Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

Summary:

Mary C. Dondero Elementary School is a public K-5 school in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, serving 323 students and part of the highly-ranked Portsmouth School District. This school consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, with exceptional academic performance, a diverse student population, and a low student-teacher ratio.

Mary C. Dondero's academic achievements are truly impressive. The school's proficiency rates in Mathematics, Reading, and Science significantly exceed the state averages across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's Mathematics proficiency rate for all grades was 68%, compared to just 41% statewide, and the 3rd grade proficiency rate was an outstanding 87%, versus 53% statewide. The school's Reading proficiency is also exceptional, with an all-grade rate of 76% compared to 53% statewide, and an impressive 81% for 5th graders versus 56% across New Hampshire. This high-performing school has maintained its strong academic record over the past decade.

What sets Mary C. Dondero apart is its diverse student population, with higher percentages of Asian (11.76%) and Hispanic (7.74%) students compared to nearby schools like Rye Elementary School, which has a more homogeneous student body. Additionally, Mary C. Dondero's low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 10.1 to 10.4 over the past three years, is lower than the nearby schools. The school's exceptional performance with special education students, ranking 1st out of 52 New Hampshire elementary schools in 2017-2018, further demonstrates its commitment to supporting all learners.


Detail:

Public K-5

 32 Van Buren Ave.
       Portsmouth, NH  03801-5898


(603) 436-2231

District: Portsmouth School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
16th of 234 New Hampshire Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $20,733 Help


Students who attend Mary C. Dondero Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Portsmouth Middle School
High:    Portsmouth High School

Student/teacher ratio:  10.0 Help
Number of students:  323

Racial breakdown:

White:
72.1%
Asian:
11.8%
Hispanic:
7.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  18.3% Help


 See top rated New Hampshire elementary schools

 Compare Mary C. Dondero Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Mary C. Dondero Elementary School ranks better than 93.2% of elementary schools in New Hampshire. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Portsmouth School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.75. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (72.1%), Asian (11.8%), Hispanic (7.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 18.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School is 10. 1 elementary schools in the Portsmouth School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Mary C. Dondero Elementary School employs 32 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School is $20,733. 1 elementary schools in the Portsmouth School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Mary C. Dondero Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mary C. Dondero Elementary School 16th of 234 New Hampshire public elementary schools. (See Mary C. Dondero Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Portsmouth School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Portsmouth School District 12th of 163 New Hampshire school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Mary C. Dondero Elementary School?

Rank History for Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NH State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 78.24 46th 238 80.7%
2007 47.74 135th 237 43.0%
2008 58.44 104th 236 55.9%
2009 37.47 177th 240 26.3%
2010 26.86 200th 242 17.4%
2011 43.10 152nd 237 35.9%
2012 56.70 108th 241 55.2%
2013 49.84 140th 241 41.9%
2014 62.71 89th 242 63.2%
2015 71.38 51st 206 75.2%
2016 75.03 46th 244 81.1%
2017 81.25 27th 229 88.2%
2018 93.54 4th 231 98.3%
2019 88.32 11th 231 95.2%
2021 84.67 22nd 211 89.6%
2022 79.94 31st 233 86.7%
2023 77.12 44th 237 81.4%
2024 88.75 16th 234 93.2%
See the entire list of New Hampshire Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NH State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 99.92 1st 52 98.1%
2023 63.21 24th 70 65.7%
See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Female students at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NH State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 93.46 2nd 190 98.9%
2019 86.64 11th 192 94.3%
2021 86.21 16th 160 90.0%
2022 81.02 21st 187 88.8%
2023 72.17 43rd 193 77.7%
2024 88.46 12th 187 93.6%
See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NH State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.58 7th 195 96.4%
2019 86.55 17th 195 91.3%
2021 81.16 27th 168 83.9%
2022 74.22 36th 194 81.4%
2023 78.22 37th 199 81.4%
2024 88.04 14th 193 92.7%
See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NH State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 94.45 2nd 227 99.1%
2019 88.42 10th 229 95.6%
2021 84.75 22nd 209 89.5%
2022 79.28 31st 229 86.5%
2023 79.71 33rd 233 85.8%
2024 89.75 12th 228 94.7%
See the entire list of Best New Hampshire Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: New Hampshire 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.

Mary C. Dondero Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: New Hampshire Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
0%

0%

100%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, April 3, 2009

Open Quote The student teacher ratio is off!! Classroom size is twice what you are reporting!! The city across the board is suffering with budget cuts! This is not just a Dondero issue. Little Harbor is severely overcrowded along with New Franklin. Expect more services to be cut and classroom sizes to continue climb. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1991 424 16 9 7 0 n/a n/a 0 456
1992 407 16 10 12 0 n/a n/a 0 445
1993 470 21 11 6 0 n/a n/a 0 508
1994 468 23 13 7 0 n/a n/a 0 511
1995 458 20 20 11 1 n/a n/a 0 510
1996 458 20 20 11 1 n/a n/a 0 510
1997 467 11 22 13 0 n/a n/a 0 513
1998 491 15 14 2 0 n/a n/a 0 522
1999 495 15 14 2 0 n/a n/a 0 526
2000 471 16 14 2 0 n/a n/a 0 503
2001 443 16 14 2 0 n/a n/a 0 475
2002 348 21 25 9 0 n/a n/a 0 403
2003 348 21 25 9 0 n/a n/a 0 403
2004 334 14 34 11 1 n/a n/a 0 394
2005 325 14 26 6 0 n/a n/a 0 371
2006 296 9 32 8 1 n/a n/a 0 346
2007 289 10 30 9 1 n/a n/a 0 339
2008 277 11 28 4 4 n/a n/a 0 324
2009 267 10 27 6 2 n/a n/a 0 312
2010 252 3 24 22 0 0 8 0 309
2011 248 2 23 20 0 0 14 0 307
2012 237 3 25 26 0 0 18 0 309
2013 230 3 33 17 0 0 17 0 300
2014 227 4 37 16 0 1 17 0 302
2015 232 3 32 17 0 1 18 0 303
2016 226 4 37 16 0 1 14 0 298
2017 212 3 48 16 0 1 21 0 301
2018 208 0 48 15 0 1 16 0 288
2019 217 5 44 16 1 1 22 0 306
2020 223 5 43 18 1 0 28 0 318
2021 223 5 44 19 3 0 25 0 319
2022 228 6 36 25 1 0 22 0 318
2023 233 2 38 25 3 0 22 0 323

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 Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 456 21.0 21.7 9.9
1992 445 21.0 21.1 14.2
1993 508 25.3 20.1 15.2
1994 511 25.5 20.0 17.8
1995 510 25.5 20.0 12.5
1996 510 25.5 20.0 12.5
1997 513 25.0 20.5 14.2
1998 522 27.5 19.0 12.6
1999 526 27.5 19.1 13.3
2000 503 28.0 18.0 14.3
2001 475 28.0 17.0 15.8
2002 403 32.7 12.3 15.4
2003 403 32.7 12.3 15.4
2004 394 31.8 12.4 15.7
2005 371 32.7 11.3 13.7
2006 346 34.7 10.0 17.9
2007 339 31.1 10.9 20.4
2008 324 34.3 9.4 18.2
2009 312 34.0 9.2 23.7
2010 309 33.4 9.2 28.2
2011 307 29.7 10.3 25.1
2012 309 30.0 10.3 25.2
2013 300 28.9 10.3 26.7
2014 302 27.1 11.1 30.5
2015 303 30.0 10.1 25.7
2016 298 29.0 10.2 23.8
2017 301 29.2 10.3 21.9
2018 288 29.8 9.6 20.8
2019 306 28.3 10.8 22.5
2020 318 29.0 10.9 19.2
2021 319 31.4 10.1 13.5
2022 318 30.5 10.4 17
2023 323 32.0 10.0 18.3

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 Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1991 456 21.0 21.7 9.9
1992 445 21.0 21.1 14.2
1993 508 25.3 20.1 15.2
1994 511 25.5 20.0 17.8
1995 510 25.5 20.0 12.5
1996 510 25.5 20.0 12.5
1997 513 25.0 20.5 14.2
1998 522 27.5 19.0 12.6
1999 526 27.5 19.1 13.3
2000 503 28.0 18.0 14.3
2001 475 28.0 17.0 15.8
2002 403 32.7 12.3 15.4
2003 403 32.7 12.3 15.4
2004 394 31.8 12.4 15.7
2005 371 32.7 11.3 13.7
2006 346 34.7 10.0 17.9
2007 339 31.1 10.9 20.4
2008 324 34.3 9.4 18.2
2009 312 34.0 9.2 23.7
2010 309 33.4 9.2 28.2
2011 307 29.7 10.3 25.1
2012 309 30.0 10.3 25.2
2013 300 28.9 10.3 26.7
2014 302 27.1 11.1 30.5
2015 303 30.0 10.1 25.7
2016 298 29.0 10.2 23.8
2017 301 29.2 10.3 21.9
2018 288 29.8 9.6 20.8
2019 306 28.3 10.8 22.5
2020 318 29.0 10.9 19.2
2021 319 31.4 10.1 13.5
2022 318 30.5 10.4 17
2023 323 32.0 10.0 18.3

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 Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $20,733

Data source: New Hampshire Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

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 11th of 231 Elementary schoolsRanks 44th of 237 Elementary schools
 13.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mary C. Dondero Elementary School)6375
 12%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Portsmouth School District)8078
 2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (New Hampshire)5752
 5%
3rd Grade Reading (Mary C. Dondero Elementary School)7265
 7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Portsmouth School District)7771
 6%
   3rd Grade Reading (New Hampshire)5246
 6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mary C. Dondero Elementary School)8874
 14%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Portsmouth School District)8373
 10%
   4th Grade Mathematics (New Hampshire)5251
 1%
4th Grade Reading (Mary C. Dondero Elementary School)7989
 10%
   4th Grade Reading (Portsmouth School District)8280
 2%
   4th Grade Reading (New Hampshire)5550
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mary C. Dondero Elementary School)8051
 29%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Portsmouth School District)7566
 9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (New Hampshire)4439
 5%
5th Grade Reading (Mary C. Dondero Elementary School)8051
 29%
   5th Grade Reading (Portsmouth School District)8274
 8%
   5th Grade Reading (New Hampshire)5754
 3%
5th Grade Science (Mary C. Dondero Elementary School)6440
 24%
   5th Grade Science (Portsmouth School District)6458
 6%
   5th Grade Science (New Hampshire)3836
 2%
All Grades Mathematics (Mary C. Dondero Elementary School)7768
 9%
   All Grades Mathematics (Portsmouth School District)6964
 5%
   All Grades Mathematics (New Hampshire)4842
 6%
All Grades Reading (Mary C. Dondero Elementary School)7768
 9%
   All Grades Reading (Portsmouth School District)7576
 1%
   All Grades Reading (New Hampshire)5652
 4%
All Grades Science (Mary C. Dondero Elementary School)6440
 24%
   All Grades Science (Portsmouth School District)5355
 2%
   All Grades Science (New Hampshire)4037
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students306323
 5.6%
African American52
 60%
American Indian13
 200%
Asian4438
 13.6%
Hispanic1625
 56.3%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White217233
 7.4%
Two or More Races2222
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients22.5%18.3%
 4.3%


Schools Near Mary C. Dondero Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Mary C. Dondero Elementary School

Students at Mary C. Dondero Elementary School are 72% White, 12% Asian, 8% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races.

Students who attend Mary C. Dondero Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Portsmouth Middle School
High : Portsmouth High School

Yes. Mary C. Dondero Elementary School ranks in the top 6.8% of New Hampshire elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 323 students attended Mary C. Dondero Elementary School.


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





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