Enrollment
1,025
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Chambersburg, PA
Chambersburg Area Ms - South
Federal NCES profile for Chambersburg Area Ms - South, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 420555006615
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chambersburg Area Ms - South earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #10 of 16
- public schools in Chambersburg · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 63.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Chambersburg Area Ms - South has class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chambersburg Area Ms - South ranks #10 of 16 public schools in Chambersburg, PA.
School address
District: Chambersburg Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420555006615 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.1%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chambersburg Area Ms - South compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chambersburg Area Ms - South
Chambersburg Area Ms - South is a higher-need, large middle school in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, enrolling 1,025 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 63.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Pennsylvania, bigger than 91% of state schools at 1,025 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 71 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #18.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 342 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.6% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Chambersburg Area Sd spends $14,464 per pupil, 20% below the Pennsylvania average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Chambersburg's middle schools, it stands alongside Chambersburg Area Ms - North (1,072 students): Chambersburg Area Ms - South is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16:1 vs 17:1).
Chambersburg Area Sd also operates Chambersburg Area Shs (2,319 students) and Chambersburg Area Ms - North (1,072 students) alongside Chambersburg Area Ms - South.
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 Chambersburg Area Ms - South compares
Chambersburg Area Ms - South on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16:1 | ▲ 18% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.1% | ▲ 9% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,025 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,025
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% 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
16:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 85% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.6%
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 342 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 108 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.0 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
White 50.5%
Hispanic or Latino 30.4%
African American 10.0%
Two or More 6.5%
Asian 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 50.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.8, Chambersburg Area Ms - South 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 Chambersburg Area Ms - South.
$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 Chambersburg Area Ms - South Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg Area Shs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chambersburg Area Ms - North | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chambersburg Area Career Magnet Sch | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Benjamin Chambers El Sch | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hamilton Heights El Sch | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chambersburg Area Ms - South'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
- 706
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 583
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 553
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar middle schools in Chambersburg
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~1,025 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chambersburg Area Ms - South's federal record.
- Compare Chambersburg Area Ms - South 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 Chambersburg Area Ms - South
How many students attend Chambersburg Area Ms - South?
Chambersburg Area Ms - South has 1,025 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Chambersburg, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chambersburg Area Ms - South?
The student-teacher ratio at Chambersburg Area Ms - South is 16:1, which is 18% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Chambersburg Area Ms - South?
63.1% of students at Chambersburg Area Ms - South are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chambersburg Area Ms - South?
The largest demographic group at Chambersburg Area Ms - South is White at 50.5% of enrollment, in Chambersburg, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chambersburg Area Ms - South?
Chambersburg Area Ms - South has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical 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 Chambersburg Area Ms - South rank among public schools in Chambersburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Chambersburg Area Ms - South ranks #10 of 16 public 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 public schools in Chambersburg on the city page.
Is Chambersburg Area Ms - South a good school?
Chambersburg Area Ms - South earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Chambersburg Area Ms - South, Chambersburg Area Sd also operates Chambersburg Area Shs (2,319 students), Chambersburg Area Ms - North (1,072 students), and Chambersburg Area Career Magnet Sch (706 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.