Enrollment
548
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Gardner, KS
Pioneer Ridge Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Pioneer Ridge Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 200642001824
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Pioneer Ridge Middle School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Gardner · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 21.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Pioneer Ridge Middle School has class sizes near the Kansas median. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Ridge Middle School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Gardner, KS.
School address
District: Gardner Edgerton · Kansas
NCES ID 200642001824 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.1%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
-51% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Pioneer Ridge Middle School compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Pioneer Ridge Middle School
Pioneer Ridge Middle School is a large elementary school in Gardner, Kansas, enrolling 548 students.
At 13.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Kansas median, within a few percentage points of the 13.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 21.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 548 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Against 205 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #26.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 31/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 274 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
12.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Gardner's elementary schools, it stands alongside Trail Ridge Middle School (679 students): Pioneer Ridge Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.4:1 vs 13.3:1).
Gardner Edgerton also operates Gardner Edgerton High (1,794 students) and Trail Ridge Middle School (679 students) alongside Pioneer Ridge Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Pioneer Ridge Middle School compares
Pioneer Ridge Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.4:1 | ▼ 3% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.1% | ▼ 51% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 548 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
548
Bigger than 67% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% below the Kansas average of 42.7%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 52% in Kansas - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
12.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,254
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 274 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
33
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 82.3%
Two or More 5.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
African American 4.2%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 82.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 31.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 31.4, Pioneer Ridge Middle School is less mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gardner Edgerton, which includes Pioneer Ridge Middle School.
$13,254
Per student
-14%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.6%
State 68.3%
Federal 8.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Pioneer Ridge Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gardner Edgerton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Trail Ridge Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Madison Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wheatridge Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Grand Star Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Pioneer Ridge Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,794
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 679
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 521
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 517
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 380
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar elementary schools in Gardner
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~548 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Pioneer Ridge Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Pioneer Ridge Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Gardner Edgerton's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Pioneer Ridge Middle School
How many students attend Pioneer Ridge Middle School?
Pioneer Ridge Middle School has 548 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Gardner, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Ridge Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Pioneer Ridge Middle School is 13.4:1, which is 3% lower than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Pioneer Ridge Middle School?
21.1% of students at Pioneer Ridge Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Pioneer Ridge Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Pioneer Ridge Middle School is White at 82.3% of enrollment, in Gardner, KS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Pioneer Ridge Middle School?
Pioneer Ridge Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Pioneer Ridge Middle School rank among elementary schools in Gardner?
By Resource Investment Index, Pioneer Ridge Middle School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Gardner, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Gardner on the city page.
Is Pioneer Ridge Middle School a good school?
Pioneer Ridge Middle School earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kansas median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Gardner Edgerton?
Besides Pioneer Ridge Middle School, Gardner Edgerton also operates Gardner Edgerton High (1,794 students), Trail Ridge Middle School (679 students), and Madison Elementary (521 students). See the Gardner Edgerton district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.