Enrollment
2,133
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Erie, PA
Mcdowell Hs
Federal NCES profile for Mcdowell Hs, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 421533007320
👥 S:T ratio 36
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mcdowell Hs earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Pennsylvania.
- #4 of 4
- high schools in Erie · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.9:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 38.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Mcdowell Hs has class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mcdowell Hs ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Erie, PA.
School address
District: Millcreek Township Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421533007320 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
134.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.1%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mcdowell Hs compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mcdowell Hs
Mcdowell Hs is a large high school in Erie, Pennsylvania, enrolling 2,133 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.1% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Pennsylvania, bigger than 99% of state schools at 2,133 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Among 55 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #49, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Two or More (7%) (diversity index 37/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 22 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 427 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Erie's high schools, it stands alongside Erie Hs (2,501 students): Mcdowell Hs is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.9:1 vs 16.2:1).
Millcreek Township Sd also operates Grandview El Sch (691 students) and Belle Valley El Sch (626 students) alongside Mcdowell Hs.
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 Mcdowell Hs compares
Mcdowell Hs on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | ▲ 17% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.1% | ▼ 34% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,133 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
2,133
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% below the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 85% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.9%
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
$14,978
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors5.0 FTE
Per 427 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
230
in-school suspensions + 92 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.1 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 78.5%
Two or More 6.5%
Asian 5.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%
African American 3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 78.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 37.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 37.2, Mcdowell Hs is about as mixed as the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 22
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Millcreek Township Sd, which includes Mcdowell Hs.
$14,978
Per student
-17%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 61.0%
State 28.6%
Federal 10.3%
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 Mcdowell Hs Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grandview El Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Belle Valley El Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Asbury El Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| James S Wilson Ms | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Tracy El Sch | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mcdowell Hs's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 691
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 626
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 572
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 547
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 515
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar high schools in Erie
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Erie Hs
Standard public school
2,501 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Northwest Pa Collegiate Academy
Standard public school
750 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Seneca Hs
Standard public school
383 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Erie County Technical School
Vocational / career-technical school
2 students
Similar high 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 (~2,133 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mcdowell Hs's federal record.
- Compare Mcdowell Hs against another school. Compare schools
- Millcreek Township 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 Mcdowell Hs
How many students attend Mcdowell Hs?
Mcdowell Hs has 2,133 students enrolled. It is a high school in Erie, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mcdowell Hs?
The student-teacher ratio at Mcdowell Hs is 15.9:1, which is 17% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mcdowell Hs?
38.1% of students at Mcdowell Hs are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mcdowell Hs?
The largest demographic group at Mcdowell Hs is White at 78.5% of enrollment, in Erie, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mcdowell Hs?
Mcdowell Hs has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mcdowell Hs rank among high schools in Erie?
By Resource Investment Index, Mcdowell Hs ranks #4 of 4 high schools in Erie, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Erie on the city page.
Is Mcdowell Hs a good school?
Mcdowell Hs earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Pennsylvania. 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 Millcreek Township Sd?
Besides Mcdowell Hs, Millcreek Township Sd also operates Grandview El Sch (691 students), Belle Valley El Sch (626 students), and Asbury El Sch (572 students). See the Millcreek Township 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.