Excellent
#7 of 9,539 schools in CA
Top 1% in state
Donner Trail Elementary
Elementary School · Tahoe-truckee Unified · Soda Springs, CA
A Tahoe-truckee Unified elementary school where students score 16 points above what's typical for similar communities.
PO Box 809, Soda Springs, CA 95728
- Math 89% vs CA 37% (2024)
- Reading 80% vs CA 46% (2024)
- 19:1 student-teacher ratio
Academics
Full Profile · 3/3 metricsView breakdown
View breakdown
View breakdown
Students at Donner Trail Elementary score 86% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 70%).
2024 CAASPP proficiency
Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.
Trend
→ SteadyProficiency is up 5 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 85% recently.
Show all 14 years
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 78% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 82% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)
* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.
Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).
Equity & diversity
Shown separately, not included in the overall scoreFree/reduced lunch
7%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateThe neighborhood
Where Donner Trail Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.
Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.
Getting around & local context
- Walk 4Car-Dependent
- Bike 19Somewhat Bikeable
- County Safety: Average466/100K
Powered by
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details
Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.
Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)
Median income
$113,224
Median home value
$977,700
College educated
74.9%
Homeownership
83.9%
Poverty rate
0%
ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 95728; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Programs & students
Programs & Offerings
Compare nearby
Nearby same-level schools
4 in Tahoe-Truckee Unified
| School | Score | Grades | Distance | Enrollment | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Stream AlternativeEnrollment path unverified | Not rated | K–12 | Not available | 13 | Compare → |
| Glenshire ElementaryEnrollment path unverified | 9.1 | K–5 | Not available | 485 | Compare → |
| Kings Beach ElementaryEnrollment path unverified | 7.3 | K–5 | Not available | 380 | Compare → |
| Tahoe Lake ElementaryEnrollment path unverified | 7.8 | K–5 | Not available | 286 | Compare → |
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
Tahoe-truckee Unified
- Schools in district
- 11
- Rank in district
- #1 of 10
- District spending per student
- $22,692NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- 3.9%Census SAIPE · 2024
Donner Trail Elementary is listed in Tahoe-Truckee Unified; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.
About Donner Trail Elementary
Donner Trail Elementary is a public elementary school in Soda Springs, CA, part of Tahoe-truckee Unified, serving approximately 57 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 19:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 9.8 out of 10 and ranks #7 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 78% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 82% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Donner Trail Elementary
What grades does Donner Trail Elementary serve?
Donner Trail Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.
How many students attend Donner Trail Elementary?
Donner Trail Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 57 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Donner Trail Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Donner Trail Elementary is 19:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Donner Trail Elementary rank in CA?
Donner Trail Elementary ranks #7 of 9,539 schools in CA.
What is Donner Trail Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?
Donner Trail Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.8 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.
What are the test scores at Donner Trail Elementary?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Donner Trail Elementary has 78% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 82% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).
Is Donner Trail Elementary a charter school?
No, Donner Trail Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Donner Trail Elementary a Title I school?
No, Donner Trail Elementary is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Donner Trail Elementary?
7.0% of students at Donner Trail Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.
School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)
- Grades
- Kindergarten – 5th
- Enrollment
- 57
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 19:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 3
- Type
- regular
- Setting
- Distant Rural
- County
- Nevada County
- Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
- 5.3%
- Phone
- (530) 582-2720
- Area population (ZIP 95728)
- 593
- Area median age
- 48.7
Official sources & links
About this school's data
Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.
- School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
- NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
- Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
- MySchoolScout rating and rank
- MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
- Math proficiency
- State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Reading/ELA proficiency
- State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Student progress (growth)
- NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
- Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
- Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
- U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
- Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
- Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 95728; this does not measure the attendance area.
- Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
- CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.
Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24
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