Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 6 schools in district

Pathfinder High School

863 Sweetwater Street, Lander, WY 82520Fremont County School District # 1 →
Federal DataAlternative Education SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
51
Students
Total enrolled
50%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↓ 43% vs nat'l
$20,270
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 41% vs nat'l
10.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 35% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 51 students in grades 09–12 in Lander, Wyoming.
41% above average funding
District spends $20,270 per pupil, 41% more than the national average of $14,347.
10.1 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

Pathfinder High School is a small high in Lander, Wyoming, serving grades 09–12 with 51 students. The district invests $20,270 per student — 41% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 10.1:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 75% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. The 50% graduation rate is below the national average of 87%, a data point worth exploring further during a school visit.

Student Body & Demographics at Pathfinder High School

51
Total Students
10.1 : 1
Student:Teacher
75%
Free Lunch
5
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution22 male · 29 female
43%
57%
Male 43%Female 57%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility75%
National avg 52% · 38 students
Student Composition
71%
12%
14%
White71%
Hispanic / Latino4%
Multiracial12%
Native American14%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 560287000154

Academic Outcomes at Pathfinder High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
40-59
Below avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
50%
State avg
79%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$20,270Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$20,270
State avg
$24,788
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,919
Student Support$3,851
Administration$2,432
Operations$3,041
Other$2,027
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $20,270 spent per student, an estimated $8,980 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
64%
19%
State government
63.7%
Local (property tax)
19.2%
Federal programs
17.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $20,270/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 10.1:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 50% graduation rate — below the national average of 87%
  • 75% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Gannett Peak ElementaryBaldwin Creek ElementaryJeffrey City Elementary
↓
Middle
Lander Middle School
↓
High School
Lander Valley High School
School Profile
TypeAlternative Education School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyFremont County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictFremont County School District # 1 →
Phone: (307)335-7050
NCES ID: 560287000154
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Lander seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Fremont County School District # 1
High
Lander Valley High School
599 students · 09–12
25% FRL
Elem
Gannett Peak Elementary
430 students · KG–03
27% FRL
Mid
Lander Middle School
406 students · 06–08
28% FRL
Elem
Baldwin Creek Elementary
237 students · 04–05
30% FRL
Elem
Jeffrey City Elementary
4 students · KG–06
District School Rankings
Location
863 Sweetwater Street, Lander, WY 82520
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.