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Teacher quality
Principal leadership
Parent involvement
My daughter got an excellent education at this school. She has Mrs. Riley, Mrs. Wisneski, and Mrs. Reade. They were very caring and great teachers. My daughter loved going to school there.
—Submitted by a parent
My first year here I was horrified with the quality teacher we had for our son in second grade. Mrs. Wisneski. She was terrible. So many of the children that we saw in her class we saw repeat second grade a long with our son. There were several occasions where I would sneak in and take a look, and she would be at her desk reading, and the class would be in straight up chaos. Moving forward, I made the decision to hold my son back because I felt he learned nothing from her, so we had him in Mrs Christine Kunz's class... And let me tell you what a breath of fresh air she was. She is strong, assertive, and her authoritativeness worked wonders for my son. He went from reading at almost a first grade level, to an almost 6th grade level. His math, writing, and testing improved so much. And for that, I could never be grateful enough. If you have a child that needs to go to second grade, Fight for this woman. She knows how to work with children, and her method pays off. I am so glad! This year we are getting a new principal that wont be split with Pine Grove. So I hope to see more changes. I would have given 5 stars for teacher quality, But the first year was a drag like I said.
—Submitted by a parent
I am surprised about the comment posted on 3/29/07. Pioneer is very safe, and everyone is so so welcoming. Smiles and waves and laughs greet us everyday! My oldest is now in 6th grade, and he has been there since Kindergarten, so I feel it's safe to say that it's been that way for us from day one. I do wish we could have a few teacher changes, because my son has suffered a bit from those that do not demand respect or know how to keep control of their classrooms. Overall, I love Pioneer Elementary!
—Submitted by a parent
Sean must be the old principle. They have a new one and she is awful! The teachers are mixed - two good, two bad so far. If you expect any type of accomodation or assistance in any situation that is not streamlined to be exactly like Johnny Doe, Good Luck! The school is average, but our experience there has been negative.
—Submitted by a parent
The Principal, Sean, does an outstanding job. In addition to his administrative duties he teaches also with excellent results. (Four students in one class exceeded a 4.0 average.)
—Submitted by an administrator
I feel the school is not safe and there is not enough supervision. I am not a supportive parent because the staff and other parents are very cold, impersonal, and there just isnt a welcoming envirement to want to get involved.
—Submitted by a parent
Pioneer Elementary's API score of 829 is the highest of any school in Amador County. For the second year in a row, Pioneer Elementary has been selected by the California Business for Education Excellence (CBEE) Foundation and Just for Kids-California (JFTK-CA) as one of 304 public schools in California to receive the title of 2006 Honor Roll school. Schools receiving this distinction from California s business community have demonstrated consistent high student academic achievement and have made significant progress toward closing achievement gaps among all their students. Pioneer definitely falls into this category.
—Submitted by a parent
The parents are not assisting in the education of their children. Whether they can't or don't is upon them. They have their own priorities. Although, I feel most parents think it's up to the school to teach.
—Submitted by a parent
This school has some great teachers, but a few very mediocre teachers. The classrooms are not peaceful quiet places to learn and concentrate in. The teachers don't have enough control of the classroom. Overall I have not been impressed, my child has been lost in the shuffle!
—Submitted by a parent
Sean is a very well intentioned principal, but the performance of the students is suffering.
—Submitted by a parent
Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.
The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.
The API reflects year-over-year schools performance based on STAR test score results from spring 2012.
The state average for English Language Arts was 58% in 2012.
29 students were tested at this school in 2012.
2012
2011
2010
2009
The state average for Math was 64% in 2012.
29 students were tested at this school in 2012.
2012
2011
2010
2009
In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.
See California's state standards
Source: California Department of Education
The state average for English Language Arts was 48% in 2012.
38 students were tested at this school in 2012.
2012
2011
2010
2009
The state average for Math was 69% in 2012.
38 students were tested at this school in 2012.
2012
2011
2010
2009
In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.
See California's state standards
Source: California Department of Education
The state average for English Language Arts was 67% in 2012.
30 students were tested at this school in 2012.
2012
2011
2010
2009
The state average for Math was 71% in 2012.
29 students were tested at this school in 2012.
2012
2011
2010
2009
In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.
See California's state standards
Source: California Department of Education
The state average for English Language Arts was 63% in 2012.
22 students were tested at this school in 2012.
2012
2011
2010
2009
The state average for Math was 65% in 2012.
22 students were tested at this school in 2012.
2012
2011
2010
2009
The state average for Science was 60% in 2012.
22 students were tested at this school in 2012.
2012
2011
2010
2009
In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.
See California's state standards
Source: California Department of Education
The state average for English Language Arts was 59% in 2012.
33 students were tested at this school in 2012.
2012
2011
2010
2009
The state average for Math was 55% in 2012.
33 students were tested at this school in 2012.
2012
2011
2010
2009
In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.
See California's state standards
Source: California Department of Education
| All Students | 59% |
| Females | 63% |
| Males | n/a |
| African American | n/a |
| Asian | n/a |
| Filipino | n/a |
| Hispanic or Latino | n/a |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | n/a |
| Pacific Islander | n/a |
| Other Pacific Islander | n/a |
| White (not Hispanic) | 57% |
| Economically disadvantaged | 47% |
| Non-economically disadvantaged | n/a |
| Students with disability | n/a |
| Students with no reported disability | 67% |
| English learner | n/a |
| Fluent-English proficient and English only | 59% |
| Migrant education | n/a |
| Gifted and talented | n/a |
| Parent education - not a high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - some college (includes AA degree) | 58% |
| Parent education - college graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - graduate school/post graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - declined to state | n/a |
| All Students | 76% |
| Females | 68% |
| Males | n/a |
| African American | n/a |
| Asian | n/a |
| Filipino | n/a |
| Hispanic or Latino | n/a |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | n/a |
| Pacific Islander | n/a |
| Other Pacific Islander | n/a |
| White (not Hispanic) | 70% |
| Economically disadvantaged | 63% |
| Non-economically disadvantaged | n/a |
| Students with disability | n/a |
| Students with no reported disability | 79% |
| English learner | n/a |
| Fluent-English proficient and English only | 76% |
| Migrant education | n/a |
| Gifted and talented | n/a |
| Parent education - not a high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - some college (includes AA degree) | 75% |
| Parent education - college graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - graduate school/post graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - declined to state | n/a |
In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.
The different student groups are identified by the California Department of Education; if there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.
See California's state standards
Source: California Department of Education
| All Students | 47% |
| Females | 50% |
| Males | 46% |
| African American | n/a |
| Asian | n/a |
| Filipino | n/a |
| Hispanic or Latino | n/a |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | n/a |
| Pacific Islander | n/a |
| White (not Hispanic) | 45% |
| Economically disadvantaged | 36% |
| Non-economically disadvantaged | 69% |
| Students with disability | n/a |
| Students with no reported disability | 55% |
| English learner | n/a |
| Fluent-English proficient and English only | 47% |
| Migrant education | n/a |
| Gifted and talented | n/a |
| Parent education - not a high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - some college (includes AA degree) | 39% |
| Parent education - college graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - graduate school/post graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - declined to state | n/a |
| All Students | 61% |
| Females | 57% |
| Males | 63% |
| African American | n/a |
| Asian | n/a |
| Filipino | n/a |
| Hispanic or Latino | n/a |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | n/a |
| Pacific Islander | n/a |
| White (not Hispanic) | 66% |
| Economically disadvantaged | 64% |
| Non-economically disadvantaged | 54% |
| Students with disability | n/a |
| Students with no reported disability | 64% |
| English learner | n/a |
| Fluent-English proficient and English only | 61% |
| Migrant education | n/a |
| Gifted and talented | n/a |
| Parent education - not a high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - some college (includes AA degree) | 67% |
| Parent education - college graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - graduate school/post graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - declined to state | n/a |
In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.
The different student groups are identified by the California Department of Education; if there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.
See California's state standards
Source: California Department of Education
| All Students | 57% |
| Females | 65% |
| Males | n/a |
| African American | n/a |
| Asian | n/a |
| Filipino | n/a |
| Hispanic or Latino | n/a |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | n/a |
| Pacific Islander | n/a |
| White (not Hispanic) | 55% |
| Economically disadvantaged | 50% |
| Non-economically disadvantaged | n/a |
| Students with disability | n/a |
| Students with no reported disability | 58% |
| English learner | n/a |
| Fluent-English proficient and English only | 57% |
| Migrant education | n/a |
| Gifted and talented | n/a |
| Parent education - not a high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - some college (includes AA degree) | n/a |
| Parent education - college graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - graduate school/post graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - declined to state | n/a |
| All Students | 52% |
| Females | 53% |
| Males | n/a |
| African American | n/a |
| Asian | n/a |
| Filipino | n/a |
| Hispanic or Latino | n/a |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | n/a |
| Pacific Islander | n/a |
| White (not Hispanic) | 48% |
| Economically disadvantaged | 47% |
| Non-economically disadvantaged | n/a |
| Students with disability | n/a |
| Students with no reported disability | 54% |
| English learner | n/a |
| Fluent-English proficient and English only | 52% |
| Migrant education | n/a |
| Gifted and talented | n/a |
| Parent education - not a high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - some college (includes AA degree) | n/a |
| Parent education - college graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - graduate school/post graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - declined to state | n/a |
In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.
The different student groups are identified by the California Department of Education; if there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.
See California's state standards
Source: California Department of Education
| All Students | 55% |
| Females | 54% |
| Males | n/a |
| African American | n/a |
| Asian | n/a |
| Filipino | n/a |
| Hispanic or Latino | n/a |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | n/a |
| Pacific Islander | n/a |
| Samoan | n/a |
| White (not Hispanic) | 56% |
| Economically disadvantaged | n/a |
| Non-economically disadvantaged | 50% |
| Students with disability | n/a |
| Students with no reported disability | 57% |
| English learner | n/a |
| Fluent-English proficient and English only | 55% |
| Migrant education | n/a |
| Gifted and talented | n/a |
| Parent education - not a high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - some college (includes AA degree) | 71% |
| Parent education - college graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - graduate school/post graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - declined to state | n/a |
| All Students | 46% |
| Females | 38% |
| Males | n/a |
| African American | n/a |
| Asian | n/a |
| Filipino | n/a |
| Hispanic or Latino | n/a |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | n/a |
| Pacific Islander | n/a |
| Samoan | n/a |
| White (not Hispanic) | 44% |
| Economically disadvantaged | n/a |
| Non-economically disadvantaged | 50% |
| Students with disability | n/a |
| Students with no reported disability | 48% |
| English learner | n/a |
| Fluent-English proficient and English only | 45% |
| Migrant education | n/a |
| Gifted and talented | n/a |
| Parent education - not a high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - some college (includes AA degree) | 50% |
| Parent education - college graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - graduate school/post graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - declined to state | n/a |
| All Students | 55% |
| Females | 46% |
| Males | n/a |
| African American | n/a |
| Asian | n/a |
| Filipino | n/a |
| Hispanic or Latino | n/a |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | n/a |
| Pacific Islander | n/a |
| Samoan | n/a |
| White (not Hispanic) | 61% |
| Economically disadvantaged | n/a |
| Non-economically disadvantaged | 67% |
| Students with disability | n/a |
| Students with no reported disability | 52% |
| English learner | n/a |
| Fluent-English proficient and English only | 55% |
| Migrant education | n/a |
| Gifted and talented | n/a |
| Parent education - not a high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - some college (includes AA degree) | 57% |
| Parent education - college graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - graduate school/post graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - declined to state | n/a |
In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.
The different student groups are identified by the California Department of Education; if there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.
See California's state standards
Source: California Department of Education
| All Students | 60% |
| Females | 56% |
| Males | 65% |
| African American | n/a |
| Asian | n/a |
| Filipino | n/a |
| Hispanic or Latino | n/a |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | n/a |
| Pacific Islander | n/a |
| Samoan | n/a |
| Other Pacific Islander | n/a |
| White (not Hispanic) | 60% |
| Economically disadvantaged | 55% |
| Non-economically disadvantaged | 73% |
| Students with disability | n/a |
| Students with no reported disability | 66% |
| English learner | n/a |
| Fluent-English proficient and English only | 61% |
| Migrant education | n/a |
| Gifted and talented | n/a |
| Parent education - not a high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - high school graduate | 55% |
| Parent education - some college (includes AA degree) | 64% |
| Parent education - college graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - graduate school/post graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - declined to state | n/a |
| All Students | 63% |
| Females | 63% |
| Males | 65% |
| African American | n/a |
| Asian | n/a |
| Filipino | n/a |
| Hispanic or Latino | n/a |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | n/a |
| Pacific Islander | n/a |
| Samoan | n/a |
| Other Pacific Islander | n/a |
| White (not Hispanic) | 60% |
| Economically disadvantaged | 59% |
| Non-economically disadvantaged | 73% |
| Students with disability | n/a |
| Students with no reported disability | 69% |
| English learner | n/a |
| Fluent-English proficient and English only | 64% |
| Migrant education | n/a |
| Gifted and talented | n/a |
| Parent education - not a high school graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - high school graduate | 45% |
| Parent education - some college (includes AA degree) | 79% |
| Parent education - college graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - graduate school/post graduate | n/a |
| Parent education - declined to state | n/a |
In 2011-2012 California used the California Standards Tests (CSTs) to test students in English language arts in grades 2 through 11; math in grades 2 through 7; science in grades 5, 8 and 10; and history-social science in grades 8 and 11. Middle and high school students also took subject-specific CSTs in math and science, depending on the course in which they were enrolled. The CSTs are standards-based tests, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of California. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the tests.
The different student groups are identified by the California Department of Education; if there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, the state doesn't report data for that group.
See California's state standards
Source: California Department of Education
GreatSchools Ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results for schools. Use the breakdown ratings below to compare types of students at this school. Learn more »
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
All students
Female
Male
All students
White (not Hispanic)
All students
Economically disadvantaged
Non-economically disadvantaged
Students with no reported disability
Fluent-English proficient and English only
Parent education - high school graduate
Parent education - some college (includes AA degree)
All students
| Ethnicity | This school | State average | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79% | 28% | ||
| Multiple or No Response | 16% | 3% | ||
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 2% | 1% | ||
| Hispanic or Latino | 2% | 49% | ||
| African American | 0% | 7% | ||
| Asian | 0% | 8% | ||
| Filipino | 0% | 3% | ||
| Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% |
| This school | District average | State average | |
|---|---|---|---|
| English language learners 1 | 0% | N/A | 24% |
| Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch program 2 | 44% | N/A | 52% |
| Language | This school | State average | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish | 100% | 85% |
| This school | District average | State average | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average class size | 19 | N/A | 25 |
| This school | District average | State average | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average years teaching in district | 11 | N/A | 11 |
| Average years teaching | 13 | N/A | 13 |
| This school | District average | State average | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full credential | 100% | N/A | 96% |
| Emergency credential or waiver | 0% | N/A | 2% |
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24625 Highway 88
Pioneer,
CA 95666
Phone: (209) 295-6500
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