Prairie Elementary

Summary:

Prairie Elementary is a public elementary school located in Waukesha, Wisconsin, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 345 students. It is part of the Waukesha School District, which is ranked 198 out of 428 school districts in Wisconsin and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Prairie Elementary consistently ranks among the top 20-25% of Wisconsin elementary schools in terms of academic performance, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger in the 2023-2024 and 2021-2022 school years. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics are significantly higher than the Waukesha School District and Wisconsin state averages, particularly in 3rd and 4th grades. Additionally, Prairie Elementary's 4th-grade students outperform their peers in the district and state in Social Studies and Science. The school's female and male students, as well as its Hispanic and White student populations, all perform exceptionally well, ranking in the top 10-20% and top 20-25% of Wisconsin elementary schools, respectively. However, the school's performance for Special Education and Low Socioeconomic Status students is more average, ranking in the middle 50% of Wisconsin elementary schools.

Prairie Elementary generally outperforms the nearby schools in the Waukesha School District, such as White Rock School, Summit View Elementary, and Rose Glen Elementary, which also demonstrate strong academic performance. However, some nearby schools, such as Heyer Elementary, Bethesda Elementary, Lowell Elementary, Hadfield Elementary, and La Casa de Esperanza Charter School, have lower academic performance and higher rates of chronic absenteeism compared to Prairie Elementary.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1801 Center Rd
       Waukesha, WI  53189-7399


(262) 970-2205

District: Waukesha School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
190th of 1,061 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,719 Help


Students who attend Prairie Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Les Paul Middle
High:    West High

Student/teacher ratio:  12.8 Help
Number of students:  326

Racial breakdown:

White:
69.3%
Hispanic:
14.1%
Two or more races:
8.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  28.2% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Prairie Elementary ranks better than 82.1% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks 5th among 14 ranked elementary schools in the Waukesha School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 77.83. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (69.3%), Hispanic (14.1%), two or more races (8.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 28.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Prairie Elementary is 12.8, which is the 5th best among 14 elementary schools in the Waukesha School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Prairie Elementary employs 25.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Prairie Elementary is $10,719. 9 elementary schools in the Waukesha School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Prairie Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Prairie Elementary 190th of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See Prairie Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Waukesha School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Waukesha School District 198th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Prairie Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 43.93 430th 633 32.1%
2005 67.82 239th 632 62.2%
2006 52.90 434th 712 39.0%
2007 57.75 372nd 689 46.0%
2008 37.34 789th 1021 22.7%
2009 43.91 724th 1030 29.7%
2010 38.00 788th 1045 24.6%
2011 43.84 762nd 1046 27.2%
2012 51.05 661st 1045 36.7%
2013 44.04 713th 1053 32.3%
2014 42.05 739th 1061 30.3%
2015 54.60 566th 1076 47.4%
2016 44.35 669th 1075 37.8%
2017 53.47 536th 1071 50.0%
2018 52.29 546th 1025 46.7%
2019 54.21 510th 1037 50.8%
2021 64.37 362nd 1050 65.5%
2022 74.41 227th 1067 78.7%
2023 60.23 453rd 1067 57.5%
2024 77.83 190th 1061 82.1%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.82 385th 721 46.6%
2019 53.71 286th 742 61.5%
2022 50.30 322nd 748 57.0%
2023 56.11 280th 770 63.6%
2024 48.43 379th 790 52.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.74 574th 854 32.8%
2019 40.37 560th 874 35.9%
2021 51.90 380th 847 55.1%
2022 63.85 252nd 859 70.7%
2023 50.74 425th 871 51.2%
2024 46.69 493rd 866 43.1%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.71 392nd 997 60.7%
2019 52.63 525th 1002 47.6%
2021 56.77 451st 1004 55.1%
2022 70.82 266th 1017 73.8%
2023 57.67 460th 1010 54.5%
2024 78.37 166th 1011 83.6%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.24 642nd 997 35.6%
2019 51.85 518th 1002 48.3%
2021 67.82 283rd 1003 71.8%
2022 74.67 209th 1017 79.4%
2023 62.23 395th 1011 60.9%
2024 73.76 235th 1012 76.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 76.04 39th 274 85.8%
2024 70.94 76th 331 77.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Prairie Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.90 344th 686 49.9%
2019 50.58 367th 718 48.9%
2021 61.89 245th 699 64.9%
2022 66.65 204th 704 71.0%
2023 52.85 348th 715 51.3%
2024 71.33 180th 727 75.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department 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.

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





Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Prairie Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 444 3 4 6 3 n/a n/a 0 460
1989 425 1 4 12 3 n/a n/a 0 445
1990 428 0 2 7 7 n/a n/a 0 444
1991 432 2 3 7 10 n/a n/a 0 454
1992 445 5 2 11 2 n/a n/a 0 465
1993 450 3 2 13 6 n/a n/a 0 474
1994 407 3 2 13 12 n/a n/a 0 437
1995 397 2 5 15 10 n/a n/a 0 429
1996 397 2 5 15 10 n/a n/a 0 429
1997 363 1 6 19 10 n/a n/a 0 399
1998 336 2 7 18 12 n/a n/a 0 375
1999 285 3 9 14 7 n/a n/a 0 318
2000 322 5 9 18 4 n/a n/a 0 358
2001 321 3 12 13 4 n/a n/a 0 353
2002 321 10 13 23 1 n/a n/a 0 368
2003 321 10 13 23 1 n/a n/a 0 368
2004 319 11 11 25 1 n/a n/a 0 367
2005 352 22 13 34 1 n/a n/a 0 422
2006 337 12 11 43 1 n/a n/a 0 404
2007 347 16 12 34 1 n/a n/a 0 410
2008 372 33 13 33 2 n/a n/a 0 453
2009 369 30 11 34 1 n/a n/a 0 445
2010 409 39 13 37 1 n/a n/a 0 499
2011 307 24 12 44 2 0 8 0 397
2012 288 19 7 53 2 0 13 0 382
2013 349 25 9 51 1 1 13 0 449
2014 285 20 9 45 1 1 18 0 379
2015 285 25 9 32 3 1 1 0 356
2016 252 17 8 35 1 1 10 0 324
2017 253 20 4 32 1 1 13 0 324
2018 227 19 5 33 0 1 15 0 300
2019 204 18 4 32 0 1 12 0 271
2020 219 19 5 33 0 1 21 0 298
2021 221 12 11 38 0 1 19 0 302
2022 215 20 12 39 1 1 26 0 314
2023 230 30 13 44 0 0 28 0 345
2024 226 13 12 46 0 0 29 0 326

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 Prairie Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 460 24.5 18.7 0
1989 445 23.0 19.3 0
1990 444 21.5 20.6 0
1991 454 21.4 21.2 0
1992 465 25.1 18.5 n/a
1993 474 27.1 17.5 0
1994 437 22.0 19.9 0
1995 429 23.2 18.5 8.6
1996 429 23.2 18.5 8.6
1997 399 21.7 18.4 8.8
1998 375 21.7 17.3 8.5
1999 318 19.7 16.1 12.6
2000 358 20.3 17.6 11.7
2001 353 21.6 16.3 13
2002 368 22.9 16.1 23.4
2003 368 22.9 16.1 23.4
2004 367 22.3 16.5 24.8
2005 422 25.6 16.5 n/a
2006 404 23.3 17.3 n/a
2007 410 24.5 16.7 23.4
2008 453 25.8 17.6 24.5
2009 445 26.3 16.9 27.9
2010 499 26.5 18.8 26.1
2011 397 22.0 18.0 34
2012 382 22.8 16.7 29.1
2013 449 24.8 18.0 31
2014 379 23.0 16.4 36.1
2015 356 n/a n/a 36
2016 324 22.0 14.7 34.3
2017 324 22.9 14.1 30.9
2018 300 18.6 16.0 27.7
2019 271 19.2 14.0 33.6
2020 298 20.6 14.4 30.9
2021 302 23.1 13.0 32.1
2022 314 22.8 13.7 31.8
2023 345 26.9 12.7 30.7
2024 326 25.4 12.8 28.2

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 Prairie Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 460 24.5 18.7 0
1989 445 23.0 19.3 0
1990 444 21.5 20.6 0
1991 454 21.4 21.2 0
1992 465 25.1 18.5 n/a
1993 474 27.1 17.5 0
1994 437 22.0 19.9 0
1995 429 23.2 18.5 8.6
1996 429 23.2 18.5 8.6
1997 399 21.7 18.4 8.8
1998 375 21.7 17.3 8.5
1999 318 19.7 16.1 12.6
2000 358 20.3 17.6 11.7
2001 353 21.6 16.3 13
2002 368 22.9 16.1 23.4
2003 368 22.9 16.1 23.4
2004 367 22.3 16.5 24.8
2005 422 25.6 16.5 n/a
2006 404 23.3 17.3 n/a
2007 410 24.5 16.7 23.4
2008 453 25.8 17.6 24.5
2009 445 26.3 16.9 27.9
2010 499 26.5 18.8 26.1
2011 397 22.0 18.0 34
2012 382 22.8 16.7 29.1
2013 449 24.8 18.0 31
2014 379 23.0 16.4 36.1
2015 356 n/a n/a 36
2016 324 22.0 14.7 34.3
2017 324 22.9 14.1 30.9
2018 300 18.6 16.0 27.7
2019 271 19.2 14.0 33.6
2020 298 20.6 14.4 30.9
2021 302 23.1 13.0 32.1
2022 314 22.8 13.7 31.8
2023 345 26.9 12.7 30.7
2024 326 25.4 12.8 28.2

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 Prairie Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $244 (1.9%) $12,717 (98.1%) $12,959
2020 $404 (3.7%) $10,394 (96.3%) $10,798
2021 $565 (5.3%) $10,154 (94.7%) $10,719

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Prairie 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 510th of 1037 Elementary schoolsRanks 453rd of 1067 Elementary schools
 6.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Prairie Elementary)68.163.8
 4.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Waukesha School District)41.240.9
 0.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)39.537.9
 1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Prairie Elementary)59.680.9
 21.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Waukesha School District)53.555
 1.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)50.548.8
 1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Prairie Elementary)26.830.3
 3.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Waukesha School District)45.649.4
 3.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)43.945.8
 1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Prairie Elementary)41.548.5
 7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Waukesha School District)50.153.3
 3.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)46.246.5
 0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (Prairie Elementary)3951.5
 12.5%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Waukesha School District)52.163.4
 11.4%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)53.459.7
 6.4%
4th Grade Science (Prairie Elementary)46.336.4
 10%
   4th Grade Science (Waukesha School District)52.954.2
 1.2%
   4th Grade Science (Wisconsin)53.952.1
 1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Prairie Elementary)55.640
 15.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Waukesha School District)4446.3
 2.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)40.939.2
 1.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Prairie Elementary)53.355.6
 2.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Waukesha School District)55.552.6
 3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)47.848.4
 0.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students271345
 27.3%
African American1830
 66.7%
American Indian00
Asian413
 225%
Hispanic3244
 37.5%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White204230
 12.7%
Two or More Races1228
 133.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients33.6%30.7%
 2.9%


Schools Near Prairie Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Prairie Elementary

Students at Prairie Elementary are 69% White, 14% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 4% African American, 4% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 326 students attended Prairie Elementary.

Prairie Elementary ranks 190th of 1061 Wisconsin elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Prairie Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Les Paul Middle
High : West High


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