Enrollment
712
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mechanicsburg, PA
Elmwood Academy
Federal NCES profile for Elmwood Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 421503000862
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Elmwood Academy earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #6 of 12
- elementary schools in Mechanicsburg · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.2:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 34.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Elmwood Academy has class sizes larger than 86% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Elmwood Academy ranks #6 of 12 elementary schools in Mechanicsburg, PA.
School address
District: Mechanicsburg Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421503000862 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.9%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Elmwood Academy compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Elmwood Academy
Elmwood Academy is a mid-sized elementary school in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, enrolling 712 students.
Class loads run heavy: 16.2:1 is larger than about 86% of Pennsylvania schools and 19% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 712 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 554 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #245.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and African American (10%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 356 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
14.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Mechanicsburg's elementary schools, it stands alongside Winding Creek El Sch (1,055 students): Elmwood Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.2:1 vs 18.5:1).
Mechanicsburg Area Sd also operates Mechanicsburg Area Shs (1,412 students) and Mechanicsburg Ms (1,112 students) alongside Elmwood Academy.
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 Elmwood Academy compares
Elmwood Academy on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.2:1 | ▲ 19% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.9% | ▼ 40% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 712 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
712
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% 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
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 19% above state mean
Top 86% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.6%
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
$15,548
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 356 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.9 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 70.4%
African American 10.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.0%
Two or More 6.3%
Asian 6.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 70.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.2, Elmwood Academy is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mechanicsburg Area Sd, which includes Elmwood Academy.
$15,548
Per student
-13%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 71.0%
State 23.5%
Federal 5.5%
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 Elmwood Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanicsburg Area Shs | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mechanicsburg Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Upper Allen El Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Kindergarten Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Shepherdstown El Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Elmwood Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,412
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,112
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 321
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 321
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 283
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar elementary schools in Mechanicsburg
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Winding Creek El Sch
Standard public school
1,055 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Sporting Hill El Sch
Standard public school
580 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Hampden El Sch
Standard public school
538 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Silver Spring El Sch
Standard public school
528 students 16:1 students per teacher
Green Ridge El Sch
Standard public school
474 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Rossmoyne El Sch
Standard public school
417 students 11.3:1 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 (~712 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Elmwood Academy's federal record.
- Compare Elmwood Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Mechanicsburg 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 Elmwood Academy
How many students attend Elmwood Academy?
Elmwood Academy has 712 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mechanicsburg, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Elmwood Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Elmwood Academy is 16.2:1, which is 19% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Elmwood Academy?
34.9% of students at Elmwood Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Elmwood Academy?
The largest demographic group at Elmwood Academy is White at 70.4% of enrollment, in Mechanicsburg, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Elmwood Academy?
Elmwood Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 Elmwood Academy rank among elementary schools in Mechanicsburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Elmwood Academy ranks #6 of 12 elementary schools in Mechanicsburg, 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 Mechanicsburg on the city page.
Is Elmwood Academy a good school?
Elmwood Academy earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% 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 Mechanicsburg Area Sd?
Besides Elmwood Academy, Mechanicsburg Area Sd also operates Mechanicsburg Area Shs (1,412 students), Mechanicsburg Ms (1,112 students), and Upper Allen El Sch (321 students). See the Mechanicsburg 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.