Enrollment
589
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Catasauqua, PA
Francis H Sheckler El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Francis H Sheckler El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 57/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 420516006593
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 79
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Francis H Sheckler El Sch earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Catasauqua · Resource Index
- 57
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.5:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Francis H Sheckler El Sch has class sizes larger than 81% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Francis H Sheckler El Sch ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Catasauqua, PA.
School address
District: Catasauqua Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420516006593 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Francis H Sheckler El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Francis H Sheckler El Sch
Francis H Sheckler El Sch is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, enrolling 589 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 589 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Among 472 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #13, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (42%) and White (42%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 295 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.5% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Catasauqua's elementary schools, it stands alongside Catasauqua Ms (477 students): Francis H Sheckler El Sch is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.5:1 vs 15.4:1).
Catasauqua Area Sd also operates Catasauqua Ms (477 students) and Catasauqua Shs (467 students) alongside Francis H Sheckler 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 Francis H Sheckler El Sch compares
Francis H Sheckler 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 | 15.5:1 | ▲ 14% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 589 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
589
Bigger than 72% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 81% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
8.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$18,663
per pupil, district-wide
- above Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 295 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.9 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
Hispanic or Latino 42.3%
White 41.6%
African American 8.0%
Two or More 6.6%
Asian 1.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.7, Francis H Sheckler 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 Catasauqua Area Sd, which includes Francis H Sheckler El Sch.
$18,663
Per student
+4%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
+12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 60.8%
State 26.9%
Federal 12.3%
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 Francis H Sheckler El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catasauqua Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Catasauqua Shs | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Francis H Sheckler El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 477
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 467
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar elementary schools in Catasauqua
1 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 (~589 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Francis H Sheckler El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Francis H Sheckler El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Catasauqua 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 Francis H Sheckler El Sch
How many students attend Francis H Sheckler El Sch?
Francis H Sheckler El Sch has 589 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Catasauqua, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Francis H Sheckler El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Francis H Sheckler El Sch is 15.5:1, which is 14% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Francis H Sheckler El Sch?
100.0% of students at Francis H Sheckler El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Francis H Sheckler El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Francis H Sheckler El Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 42.3% of enrollment, in Catasauqua, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Francis H Sheckler El Sch?
Francis H Sheckler El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 57/100 (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 Francis H Sheckler El Sch rank among public schools in Catasauqua?
By Resource Investment Index, Francis H Sheckler El Sch ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Catasauqua, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Catasauqua on the city page.
Is Francis H Sheckler El Sch a good school?
Francis H Sheckler El Sch earns 57/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% 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 Catasauqua Area Sd?
Besides Francis H Sheckler El Sch, Catasauqua Area Sd also operates Catasauqua Ms (477 students) and Catasauqua Shs (467 students). See the Catasauqua 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.