- Enrollment
- 2,541
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bethlehem, PA
James Buchanan El Sch
Federal NCES profile for James Buchanan El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 420357003442
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 49
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Buchanan El Sch earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #4 of 12
- elementary schools in Bethlehem · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.3:1
- students per teacher
- 55.1%
- free-lunch eligible
James Buchanan El Sch has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Buchanan El Sch ranks #4 of 12 elementary schools in Bethlehem, PA.
School address
District: Bethlehem Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420357003442 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-1 students YoY
James Buchanan El Sch held near 262 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 19.4 → 20.8 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-1 students YoY 420357003442 · Bethlehem, PA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
253 enr · 13.3:1 · 55.1% lunch · RII 52
Nearest enrollment peer: Liberty Hs (2,541 students)
James Buchanan El Sch held near 262 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-1 headcount). Teacher FTE added 19.4 → 20.8 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Pennsylvania schools → · Find another →
James Buchanan El Sch in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Liberty Hs
Liberty Hs
2,541 students
- Freedom Hs
Freedom Hs
1,792 students
- East Hills Ms 966
East Hills Ms
966 students
- Nitschmann Ms 731
Nitschmann Ms
731 students
- Northeast Ms 715
Northeast Ms
715 students
- This school 253
James Buchanan El Sch
253 students
What this shows James Buchanan El Sch reports 253 students on the CCD universe file.
How James Buchanan El Sch compares
James Buchanan 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 | 13.3:1 | ▼ 2% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.1% | ▼ 5% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 253 | top 85% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
253
Bigger than 26% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
55.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% below the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 49% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.5%
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
$18,515
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 253 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 45.5%
White 37.2%
African American 10.7%
Asian 4.3%
Two or More 2.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.1, James Buchanan El Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Bethlehem Area Sd reports $18,515 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How James Buchanan El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty Hs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Freedom Hs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Hills Ms | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nitschmann Ms | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northeast Ms | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Buchanan El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,792
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 966
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 715
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Bethlehem
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Southern Lehigh Intermediate Sch
Standard public school
702 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Spring Garden El Sch
Standard public school
532 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Lehigh Valley Dual Language Cs
Standard public school
457 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Governor Wolf El Sch
Standard public school
432 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Clearview El Sch
Standard public school
384 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Lincoln El Sch
Standard public school
355 students 13.7:1 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 (~253 students)
Frequently asked questions about James Buchanan El Sch
How many students attend James Buchanan El Sch?
James Buchanan El Sch has 253 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bethlehem, PA. CCD year-over-year: 263 (2022-23) → 262 (2023-24), nearly flat (-1).
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Buchanan El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at James Buchanan El Sch is 13.3:1, which is 2% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 15% 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 James Buchanan El Sch?
55.1% of students at James Buchanan El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Buchanan El Sch?
The largest demographic group at James Buchanan El Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 45.5% of enrollment, in Bethlehem, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Buchanan El Sch?
James Buchanan El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (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 James Buchanan El Sch rank among elementary schools in Bethlehem?
By Resource Investment Index, James Buchanan El Sch ranks #4 of 12 elementary schools in Bethlehem, 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 Bethlehem on the city page.
What other schools are in Bethlehem Area Sd?
Besides James Buchanan El Sch, Bethlehem Area Sd also operates Liberty Hs (2,541 students), Freedom Hs (1,792 students), and East Hills Ms (966 students). See the Bethlehem Area Sd district page for the complete list.