Middle school (grades 6-8) · Bethel Park, PA

Independence Ms

Federal NCES profile for Independence Ms, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.

2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 420351000061

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Compiled from official source data by PlainSchools. · Updated August 2026

The verdict

Independence Ms earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of Pennsylvania schools.

#7 of 7
public schools in Bethel Park · Resource Index: 51
Resource Index · Higher: 11.6:1
small classes for Pennsylvania: 17.7%
free-lunch eligible

Independence Ms has class sizes smaller than 78% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Independence Ms ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Bethel Park, PA.

School address

Bethel Park, PA 15102

District: Bethel Park Sd · Pennsylvania

NCES ID 420351000061 Verify on NCES CCD record →

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

+21 students YoY

Independence Ms held near 558 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+21 headcount).

Teacher FTE held 52.3 → 52.3 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Steady CCD campus

+21 students YoY 420351000061 · Bethel Park, PA Middle · MID · TRAD

602 enr · 11.6:1 · 17.7% lunch · RII 51

Nearest enrollment peer: Bethel Park Hs (1,244 students)

Independence Ms held near 558 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+21 headcount). Teacher FTE held 52.3 → 52.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Pennsylvania schools → · Find another →

Bethel Park Hs

1,244
This school

602
Neil Armstrong

597
Abraham Lincol

348
Bethel Memoria

342
Benjamin Frank

338

What this shows Independence Ms reports 602 students on the CCD universe file.

How Independence Ms compares

Independence Ms 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	11.6:1	▼ 15%	13.6:1	15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible	17.7%	▼ 70%	58.1%	51.7%
Enrollment	602	top 29%	-	-

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

11.6:1

Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.

602

Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need

17.7%

free-lunch eligible - 70% 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

11.6:1

students per teacher - 15% below state mean

Top 22% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 78% of state schools

Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.

Engagement

8.3%

chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)

In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.

Funding equity

$21,188

per pupil, district-wide - above Pennsylvania avg of $18,725

Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.

Support staff

Counselors2.0 FTE

Per 301 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.

Discipline context

in-school suspensions + 32 out-of-school

Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Student demographics

White 85.4%

Asian 6.0%

Two or More 4.2%

African American 3.0%

Hispanic or Latino 1.3%

Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%

Largest group: White at 85.4% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 26.4/100

Simpson diversity index - at 26.4, Independence Ms is less mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.

Programs

District finance for Bethel Park Sd reports $21,188 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

How Independence Ms Compares to District-Mates

School	Enrollment	Economic Profile	Student-Teacher Ratio	Resources	Type
Bethel Park Hs	Larger	Similar economic need	Higher S:T ratio	Similar resources	Traditional public
Neil Armstrong 5-6 Ms	Similar size	Similar economic need	Similar S:T ratio	Higher resources	Traditional public
Abraham Lincoln El Sch	Smaller	Similar economic need	Higher S:T ratio	Higher resources	Traditional public
Bethel Memorial El Sch	Smaller	Similar economic need	Higher S:T ratio	Higher resources	Traditional public
Benjamin Franklin El Sch	Smaller	Similar economic need	Higher S:T ratio	Higher resources	Traditional public

Comparisons are relative to Independence Ms's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.

Other Schools in This District

Bethel Park Sd · 5 sibling schools

View district profile

Bethel Park Hs

High Standard

Enrollment: 1,244
Students per teacher: 13.1:1
Resource Index: 57/100

Compare side-by-side

Neil Armstrong 5-6 Ms

Elementary Standard

Enrollment: 597
Students per teacher: 11.9:1
Resource Index: 59/100

Compare side-by-side

Abraham Lincoln El Sch

Elementary Standard

Enrollment: 348
Students per teacher: 15.1:1
Resource Index: 66/100

Compare side-by-side

Bethel Memorial El Sch

Elementary Standard

Enrollment: 342
Students per teacher: 15.5:1
Resource Index: 65/100

Compare side-by-side

Benjamin Franklin El Sch

Elementary Standard

Enrollment: 338
Students per teacher: 14.1:1
Resource Index: 63/100

Compare side-by-side

Nationwide middle 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 (~602 students)

Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.6:1)

Frequently asked questions about Independence Ms

How many students attend Independence Ms?

Independence Ms has 602 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Bethel Park, PA. CCD year-over-year: 537 (2022-23) → 558 (2023-24), nearly flat (+21).

What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence Ms?

The student-teacher ratio at Independence Ms is 11.6:1, which is 15% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 26% 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 Independence Ms?

17.7% of students at Independence Ms are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence Ms?

The largest demographic group at Independence Ms is White at 85.4% of enrollment, in Bethel Park, PA.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence Ms?

Independence Ms has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (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 Independence Ms rank among public schools in Bethel Park?

By Resource Investment Index, Independence Ms ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Bethel Park, 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 Bethel Park on the city page.

What other schools are in Bethel Park Sd?

Besides Independence Ms, Bethel Park Sd also operates Bethel Park Hs (1,244 students), Neil Armstrong 5-6 Ms (597 students), and Abraham Lincoln El Sch (348 students). See the Bethel Park Sd district page for the complete list.

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Compiled from official source data by PlainSchools. · Updated August 2026