Chester-Upland 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.

Chester, Pennsylvania - 7 schools

An equity score of 79/100 ranks Chester-Upland Sd #53 of 649 districts in Pennsylvania (state average 49). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $21,339 per pupil, Chester-Upland Sd ranks #111 of 672 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending (Pennsylvania districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

3,100
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$21,339
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Chester-Upland Sd operates 7 public schools serving 3,100 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Pennsylvania. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 combined, 2 elementary, 1 high 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 Delaware County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $21,339 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 672 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending. See how Pennsylvania compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 18.3% local, 74.2% state, and 7.6% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 79/100, ranked #53 of 649 in Pennsylvania against a state average of 49, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 260.7:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 54.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 81.9% African American, 11.4% Hispanic or Latino, 2.4% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Main Street Sch, with a diversity index of 40.5/100.

Its largest campus is Chester Hs, enrolling 806 students (27% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Stetser El Sch, at 251 students, a 3x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Chester Hs accounts for 26.0% of all Chester-Upland Sd student enrollment

That concentration means Chester-Upland 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

Chester-Upland Sd school enrollment varies 3.2× across entities

Chester-Upland Sd school enrollment ranges from 251 students (lowest) to 806 students (highest), a spread of 555 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

Chester-Upland Sd reports 96.6% 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

Chester-Upland Sd student-counselor ratio is 261:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

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

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Chester-Upland Sd chronic absenteeism rate is 54.0% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

7.6%
Federal
74.2%
State
18.3%
Local

Funding Equity

79
Equity Score
53 / 649
State Rank
49
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 7 schools in Chester-Upland Sd.

White 2.4%
Hispanic or Latino 11.4%
African American 81.9%
Multiracial 3.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 31.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Chester-Upland Sd's schools, below the Pennsylvania average of 37.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Main Street Sch 40.5
  2. 2 Chester Hs 33.1
  3. 3 Stem at Showalter 31.7
  4. 4 Stetser El Sch 31.3
  5. 5 Edgmont Scholars Academy 29.6

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
260.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
54.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Chester-Upland Sd

School Enrollment
Chester Hs
806
Stem at Showalter
477
Edgmont Scholars Academy
422
Chester Upland Sch of Arts
384
Toby Farms Intermediate School
359
Main Street Sch
340
Stetser El Sch
251

How Chester-Upland Sd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Pennsylvania districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Pittston Area Sd Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Solanco Sd Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Southern Lehigh Sd Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Woodland Hills Sd Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Crawford Central Sd Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Chester-Upland 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 Chester-Upland Sd →
Commonwealth Charter Academy Cs
20,355 students · 1 schools · $16,549/pupil
Compare vs Chester-Upland Sd →
Pittsburgh Sd
20,034 students · 56 schools · $24,008/pupil
Compare vs Chester-Upland Sd →
Central Bucks Sd
17,540 students · 23 schools · $18,884/pupil
Compare vs Chester-Upland Sd →
Reading Sd
17,363 students · 19 schools · $14,509/pupil
Compare vs Chester-Upland 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 Chester-Upland 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 Chester-Upland Sd?

Chester-Upland Sd has 7 schools, including 1 high, 4 combined, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 3,100 students.

How much does Chester-Upland Sd spend per student?

Chester-Upland Sd spends $21,339 per student. The district has an equity score of 79/100, ranking #53 in Pennsylvania.

What is the demographic composition of Chester-Upland Sd?

Chester-Upland Sd students are 81.9% African American, 11.4% Hispanic or Latino, 2.4% White, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Chester-Upland Sd?

Chester-Upland Sd has an equity score of 79/100, ranking #53 out of 649 districts in Pennsylvania.