- Enrollment
- 1,412
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mechanicsburg, PA
Northside El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Northside El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 421503005021
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northside El Sch earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median.
- #8 of 12
- elementary schools in Mechanicsburg · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13:1
- students per teacher
- 42.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Northside El Sch has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northside El Sch ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Mechanicsburg, PA.
School address
District: Mechanicsburg Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421503005021 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-30 students YoY
Northside El Sch shrank from 248 students in 2022-23 to 218 in 2023-24 (-12.1%).
Teacher FTE lost 18.0 → 16.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-30 students YoY 421503005021 · Mechanicsburg, PA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
221 enr · 13:1 · 42.7% lunch · RII 46
Nearest enrollment peer: Mechanicsburg Area Shs (1,412 students)
Northside El Sch shrank from 248 students in 2022-23 to 218 in 2023-24 (-12.1%). Teacher FTE lost 18.0 → 16.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Pennsylvania schools → · Find another →
Northside El Sch in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Mechanicsburg
Mechanicsburg Area Shs
1,412 students
- Mechanicsburg
Mechanicsburg Ms
1,112 students
- Elmwood Academ
Elmwood Academy
712 students
- Upper Allen El 321
Upper Allen El Sch
321 students
- Kindergarten A 321
Kindergarten Academy
321 students
- This school 221
Northside El Sch
221 students
What this shows Northside El Sch reports 221 students on the CCD universe file.
How Northside El Sch compares
Northside El Sch is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13:1 | ▼ 4% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.7% | ▼ 27% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 221 | top 89% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13:1
Leaner classes than 67% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
221
Bigger than 22% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
42.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% below the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 44% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 56% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
20.4%
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
$16,032
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $18,725
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 221 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 77.8%
African American 6.8%
Two or More 6.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%
Asian 3.2%
Largest group: White at 77.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.2, Northside El Sch is about as mixed as the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
District finance for Mechanicsburg Area Sd reports $16,032 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Northside El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanicsburg Area Shs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mechanicsburg Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Elmwood Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Upper Allen El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kindergarten Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northside El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,112
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 712
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 321
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 321
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar elementary schools in Mechanicsburg
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Winding Creek El Sch
Standard public school
1,055 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Elmwood Academy
Standard public school
712 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Sporting Hill El Sch
Standard public school
580 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Hampden El Sch
Standard public school
538 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Silver Spring El Sch
Standard public school
528 students 16:1 students per teacher
Green Ridge El Sch
Standard public school
474 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~221 students)
Frequently asked questions about Northside El Sch
How many students attend Northside El Sch?
Northside El Sch has 221 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mechanicsburg, PA. CCD year-over-year: 248 (2022-23) → 218 (2023-24), down 30.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northside El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Northside El Sch is 13:1, which is 4% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 17% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northside El Sch?
42.7% of students at Northside El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northside El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Northside El Sch is White at 77.8% of enrollment, in Mechanicsburg, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northside El Sch?
Northside El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Northside El Sch rank among elementary schools in Mechanicsburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Northside El Sch ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Mechanicsburg, 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 Mechanicsburg on the city page.
What other schools are in Mechanicsburg Area Sd?
Besides Northside El Sch, Mechanicsburg Area Sd also operates Mechanicsburg Area Shs (1,412 students), Mechanicsburg Ms (1,112 students), and Elmwood Academy (712 students). See the Mechanicsburg Area Sd district page for the complete list.