Enrollment
404
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Butler, PA
Northwest El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Northwest El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 420459001142
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 39
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwest El Sch earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #3 of 6
- elementary schools in Butler · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 46.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwest El Sch has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest El Sch ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Butler, PA.
School address
District: Butler Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420459001142 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.2%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northwest El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northwest El Sch
Northwest El Sch is a mid-sized elementary school in Butler, Pennsylvania, enrolling 404 students.
At 13.9:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 46.2% lands close to the Pennsylvania typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 404 students, its enrollment sits close to the Pennsylvania median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Among 587 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #519, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 12/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 673 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Butler's elementary schools, it stands alongside Center Twp Sch (584 students): Northwest El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.9:1 vs 11.5:1).
Butler Area Sd also operates Butler Area Shs (1,956 students) and Butler Area Ihs (1,291 students) alongside Northwest 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 Northwest El Sch compares
Northwest 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 | 13.9:1 | ▲ 2% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.2% | ▼ 20% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 404 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
404
Bigger than 48% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 60% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.5%
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
$15,227
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
Counselors0.6 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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 93.6%
Two or More 3.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 93.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 12.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 12.2, Northwest 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 Butler Area Sd, which includes Northwest El Sch.
$15,227
Per student
-15%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.2%
State 41.6%
Federal 11.2%
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 Northwest El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butler Area Shs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Butler Area Ihs | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Center Twp Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mcquistion El Sch | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Connoquenessing El Sch | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwest El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,956
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,291
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 584
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 498
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 287
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in Butler
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Center Twp Sch
Standard public school
584 students 11.5:1 students per teacher
Mcquistion El Sch
Standard public school
498 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Summit El Sch
Standard public school
259 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Emily Brittain El Sch
Standard public school
255 students 10.6:1 students per teacher
Broad Street El Sch
Standard public school
228 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
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 (~404 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northwest El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Northwest El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Butler 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 Northwest El Sch
How many students attend Northwest El Sch?
Northwest El Sch has 404 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Butler, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwest El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwest El Sch is 13.9:1, which is 2% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northwest El Sch?
46.2% of students at Northwest El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwest El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Northwest El Sch is White at 93.6% of enrollment, in Butler, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwest El Sch?
Northwest El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Northwest El Sch rank among elementary schools in Butler?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest El Sch ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Butler, 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 Butler on the city page.
Is Northwest El Sch a good school?
Northwest El Sch earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Butler Area Sd?
Besides Northwest El Sch, Butler Area Sd also operates Butler Area Shs (1,956 students), Butler Area Ihs (1,291 students), and Center Twp Sch (584 students). See the Butler 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.