Enrollment
327
Pennsylvania · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lancaster, PA
Wharton El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Wharton El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 421314002590
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Wharton El Sch earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #1 of 15
- schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Wharton El Sch has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Wharton El Sch ranks #1 of 15 schools in Lancaster, PA.
School address
District: Lancaster Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421314002590 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 13.6:1 Pennsylvania avg
+0% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 58.1% Pennsylvania avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Wharton El Sch compares with Pennsylvania and U.S. medians
What stands out at Wharton El Sch
Wharton El Sch is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, enrolling 327 students.
At 13.6:1, 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 327 puts it in the smaller third of Pennsylvania schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,889 scored Pennsylvania schools.
Among 434 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Pennsylvania schools statewide, it ranks #43, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 327 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
13.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
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): Wharton El Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.6:1 vs 11.3:1).
Lancaster Sd also operates Mccaskey Campus (2,600 students) and Martin School (623 students) alongside Wharton 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 Wharton El Sch compares
Wharton 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 0% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 327 | top 73% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
327
Bigger than 36% 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
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 0% above state mean
Top 55% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.8%
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
$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 327 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 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
White 49.2%
Hispanic or Latino 31.2%
Two or More 10.4%
African American 5.2%
Asian 4.0%
Largest group: White at 49.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.5, Wharton 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 Lancaster Sd, which includes Wharton 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 Wharton El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mccaskey Campus | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Martin School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jackson Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Reynolds Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Washington El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Wharton 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
- 467
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
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
Washington El Sch
Standard public school
467 students 11.7:1 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
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 (~327 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Wharton El Sch's federal record.
- Compare Wharton 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 Wharton El Sch
How many students attend Wharton El Sch?
Wharton El Sch has 327 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lancaster, PA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Wharton El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Wharton El Sch is 13.6:1, which is 0% 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 Wharton El Sch?
100.0% of students at Wharton El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Wharton El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Wharton El Sch is White at 49.2% of enrollment, in Lancaster, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Wharton El Sch?
Wharton El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 Wharton El Sch rank among schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, Wharton El Sch ranks #1 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 Wharton El Sch a good school?
Wharton El Sch earns 54/100 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 Lancaster Sd?
Besides Wharton 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.