Enrollment
506
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mars, PA
Mars Area Primary Ctr
Federal NCES profile for Mars Area Primary Ctr, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 421479001158
👥 S:T ratio 19
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 82
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mars Area Primary Ctr earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Mars · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.2:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 10.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Mars Area Primary Ctr has class sizes larger than 98% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mars Area Primary Ctr ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Mars, PA.
School address
District: Mars Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421479001158 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.2:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+49% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
10.2%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-82% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mars Area Primary Ctr compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mars Area Primary Ctr
Mars Area Primary Ctr is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Mars, Pennsylvania, enrolling 506 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.2:1 is larger than about 98% of Pennsylvania schools and 49% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 10.2% free-meal eligibility runs 82% below the Pennsylvania average.
With 506 students, its enrollment sits close to the Pennsylvania median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Among 293 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #259, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (90% of enrollment) (diversity index 19/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1012 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.3% 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 Primary Ctr is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.2:1 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 Primary Ctr.
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 Primary Ctr compares
Mars Area Primary Ctr on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.2:1 | ▲ 49% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 10.2% | ▼ 82% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 506 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.2:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
506
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
10.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 82% 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
20.2:1
students per teacher
- 49% above state mean
Top 98% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
7.3%
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 89.9%
Asian 4.5%
Two or More 3.2%
Hispanic or Latino 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: White at 89.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 18.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 18.8, Mars Area Primary Ctr 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 Primary Ctr.
$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 Primary Ctr 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 Centennial Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mars Area Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mars Area Primary Ctr'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
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 563
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
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 (~506 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mars Area Primary Ctr's federal record.
- Compare Mars Area Primary Ctr 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 Primary Ctr
How many students attend Mars Area Primary Ctr?
Mars Area Primary Ctr has 506 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mars, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mars Area Primary Ctr?
The student-teacher ratio at Mars Area Primary Ctr is 20.2:1, which is 49% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 29% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mars Area Primary Ctr?
10.2% of students at Mars Area Primary Ctr are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mars Area Primary Ctr?
The largest demographic group at Mars Area Primary Ctr is White at 89.9% of enrollment, in Mars, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mars Area Primary Ctr?
Mars Area Primary Ctr 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 Primary Ctr rank among elementary schools in Mars?
By Resource Investment Index, Mars Area Primary Ctr 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 Primary Ctr a good school?
Mars Area Primary Ctr earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 Primary Ctr, Mars Area Sd also operates Mars Area Shs (1,044 students), Mars Area El Sch (880 students), and Mars Area Centennial Sch (627 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.