- Enrollment
- 1,444
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · West Chester, PA
Fern Hill El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Fern Hill El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 422529001454
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fern Hill El Sch earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #2 of 12
- elementary schools in West Chester · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11:1
- small classes for Pennsylvania
- 22.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Fern Hill El Sch has class sizes smaller than 84% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fern Hill El Sch ranks #2 of 12 elementary schools in West Chester, PA.
School address
District: West Chester Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 422529001454 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+19 students YoY
Fern Hill El Sch held near 410 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+19 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 37.0 → 38.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+19 students YoY 422529001454 · West Chester, PA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
408 enr · 11:1 · 22.8% lunch · RII 56
Nearest enrollment peer: West Chester Henderson Hs (1,444 students)
Fern Hill El Sch held near 410 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+19 headcount). Teacher FTE added 37.0 → 38.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Pennsylvania schools → · Find another →
Fern Hill El Sch in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- West Chester H
West Chester Henderson Hs
1,444 students
- West Chester E
West Chester East Hs
1,216 students
- West Chester B
West Chester Bayard Rustin Hs
1,159 students
- E N Peirce Ms
E N Peirce Ms
1,040 students
- J R Fugett Ms
J R Fugett Ms
930 students
- This school 408
Fern Hill El Sch
408 students
What this shows Fern Hill El Sch reports 408 students on the CCD universe file.
How Fern Hill El Sch compares
Fern Hill El Sch held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11:1 | ▼ 19% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.8% | ▼ 61% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 408 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11:1
Leaner classes than 83% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
408
Bigger than 49% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
22.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% below the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
11:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 16% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 84% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
7.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$18,039
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $18,725
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 408 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 67.9%
Hispanic or Latino 10.3%
Asian 9.3%
Two or More 7.1%
African American 5.4%
Largest group: White at 67.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 51.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 51.2, Fern Hill El Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for West Chester Area Sd reports $18,039 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Fern Hill El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Chester Henderson Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Chester East Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Chester Bayard Rustin Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| E N Peirce Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| J R Fugett Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fern Hill El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,216
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 1,159
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,040
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
- Enrollment
- 930
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
Similar elementary schools in West Chester
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Sarah W Starkweather El Sch
Standard public school
576 students 14:1 students per teacher
Hillsdale El Sch
Standard public school
537 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Westtown-Thornbury El Sch
Standard public school
529 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Pocopson El Sch
Standard public school
514 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Greystone El Sch
Standard public school
511 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
East Goshen El Sch
Standard public school
510 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~408 students)
Frequently asked questions about Fern Hill El Sch
How many students attend Fern Hill El Sch?
Fern Hill El Sch has 408 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in West Chester, PA. CCD year-over-year: 391 (2022-23) → 410 (2023-24), nearly flat (+19).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fern Hill El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Fern Hill El Sch is 11:1, which is 19% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 30% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fern Hill El Sch?
22.8% of students at Fern Hill El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fern Hill El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Fern Hill El Sch is White at 67.9% of enrollment, in West Chester, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 51.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fern Hill El Sch?
Fern Hill El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Fern Hill El Sch rank among elementary schools in West Chester?
By Resource Investment Index, Fern Hill El Sch ranks #2 of 12 elementary schools in West Chester, 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 West Chester on the city page.
What other schools are in West Chester Area Sd?
Besides Fern Hill El Sch, West Chester Area Sd also operates West Chester Henderson Hs (1,444 students), West Chester East Hs (1,216 students), and West Chester Bayard Rustin Hs (1,159 students). See the West Chester Area Sd district page for the complete list.