Enrollment
522
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Wilkes Barre, PA
Dodson El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Dodson El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 422630002995
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dodson El Sch earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #2 of 4
- elementary schools in Wilkes Barre · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.9:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Dodson El Sch has class sizes larger than 98% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dodson El Sch ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in Wilkes Barre, PA.
School address
District: Wilkes-Barre Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 422630002995 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.9:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+54% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dodson El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dodson El Sch
Dodson El Sch is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, enrolling 522 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.9:1 is larger than about 98% of Pennsylvania schools and 54% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 522 students, its enrollment sits close to the Pennsylvania median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 2,889 Pennsylvania schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 524 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #512, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (68%) and African American (15%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1305 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Wilkes-Barre Area Sd spends $13,221 per pupil, 26% below the Pennsylvania average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Wilkes Barre's elementary schools, it stands alongside Dr David W Kistler El Sch (961 students): Dodson El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.9:1 vs 19.6:1).
Wilkes-Barre Area Sd also operates Wilkes-Barre Area Hs (2,569 students) and G a R Ms (1,101 students) alongside Dodson 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 Dodson El Sch compares
Dodson 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 | 20.9:1 | ▲ 54% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 522 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.9:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
522
Bigger than 64% 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
20.9:1
students per teacher
- 54% above state mean
Top 98% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
33.1%
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
$13,221
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.4 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 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 68.2%
African American 14.9%
White 8.4%
Two or More 7.7%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 68.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.0, Dodson El Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wilkes-Barre Area Sd, which includes Dodson El Sch.
$13,221
Per student
-26%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.8%
State 37.4%
Federal 16.8%
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 Dodson El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes-Barre Area Hs | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| G a R Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dr David W Kistler El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Heights/Murray El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Solomon/Plains Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dodson El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,569
- Students per teacher
- 22.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 1,101
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 961
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 838
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 758
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Wilkes Barre
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~522 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dodson El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Dodson El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Wilkes-Barre 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 Dodson El Sch
How many students attend Dodson El Sch?
Dodson El Sch has 522 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Wilkes Barre, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dodson El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Dodson El Sch is 20.9:1, which is 54% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 33% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dodson El Sch?
100.0% of students at Dodson El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dodson El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Dodson El Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 68.2% of enrollment, in Wilkes Barre, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dodson El Sch?
Dodson El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (lower 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 Dodson El Sch rank among elementary schools in Wilkes Barre?
By Resource Investment Index, Dodson El Sch ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in Wilkes Barre, 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 Wilkes Barre on the city page.
Is Dodson El Sch a good school?
Dodson El Sch earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of 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 Wilkes-Barre Area Sd?
Besides Dodson El Sch, Wilkes-Barre Area Sd also operates Wilkes-Barre Area Hs (2,569 students), G a R Ms (1,101 students), and Dr David W Kistler El Sch (961 students). See the Wilkes-Barre 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.