Enrollment
549
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Downingtown, PA
East Ward El Sch
Federal NCES profile for East Ward El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 420771005011
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
East Ward El Sch earns 44/100 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.
- #8 of 8
- elementary schools in Downingtown · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.7:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 25.6%
- free-lunch eligible
East Ward El Sch has class sizes larger than 83% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, East Ward El Sch ranks #8 of 8 elementary schools in Downingtown, PA.
School address
District: Downingtown Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420771005011 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
25.6%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How East Ward El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at East Ward El Sch
East Ward El Sch is a mid-sized elementary school in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, enrolling 549 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 below the state's typical profile, with 25.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 549 students, its enrollment sits close to the Pennsylvania median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Among 608 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #470, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (53%) and Asian (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 549 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
12.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Downingtown's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lionville El Sch (668 students): East Ward El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.7:1 vs 17.1:1).
Downingtown Area Sd also operates Downingtown Hs West Campus (1,796 students) and Downingtown Hs East Campus (1,708 students) alongside East Ward 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 East Ward El Sch compares
East Ward 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 | 25.6% | ▼ 56% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 549 | top 36% | - | - |
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.
549
Bigger than 68% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
25.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% below the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
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
12.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$16,432
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 549 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 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 53.0%
Asian 23.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%
Two or More 8.0%
African American 5.8%
Largest group: White at 53.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.5, East Ward 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 Downingtown Area Sd, which includes East Ward El Sch.
$16,432
Per student
-9%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 74.9%
State 21.1%
Federal 4.0%
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 East Ward El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downingtown Hs West Campus | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Downingtown Hs East Campus | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Downingtown Ms | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lionville Ms | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to East Ward El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,796
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,708
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,074
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,066
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,045
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar elementary schools in Downingtown
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lionville El Sch
Standard public school
668 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
West Bradford El Sch
Standard public school
623 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Uwchlan Hills El Sch
Standard public school
537 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Bradford Hgts El Sch
Standard public school
534 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Beaver Creek El Sch
Standard public school
531 students 14:1 students per teacher
Brandywine-Wallace El Sch
Standard public school
488 students 15.3:1 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 (~549 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on East Ward El Sch's federal record.
- Compare East Ward El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Downingtown 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 East Ward El Sch
How many students attend East Ward El Sch?
East Ward El Sch has 549 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Downingtown, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at East Ward El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at East Ward 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 East Ward El Sch?
25.6% of students at East Ward El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of East Ward El Sch?
The largest demographic group at East Ward El Sch is White at 53.0% of enrollment, in Downingtown, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for East Ward El Sch?
East Ward El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 East Ward El Sch rank among elementary schools in Downingtown?
By Resource Investment Index, East Ward El Sch ranks #8 of 8 elementary schools in Downingtown, 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 Downingtown on the city page.
Is East Ward El Sch a good school?
East Ward El Sch earns 44/100 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 Downingtown Area Sd?
Besides East Ward El Sch, Downingtown Area Sd also operates Downingtown Hs West Campus (1,796 students), Downingtown Hs East Campus (1,708 students), and Downingtown Ms (1,074 students). See the Downingtown 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.