Pioneer Elementary School in Escondido, California on DonorsChoose

{"monthlySchoolDonationEnabled":false,"callToActionDisplayName":"Pioneer Elementary School","outOfStateSupporters":31.7,"allowSchoolLevelGiving":true,"hasFundedProjects":true,"projectGratitudeData":[{"teacherId":9921006,"projectId":9570433,"letterContent":"Growing up, I had access to books all the time. These books would come from scholastic book orders each month, trips to the library, hand-me-downs from my cousins or trips to Barnes and Noble. I was never without a book. Fast forward to my 16th year of teaching, I had the sad realization that most of my students can't and may never experience this. When I asked my class to show me how many students have books at home to read, less than a handful raised their hands. My heart sank. Something that we often take for granted, like a bookshelf full of books, can only seem like a dream to some. \r\n\r\nThat is why the donation I received for my classroom has been so impactful. This donation has allowed my students the opportunity to access books every single night! They do not have to worry about empty shelves, but instead, they look forward to receiving their \"book bags\" each day. The Nightly Reading program that I was able to create because of this wonderful donation has filled my teacher heart. My students are challenging themselves every day by starting and sometimes finishing a book each night. I am so proud of them too! Oftentimes, we teachers send home a reading log for students to complete each week, but we really have no way of knowing the validity or accuracy of the reading log. With my Nightly Reading Book swap, the students are holding themselves accountable, reading the books provided, filling out their reading log and then taking an Accelerated Reading quiz the next morning on that book. \r\n\r\nCurrently my class has read over 910 books this school year and it is only the start of November! By increasing the amount of books that my students are reading each night, their reading levels are making huge improvements already. For example, one of my 3rd grade students who scored a 0.6 on our STAR reading test (which translates to reading at a Kindergarten level at the 6th month of school) at the end of September is now reading at a 1.7 (first grade level at the 7th month of school). In about one month's time, he has jumped an entire grade level! I can't wait to see the impact this nightly reading will have on his scores (and confidence!) in the weeks and months to come! My hopes would be that all my students could progress towards mastery of 3rd grade reading levels and possibly excel beyond! \r\n\r\nThis generous donation has allowed my students the chance to increase their reading abilities, boost their confidence, and take ownership of their learning. Watching my students grow in the short amount of time we have had with these books is so encouraging! These books have made a lasting impact on this group of students and will continue to impact students in years to come. Again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your contribution, support and belief in our classroom! YOU, as my donor, have touched the lives of so many students!","fullyFundedDate":1755124679439,"projectUrl":"project/building-and-fostering-independent-reade/9570433/","projectTitle":"Building and Fostering Independent Readers!","teacherDisplayName":"Mrs. Kurka","teacherPhotoUrl":"https://storage.donorschoose.net/dc_prod/images/teacher/profile/orig/tp9921006_orig.jpg?crop=412,412,x68,y30&width=272&height=272&fit=bounds&auto=webp&t=1754855945382","teacherClassroomUrl":"classroom/9921006"}],"pageName":"schoolpage_59387","usesDonorsChoose":true,"infoPageType":"school","demographicsInfo":{"numStudents":616,"numTeachers":27,"percentFrplEligible":95,"percentAsian":1,"percentBlack":0,"percentWhite":2,"percentIndigenous":0,"percentLatinx":93,"showFreeAndReducedPriceLunchInfo":true,"showDemographicsInfo":true,"sourceTooltipString":"the National Center for Education Statistics","gradesServed":"Pre-K - 5","studentTeacherRatio":"22.8:1","demographicsDataSource":"MDR School","equityFocus":true,"titleOne":true,"metroType":"SUBURBAN","ncesMetroType":"SUBURB_LARGE"},"inStateSupporters":68.3,"schoolId":59387,"financialInfo":null,"twitterShareText":"Learn more about Pioneer Elementary School on @DonorsChoose:","schoolName":"Pioneer Elementary School","canonicalPageUrl":"schools/california/escondido-union-elementary-school-district/pioneer-elementary-school/59387"}

About this school

Pioneer Elementary School is a suburban public school in Escondido, California that is part of Escondido Union Elementary School District. It serves 616 students in grades Pre-K - 5 with a student/teacher ratio of 22.8:1. Its teachers have had 32 projects funded on DonorsChoose.

Equity Focus School

Support towards this school will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Public School

Title 1

Grades Pre-K - 5

616 Students

27 Teachers

980 N Ash St

Escondido, CA 92027 View local requests

http://www.eusd.org

Evidence-based impact

Inspire teachers to stay in the classroom and boost student achievement.¹

Give to this school

Ms. Vero, a DonorsChoose teacher for 9 years.

Kindergarten teacher at PS81 - Robert J. Christen School in Bronx, NY

Pioneer Elementary School Teachers on DonorsChoose

DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. Each classroom request for funding was created by a classroom teacher and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

See how DonorsChoose works

Pioneer Elementary School Demographics

95%

of students receive free or reduced price lunch

Source: the National Center for Education Statistics

94%

of students are Black, Latino, Native American, or Asian

Schools in districts that mainly serve students of color receive substantially less state and local support than similar districts that serve primarily White students. Learn more about this gap, why it exists, and how you can help close it.

Pioneer Elementary School Support on DonorsChoose Last updated Dec 5, 2025

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.