Enrollment
427
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Steelton, PA
Tri-Community El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Tri-Community El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 420540005320
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Tri-Community El Sch earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #3 of 4
- public schools in Steelton · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 99.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Tri-Community El Sch has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Tri-Community El Sch ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Steelton, PA.
School address
District: Central Dauphin Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420540005320 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.8%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Tri-Community El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Tri-Community El Sch
Tri-Community El Sch is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Steelton, Pennsylvania, enrolling 427 students.
At 13.8:1, 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 99.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 427 students, its enrollment sits close to the Pennsylvania median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 94% of the 2,889 Pennsylvania schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 531 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #459, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (35%) and Hispanic or Latino (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 427 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Steelton's elementary schools, it stands alongside Steelton-Highspire El Sch (821 students): Tri-Community El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.8:1 vs 16.4:1).
Central Dauphin Sd also operates Central Dauphin Shs (1,966 students) and Central Dauphin East Shs (1,573 students) alongside Tri-Community 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 Tri-Community El Sch compares
Tri-Community 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 | 13.8:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.8% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 427 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
427
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.8%
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
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 58% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.3%
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
$15,143
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 427 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
39
in-school suspensions + 43 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.2 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
African American 35.4%
Hispanic or Latino 27.6%
White 17.8%
Asian 10.5%
Two or More 8.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 35.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 74.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 74.9, Tri-Community El Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Central Dauphin Sd, which includes Tri-Community El Sch.
$15,143
Per student
-16%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.5%
State 22.6%
Federal 8.9%
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 Tri-Community El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Dauphin Shs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Dauphin East Shs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Linglestown Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Central Dauphin Ms | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Side El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Tri-Community El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,966
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,573
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 841
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 834
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 722
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Steelton
1 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 (~427 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Tri-Community El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Tri-Community El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Central Dauphin 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 Tri-Community El Sch
How many students attend Tri-Community El Sch?
Tri-Community El Sch has 427 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Steelton, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Tri-Community El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Tri-Community El Sch is 13.8:1, which is 1% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 12% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Tri-Community El Sch?
99.8% of students at Tri-Community El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Tri-Community El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Tri-Community El Sch is African American at 35.4% of enrollment, in Steelton, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 74.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Tri-Community El Sch?
Tri-Community El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower 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 Tri-Community El Sch rank among public schools in Steelton?
By Resource Investment Index, Tri-Community El Sch ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Steelton, 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 Steelton on the city page.
Is Tri-Community El Sch a good school?
Tri-Community El Sch earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. 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 Central Dauphin Sd?
Besides Tri-Community El Sch, Central Dauphin Sd also operates Central Dauphin Shs (1,966 students), Central Dauphin East Shs (1,573 students), and Linglestown Ms (841 students). See the Central Dauphin 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.