Enrollment
419
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · State College, PA
Park Forest El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Park Forest El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 422277006233
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Park Forest El Sch earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median.
- #7 of 9
- elementary schools in State College · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 18.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Park Forest El Sch has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Park Forest El Sch ranks #7 of 9 elementary schools in State College, PA.
School address
District: State College Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 422277006233 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.1%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Park Forest El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Park Forest El Sch
Park Forest El Sch is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in State College, Pennsylvania, enrolling 419 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.1% free-meal eligibility runs 69% below the Pennsylvania average.
With 419 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.
Among 390 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #279, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Two or More (7%) (diversity index 41/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 419 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
16.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among State College's elementary schools, it stands alongside Radio Park El Sch (424 students): Park Forest El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14:1 vs 14.1:1).
State College Area Sd also operates State College Area Hs (2,402 students) and Park Forest Ms (822 students) alongside Park Forest 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 Park Forest El Sch compares
Park Forest 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 | 14:1 | ▲ 3% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.1% | ▼ 69% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 419 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
419
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% 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
14:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 62% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$20,860
per pupil, district-wide
- above Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 419 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 75.9%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 6.7%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%
African American 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 75.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.9, Park Forest El Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for State College Area Sd, which includes Park Forest El Sch.
$20,860
Per student
+16%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
+26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 75.4%
State 19.1%
Federal 5.5%
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 Park Forest El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| State College Area Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Park Forest Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mount Nittany Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Radio Park El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mount Nittany El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Park Forest El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,402
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 822
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 752
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 59/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 413
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in State College
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Radio Park El Sch
Standard public school
424 students 14.1:1 students per teacher
Mount Nittany El Sch
Standard public school
413 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Spring Creek El Sch
Standard public school
360 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Young Scholars of Central Pa Cs
Standard public school
321 students 9.2:1 students per teacher
Easterly Parkway El Sch
Standard public school
314 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Corl Street El Sch
Standard public school
250 students 13.2:1 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 (~419 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Park Forest El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Park Forest El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- State College 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 Park Forest El Sch
How many students attend Park Forest El Sch?
Park Forest El Sch has 419 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in State College, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Park Forest El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Park Forest El Sch is 14:1, which is 3% 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 Park Forest El Sch?
18.1% of students at Park Forest El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Park Forest El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Park Forest El Sch is White at 75.9% of enrollment, in State College, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Park Forest El Sch?
Park Forest El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Park Forest El Sch rank among elementary schools in State College?
By Resource Investment Index, Park Forest El Sch ranks #7 of 9 elementary schools in State College, 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 State College on the city page.
Is Park Forest El Sch a good school?
Park Forest El Sch earns 47/100 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 State College Area Sd?
Besides Park Forest El Sch, State College Area Sd also operates State College Area Hs (2,402 students), Park Forest Ms (822 students), and Mount Nittany Ms (752 students). See the State College 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.