Enrollment
450
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Canonsburg, PA
South Central El
Federal NCES profile for South Central El, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 420489004937
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 10
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Central El earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #4 of 4
- elementary schools in Canonsburg · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 39.9%
- free-lunch eligible
South Central El has class sizes larger than 76% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Central El ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Canonsburg, PA.
School address
District: Canon-Mcmillan Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420489004937 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.9%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Central El compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Central El
South Central El is a mid-sized elementary school in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, enrolling 450 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 39.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 450 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 674 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #564, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (76%) and Two or More (10%) (diversity index 41/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 450 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.2% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Canon-Mcmillan Sd spends $13,471 per pupil, 25% below the Pennsylvania average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Canonsburg's elementary schools, it stands alongside North Strabane Intrmd Sch (415 students): South Central El is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15:1 vs 14.8:1).
Canon-Mcmillan Sd also operates Canon-Mcmillan Shs (1,660 students) and Canonsburg Ms (836 students) alongside South Central El.
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 South Central El compares
South Central El on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15:1 | ▲ 10% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.9% | ▼ 31% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 450 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
450
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
15:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 76% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 24% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
8.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$13,471
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 450 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 75.6%
Two or More 9.6%
African American 7.6%
Hispanic or Latino 4.2%
Asian 3.1%
Largest group: White at 75.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.1, South Central El is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Canon-Mcmillan Sd, which includes South Central El.
$13,471
Per student
-25%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 69.3%
State 25.5%
Federal 5.2%
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 South Central El Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon-Mcmillan Shs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Canonsburg Ms | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Muse El Sch | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Strabane Intrmd Sch | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cecil Intrmd Sch | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Central El's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,660
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 836
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 759
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 415
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 412
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar elementary schools in Canonsburg
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~450 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Central El's federal record.
- Compare South Central El against another school. Compare schools
- Canon-Mcmillan 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 South Central El
How many students attend South Central El?
South Central El has 450 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Canonsburg, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Central El?
The student-teacher ratio at South Central El is 15:1, which is 10% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Central El?
39.9% of students at South Central El are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Central El?
The largest demographic group at South Central El is White at 75.6% of enrollment, in Canonsburg, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Central El?
South Central El has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 South Central El rank among elementary schools in Canonsburg?
By Resource Investment Index, South Central El ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Canonsburg, 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 Canonsburg on the city page.
Is South Central El a good school?
South Central El earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 76% 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 Canon-Mcmillan Sd?
Besides South Central El, Canon-Mcmillan Sd also operates Canon-Mcmillan Shs (1,660 students), Canonsburg Ms (836 students), and Muse El Sch (759 students). See the Canon-Mcmillan 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.