Enrollment
1,066
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Downingtown, PA
Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center
Federal NCES profile for Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 420771007539
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median.
- #3 of 13
- public schools in Downingtown · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.7:1
- students per teacher
- 12.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center ranks #3 of 13 public schools in Downingtown, PA.
School address
District: Downingtown Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420771007539 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
78.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.6%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-78% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center
Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, enrolling 1,066 students.
At 13.7:1, 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.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.6% free-meal eligibility runs 78% below the Pennsylvania average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Pennsylvania, bigger than 92% of state schools at 1,066 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 184 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #93.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Asian (25%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 355 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
14.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Downingtown's middle schools, it stands alongside Downingtown Ms (1,074 students): Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.7:1 vs 12.9:1).
Downingtown Area Sd also operates Downingtown Hs West Campus (1,796 students) and Downingtown Hs East Campus (1,708 students) alongside Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center.
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 Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center compares
Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.6% | ▼ 78% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,066 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,066
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 78% 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
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 57% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$16,432
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 355 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.9 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 62.6%
Asian 24.7%
Two or More 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 4.5%
African American 2.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 62.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.1, Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Downingtown Area Sd, which includes Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center.
$16,432
Per student
-9%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 74.9%
State 21.1%
Federal 4.0%
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 Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downingtown Hs West Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Downingtown Hs East Campus | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Downingtown Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lionville Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Downingtown Stem Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,796
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,708
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 1,074
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,045
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 962
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
Similar middle schools in Downingtown
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~1,066 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center's federal record.
- Compare Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center against another school. Compare schools
- Downingtown 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 Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center
How many students attend Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center?
Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center has 1,066 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Downingtown, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center is 13.7:1, which is 1% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 13% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center?
12.6% of students at Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center?
The largest demographic group at Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center is White at 62.6% of enrollment, in Downingtown, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center?
Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center rank among public schools in Downingtown?
By Resource Investment Index, Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center ranks #3 of 13 public schools in Downingtown, 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 Downingtown on the city page.
Is Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center a good school?
Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center earns 52/100 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 Downingtown Area Sd?
Besides Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center, Downingtown Area Sd also operates Downingtown Hs West Campus (1,796 students), Downingtown Hs East Campus (1,708 students), and Downingtown Ms (1,074 students). See the Downingtown 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.