- Enrollment
- 2,541
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bethlehem, PA
William Penn El Sch
Federal NCES profile for William Penn El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 420357006634
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 52
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William Penn El Sch earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Pennsylvania schools.
- #8 of 12
- elementary schools in Bethlehem · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.7:1
- students per teacher
- 66.1%
- free-lunch eligible
William Penn El Sch has class sizes near the Pennsylvania median. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William Penn El Sch ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Bethlehem, PA.
School address
District: Bethlehem Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420357006634 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+0 students YoY
William Penn El Sch held near 239 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+0 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 19.4 → 21.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+0 students YoY 420357006634 · Bethlehem, PA Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
242 enr · 12.7:1 · 66.1% lunch · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: Liberty Hs (2,541 students)
William Penn El Sch held near 239 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+0 headcount). Teacher FTE added 19.4 → 21.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Pennsylvania schools → · Find another →
William Penn El Sch in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Liberty Hs
Liberty Hs
2,541 students
- Freedom Hs
Freedom Hs
1,792 students
- East Hills Ms 966
East Hills Ms
966 students
- Nitschmann Ms 731
Nitschmann Ms
731 students
- Northeast Ms 715
Northeast Ms
715 students
- This school 242
William Penn El Sch
242 students
What this shows William Penn El Sch reports 242 students on the CCD universe file.
How William Penn El Sch compares
William Penn El Sch held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.7:1 | ▼ 7% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.1% | ▲ 14% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 242 | top 86% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
242
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
66.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 7% below state mean
Top 39% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
33.5%
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
$18,515
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $18,725
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 242 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 53.7%
White 28.9%
African American 14.9%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Two or More 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 53.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.6, William Penn El Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Bethlehem Area Sd reports $18,515 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How William Penn El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty Hs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Freedom Hs | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Hills Ms | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Nitschmann Ms | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northeast Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William Penn El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,792
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 966
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 731
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 715
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Bethlehem
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Southern Lehigh Intermediate Sch
Standard public school
702 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Spring Garden El Sch
Standard public school
532 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Lehigh Valley Dual Language Cs
Standard public school
457 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Governor Wolf El Sch
Standard public school
432 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Clearview El Sch
Standard public school
384 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Lincoln El Sch
Standard public school
355 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~242 students)
Frequently asked questions about William Penn El Sch
How many students attend William Penn El Sch?
William Penn El Sch has 242 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bethlehem, PA. CCD year-over-year: 239 (2022-23) → 239 (2023-24), nearly flat (+0).
What is the student-teacher ratio at William Penn El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at William Penn El Sch is 12.7:1, which is 7% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 19% 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 William Penn El Sch?
66.1% of students at William Penn El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William Penn El Sch?
The largest demographic group at William Penn El Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 53.7% of enrollment, in Bethlehem, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William Penn El Sch?
William Penn El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does William Penn El Sch rank among elementary schools in Bethlehem?
By Resource Investment Index, William Penn El Sch ranks #8 of 12 elementary schools in Bethlehem, 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 Bethlehem on the city page.
What other schools are in Bethlehem Area Sd?
Besides William Penn El Sch, Bethlehem Area Sd also operates Liberty Hs (2,541 students), Freedom Hs (1,792 students), and East Hills Ms (966 students). See the Bethlehem Area Sd district page for the complete list.