Enrollment
463
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Allentown, PA
Ritter El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Ritter El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 420228002781
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ritter El Sch earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #15 of 21
- elementary schools in Allentown · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Ritter El Sch has class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ritter El Sch ranks #15 of 21 elementary schools in Allentown, PA.
School address
District: Allentown City Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420228002781 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ritter El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ritter El Sch
Ritter El Sch is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Allentown, Pennsylvania, enrolling 463 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 463 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 534 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #407, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (65%) and White (12%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 463 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Allentown's elementary schools, it stands alongside Brigadier General Anna Mae Hays El Sch (807 students): Ritter El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16:1 vs 15.8:1).
Allentown City Sd also operates William Allen Hs (3,074 students) and Louis E Dieruff Hs (1,914 students) alongside Ritter 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 Ritter El Sch compares
Ritter 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 | 16:1 | ▲ 18% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 463 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
463
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% above the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16:1
students per teacher
- 18% 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
35.2%
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
$15,572
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 463 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 64.6%
White 12.1%
African American 11.0%
Two or More 9.7%
Asian 1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 64.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.6, Ritter 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 Allentown City Sd, which includes Ritter El Sch.
$15,572
Per student
-13%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.0%
State 52.7%
Federal 18.3%
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 Ritter El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Allen Hs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Louis E Dieruff Hs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Mountain Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Francis D Raub Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brigadier General Anna Mae Hays El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ritter El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,074
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,914
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 972
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 876
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 807
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Allentown
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Brigadier General Anna Mae Hays El Sch
Standard public school
807 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Luis a. Ramos El Sch
Standard public school
695 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Central El Sch
Standard public school
694 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Union Terrace El Sch
Standard public school
674 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Roosevelt El Sch
Standard public school
631 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Hiram W Dodd El Sch
Standard public school
627 students 15.3:1 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 (~463 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ritter El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Ritter El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Allentown City 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 Ritter El Sch
How many students attend Ritter El Sch?
Ritter El Sch has 463 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Allentown, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ritter El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Ritter El Sch is 16:1, which is 18% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ritter El Sch?
100.0% of students at Ritter El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ritter El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Ritter El Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 64.6% of enrollment, in Allentown, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ritter El Sch?
Ritter El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Ritter El Sch rank among elementary schools in Allentown?
By Resource Investment Index, Ritter El Sch ranks #15 of 21 elementary schools in Allentown, 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 Allentown on the city page.
Is Ritter El Sch a good school?
Ritter El Sch earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of 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 Allentown City Sd?
Besides Ritter El Sch, Allentown City Sd also operates William Allen Hs (3,074 students), Louis E Dieruff Hs (1,914 students), and South Mountain Ms (972 students). See the Allentown City 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.