Northern Lehigh 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.

Slatington, Pennsylvania - 4 schools

An equity score of 59/100 ranks Northern Lehigh Sd #214 of 649 districts in Pennsylvania (state average 49). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $18,849 per pupil, Northern Lehigh Sd ranks #266 of 672 Pennsylvania districts by per-pupil spending (Pennsylvania districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,573
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$18,849
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Northern Lehigh Sd operates 4 public schools serving 1,573 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Pennsylvania. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 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 Lehigh County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,849 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 52.5% local, 38.0% state, and 9.5% 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 59/100, ranked #214 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 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 341.3:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 13.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 73.7% White, 19.2% Hispanic or Latino, 2.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Northern Lehigh Ms, with a diversity index of 42.5/100.

Its largest campus is Northern Lehigh Shs, enrolling 502 students (31% of the district's total enrollment).

Northern Lehigh Shs accounts for 31.1% of all Northern Lehigh Sd student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Northern Lehigh 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

Northern Lehigh Sd school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities

Northern Lehigh Sd school enrollment ranges from 238 students (lowest) to 502 students (highest), a spread of 264 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

Northern Lehigh Sd reports 90.2% 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

Northern Lehigh Sd student-counselor ratio is 341:1 — 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 Northern Lehigh Sd is typically wider than the Northern Lehigh Sd-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Northern Lehigh Sd chronic absenteeism rate is 13.2% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

9.5%
Federal
38.0%
State
52.5%
Local

Funding Equity

59
Equity Score
214 / 649
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 4 schools in Northern Lehigh Sd.

White 73.7%
Hispanic or Latino 19.2%
African American 2.3%
Asian 0.6%
Multiracial 4.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 41.7/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Northern Lehigh Ms 42.5
  2. 2 Northern Lehigh Shs 42.0
  3. 3 Peters El Sch 41.3
  4. 4 Slatington El Sch 41.1

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
341.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
13.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Northern Lehigh Sd

School Enrollment
Northern Lehigh Shs
502
Slatington El Sch
487
Peters El Sch
389
Northern Lehigh Ms
238

How Northern Lehigh Sd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Pennsylvania districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Lake-Lehman Sd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mariana Bracetti Academy Cs Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Carbondale Area Sd Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Upper Adams Sd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Loyalsock Township Sd Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

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

Northern Lehigh Sd has 4 schools, including 1 high, 2 elementary, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,573 students.

How much does Northern Lehigh Sd spend per student?

Northern Lehigh Sd spends $18,849 per student. The district has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #214 in Pennsylvania.

What is the demographic composition of Northern Lehigh Sd?

Northern Lehigh Sd students are 73.7% White, 19.2% Hispanic or Latino, 2.3% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Northern Lehigh Sd?

Northern Lehigh Sd has an equity score of 59/100, ranking #214 out of 649 districts in Pennsylvania.