Enrollment
251
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Chambersburg, PA
Buchanan El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Buchanan El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 420555002192
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buchanan El Sch earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #5 of 11
- elementary schools in Chambersburg · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.7:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Buchanan El Sch has class sizes larger than 83% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buchanan El Sch ranks #5 of 11 elementary schools in Chambersburg, PA.
School address
District: Chambersburg Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420555002192 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
16.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Buchanan El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Buchanan El Sch
Buchanan El Sch is a high-poverty, small elementary school in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, enrolling 251 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 251 puts it in the smaller third of Pennsylvania schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 305 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #45.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (40%) and White (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 251 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
17.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Chambersburg Area Sd spends $14,464 per pupil, 20% below the Pennsylvania average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Chambersburg's elementary schools, it stands alongside Benjamin Chambers El Sch (583 students): Buchanan El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.7:1 vs 17.1:1).
Chambersburg Area Sd also operates Chambersburg Area Shs (2,319 students) and Chambersburg Area Ms - North (1,072 students) alongside Buchanan El Sch.
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 Buchanan El Sch compares
Buchanan El Sch on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.7:1 | ▲ 15% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 251 | top 85% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
251
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% above the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 83% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,464
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 251 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
Hispanic or Latino 39.8%
White 38.6%
Two or More 13.1%
African American 8.0%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 39.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.9, Buchanan El Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Chambersburg Area Sd, which includes Buchanan El Sch.
$14,464
Per student
-20%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.9%
State 29.0%
Federal 12.1%
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 Buchanan El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg Area Shs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chambersburg Area Ms - North | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chambersburg Area Ms - South | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chambersburg Area Career Magnet Sch | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Benjamin Chambers El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buchanan El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,319
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,072
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,025
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 706
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 583
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Chambersburg
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Benjamin Chambers El Sch
Standard public school
583 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Hamilton Heights El Sch
Standard public school
553 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Scotland El Sch
Standard public school
460 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Stevens El Sch
Standard public school
305 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Marion El Sch
Standard public school
292 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Grandview El Sch
Standard public school
277 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~251 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Buchanan El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Buchanan El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Chambersburg 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 Buchanan El Sch
How many students attend Buchanan El Sch?
Buchanan El Sch has 251 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Chambersburg, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buchanan El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Buchanan El Sch is 15.7:1, which is 15% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 0% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Buchanan El Sch?
100.0% of students at Buchanan El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buchanan El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Buchanan El Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 39.8% of enrollment, in Chambersburg, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buchanan El Sch?
Buchanan El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Buchanan El Sch rank among elementary schools in Chambersburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Buchanan El Sch ranks #5 of 11 elementary schools in Chambersburg, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Chambersburg on the city page.
Is Buchanan El Sch a good school?
Buchanan El Sch earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools. 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 Chambersburg Area Sd?
Besides Buchanan El Sch, Chambersburg Area Sd also operates Chambersburg Area Shs (2,319 students), Chambersburg Area Ms - North (1,072 students), and Chambersburg Area Ms - South (1,025 students). See the Chambersburg 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.