Northwestern SD

Public school district · Erie County · Pennsylvania · NCES district ID 4217880

Northwestern SD spent $17,905 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 55% of the other Pennsylvania districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $17,594). Its 4 schools enrolled 1,176 students in 2024-25; 59.4% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $17,751 per student, down 0.9% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 90-94% (Pennsylvania: 87.5%).

Spending per student among Pennsylvania districts of similar size

Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. The 9 districts closest to Northwestern SD in enrollment (1,198 to 1,222 students) and Northwestern SD itself.

Current spending per student, Pennsylvania districts closest in size to Northwestern SD, FY23Montrose Area SD $21,397; Marion Center Area SD $20,764; Camp Hill SD $19,592; Freedom Area SD $18,349; Northwestern SD $17,905; Mastery CS-Hardy Williams $16,984; Neshannock Township SD $15,873; Shenandoah Valley SD $14,735; Windber Area SD $13,806; MaST Community CS III $13,795; State median, 1,000+ students $17,594.10k12.5k15k17.5k20k22.5kMontrose Area SD$21,397Marion Center Area SD$20,764Camp Hill SD$19,592Freedom Area SD$18,349Northwestern SD$17,905Mastery CS-Hardy Williams$16,984Neshannock Township SD$15,873Shenandoah Valley SD$14,735Windber Area SD$13,806MaST Community CS III$13,795State median, 1,000+ students $17,594
Current spending per student, Pennsylvania districts closest in size to Northwestern SD, FY23Montrose Area SD $21,397; Marion Center Area SD $20,764; Camp Hill SD $19,592; Freedom Area SD $18,349; Northwestern SD $17,905; Mastery CS-Hardy Williams $16,984; Neshannock Township SD $15,873; Shenandoah Valley SD $14,735; Windber Area SD $13,806; MaST Community CS III $13,795; State median, 1,000+ students $17,594.10k12.5k15k17.5k20k22.5kMontrose Area SD$21,397Marion Center Area SD$20,764Camp Hill SD$19,592Freedom Area SD$18,349Northwestern SD$17,905Mastery CS-Hardy Williams$16,984Neshannock Township SD$15,873Shenandoah Valley SD$14,735Windber Area SD$13,806MaST Community CS III$13,795State median, 1,000+ students $17,594
Current spending per student, Pennsylvania districts closest in size to Northwestern SD, FY23Montrose Area SD $21,397; Marion Center Area SD $20,764; Camp Hill SD $19,592; Freedom Area SD $18,349; Northwestern SD $17,905; Mastery CS-Hardy Williams $16,984; Neshannock Township SD $15,873; Shenandoah Valley SD $14,735; Windber Area SD $13,806; MaST Community CS III $13,795; State median, 1,000+ students $17,594.10k15k20k22.5kMontrose Area SD$21,397Marion Center Area SD$20,764Camp Hill SD$19,592Freedom Area SD$18,349Northwestern SD$17,905Mastery CS-Hardy Williams$16,984Neshannock Township SD$15,873Shenandoah Valley SD$14,735Windber Area SD$13,806MaST Community CS III$13,795State median, 1,000+ students $17,594
Current spending per student, Pennsylvania districts closest in size to Northwestern SD, FY23Montrose Area SD $21,397; Marion Center Area SD $20,764; Camp Hill SD $19,592; Freedom Area SD $18,349; Northwestern SD $17,905; Mastery CS-Hardy Williams $16,984; Neshannock Township SD $15,873; Shenandoah Valley SD $14,735; Windber Area SD $13,806; MaST Community CS III $13,795; State median, 1,000+ students $17,594.10k15k20k22.5kMontrose Area SD$21,397Marion Center Area SD$20,764Camp Hill SD$19,592Freedom Area SD$18,349Northwestern SD$17,905Mastery CS-Hardy Williams$16,984Neshannock Township SD$15,873Shenandoah Valley SD$14,735Windber Area SD$13,806MaST Community CS III$13,795State median, 1,000+ students $17,594

Where the money came from

$26,856,000 in revenue: 59.4% state, 26.9% local and 13.7% federal. Total spending including $1,523,000 of capital outlay was $26,665,000, or $22,001 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.

Northwestern SD revenue by source, fiscal year 2022-23State $15,946,000; Local $7,221,000; Federal $3,689,000; total $26,856,000.
  • State$15,946,000 59%
  • Local$7,221,000 27%
  • Federal$3,689,000 14%

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

1,212 students in 2022-23, 1,208 students in 2023-24, 1,176 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.

Northwestern SD enrollment by school year2022-23: 1,212, 2023-24: 1,208, 2024-25: 1,17605001k1.5k2022-231,2122023-241,2082024-251,176
Northwestern SD enrollment by school year2022-23: 1,212, 2023-24: 1,208, 2024-25: 1,17605001k1.5k2022-231,2122023-241,2082024-251,176
Northwestern SD enrollment by school year2022-23: 1,212, 2023-24: 1,208, 2024-25: 1,17605001k1.5k2022-231,2122023-241,2082024-251,176
Northwestern SD enrollment by school year2022-23: 1,212, 2023-24: 1,208, 2024-25: 1,17605001k1.5k2022-231,2122023-241,2082024-251,176

Teachers and students per teacher

School yearStudentsTeachers (FTE)Per teacher
2022-231,212105.311.5
2023-241,208100.312.0
2024-251,17699.211.9

Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.

$6,727,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $5,550 per student

Northwestern SD booked $6,727,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 105 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 $63,902 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 7 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).

ProgramTeacher salariesShare
Regular programs$4,877,00072.5%
Special education$1,222,00018.2%
Vocational$367,0005.5%
Other programs$261,0003.9%

Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23

The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $4,654 in 2018-19, $4,727 in 2019-20, $5,026 in 2020-21, $5,298 in 2021-22, $5,550 in 2022-23.

Northwestern SD teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $4,654, 2019-20: $4,727, 2020-21: $5,026, 2021-22: $5,298, 2022-23: $5,55002k4k6k2018-19$4,6542019-20$4,7272020-21$5,0262021-22$5,2982022-23$5,550
Northwestern SD teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $4,654, 2019-20: $4,727, 2020-21: $5,026, 2021-22: $5,298, 2022-23: $5,55002k4k6k2018-19$4,6542019-20$4,7272020-21$5,0262021-22$5,2982022-23$5,550
Northwestern SD teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $4,654, 2019-20: $4,727, 2020-21: $5,026, 2021-22: $5,298, 2022-23: $5,55002k4k6k2018-19$4,6542019-20$4,7272020-21$5,0262021-22$5,2982022-23$5,550
Northwestern SD teacher salaries per student by fiscal year2018-19: $4,654, 2019-20: $4,727, 2020-21: $5,026, 2021-22: $5,298, 2022-23: $5,55002k4k6k2018-19$4,6542019-20$4,7272020-21$5,0262021-22$5,2982022-23$5,550

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 Northwestern SD scored proficient or above: 48-52% in reading and 38-42% 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.

Students proficient or above, 2021-22
SubjectThis districtPennsylvaniaStudents tested
Reading and language arts48-52%54%554
Math38-42%34%552

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

90-94% of the 88 students in Northwestern 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.

Four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rate, class of 2023
This districtPennsylvania
Four-year graduation rate90‑94%87.5%
Students in the class88136,045

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.

2 elementary schools, 512 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Northwestern Elementary School35011.596.9%Schoolwide program
Springfield Elementary School1629.0100.0%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.

1 middle school, 266 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Northwestern Middle School26612.0100.0%Targeted 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.

1 high school, 398 students

SchoolStudentsPer teacherFree lunchTitle I, 2021‑22
Northwestern SHS39813.989.3%Targeted 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 Northwestern SD

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 Northwestern SD

  1. Pennsylvania districts by spending per studentNorthwestern SD ranks 189 of 418 Pennsylvania districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($17,905).#189 of 418
  2. Every school district in PennsylvaniaNorthwestern SD is the number 385 by size of 775 Pennsylvania districts, with 1,212 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#385 of 775
  3. Mastery CS-Hardy WilliamsThe next larger Pennsylvania district: 1,215 students in fall 2022, $16,984 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$16,984
  4. Montrose Area SDThe next smaller Pennsylvania district: 1,211 students in fall 2022, $21,397 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$21,397
  5. Compare Northwestern SD with Mastery CS-Hardy WilliamsEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
  6. Northwestern SHS, its largest high school398 students in 2024-25, 13.9 per teacher.398
  7. Teacher salary spending across PennsylvaniaNorthwestern SD spent $63,902 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $81,309); spending, not a salary.$63,902
  8. 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 Northwestern SD

  1. How many schools and students are in Northwestern SD?
    4 schools were open in 2024-25 (2 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high), enrolling 1,176 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.
  2. How much does Northwestern SD spend per student?
    $17,905 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 $17,751 per student, down 0.9% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).
  3. Where does Northwestern SD's money come from?
    $26,856,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 59.4% state, 26.9% local and 13.7% federal (NCES F-33).
  4. How many children in Northwestern SD live in poverty?
    The Census Bureau estimates that 228 of the 1,551 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 14.7%, 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.
  5. How much does Northwestern SD spend on teacher salaries?
    $6,727,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $5,550 per student. Divided by the 105 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $63,902 per teacher, more than 7 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).
  6. How do students in Northwestern SD do on state tests?
    In 2021-22, the students tested in Northwestern SD scored proficient or above: 48-52% in reading and 38-42% 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.
  7. What is the graduation rate in Northwestern SD?
    90-94% of the 88 students in Northwestern 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.
  8. What is Northwestern SD's NCES district ID?
    4217880. 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