Enrollment
496
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Irwin, PA
West Hempfield El Sch
Federal NCES profile for West Hempfield El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 421176004399
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 71
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Hempfield El Sch earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median.
- #3 of 3
- public schools in Irwin · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.1:1
- students per teacher
- 46.4%
- free-lunch eligible
West Hempfield El Sch has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Hempfield El Sch ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Irwin, PA.
School address
District: Hempfield Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421176004399 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.1:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.4%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
-20% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Hempfield El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Hempfield El Sch
West Hempfield El Sch is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Irwin, Pennsylvania, enrolling 496 students.
At 13.1:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 46.4% lands close to the Pennsylvania typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 496 students, its enrollment sits close to the Pennsylvania median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Against 621 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #336.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 496 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Hempfield Area Sd also operates Hempfield Area Shs (1,228 students) and Wendover Ms (626 students) alongside West Hempfield 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 West Hempfield El Sch compares
West Hempfield 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 | 13.1:1 | ▼ 4% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.4% | ▼ 20% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 496 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.1:1
Leaner classes than 66% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
496
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 20% 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
13.1:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 46% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
11.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$16,170
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $17,970
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 496 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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
White 90.9%
Two or More 5.2%
Hispanic or Latino 1.4%
African American 1.2%
Asian 1.2%
Largest group: White at 90.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.1, West Hempfield El Sch is less mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hempfield Area Sd, which includes West Hempfield El Sch.
$16,170
Per student
-10%
vs Pennsylvania
Avg $17,970
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 59.2%
State 34.3%
Federal 6.5%
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 West Hempfield El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hempfield Area Shs | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wendover Ms | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Hempfield Ms | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stanwood El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Fort Allen El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Hempfield El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,228
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 626
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 546
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 518
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 480
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
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 (~496 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Hempfield El Sch's federal record.
- Compare West Hempfield El Sch against another school. Compare schools
- Hempfield Area 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 West Hempfield El Sch
How many students attend West Hempfield El Sch?
West Hempfield El Sch has 496 students enrolled. It is a public school in Irwin, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Hempfield El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at West Hempfield El Sch is 13.1:1, which is 4% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 17% 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 West Hempfield El Sch?
46.4% of students at West Hempfield El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Hempfield El Sch?
The largest demographic group at West Hempfield El Sch is White at 90.9% of enrollment, in Irwin, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Hempfield El Sch?
West Hempfield El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 West Hempfield El Sch rank among public schools in Irwin?
By Resource Investment Index, West Hempfield El Sch ranks #3 of 3 public schools in Irwin, 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 Irwin on the city page.
Is West Hempfield El Sch a good school?
West Hempfield El Sch earns 47/100 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 Hempfield Area Sd?
Besides West Hempfield El Sch, Hempfield Area Sd also operates Hempfield Area Shs (1,228 students), Wendover Ms (626 students), and West Hempfield Ms (546 students). See the Hempfield Area 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.