Enrollment
318
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lancaster, PA
Schaeffer Sch
Federal NCES profile for Schaeffer Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 421458000624
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 74
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Schaeffer Sch earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #2 of 11
- elementary schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.9:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 43.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Schaeffer Sch has class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Schaeffer Sch ranks #2 of 11 elementary schools in Lancaster, PA.
School address
District: Manheim Township Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421458000624 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.5%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Schaeffer Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Schaeffer Sch
Schaeffer Sch is a mid-sized elementary school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, enrolling 318 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 43.5% lands close to the Pennsylvania typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 318 puts it in the smaller third of Pennsylvania schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 485 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #156.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 318 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
10.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Manheim Township Sd spends $14,309 per pupil, 20% below the Pennsylvania average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Lancaster's elementary schools, it stands alongside Landis Run Intermediate School (929 students): Schaeffer Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.9:1 vs 15.2:1).
Manheim Township Sd also operates Manheim Twp Hs (1,953 students) and Landis Run Intermediate School (929 students) alongside Schaeffer 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 Schaeffer Sch compares
Schaeffer 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 | 15.9:1 | ▲ 17% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.5% | ▼ 25% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 318 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
318
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% 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
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 17% 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
10.4%
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
$14,309
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 318 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 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 61.0%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%
Two or More 10.1%
African American 7.9%
Asian 5.0%
Largest group: White at 61.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.3, Schaeffer Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Manheim Township Sd, which includes Schaeffer Sch.
$14,309
Per student
-20%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 73.6%
State 19.8%
Federal 6.6%
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 Schaeffer Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manheim Twp Hs | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Landis Run Intermediate School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Manheim Twp Ms | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Reidenbaugh El Sch | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nitrauer Sch | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Schaeffer Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,953
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 929
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 914
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 488
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 468
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in Lancaster
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Landis Run Intermediate School
Standard public school
929 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Hambright El Sch
Standard public school
574 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Centerville El Sch
Standard public school
544 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Fritz El Sch
Standard public school
526 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Smoketown El Sch
Standard public school
470 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Nitrauer Sch
Standard public school
468 students 18:1 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 (~318 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Schaeffer Sch's federal record.
- Compare Schaeffer Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Manheim Township 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 Schaeffer Sch
How many students attend Schaeffer Sch?
Schaeffer Sch has 318 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lancaster, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Schaeffer Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Schaeffer Sch is 15.9:1, which is 17% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Schaeffer Sch?
43.5% of students at Schaeffer Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Schaeffer Sch?
The largest demographic group at Schaeffer Sch is White at 61.0% of enrollment, in Lancaster, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Schaeffer Sch?
Schaeffer Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (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 Schaeffer Sch rank among elementary schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, Schaeffer Sch ranks #2 of 11 elementary schools in Lancaster, 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 Lancaster on the city page.
Is Schaeffer Sch a good school?
Schaeffer Sch earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools. It is also more 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 Manheim Township Sd?
Besides Schaeffer Sch, Manheim Township Sd also operates Manheim Twp Hs (1,953 students), Landis Run Intermediate School (929 students), and Manheim Twp Ms (914 students). See the Manheim Township 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.