Enrollment
361
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Norristown, PA
Gotwals El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Gotwals El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 421698005080
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gotwals El Sch earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median.
- #8 of 11
- elementary schools in Norristown · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.9:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Gotwals El Sch has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gotwals El Sch ranks #8 of 11 elementary schools in Norristown, PA.
School address
District: Norristown Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421698005080 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.9:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gotwals El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gotwals El Sch
Gotwals El Sch is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Norristown, Pennsylvania, enrolling 361 students.
At 12.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Pennsylvania median, within a few percentage points of the 13.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 361 puts it in the smaller third of Pennsylvania schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Among 472 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #355, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (70%) and African American (19%) (diversity index 46/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 361 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Norristown's elementary schools, it stands alongside East Norriton Ms (836 students): Gotwals El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.9:1 vs 14.2:1).
Norristown Area Sd also operates Norristown Area Hs (2,256 students) and East Norriton Ms (836 students) alongside Gotwals 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 Gotwals El Sch compares
Gotwals 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 5% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 361 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
361
Bigger than 41% 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
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 42% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
30.2%
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
$17,653
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 361 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 70.1%
African American 19.4%
Two or More 8.0%
White 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 70.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.4, Gotwals El Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Norristown Area Sd, which includes Gotwals El Sch.
$17,653
Per student
-2%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 62.4%
State 22.3%
Federal 15.2%
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 Gotwals El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norristown Area Hs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Norriton Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eisenhower Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stewart Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marshall Street El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gotwals El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,256
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 836
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 781
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 585
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar elementary schools in Norristown
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
East Norriton Ms
Standard public school
836 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Eisenhower Ms
Standard public school
781 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Stewart Ms
Standard public school
695 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Marshall Street El Sch
Standard public school
585 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Whitehall El Sch
Standard public school
503 students 14:1 students per teacher
Paul V Fly El Sch
Standard public school
452 students 14.1:1 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 (~361 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gotwals El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Gotwals El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Norristown 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 Gotwals El Sch
How many students attend Gotwals El Sch?
Gotwals El Sch has 361 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Norristown, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gotwals El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Gotwals El Sch is 12.9:1, which is 5% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 18% 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 Gotwals El Sch?
100.0% of students at Gotwals El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gotwals El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Gotwals El Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 70.1% of enrollment, in Norristown, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gotwals El Sch?
Gotwals El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Gotwals El Sch rank among elementary schools in Norristown?
By Resource Investment Index, Gotwals El Sch ranks #8 of 11 elementary schools in Norristown, 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 Norristown on the city page.
Is Gotwals El Sch a good school?
Gotwals El Sch earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. 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 Norristown Area Sd?
Besides Gotwals El Sch, Norristown Area Sd also operates Norristown Area Hs (2,256 students), East Norriton Ms (836 students), and Eisenhower Ms (781 students). See the Norristown 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.