Enrollment
627
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mars, PA
Mars Area Centennial Sch
Federal NCES profile for Mars Area Centennial Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 421479006074
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mars Area Centennial Sch earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Mars · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.6:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 11.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Mars Area Centennial Sch has class sizes larger than 97% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mars Area Centennial Sch ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Mars, PA.
School address
District: Mars Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421479006074 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.6:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
11.5%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-80% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mars Area Centennial Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mars Area Centennial Sch
Mars Area Centennial Sch is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Mars, Pennsylvania, enrolling 627 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.6:1 is larger than about 97% of Pennsylvania schools and 44% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 11.5% free-meal eligibility runs 80% below the Pennsylvania average.
Enrollment of 627 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Among 345 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #302, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment) (diversity index 12/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 627 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Mars Area Sd spends $12,202 per pupil, 32% below the Pennsylvania average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Mars's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mars Area El Sch (880 students): Mars Area Centennial Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.6:1 vs 17.3:1).
Mars Area Sd also operates Mars Area Shs (1,044 students) and Mars Area El Sch (880 students) alongside Mars Area Centennial 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 Mars Area Centennial Sch compares
Mars Area Centennial 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 | 19.6:1 | ▲ 44% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 11.5% | ▼ 80% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 627 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.6:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
627
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
11.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 80% 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
19.6:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 97% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
8.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,202
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 627 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
White 93.5%
Asian 3.8%
Hispanic or Latino 1.3%
Two or More 0.8%
African American 0.6%
Largest group: White at 93.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 12.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 12.4, Mars Area Centennial Sch is less mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mars Area Sd, which includes Mars Area Centennial Sch.
$12,202
Per student
-32%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 70.2%
State 26.0%
Federal 3.8%
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 Mars Area Centennial Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mars Area Shs | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mars Area El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mars Area Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mars Area Primary Ctr | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mars Area Centennial Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,044
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 880
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 563
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 506
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in Mars
2 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 (~627 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mars Area Centennial Sch's federal record.
- Compare Mars Area Centennial Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Mars 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 Mars Area Centennial Sch
How many students attend Mars Area Centennial Sch?
Mars Area Centennial Sch has 627 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mars, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mars Area Centennial Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Mars Area Centennial Sch is 19.6:1, which is 44% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mars Area Centennial Sch?
11.5% of students at Mars Area Centennial Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mars Area Centennial Sch?
The largest demographic group at Mars Area Centennial Sch is White at 93.5% of enrollment, in Mars, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mars Area Centennial Sch?
Mars Area Centennial Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Mars Area Centennial Sch rank among elementary schools in Mars?
By Resource Investment Index, Mars Area Centennial Sch ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Mars, 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 Mars on the city page.
Is Mars Area Centennial Sch a good school?
Mars Area Centennial Sch earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of 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 Mars Area Sd?
Besides Mars Area Centennial Sch, Mars Area Sd also operates Mars Area Shs (1,044 students), Mars Area El Sch (880 students), and Mars Area Ms (563 students). See the Mars 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.