Enrollment
961
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Wilkes Barre, PA
Dr David W Kistler El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Dr David W Kistler El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 422630006924
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Dr David W Kistler El Sch earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Wilkes Barre · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.6:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Dr David W Kistler El Sch has class sizes larger than 97% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Dr David W Kistler El Sch ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Wilkes Barre, PA.
School address
District: Wilkes-Barre Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 422630006924 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.6:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Dr David W Kistler El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Dr David W Kistler El Sch
Dr David W Kistler El Sch is a high-poverty, large elementary school in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, enrolling 961 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.6:1 is larger than about 97% of Pennsylvania schools and 44% 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.
Enrollment of 961 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 2,889 Pennsylvania schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 249 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #219, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (61%) and African American (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 961 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.0% 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.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Wilkes Barre's elementary schools, it stands alongside Heights/Murray El Sch (838 students): Dr David W Kistler El Sch is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.6:1 vs 19:1).
Wilkes-Barre Area Sd also operates Wilkes-Barre Area Hs (2,569 students) and G a R Ms (1,101 students) alongside Dr David W Kistler 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 Dr David W Kistler El Sch compares
Dr David W Kistler 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 | 19.6:1 | ▲ 44% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 961 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.6:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
961
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
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
19.6:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 97% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
44.0%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 961 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 100 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 61.3%
African American 15.9%
White 13.1%
Two or More 8.6%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 61.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.4, Dr David W Kistler 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 Wilkes-Barre Area Sd, which includes Dr David W Kistler 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 Dr David W Kistler El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes-Barre Area Hs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| G a R Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Heights/Murray El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Solomon/Plains Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Solomon/Plains El Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Dr David W Kistler 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
- 838
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 758
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 718
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
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 (~961 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Dr David W Kistler El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Dr David W Kistler 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 Dr David W Kistler El Sch
How many students attend Dr David W Kistler El Sch?
Dr David W Kistler El Sch has 961 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Wilkes Barre, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Dr David W Kistler El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Dr David W Kistler El Sch is 19.6:1, which is 44% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Dr David W Kistler El Sch?
100.0% of students at Dr David W Kistler El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Dr David W Kistler El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Dr David W Kistler El Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 61.3% of enrollment, in Wilkes Barre, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Dr David W Kistler El Sch?
Dr David W Kistler El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Dr David W Kistler El Sch rank among elementary schools in Wilkes Barre?
By Resource Investment Index, Dr David W Kistler El Sch ranks #1 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 Dr David W Kistler El Sch a good school?
Dr David W Kistler El Sch earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% 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 Wilkes-Barre Area Sd?
Besides Dr David W Kistler El Sch, Wilkes-Barre Area Sd also operates Wilkes-Barre Area Hs (2,569 students), G a R Ms (1,101 students), and Heights/Murray El Sch (838 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.