Enrollment
283
Elementary
DISTRICT 269 · STATE 465
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·MCKINLEYVILLE UNION ELEMENTARY·NCES 062430003650
Dow's Prairie Elementary
3940 Dows Prairie Rd., McKinleyville, CA 95519 · (707) 839-1558 · Humboldt County
GRADES KG–02ELEMENTARY33-TOWNTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL283 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
This school has no state test results for 2023-24 or 2024-25 to grade, which is common for schools that end before third grade. How grades work
Student : Teacher
21.8:1
13 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 25.1:1 · STATE 22.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
64%
181 students
DISTRICT 58% · STATE 65%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 132 | 47% |
| Grade 1 | 76 | 27% |
| Grade 2 | 73 | 26% |
| Grade 3 | 1 | 0% |
| Grade 4 | 1 | 0% |
Student demographics
66%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 62% · STATE 62% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Based on grade levels within McKinleyville Union Elementary. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Schools most like Dow's Prairie Elementary
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dow's Prairie Elementary this school | 283 | 64.0% | N/A |
| Riviera Elementary Kelseyville | 287 | 65.9% | 19.5% |
| Crest Elementary El Cajon | 271 | 61.6% | 23.7% |
| Morris Elementary McKinleyville | 255 | 57.3% | 37.2% |
| Mary Peacock Elementary Crescent City | 251 | 62.5% | 26.7% |
| Blue Oak Charter Chico | 219 | 66.2% | N/A |
Matched among California elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Dow's Prairie Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Humboldt County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 283 | #4,900 of 5,915 | #10 of 48 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 21.8:1 | #2,020 of 5,352 | #13 of 22 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 65.8% | #1,154 of 5,354 | #6 of 22 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 64.0% | #3,279 of 5,625 | #11 of 28 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -32.6% | #401 of 3,837 | #1 of 17 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
283
-10 (-3%) vs 2020
-49% since 1990-91, when it was 558
Student : Teacher
21.8:1
was 19.5:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 283 | 13 | 21.8:1 | 64% (181) |
| 2023-24 | 317 | 15 | 21.1:1 | 63% (199) |
| 2022-23 | 276 | 15 | 18.4:1 | 68% (187) |
| 2020-21 | 293 | 15 | 19.5:1 | 62% (183) |
| 2017-18 | 420 | 18.8 | 22.4:1 | 60% (254) |
| 2015-16 | 410 | 20 | 20.5:1 | 56% (230) |
| 2010-11 | 467 | N/A | N/A | 53% (248) |
| 2000-01 | 470 | 26 | 18.1:1 | 41% (191) |
| 1990-91 | 558 | 23 | 24.3:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Dow's Prairie Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students down 33% (420 to 283); teachers down 31% (18.8 to 13).
About Dow's Prairie Elementary
Dow's Prairie Elementary, a low-enrollment elementary school, is located in McKinleyville, California. The school offers kindergarten through 2 and enrolls 283 students. On average, elementary schools in California enroll around 465, and this school is 39% below that mark.
A total of 3 schools make up McKinleyville Union Elementary, with 840 students enrolled.
Federal enrollment data show Dow's Prairie Elementary is 51% White. The next largest groups are 22% multiracial, 18% Hispanic, and 8% Native American. The school's White share is 22 points below the 72% share among Humboldt County residents. A diversity index of 66% means there is a 66% chance two randomly chosen students at Dow's Prairie Elementary are from different groups.
The student-to-teacher ratio at Dow's Prairie Elementary is 21.8:1, based on 13 full-time-equivalent teachers. The 22.3:1 average for elementary schools in California is close to this figure. Lunch program data show 64% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
The school is in Humboldt County, where the median household earns about $61,160 a year, about 33% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and roughly 11% of residents are in poverty. Across Humboldt County, 92 public schools serve about 17,319 students.
McKinleyville High sits about 1.6 miles from Dow's Prairie Elementary. There are 5 other public schools within five miles.
The school is in a town far from an urbanized area, according to its NCES locale (Town: Remote).
From 2020-21 to 2024-25, enrollment fell from 293 to 283, a 3% decline. The student-to-teacher ratio increased from 19.5:1 in 2020-21 to 21.8:1 in 2024-25.
This page is set up for the Dow's Prairie Elementary community to discuss homework, tutoring, and testing dates. Members of the school community can share what they know.
Humboldt County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
134,541
Census ACS
Median income
$61,160
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
33%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
11%
Below federal line
Schools in county
92
17,319 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in McKinleyville Union Elementary
- McKinleyville MiddleMiddle · 302 students
- Morris ElementaryElementary · 255 students
Other schools in McKinleyville
- McKinleyville HighHigh · 566 students
- McKinleyville MiddleMiddle · 302 students
- Morris ElementaryElementary · 255 students
- Fieldbrook ElementaryElementary · 90 students
- Mad River High (Continuation)High · 28 students
Nearby schools
- McKinleyville High1.6 mi · 566
- Mad River High (Continuation)1.6 mi · 28
- Morris Elementary2.0 mi · 255
- McKinleyville Middle2.1 mi · 302
- Fieldbrook Elementary3.5 mi · 90
- Arcata Educational Resource Center5.3 mi · 27
Frequently asked questions
About Dow's Prairie ElementaryHow many students attend Dow's Prairie Elementary?
Dow's Prairie Elementary enrolls approximately 283 students in grades KG-02.
What age range does Dow's Prairie Elementary serve?
Dow's Prairie Elementary serves students from grade KG through grade 02.
How many students per teacher at Dow's Prairie Elementary?
Approximately 21.8:1 students per teacher at Dow's Prairie Elementary.
How diverse is Dow's Prairie Elementary?
Dow's Prairie Elementary reports a student body of 51% White, 18% Hispanic, 1% Black, 22% Two or more.
What district is Dow's Prairie Elementary in?
Dow's Prairie Elementary is part of McKinleyville Union Elementary.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.