Enrollment
2,255
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Altoona, PA
Altoona Area Hs
Federal NCES profile for Altoona Area Hs, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 420234000913
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Altoona Area Hs earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Pennsylvania.
- #6 of 12
- public schools in Altoona · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.5:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 46.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Altoona Area Hs has class sizes larger than 88% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Altoona Area Hs ranks #6 of 12 public schools in Altoona, PA.
School address
District: Altoona Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420234000913 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
137.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.6%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Altoona Area Hs compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Altoona Area Hs
Altoona Area Hs is a large combined-grade school in Altoona, Pennsylvania, enrolling 2,255 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.5:1 is larger than about 88% of Pennsylvania schools and 21% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 46.6% lands close to the Pennsylvania typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Pennsylvania, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,255 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 30 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #19.
Its student body is predominantly White (84% of enrollment) (diversity index 28/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 259 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 17.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Altoona's public schools, it stands alongside Central Pa Digital Lrng Foundation Cs (194 students): Altoona Area Hs is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.5:1 vs 5.2:1).
Altoona Area Sd also operates Altoona Area Jr Hs (1,578 students) and Juniata Gap El Sch (490 students) alongside Altoona Area Hs.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Altoona Area Hs compares
Altoona Area Hs on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.5:1 | ▲ 21% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.6% | ▼ 20% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,255 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
2,255
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% below the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 88% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$14,639
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors8.7 FTE
Per 259 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
184
in-school suspensions + 203 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 83.9%
African American 10.5%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%
Two or More 1.4%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 83.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 28.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 28.4, Altoona Area Hs is less mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 18
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Altoona Area Sd, which includes Altoona Area Hs.
$14,639
Per student
-19%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.8%
State 56.9%
Federal 17.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Altoona Area Hs Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona Area Jr Hs | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Juniata Gap El Sch | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Juniata El Sch | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Pleasant Valley El Sch | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Logan El Sch | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Altoona Area Hs's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,578
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 490
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 470
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 439
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 428
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar other schools in Altoona
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Pennsylvania, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~2,255 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Altoona Area Hs's federal record.
- Compare Altoona Area Hs against another school. Compare schools
- Altoona Area Sd's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Altoona Area Hs
How many students attend Altoona Area Hs?
Altoona Area Hs has 2,255 students enrolled. It is a public school in Altoona, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Altoona Area Hs?
The student-teacher ratio at Altoona Area Hs is 16.5:1, which is 21% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Altoona Area Hs?
46.6% of students at Altoona Area Hs are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Altoona Area Hs?
The largest demographic group at Altoona Area Hs is White at 83.9% of enrollment, in Altoona, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Altoona Area Hs?
Altoona Area Hs has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Altoona Area Hs rank among public schools in Altoona?
By Resource Investment Index, Altoona Area Hs ranks #6 of 12 public schools in Altoona, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Altoona on the city page.
Is Altoona Area Hs a good school?
Altoona Area Hs earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Pennsylvania. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Altoona Area Sd?
Besides Altoona Area Hs, Altoona Area Sd also operates Altoona Area Jr Hs (1,578 students), Juniata Gap El Sch (490 students), and Juniata El Sch (470 students). See the Altoona Area Sd district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.