Skip to main content

Needs Improvement

#2731 of 2,846 schools in PA

Donegan EL Sch

Elementary School · Bethlehem Area Sd · Bethlehem, PA

A Bethlehem Area Sd elementary school where students score 19 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1210 East 4th St, Bethlehem, PA 18015

  • Math 12% vs PA 46% (2024)
  • Reading 22% vs PA 53% (2024)
  • 10.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.6Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-4.17 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics2.6Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency11.6% (2024 PSSA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency22.1% (2024 PSSA)
Math vs. State Avg-39.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-33.7 pts
Overall Proficiency17% (2024 PSSA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)36% (model expectation from 2024 PSSA)
vs. Expected-19.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile9th
Resources & Environment7.4Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio10.5:1
District spending per student$18,564
Chronic Absenteeism24.9%

Students at Donegan EL Sch score 17% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 36%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 PSSA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. PA average.

Math Proficiency12%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
46%(2024 PSSA)
ELA Proficiency22%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
53%(2024 PSSA)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 57 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 17% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
78%
ELA
70%
2010
Math
80%
ELA
70%
2011
Math
66%
ELA
55%
2012
Math
62%
ELA
62%
2013
Math
55%
ELA
55%
2014
Math
19%
ELA
47%
2015
Math
21%
ELA
38%
2016
Math
25%
ELA
43%
2017
Math
22%
ELA
41%
2018
Math
18%
ELA
40%
2019
Math
18%
ELA
40%
2020*
Math
5%
ELA
35%
2021*
Math
5%
ELA
35%
2022
Math
6%
ELA
26%
2024
Math
12%
ELA
22%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 29% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 36 test records from PA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

93.7%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Donegan EL Sch sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 72Very Walkable
  • Transit 37Some Transit
  • Bike 48Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,583/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Bethlehem), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$58,470

Median home value

$243,100

Median rent

$1,310/mo

College educated

30.7%

Homeownership

50%

Poverty rate

15.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 18015; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Holy Infancy SchoolPrivate · tuition7.3privatePK–80.5 mi116Compare →
Lehigh Valley Dual Language CsCharter · enrollment unverified4.4K–80.8 mi454Compare →
Thomas Jefferson EL SchEnrollment path unverified4.8K–50.9 mi246Compare →
Freemansburg EL SchEnrollment path unverified4.0K–51.5 mi360Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Bethlehem Area Sd

Schools in district
22
Rank in district
#22 of 22
District spending per student
$18,564NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
12.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Donegan EL Sch is listed in Bethlehem Area SD; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Donegan EL Sch

Donegan EL Sch is a public elementary school in Bethlehem, PA, part of Bethlehem Area Sd, serving approximately 461 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 10.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.1 out of 10 and ranks #2,731 of 2,846 schools in PA. State assessment records show 29% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Donegan EL Sch

What grades does Donegan EL Sch serve?

Donegan EL Sch serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Donegan EL Sch?

Donegan EL Sch has an enrollment of approximately 461 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Donegan EL Sch?

The student-teacher ratio at Donegan EL Sch is 10.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Donegan EL Sch rank in PA?

Donegan EL Sch ranks #2,731 of 2,846 schools in PA.

What is Donegan EL Sch's MySchoolScout rating?

Donegan EL Sch has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Donegan EL Sch?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Donegan EL Sch has 29% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 41% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Donegan EL Sch a charter school?

No, Donegan EL Sch is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Donegan EL Sch a Title I school?

No, Donegan EL Sch is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Donegan EL Sch?

93.7% of students at Donegan EL Sch qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
461
Student-Teacher Ratio
10.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
44
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Northampton County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
24.9%
Area population (ZIP 18015)
34,259
Area average commute
23.9 min
Area median age
31.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 PSSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 PSSA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 PSSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 PSSA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 18015; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.