Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 16 schools in district

Pau Wa Lu Middle School

701 Long Valley Rd, Gardnerville, NV 89460DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0608Non-Charter
481
Students
Total enrolled
$12,964
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
10% vs nat'l
19.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
29% vs nat'l
48/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
Mid-sized public school
Serves 481 students in grades 06–08 in Gardnerville, Nevada.
10% below average funding
District spends $12,964 per pupil, 10% less than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 48th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Pau Wa Lu Middle School is a mid-sized middle in Gardnerville, Nevada, serving grades 06–08 with 481 students. The district invests $12,964 per student — 10% below the national average of $14,347, with a 19.8:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 36% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Pau Wa Lu Middle School

481
Total Students
19.8 : 1
Student:Teacher
36%
Free Lunch
24
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0608) are served by this school
Gender Distribution259 male · 222 female
54%
46%
Male 54%Female 46%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility36%
National avg 52% · 174 students
Student Composition
61%
26%
Asian1%
White61%
Hispanic / Latino26%
Multiracial5%
Native American6%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 320009000422

Academic Outcomes at Pau Wa Lu Middle School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
48
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 48th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 70th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 89460

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,964Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,964
State avg
$18,430
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,704
Student Support$2,463
Administration$1,556
Operations$1,945
Other$1,296
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,964 spent per student, an estimated $5,743 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
81%
State government
80.9%
Local (property tax)
9.6%
Federal programs
9.4%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location
CountyDouglas County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (775)265-6100
NCES ID: 320009000422
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Gardnerville seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
701 Long Valley Rd, Gardnerville, NV 89460
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.