PODER Academy

Summary:

PODER Academy is a high-performing public charter elementary school serving grades K-6 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with a total enrollment of 194 students. This exceptional school consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, maintaining a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and significantly outperforming the Laramie County School District #1 and the state averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics.

PODER Academy's academic excellence is particularly noteworthy, with the school ranking between 2nd and 6th place in the state over the past several years. The school's performance is exceptional across various student subgroups, ranking 1st in the state for Hispanic students and Special Education students, and 1st or 4th for Male students. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 65.5% of 3rd graders, 64.3% of 4th graders, and 93.1% of 5th graders scored proficient or better in English Language Arts, significantly outpacing the district averages of 49.5%, 44.3%, and 50.4%, respectively.

When compared to other elementary schools in the same district, PODER Academy stands out as a true model of excellence. For instance, the school's 3rd grade English Language Arts proficiency rate of 65.5% in 2023-2024 was significantly higher than the next highest-performing school in the district, Pioneer Park Elementary, at 76.7%, and much higher than other nearby schools like Hobbs Elementary (51.2%) and Goins Elementary (14.6%). This consistent high performance, coupled with the school's ability to effectively serve a diverse student population, makes PODER Academy a true standout in public education.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-6

2201 Morrie Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82001

(307) 632-2248

District: Laramie County School District #1

SchoolDigger Rank:
4^th of 147 Wyoming Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,153

Student/teacher ratio: 20.5

Number of students: 194

Racial breakdown:

White:

48.5%

Hispanic:

36.1%

Two or more races:

8.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 41.8%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details PODER Academy ranks better than 97.3% of elementary schools in Wyoming. It also ranks first among 24 ranked elementary schools in the Laramie County School District #1! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 91.74. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (48.5%), Hispanic (36.1%), two or more races (8.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 41.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at PODER Academy is 20.5, which is the highest among 28 elementary schools in the Laramie County School District #1! (See more...)

Compare PODER Academy employs 9.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at PODER Academy is $11,153, which is the lowest among 28 elementary schools in the Laramie County School District #1!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

PODER Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks PODER Academy 4^th of 147 Wyoming public elementary schools. (See PODER Academy 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:

Laramie County School District #1:

SchoolDigger ranks Laramie County School District #1 29^th of 42 Wyoming school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for PODER Academy

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Rank History for all students at PODER Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WY State Percentile
2015	93.03	2^nd	154	98.7%
2016	90.30	5^th	148	96.6%
2017	81.41	16^th	151	89.4%
2018	89.46	9^th	147	93.9%
2019	90.60	6^th	153	96.1%
2021	90.10	5^th	153	96.7%
2022	95.65	2^nd	144	98.6%
2023	94.83	2^nd	146	98.6%
2024	91.74	4^th	147	97.3%

See the entire list of Wyoming Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at PODER Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WY State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	85.22	3^rd	71	95.8%
2024	94.36	1^st	84	98.8%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at PODER Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WY State Percentile
2019	95.85	2^nd	132	98.5%
2021	79.86	9^th	119	92.4%
2023	96.04	1^st	115	99.1%
2024	87.67	7^th	122	94.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at PODER Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WY State Percentile
2018	91.26	2^nd	125	98.4%
2019	89.99	4^th	136	97.1%
2022	73.58	22^nd	126	82.5%
2023	73.50	27^th	129	79.1%
2024	83.88	9^th	125	92.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at PODER Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WY State Percentile
2018	84.21	11^th	126	91.3%
2019	85.14	12^th	138	91.3%
2021	95.92	2^nd	134	98.5%
2023	93.98	1^st	132	99.2%
2024	88.52	4^th	130	96.9%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at PODER Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WY State Percentile
2018	89.51	2^nd	70	97.1%
2019	85.37	4^th	75	94.7%
2023	95.09	1^st	55	98.2%
2024	94.71	1^st	63	98.4%

See the entire list of Best Wyoming Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at PODER Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WY State Percentile
2018	84.37	12^th	103	88.3%
2019	88.79	10^th	120	91.7%
2021	75.89	23^rd	113	79.6%
2023	80.23	19^th	101	81.2%
2024	89.12	3^rd	105	97.1%

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

Data source: test scores: Wyoming Department 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: Wyoming Department of Education

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Enrollment information for PODER Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2013	58	12	0	30	2	1	0	103
2014	98	18	2	45	0	0	3	166
2015	87	16	0	63	0	0	6	172
2016	106	11	0	53	1	0	4	175
2017	105	4	1	55	0	0	4	169
2018	106	2	1	51	1	2	11	174
2019	96	2	2	51	0	1	14	166
2020	95	1	3	45	0	1	20	165
2021	95	2	2	55	0	1	15	170
2022	82	4	3	57	0	0	17	163
2023	94	4	5	70	5	0	16	194

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 PODER Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	103	n/a	n/a	75.7
2014	166	7.0	23.7	72.9
2015	172	7.0	24.5	61.6
2016	175	8.0	21.8	50.9
2017	169	5.9	28.5	60.9
2018	174	8.2	21.0	47.1
2019	166	8.2	20.1	44
2020	165	8.1	20.2	40.6
2021	170	7.7	21.9	45.9
2022	163	8.0	20.3	28.2
2023	194	9.4	20.5	41.8

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 PODER Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	103	n/a	n/a	75.7
2014	166	7.0	23.7	72.9
2015	172	7.0	24.5	61.6
2016	175	8.0	21.8	50.9
2017	169	5.9	28.5	60.9
2018	174	8.2	21.0	47.1
2019	166	8.2	20.1	44
2020	165	8.1	20.2	40.6
2021	170	7.7	21.9	45.9
2022	163	8.0	20.3	28.2
2023	194	9.4	20.5	41.8

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 PODER Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$678 (5.3%)	$12,185 (94.7%)	$12,863
2020	$908 (7.8%)	$10,803 (92.2%)	$11,711
2021	$648 (5.4%)	$11,350 (94.6%)	$11,998
2023	$892 (8.0%)	$10,261 (92.0%)	$11,153

Data source: Wyoming Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on PODER Academy

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 6^th of 153 Elementary schools	Ranks 2^nd of 146 Elementary schools	2.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (PODER Academy)	75	86.2	11.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Laramie County School District #1)	50.4	41.6	8.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wyoming)	54.8	48.3	6.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (PODER Academy)	71.9	79.3	7.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Laramie County School District #1)	41.5	43.7	2.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Wyoming)	53.5	53.5
4th Grade English Language Arts (PODER Academy)	66.7	65.2	1.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Laramie County School District #1)	43.4	39.2	4.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Wyoming)	49.1	45.5	3.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (PODER Academy)	77.8	77.3	0.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Laramie County School District #1)	38.8	41.9	3.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Wyoming)	53	51.1	1.9%
4th Grade Science (PODER Academy)	72.2	86.4	14.2%
4th Grade Science (Laramie County School District #1)	45.9	41.3	4.6%
4th Grade Science (Wyoming)	52	50.2	1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (PODER Academy)	87.5	93.1	5.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Laramie County School District #1)	52.2	48.3	3.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Wyoming)	55.6	54.9	0.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	166	194	16.9%
African American	2	4	100%
American Indian	0	5
Asian	2	5	150%
Hispanic	51	70	37.3%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	96	94	2.1%
Two or More Races	14	16	14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	44%	41.8%	2.2%

Schools Near PODER Academy

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				WY-TOPP English Language Arts (2024)				WY-TOPP Mathematics (2024)				WY-TOPP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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	WY-TOPP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	WY-TOPP English Language Arts 4th Grade	WY-TOPP English Language Arts 5th Grade	WY-TOPP English Language Arts 6th Grade	WY-TOPP Mathematics 3rd Grade	WY-TOPP Mathematics 4th Grade	WY-TOPP Mathematics 5th Grade	WY-TOPP Mathematics 6th Grade	WY-TOPP Science 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
PODER Academy	Public, Charter	K-6	2201 Morrie Avenue	Cheyenne	82001	Laramie County	Laramie County School District #1	Yes	(n/a)	No	No	(307) 632-2248	194	9	20.5	41.8%	94 (48.5%)	4 (2.1%)	70 (36.1%)	5 (2.6%)	5 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (8.2%)	91.7	4^th of 147 public elementary schools	97.3%		94.8	2^nd of 146 public elementary schools	98.6%	2	65.5	64.3	93.1		89.7	82.1	82.8		82.1	$11,153	$892	$10,261
Alta Vista Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1514 East 16th Street	Cheyenne	82001	Laramie County	Laramie County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(307) 771-2310	228	24	9.3	68.0%	132 (57.9%)	3 (1.3%)	69 (30.3%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.9%)	3 (1.3%)	18 (7.9%)	27.4	120^th of 147 public elementary schools	18.4%		13.2	134^th of 146 public elementary schools	8.2%	14	46.9	37.8	29.6	54.8	39.4	37.8	34.5	61.3	35.1	$26,919	$7,449	$19,470
Hebard Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	413 Seymour Avenue	Cheyenne	82007	Laramie County	Laramie County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(307) 771-2450	129	15	8.4	72.1%	68 (52.7%)	1 (0.8%)	55 (42.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.3%)	26.4	121^st of 147 public elementary schools	17.7%		11.5	137^th of 146 public elementary schools	6.2%	16	56.3	13.3	14.3	75.0	37.5	13.3	13.3	58.3	26.7	$24,741	$5,300	$19,441
Deming Elementary	Public	PK, KG-3	715 West 5th Ave	Cheyenne	82001	Laramie County	Laramie County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	No	(307) 771-2400	88	8	10.8	26.1%	64 (72.7%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (23.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	2 (2.3%)								(n/a)	55.0				50.0					$24,461	$2,459	$22,002
Cole Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	615 West 9th Street	Cheyenne	82007	Laramie County	Laramie County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(307) 771-2480	172	18	9.4	64.5%	82 (47.7%)	3 (1.7%)	69 (40.1%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	4 (2.3%)	12 (7.0%)	9.3	142^nd of 147 public elementary schools	3.4%		13.4	133^rd of 146 public elementary schools	8.9%	9	32.0	31.8	50.0	28.6	24.0	13.6	25.0	28.6	18.2	$23,811	$5,168	$18,643
Henderson Elementary	Public	K-6	2820 Henderson Drive	Cheyenne	82001	Laramie County	Laramie County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(307) 771-2550	274	21	13.0	51.5%	180 (65.7%)	4 (1.5%)	77 (28.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.4%)	18.1	129^th of 147 public elementary schools	12.2%		25.1	124^th of 146 public elementary schools	15.1%	5	33.3	35.7	34.2	51.1	24.4	32.1	22.0	53.3	35.7	$16,552	$2,712	$13,840
Fairview Elementary	Public	3-6	2801 East 10th Street	Cheyenne	82001	Laramie County	Laramie County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(307) 771-2610	88	8	10.3	53.4%	56 (63.6%)	6 (6.8%)	18 (20.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	7 (8.0%)	20	127^th of 147 public elementary schools	13.6%		18.9	128^th of 146 public elementary schools	12.3%	1	25.9	19.2	42.1	70.0	18.5	11.5	31.6	55.0	23.1	$23,736	$4,181	$19,555
Pioneer Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1407 Cosgriff Court	Cheyenne	82001	Laramie County	Laramie County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	No	(307) 771-2316	373	26	14.4	30.8%	277 (74.3%)	5 (1.3%)	57 (15.3%)	3 (0.8%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.2%)	85.7	12^th of 147 public elementary schools	91.8%		81.9	19^th of 146 public elementary schools	87.0%	7	76.7	59.0	78.7	80.9	71.7	67.2	75.0	72.3	72.1	$15,517	$1,725	$13,793
Lebhart Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	807 Coolidge Street	Cheyenne	82001	Laramie County	Laramie County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(307) 771-2614	106	8	13.0	66.0%	70 (66.0%)	4 (3.8%)	23 (21.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	1 (0.9%)	7 (6.6%)								(n/a)										$20,550	$4,813	$15,738
Hobbs Elementary	Public	K-6	5710 Syracuse Road	Cheyenne	82009	Laramie County	Laramie County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	No	(307) 771-2560	316	20	15.5	17.4%	242 (76.6%)	2 (0.6%)	48 (15.2%)	4 (1.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.7%)	50.2	83^rd of 147 public elementary schools	43.5%		40.3	98^th of 146 public elementary schools	32.9%	15	51.2	52.2	49.0	80.0	42.9	43.5	38.9	71.1	56.5	$15,331	$1,453	$13,878

Frequently Asked Questions about PODER Academy

What district is PODER Academy in?

Laramie County School District #1

Is PODER Academy a good school?

Yes! PODER Academy is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 4^th of 147 Wyoming elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of PODER Academy?

Students at PODER Academy are 48% White, 36% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 3% American Indian, 2% African American.

How many students attend PODER Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 194 students attended PODER Academy.

Rate PODER Academy!

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