Big Spring 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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Newville, Pennsylvania - 5 schools

An equity score of 54/100 ranks Big Spring Sd #264 of 648 districts in Pennsylvania (state average 49). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $17,648 per pupil, Big Spring Sd ranks #295 of 671 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending (Pennsylvania districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,420
Total Enrollment
5
Schools
$17,648
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Big Spring Sd operates 5 public schools serving 2,420 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Pennsylvania. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 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 Cumberland County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $17,648 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 671 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending. See how Pennsylvania compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 60.2% local, 31.4% state, and 8.4% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 54/100, ranked #264 of 648 in Pennsylvania against a state average of 49, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 5 schools offering Advanced Placement (15 AP courses district-wide), and 15.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 90.7% White, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Mount Rock Elem Sch, with a diversity index of 23.2/100.

Its largest campus is Big Spring Hs, enrolling 764 students (33% of the district's total enrollment).

Big Spring Hs accounts for 31.6% of all Big Spring Sd student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Big Spring Sd-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Big Spring Sd school enrollment varies 2.3× across entities

Big Spring Sd school enrollment ranges from 331 students (lowest) to 764 students (highest), a spread of 433 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 NCES Common Core of Data

Big Spring Sd chronic absenteeism rate is 15.2% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Big Spring Sd is typically wider than the Big Spring Sd-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

8.4%
Federal
31.4%
State
60.2%
Local

Funding Equity

54
Equity Score
264 / 648
State Rank
49
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 5 schools in Big Spring Sd.

White 90.7%
Hispanic or Latino 2.9%
Asian 1.0%
Multiracial 4.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 17.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Big Spring Sd's schools, below the Pennsylvania average of 37.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Mount Rock Elem Sch 23.2
  2. 2 Big Spring Hs 16.6
  3. 3 Big Spring Ms 15.9
  4. 4 Newville El Sch 15.9
  5. 5 Oak Flat El Sch 15.0

Programs & Resources

1 / 5
Schools with AP
15 AP courses total
15.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Big Spring Sd

School Enrollment
Big Spring Hs
764
Big Spring Ms
550
Newville El Sch
351
Oak Flat El Sch
348
Mount Rock Elem Sch
331

How Big Spring Sd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Pennsylvania districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Bradford Area Sd Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Pottsville Area Sd Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Eastern Lebanon County Sd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Dallas Sd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Valley View Sd Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Big Spring 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 · $17,892/pupil
Compare vs Big Spring Sd →
Commonwealth Charter Academy Cs
20,355 students · 1 schools · $13,853/pupil
Compare vs Big Spring Sd →
Pittsburgh Sd
20,034 students · 56 schools · $24,314/pupil
Compare vs Big Spring Sd →
Central Bucks Sd
17,540 students · 23 schools · $18,148/pupil
Compare vs Big Spring Sd →
Reading Sd
17,363 students · 19 schools · $13,219/pupil
Compare vs Big Spring Sd →

Compare Big Spring 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 Big Spring Sd?

Big Spring Sd has 5 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,420 students.

How much does Big Spring Sd spend per student?

Big Spring Sd spends $17,648 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #264 in Pennsylvania.

What is the demographic composition of Big Spring Sd?

Big Spring Sd students are 90.7% White, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.0% Asian, 0.5% African American, averaged across 5 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Big Spring Sd?

Big Spring Sd has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #264 out of 648 districts in Pennsylvania.