Glenn Duncan S.T.E.M. Academy

Glenn Duncan S.T.E.M. Academy is a PK–5 neighborhood elementary school in north Reno (89512) serving 348 students as part of the Washoe County School District, which is itself a relatively strong district — 4th of 12 in Nevada and in the 67th percentile. That context matters: this is not a school in a struggling district, but one that has significantly underperformed its own district for most of the past decade.

In 2025–26, 27.2% of students were proficient in math and 29.8% in reading, both below district (37.0% and 44.4%) and state averages. The math gap is roughly 10 points and the reading gap about 15; science scores are suppressed by the state, so no school-level comparison exists there. The encouraging news is the trajectory: math proficiency has more than doubled in two years, from 13.2% in 2023–24 to 27.2% — the largest one-year gain among nearby schools. Reading has moved sideways, up about 7 points overall but down slightly in the most recent year, making it the likelier next challenge. Chronic absenteeism is now a strength at 24.7%, down from 33.0% two years earlier and better than both the district (27.5%) and state (25.5%).

Among the eight nearby schools with similarly high economic need — all at 100% free/reduced-price lunch — Glenn Duncan now posts the highest math proficiency and mid-pack reading. The most useful comparison, though, is Agnes Risley Elementary, which serves a nearly identical population about 1.4 miles away, spends roughly $2,200 less per student, and gets similar math and reading results with much lower absenteeism. Charters such as Mater Academy of Northern Nevada and Coral Academy Elementary reach far higher proficiency at lower per-pupil spending, showing what local high-poverty students can achieve. Bottom line: genuine improvement, with reading and spending efficiency still open questions.