Enrollment
283
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mechanicsburg, PA
Shepherdstown El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Shepherdstown El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 421503001711
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Shepherdstown El Sch earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #3 of 12
- elementary schools in Mechanicsburg · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.9:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 33.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Shepherdstown El Sch has class sizes larger than 75% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Shepherdstown El Sch ranks #3 of 12 elementary schools in Mechanicsburg, PA.
School address
District: Mechanicsburg Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421503001711 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.1%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Shepherdstown El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Shepherdstown El Sch
Shepherdstown El Sch is a mid-sized elementary school in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, enrolling 283 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 33.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 283 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 328 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #114.
Its student body is led by White (68%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 283 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
13.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Mechanicsburg's elementary schools, it stands alongside Winding Creek El Sch (1,055 students): Shepherdstown El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.9:1 vs 18.5:1).
Mechanicsburg Area Sd also operates Mechanicsburg Area Shs (1,412 students) and Mechanicsburg Ms (1,112 students) alongside Shepherdstown 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 Shepherdstown El Sch compares
Shepherdstown 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 | 14.9:1 | ▲ 10% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.1% | ▼ 43% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 283 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
283
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% below the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 75% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.8%
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
$15,548
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 283 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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 68.2%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%
African American 8.8%
Asian 7.8%
Two or More 5.7%
Largest group: White at 68.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.9, Shepherdstown 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 Mechanicsburg Area Sd, which includes Shepherdstown El Sch.
$15,548
Per student
-13%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 71.0%
State 23.5%
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 Shepherdstown El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanicsburg Area Shs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mechanicsburg Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Elmwood Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Upper Allen El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Kindergarten Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Shepherdstown El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,412
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- 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
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 (~283 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Shepherdstown El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Shepherdstown El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Mechanicsburg 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 Shepherdstown El Sch
How many students attend Shepherdstown El Sch?
Shepherdstown El Sch has 283 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mechanicsburg, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Shepherdstown El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Shepherdstown El Sch is 14.9:1, which is 10% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Shepherdstown El Sch?
33.1% of students at Shepherdstown El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Shepherdstown El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Shepherdstown El Sch is White at 68.2% of enrollment, in Mechanicsburg, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Shepherdstown El Sch?
Shepherdstown El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (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 Shepherdstown El Sch rank among elementary schools in Mechanicsburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Shepherdstown El Sch ranks #3 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.
Is Shepherdstown El Sch a good school?
Shepherdstown El Sch earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% 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 Mechanicsburg Area Sd?
Besides Shepherdstown 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.
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.