Peninsula School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 530-4900	473	28	16.6	14.8%	338 (71.5%)	4 (0.8%)	42 (8.9%)	23 (4.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (13.3%)	84.5	168^th of 1168 public elementary schools	85.6%		87	144^th of 1169 public elementary schools	87.7%	24	79.8	79.8	61.5	67.5	82.5	70.6	57.7	68.8	77.2	67.9	92.0	93.0	93.0	93.0	93.0	93.0	96.0	93.0	93.0	93.0	$16,914	$652	$16,262
Artondale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6219 40th Street NW	Gig Harbor	98335	Pierce County	Peninsula School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 530-1100	402	24	16.8	20.1%	322 (80.1%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (11.9%)	77.3	249^th of 1168 public elementary schools	78.7%		88.3	129^th of 1169 public elementary schools	89.0%	120	67.2	67.2	69.2	76.8	62.5	69.7	66.7	68.1	43.8	59.2	94.1	96.1	98.0	98.0	98.0	94.1	96.1	96.1	94.1	94.1	$17,920	$689	$17,231
Harbor Heights Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4002 36th St NW	Gig Harbor	98335	Pierce County	Peninsula School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 530-1800	433	26	16.4	19.9%	295 (68.1%)	3 (0.7%)	61 (14.1%)	12 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (13.9%)	88.4	126^th of 1168 public elementary schools	89.2%		87.3	139^th of 1169 public elementary schools	88.1%	13	69.0	69.0	79.6	79.7	74.7	77.8	81.5	88.4	53.5	73.7	93.4	93.4	93.4	93.4	93.4	93.4	95.1	93.4	93.4	93.4	$18,512	$828	$17,685
Purdy Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	13815 62nd Ave NW	Gig Harbor	98332	Pierce County	Peninsula School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 530-4600	484	31	15.7	21.7%	383 (79.1%)	3 (0.6%)	41 (8.5%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (10.7%)	90.4	107^th of 1168 public elementary schools	90.8%		84.1	176^th of 1169 public elementary schools	84.9%	69	77.3	77.3	75.0	79.8	73.2	76.1	76.2	76.0	65.0	72.2	90.6	90.6	93.8	93.8	93.8	90.6	93.8	90.6	90.6	90.6	$18,964	$1,072	$17,892
Voyager Elementary	Public	K-5	10615 Kopachuck Dr NW	Gig Harbor	98335	Pierce County	Peninsula School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 530-4800	457	29	15.8	12.7%	356 (77.9%)	3 (0.7%)	34 (7.4%)	18 (3.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (9.6%)	86.4	150^th of 1168 public elementary schools	87.2%		84.1	175^th of 1169 public elementary schools	85.0%	25	86.4	86.4	62.2	72.6	81.3	72.3	62.2	65.5	74.1	67.4	90.2	91.8	93.4	93.4	93.4	90.2	93.4	93.4	90.2	90.2	$17,151	$1,369	$15,782
Minter Creek Elementary	Public	K-5	12617 118th Ave NW	Gig Harbor	98329	Pierce County	Peninsula School District	No	No	No	Yes	(253) 530-4300	270	19	14.2	36.3%	215 (79.6%)	4 (1.5%)	16 (5.9%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (11.9%)	63.7	399^th of 1168 public elementary schools	65.8%		40.1	688^th of 1169 public elementary schools	41.1%	289	63.5	63.5	63.8	48.9	57.7	56.9	66.0	51.1	44.2	53.4	82.5	87.5	90.0	90.0	90.0	85.0	90.0	87.5	85.0	85.0	$19,537	$3,366	$16,172
Point Defiance Elementary School	Public	K-5	4330 N Visscher St	Tacoma	98407	Pierce County	Tacoma School District	No	No	No	No	(253) 571-6900	333	21	16.2	26.4%	222 (66.7%)	12 (3.6%)	29 (8.7%)	22 (6.6%)	5 (1.5%)	4 (1.2%)	39 (11.7%)	78.3	237^th of 1168 public elementary schools	79.7%		69.1	335^th of 1169 public elementary schools	71.3%	98	64.8	64.8	67.4	68.5	72.2	69.5	65.2	63.0	51.9	59.7	88.9	88.9	97.2	97.2	97.2	91.7	91.7	97.2	91.7	91.7	$18,641	$1,031	$17,609
Tacoma Online Elementary School	Public, Virtual	K-5	6501 N.23rd St.	Tacoma	98406	Pierce County	Tacoma School District	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(253) 571-1545	215	18	12.2	70.7%	70 (32.6%)	32 (14.9%)	34 (15.8%)	16 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (10.2%)	41 (19.1%)	38.8	696^th of 1168 public elementary schools	40.4%		29.9	830^th of 1169 public elementary schools	29.0%	134	45.5	45.5		55.6	45.5	44.0		44.4	27.3	32.0	71.4	76.2	76.2	76.2	76.2	76.2	76.2	76.2	76.2	76.2

Frequently Asked Questions about Pioneer Elementary School

What district is Pioneer Elementary School in?

Peninsula School District

Is Pioneer Elementary School a good school?

Pioneer Elementary School ranks 279^th of 1168 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Pioneer Elementary School?

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

What is the racial makeup of Pioneer Elementary School?

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

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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.