Enrollment
397
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Dillsburg, PA
Northern El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Northern El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 421776004581
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northern El Sch earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Dillsburg · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.7:1
- students per teacher
- 38.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Northern El Sch has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northern El Sch ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Dillsburg, PA.
School address
District: Northern York County Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421776004581 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.5%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northern El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northern El Sch
Northern El Sch is a mid-sized elementary school in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, enrolling 397 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.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.5% of students eligible for free meals.
With 397 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.
Against 617 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #289.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 35/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 397 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
13.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Northern York County Sd spends $14,338 per pupil, 20% below the Pennsylvania average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Dillsburg's elementary schools, it stands alongside Dillsburg El Sch (440 students): Northern El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.7:1 vs 13.8:1).
Northern York County Sd also operates Northern Hs (982 students) and Northern Ms (757 students) alongside Northern El 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 Northern El Sch compares
Northern El 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 | 13.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.5% | ▼ 34% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 397 | top 61% | - | - |
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.
397
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.5%
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
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
13.6%
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
$14,338
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 397 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 80.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.1%
Asian 5.8%
Two or More 3.3%
African American 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Largest group: White at 80.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.7, Northern El Sch is less mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Northern York County Sd, which includes Northern El Sch.
$14,338
Per student
-20%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 65.0%
State 29.9%
Federal 5.1%
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 Northern El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Hs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northern Ms | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dillsburg El Sch | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Mountain El Sch | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wellsville Campus | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northern El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 982
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 757
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 440
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 389
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 244
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
Similar elementary schools in Dillsburg
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 (~397 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northern El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Northern El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Northern York County 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 Northern El Sch
How many students attend Northern El Sch?
Northern El Sch has 397 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Dillsburg, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northern El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Northern El Sch 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 Northern El Sch?
38.5% of students at Northern El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northern El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Northern El Sch is White at 80.1% of enrollment, in Dillsburg, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northern El Sch?
Northern El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (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 Northern El Sch rank among elementary schools in Dillsburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Northern El Sch ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Dillsburg, 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 Dillsburg on the city page.
Is Northern El Sch a good school?
Northern El Sch earns 50/100 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 Northern York County Sd?
Besides Northern El Sch, Northern York County Sd also operates Northern Hs (982 students), Northern Ms (757 students), and Dillsburg El Sch (440 students). See the Northern York County 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.