Enrollment
467
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lancaster, PA
Washington El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Washington El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 421314002589
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 25
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Washington El Sch earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 76% of Pennsylvania schools.
- #14 of 15
- schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.7:1
- small classes for Pennsylvania
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Washington El Sch has class sizes smaller than 76% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Washington El Sch ranks #14 of 15 schools in Lancaster, PA.
School address
District: Lancaster Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421314002589 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Washington El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Washington El Sch
Washington El Sch is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, enrolling 467 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Pennsylvania schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 467 students, its enrollment sits close to the Pennsylvania median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 2,889 Pennsylvania schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 530 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #425, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (86% of enrollment) (diversity index 26/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 467 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lancaster's public schools, it stands alongside Martin School (623 students): Washington El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (11.7:1 vs 11.3:1).
Lancaster Sd also operates Mccaskey Campus (2,600 students) and Martin School (623 students) alongside Washington 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 Washington El Sch compares
Washington 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 | 11.7:1 | ▼ 14% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 467 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
467
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
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
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 24% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
30.0%
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
$21,346
per pupil, district-wide
- above Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 467 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 12 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.6 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 85.7%
African American 8.8%
White 2.6%
Two or More 1.9%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 85.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 25.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 25.7, Washington El Sch is less mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lancaster Sd, which includes Washington El Sch.
$21,346
Per student
+19%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
+29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.2%
State 47.3%
Federal 15.5%
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 Washington El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mccaskey Campus | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Martin School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jackson Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Reynolds Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Washington El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,600
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 524
- Students per teacher
- 10.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 511
- Students per teacher
- 9.8:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 465
- Students per teacher
- 9.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Lancaster
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Martin School
Standard public school
623 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Carter and Macrae El Sch
Standard public school
444 students 11.1:1 students per teacher
Lafayette El Sch
Standard public school
437 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
King El Sch
Standard public school
413 students 10.9:1 students per teacher
Wickersham El Sch
Standard public school
402 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Smith-Wade-El El Sch
Standard public school
397 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~467 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Washington El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Washington El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Lancaster 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 Washington El Sch
How many students attend Washington El Sch?
Washington El Sch has 467 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lancaster, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Washington El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Washington El Sch is 11.7:1, which is 14% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 25% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Washington El Sch?
100.0% of students at Washington El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Washington El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Washington El Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 85.7% of enrollment, in Lancaster, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Washington El Sch?
Washington El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Washington El Sch rank among schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, Washington El Sch ranks #14 of 15 schools in Lancaster, PA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lancaster on the city page.
Is Washington El Sch a good school?
Washington El Sch earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller 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 Lancaster Sd?
Besides Washington El Sch, Lancaster Sd also operates Mccaskey Campus (2,600 students), Martin School (623 students), and Jackson Ms (524 students). See the Lancaster 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.