Skip to main content

Needs Improvement

#2666 of 2,846 schools in PA

Ritter EL Sch

Elementary School · Allentown City Sd · Allentown, PA

An Allentown City Sd elementary school where students score 7 points below what's typical for similar communities.

790 N Plymouth Street, Allentown, PA 18109

  • Math 24% vs PA 46% (2024)
  • Reading 29% vs PA 53% (2024)
  • 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.6Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-3.46 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics4.2Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency23.6% (2024 PSSA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency29.3% (2024 PSSA)
Math vs. State Avg-27.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-26.5 pts
Overall Proficiency26% (2024 PSSA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)33% (model expectation from 2024 PSSA)
vs. Expected-6.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile23th
Resources & Environment4.3Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.2:1
District spending per student$18,007
Chronic Absenteeism31.9%

Students at Ritter EL Sch score 26% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 33%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 PSSA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. PA average.

Math Proficiency24%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
46%(2024 PSSA)
ELA Proficiency29%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
53%(2024 PSSA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 19 points since 2020, reaching 26% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
70%
ELA
57%
2010
Math
73%
ELA
58%
2011
Math
78%
ELA
65%
2012
Math
77%
ELA
60%
2013
Math
68%
ELA
57%
2014
Math
40%
ELA
56%
2015
Math
40%
ELA
51%
2016
Math
41%
ELA
52%
2017
Math
44%
ELA
58%
2018
Math
30%
ELA
42%
2019
Math
30%
ELA
42%
2020*
Math
8%
2021*
Math
8%
2022
Math
21%
ELA
26%
2024
Math
24%
ELA
29%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 40% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 46% (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 34 test records from PA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

100%

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 Ritter 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 73Very Walkable
  • Transit 35Some Transit
  • Bike 52Bikeable
  • City Safety: High1,850/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Allentown), 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

$55,437

Median home value

$180,200

Median rent

$1,239/mo

College educated

19.5%

Homeownership

52.6%

Poverty rate

17.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 18109; 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
Lincoln Leadership Academy CsCharter · enrollment unverified5.9K–120.1 mi909Compare →
Executive Education Academy CsCharter · enrollment unverified5.8K–121.1 mi1,431Compare →
Mosser EL SchEnrollment path unverified4.1PK–51.1 mi568Compare →
Clearview EL SchEnrollment path unverified6.6K–51.4 mi387Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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.

Allentown City Sd

Schools in district
21
Rank in district
#13 of 21
District spending per student
$18,007NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
24.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Ritter EL Sch is listed in Allentown City SD; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Ritter EL Sch

Ritter EL Sch is a public elementary school in Allentown, PA, part of Allentown City Sd, serving approximately 426 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 out of 10 and ranks #2,666 of 2,846 schools in PA. State assessment records show 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 46% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Ritter EL Sch

What grades does Ritter EL Sch serve?

Ritter EL Sch serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Ritter EL Sch?

Ritter EL Sch has an enrollment of approximately 426 students.

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

The student-teacher ratio at Ritter EL Sch is 14.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Ritter EL Sch rank in PA?

Ritter EL Sch ranks #2,666 of 2,846 schools in PA.

What is Ritter EL Sch's MySchoolScout rating?

Ritter EL Sch has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.4 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 Ritter EL Sch?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Ritter EL Sch has 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 46% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Ritter EL Sch a charter school?

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

Is Ritter EL Sch a Title I school?

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

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

100.0% of students at Ritter 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
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
426
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
30
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Lehigh County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
31.9%
Area population (ZIP 18109)
18,117
Area average commute
23.4 min
Area median age
34.6
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 18109; 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.