Enrollment
717
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mcdonald, PA
South Fayette Twp El Sch
Federal NCES profile for South Fayette Twp El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 422058000468
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 87
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Fayette Twp El Sch earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Mcdonald · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 15.2%
- free-lunch eligible
South Fayette Twp El Sch has class sizes larger than 93% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Fayette Twp El Sch ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Mcdonald, PA.
School address
District: South Fayette Township Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 422058000468 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
15.2%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Fayette Twp El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Fayette Twp El Sch
South Fayette Twp El Sch is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Mcdonald, Pennsylvania, enrolling 717 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.5:1 is larger than about 93% of Pennsylvania schools and 29% above the 13.6:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 15.2% free-meal eligibility runs 74% below the Pennsylvania average.
Enrollment of 717 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Among 374 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #303, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and Asian (24%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 359 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.3% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
South Fayette Township Sd also operates South Fayette Twp Hs (1,143 students) and South Fayette Ms (859 students) alongside South Fayette Twp 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 South Fayette Twp El Sch compares
South Fayette Twp 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 | 17.5:1 | ▲ 29% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 15.2% | ▼ 74% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 717 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
717
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
15.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% 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
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 93% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
5.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$15,287
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 359 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.1 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 64.3%
Asian 24.4%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%
Two or More 4.2%
African American 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 64.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.2, South Fayette Twp El Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Fayette Township Sd, which includes South Fayette Twp El Sch.
$15,287
Per student
-15%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 72.5%
State 21.5%
Federal 5.9%
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 Fayette Twp El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Fayette Twp Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Fayette Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Fayette Intermediate Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Fayette Twp El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,143
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 859
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 803
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
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 (~717 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Fayette Twp El Sch's federal record.
- Compare South Fayette Twp El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- South Fayette 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 South Fayette Twp El Sch
How many students attend South Fayette Twp El Sch?
South Fayette Twp El Sch has 717 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mcdonald, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Fayette Twp El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at South Fayette Twp El Sch is 17.5:1, which is 29% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Fayette Twp El Sch?
15.2% of students at South Fayette Twp El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Fayette Twp El Sch?
The largest demographic group at South Fayette Twp El Sch is White at 64.3% of enrollment, in Mcdonald, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Fayette Twp El Sch?
South Fayette Twp El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Fayette Twp El Sch rank among public schools in Mcdonald?
By Resource Investment Index, South Fayette Twp El Sch ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Mcdonald, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Mcdonald on the city page.
Is South Fayette Twp El Sch a good school?
South Fayette Twp El Sch earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 South Fayette Township Sd?
Besides South Fayette Twp El Sch, South Fayette Township Sd also operates South Fayette Twp Hs (1,143 students), South Fayette Ms (859 students), and South Fayette Intermediate Sch (803 students). See the South Fayette 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.