Enrollment
972
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Allentown, PA
South Mountain Ms
Federal NCES profile for South Mountain Ms, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 420228002793
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Mountain Ms earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median.
- #4 of 5
- middle schools in Allentown · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.7:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
South Mountain Ms has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Mountain Ms ranks #4 of 5 middle schools in Allentown, PA.
School address
District: Allentown City Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420228002793 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
71.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Mountain Ms compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Mountain Ms
South Mountain Ms is a high-poverty, large middle school in Allentown, Pennsylvania, enrolling 972 students.
At 13.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Pennsylvania median, within a few percentage points of the 13.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 972 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 241 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #97.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (73%) and African American (13%) (diversity index 45/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 324 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 52.0% 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.
Discipline events run high: 354 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 972 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Allentown's middle schools, it stands alongside Springhouse Ms (1,329 students): South Mountain Ms is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.7:1 vs 15.5:1).
Allentown City Sd also operates William Allen Hs (3,074 students) and Louis E Dieruff Hs (1,914 students) alongside South Mountain Ms.
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 Mountain Ms compares
South Mountain Ms on the metrics families compare, against Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 972 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
972
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
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
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 57% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
52.0%
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 324 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
306
in-school suspensions + 48 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 31.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 36.4 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
Hispanic or Latino 72.7%
African American 12.8%
Two or More 6.6%
White 6.0%
Asian 1.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 72.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.7, South Mountain Ms 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 South Mountain Ms.
$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 South Mountain Ms 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 |
| Francis D Raub Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brigadier General Anna Mae Hays El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Trexler Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Mountain Ms'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
- 876
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 807
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar middle schools in Allentown
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Springhouse Ms
Standard public school
1,329 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Francis D Raub Ms
Standard public school
876 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Trexler Ms
Standard public school
771 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Harrison-Morton Ms
Standard public school
704 students 12.4:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~972 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Mountain Ms's federal record.
- Compare South Mountain Ms 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 South Mountain Ms
How many students attend South Mountain Ms?
South Mountain Ms has 972 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Allentown, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Mountain Ms?
The student-teacher ratio at South Mountain Ms is 13.7:1, which is 1% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 13% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Mountain Ms?
100.0% of students at South Mountain Ms are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Mountain Ms?
The largest demographic group at South Mountain Ms is Hispanic or Latino at 72.7% of enrollment, in Allentown, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Mountain Ms?
South Mountain Ms has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Mountain Ms rank among middle schools in Allentown?
By Resource Investment Index, South Mountain Ms ranks #4 of 5 middle 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 middle schools in Allentown on the city page.
Is South Mountain Ms a good school?
South Mountain Ms earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. 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 South Mountain Ms, Allentown City Sd also operates William Allen Hs (3,074 students), Louis E Dieruff Hs (1,914 students), and Francis D Raub Ms (876 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.