Bethlehem Area SD
Public school district · Northampton County · Pennsylvania · NCES district ID 4203570
Bethlehem Area SD spent $18,515 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 63% of the other Pennsylvania districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $17,594). Its 22 schools enrolled 12,717 students in 2024-25; 26.8% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $18,980 per student, up 2.5% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 86% (Pennsylvania: 87.5%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among Pennsylvania's largest districts
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. Among the 10 districts shown, Bethlehem Area SD ranks 4.
Where the money came from
$363,047,000 in revenue: 26.8% state, 63.3% local and 9.8% federal. Total spending including $17,867,000 of capital outlay was $333,373,000, or $25,697 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$97,466,000 27%
- Local$229,890,000 63%
- Federal$35,691,000 10%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 418 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment fell from 2022-23 to 2024-25
12,939 students in 2022-23, 12,825 students in 2023-24, 12,717 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 12,939 | 958.0 | 13.5 |
| 2023-24 | 12,825 | 978.4 | 13.1 |
| 2024-25 | 12,717 | 956.6 | 13.3 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$81,662,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $6,295 per student
Bethlehem Area SD booked $81,662,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 963 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $84,800 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 59 in 100 Pennsylvania districts with a figure (state median $81,309, 647 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Pennsylvania teacher salary at $72,248 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $65,375,000 | 80.1% |
| Special education | $13,897,000 | 17.0% |
| Other programs | $2,390,000 | 2.9% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $5,237 in 2018-19, $5,490 in 2019-20, $5,815 in 2020-21, $6,065 in 2021-22, $6,295 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in Bethlehem Area SD scored proficient or above: 47% in reading and 24% in math, against 54% in reading and 34% in math across Pennsylvania. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within Pennsylvania, not across states. Where a state published results by grade only, the grades tested are combined, weighted by the students tested in each.
| Subject | This district | Pennsylvania | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 47% | 54% | 5,536 |
| Math | 24% | 34% | 5,593 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
86% of the 1,118 students in Bethlehem Area SD's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 87.5% across Pennsylvania. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 86% | 87.5% |
| Students in the class | 1,118 | 136,045 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
16 elementary schools, 5,452 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Garden Elementary School | 532 | 13.0 | 42.7% | Eligible, no program |
| Fountain Hill Elementary School | 530 | 11.6 | 79.6% | Schoolwide program |
| Donegan Elementary School | 467 | 10.6 | 91.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Governor Wolf Elementary School | 432 | 12.7 | 57.4% | Schoolwide program |
| Clearview Elementary School | 384 | 12.6 | 66.9% | Schoolwide program |
| Farmersville Elementary School | 357 | 12.6 | 30.0% | Not Title I |
| Lincoln Elementary School | 355 | 13.2 | 64.8% | Schoolwide program |
| Miller Heights Elementary School | 328 | 12.5 | 39.0% | Not Title I |
| Freemansburg Elementary School | 328 | 10.9 | 86.6% | Schoolwide program |
| Asa Packer Elementary School | 314 | 11.7 | 31.8% | Not Title I |
| Marvine Elementary School | 265 | 10.2 | 97.0% | Schoolwide program |
| James Buchanan Elementary School | 253 | 12.1 | 58.5% | Schoolwide program |
The other 4 elementary schools
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Penn Elementary School | 242 | 11.5 | 73.1% | Schoolwide program |
| Thomas Jefferson Elementary School | 238 | 11.1 | 78.2% | Schoolwide program |
| Calypso Elementary School | 222 | 13.0 | 50.9% | Schoolwide program |
| Hanover Elementary School | 205 | 12.3 | 19.0% | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
4 middle schools, 2,932 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Hills Middle School | 966 | 13.3 | 46.9% | Eligible, no program |
| Nitschmann Middle School | 731 | 13.2 | 44.5% | Eligible, no program |
| Northeast Middle School | 715 | 12.1 | 68.4% | Schoolwide program |
| Broughal Middle School | 520 | 11.6 | 79.4% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
2 high schools, 4,333 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty High School | 2,541 | 16.0 | 58.3% | Eligible, no program |
| Freedom High School | 1,792 | 16.5 | 49.2% | Eligible, no program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
Contact Bethlehem Area SD
- Website: basdschools.org
- Phone: (610) 861-0500
- Office: 1516 Sycamore St, Bethlehem, PA 18017
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about Bethlehem Area SD
- Pennsylvania districts by spending per studentBethlehem Area SD ranks 155 of 418 Pennsylvania districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($18,515).#155 of 418
- Every school district in PennsylvaniaBethlehem Area SD is the number 8 by size of 775 Pennsylvania districts, with 12,973 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#8 of 775
- Downingtown Area SDThe next larger Pennsylvania district: 13,204 students in fall 2022, $17,304 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$17,304
- North Penn SDThe next smaller Pennsylvania district: 12,912 students in fall 2022, $19,806 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$19,806
- Compare Bethlehem Area SD with Downingtown Area SDEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- Liberty High School, its largest high school2,541 students in 2024-25, 16.0 per teacher.2,541
- Teacher salary spending across PennsylvaniaBethlehem Area SD spent $84,800 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $81,309); spending, not a salary.$84,800
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about Bethlehem Area SD
How many schools and students are in Bethlehem Area SD?
22 schools were open in 2024-25 (16 elementary, 4 middle, 2 high), enrolling 12,717 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Bethlehem Area SD spend per student?
$18,515 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the Pennsylvania median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $17,594 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $18,980 per student, up 2.5% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Bethlehem Area SD's money come from?
$363,047,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 26.8% state, 63.3% local and 9.8% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Bethlehem Area SD live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,093 of the 16,808 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 12.5%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does Bethlehem Area SD spend on teacher salaries?
$81,662,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $6,295 per student. Divided by the 963 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $84,800 per teacher, more than 59 in 100 Pennsylvania districts (state median $81,309). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Pennsylvania teacher salary at $72,248 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in Bethlehem Area SD do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Bethlehem Area SD scored proficient or above: 47% in reading and 24% in math, against 54% in reading and 34% in math across Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in Bethlehem Area SD?
86% of the 1,118 students in Bethlehem Area SD's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 87.5% across Pennsylvania. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is Bethlehem Area SD's NCES district ID?
4203570. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25