Enrollment
588
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bensalem, PA
Valley El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Valley El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 420333006788
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 27
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Valley El Sch earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #5 of 6
- elementary schools in Bensalem · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.9:1
- large classes for Pennsylvania
- 50.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Valley El Sch has class sizes larger than 85% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Valley El Sch ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Bensalem, PA.
School address
District: Bensalem Township Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420333006788 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.5%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-13% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Valley El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Valley El Sch
Valley El Sch is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, enrolling 588 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.5% lands close to the Pennsylvania typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 588 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.
Among 468 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #439, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 588 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Bensalem's elementary schools, it stands alongside Belmont Hills El Sch (580 students): Valley El Sch is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.9:1 vs 17.1:1).
Bensalem Township Sd also operates Bensalem Twp Hs (2,151 students) and Belmont Hills El Sch (580 students) alongside Valley 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 Valley El Sch compares
Valley 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 | 15.9:1 | ▲ 17% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.5% | ▼ 13% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 588 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
588
Bigger than 72% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 13% below the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 85% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.3%
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
$18,357
per pupil, district-wide
- above Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 588 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 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 65.6%
Hispanic or Latino 15.3%
Asian 10.5%
Two or More 4.8%
African American 3.7%
Largest group: White at 65.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.2, Valley 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 Bensalem Township Sd, which includes Valley El Sch.
$18,357
Per student
+2%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
+11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.9%
State 23.1%
Federal 8.0%
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 Valley El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bensalem Twp Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Belmont Hills El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cornwells El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Robert K Shafer Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Samuel K Faust El Sch | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Valley El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,151
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 580
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 556
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 552
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 546
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Bensalem
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Belmont Hills El Sch
Standard public school
580 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Cornwells El Sch
Standard public school
556 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Samuel K Faust El Sch
Standard public school
546 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Russell C Struble El Sch
Standard public school
496 students 16:1 students per teacher
Benjamin Rush El Sch
Standard public school
446 students 15.4:1 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 (~588 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Valley El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Valley El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Bensalem 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 Valley El Sch
How many students attend Valley El Sch?
Valley El Sch has 588 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bensalem, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Valley El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Valley El Sch is 15.9:1, which is 17% higher than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Valley El Sch?
50.5% of students at Valley El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Valley El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Valley El Sch is White at 65.6% of enrollment, in Bensalem, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Valley El Sch?
Valley El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (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 Valley El Sch rank among elementary schools in Bensalem?
By Resource Investment Index, Valley El Sch ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Bensalem, 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 Bensalem on the city page.
Is Valley El Sch a good school?
Valley El Sch earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Bensalem Township Sd?
Besides Valley El Sch, Bensalem Township Sd also operates Bensalem Twp Hs (2,151 students), Belmont Hills El Sch (580 students), and Cornwells El Sch (556 students). See the Bensalem 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.