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

Derry, Pennsylvania - 3 schools

An equity score of 64/100 ranks Derry Area Sd #165 of 648 districts in Pennsylvania (state average 49). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $16,219 per pupil, Derry Area Sd ranks #443 of 671 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending (Pennsylvania districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,797
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$16,219
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Derry Area Sd operates 3 public schools serving 1,797 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Pennsylvania. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 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 Westmoreland County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,219 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 671 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending. See how Pennsylvania compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 39.6% local, 50.6% state, and 9.7% 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 64/100, ranked #165 of 648 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 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (10 AP courses district-wide), a 371.8:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 40.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 92.0% White, 1.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Derry Area Ms, with a diversity index of 16.7/100.

Its largest campus is Grandview El Sch, enrolling 753 students (42% of the district's total enrollment).

Grandview El Sch accounts for 41.9% of all Derry Area Sd student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Derry Area Sd-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

Derry Area Sd has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 91.0% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is a supermajority of the population — well past the 75% concentration-grant threshold that unlocks extra funding on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Derry Area Sd student-counselor ratio is 372:1 — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Derry Area Sd chronic absenteeism rate is 40.0% — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

9.7%
Federal
50.6%
State
39.6%
Local

Funding Equity

64
Equity Score
165 / 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 3 schools in Derry Area Sd.

White 92.0%
Hispanic or Latino 1.8%
African American 1.7%
Multiracial 4.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 15.0/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Derry Area Ms 16.7
  2. 2 Grandview El Sch 16.2
  3. 3 Derry Area Shs 12.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
10 AP courses total
371.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
40.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Derry Area Sd

School Enrollment
Grandview El Sch
753
Derry Area Shs
598
Derry Area Ms
440

How Derry Area Sd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Pennsylvania districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Yough Sd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Cs Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Jim Thorpe Area Sd Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Franklin Area Sd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Freeport Area Sd Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

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

Compare Derry 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 Derry Area Sd?

Derry Area Sd has 3 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,797 students.

How much does Derry Area Sd spend per student?

Derry Area Sd spends $16,219 per student. The district has an equity score of 64/100, ranking #165 in Pennsylvania.

What is the demographic composition of Derry Area Sd?

Derry Area Sd students are 92.0% White, 1.8% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Derry Area Sd?

Derry Area Sd has an equity score of 64/100, ranking #165 out of 648 districts in Pennsylvania.