Ambridge Area Sd

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Ambridge, Pennsylvania - 5 schools

An equity score of 39/100 ranks Ambridge Area Sd #413 of 649 districts in Pennsylvania (state average 49). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,965 per pupil, Ambridge Area Sd ranks #618 of 672 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending (Pennsylvania districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,254
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$14,965
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Ambridge Area Sd operates 5 public schools serving 2,254 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Pennsylvania. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Beaver County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,965 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 68 of 672 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending. See how Pennsylvania compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 48.7% local, 39.9% state, and 11.4% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 39/100, ranked #413 of 649 in Pennsylvania against a state average of 49, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (15 AP courses district-wide), a 426.3:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 31.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 75.0% White, 15.2% African American, 1.9% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Highland El Sch, with a diversity index of 55.7/100.

Its largest campus is Ambridge Area Hs, enrolling 705 students (32% of the district's total enrollment).

Ambridge Area Hs accounts for 31.3% of all Ambridge Area Sd student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Ambridge Area Sd-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Ambridge Area Sd school enrollment varies 2.9× across entities

Ambridge Area Sd school enrollment ranges from 241 students (lowest) to 705 students (highest), a spread of 464 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Ambridge Area Sd reports 97.1% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Ambridge Area Sd student-counselor ratio is 426:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Ambridge Area Sd chronic absenteeism rate is 31.2% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

11.4%
Federal
39.9%
State
48.7%
Local

Funding Equity

39
Equity Score
413 / 649
State Rank
49
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Ambridge Area Sd.

White 75.0%
Hispanic or Latino 1.9%
African American 15.2%
Multiracial 7.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 39.5/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Ambridge Area Sd's schools, above the Pennsylvania average of 37.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Highland El Sch 55.7
  2. 2 State Street El Sch 42.9
  3. 3 Ambridge Area Ms 38.8
  4. 4 Ambridge Area Hs 37.4
  5. 5 Economy El Sch 22.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
15 AP courses total
426.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
31.2%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Ambridge Area Sd

School Enrollment
Ambridge Area Hs
705
Ambridge Area Ms
500
Economy El Sch
456
Highland El Sch
284
State Street El Sch
241

How Ambridge Area Sd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Pennsylvania districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Eastern York Sd Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Fleetwood Area Sd Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Tuscarora Sd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Highlands Sd Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Shamokin Area Sd Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Ambridge Area Sd's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Pennsylvania

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Philadelphia City Sd
118,335 students · 219 schools · $18,329/pupil
Compare vs Ambridge Area Sd →
Commonwealth Charter Academy Cs
20,355 students · 1 schools · $16,549/pupil
Compare vs Ambridge Area Sd →
Pittsburgh Sd
20,034 students · 56 schools · $24,008/pupil
Compare vs Ambridge Area Sd →
Central Bucks Sd
17,540 students · 23 schools · $18,884/pupil
Compare vs Ambridge Area Sd →
Reading Sd
17,363 students · 19 schools · $14,509/pupil
Compare vs Ambridge Area Sd →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Ambridge Area Sd

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Philadelphia City Sd →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Ambridge Area Sd?

Ambridge Area Sd has 5 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 combined. Total enrollment is 2,254 students.

How much does Ambridge Area Sd spend per student?

Ambridge Area Sd spends $14,965 per student. The district has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #413 in Pennsylvania.

What is the demographic composition of Ambridge Area Sd?

Ambridge Area Sd students are 75.0% White, 15.2% African American, 1.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Ambridge Area Sd?

Ambridge Area Sd has an equity score of 39/100, ranking #413 out of 649 districts in Pennsylvania.