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Excellent

#345 of 2,846 schools in PA

Top 12% in state

Wharton EL Sch

Elementary School · Lancaster Sd · Lancaster, PA

A Lancaster Sd elementary school where students score 18 points above what's typical for similar communities.

705 N Mary St, Lancaster, PA 17603

  • Math 48% vs PA 46% (2024)
  • Reading 54% vs PA 53% (2024)
  • 13.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.2Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.3 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics7.8Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency48.3% (2024 PSSA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency54.3% (2024 PSSA)
Math vs. State Avg-3.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-1.5 pts
Overall Proficiency51% (2024 PSSA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)33% (model expectation from 2024 PSSA)
vs. Expected+17.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile67th
Resources & Environment9.2Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.3:1
District spending per student$22,604
Chronic Absenteeism13.2%

Students at Wharton EL Sch score 51% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 33%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 PSSA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. PA average.

Math Proficiency48%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
46%(2024 PSSA)
ELA Proficiency54%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
53%(2024 PSSA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 9 points since 2020, reaching 51% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
62%
ELA
62%
2010
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2011
Math
62%
ELA
57%
2012
Math
62%
ELA
57%
2013
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2014
Math
42%
ELA
52%
2015
Math
47%
ELA
57%
2016
Math
62%
ELA
67%
2017
Math
47%
ELA
62%
2018
Math
42%
ELA
62%
2019
Math
42%
ELA
62%
2020*
Math
32%
ELA
52%
2021*
Math
32%
ELA
52%
2022
Math
41%
ELA
45%
2024
Math
48%
ELA
54%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 58% (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

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 Wharton 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 88Very Walkable
  • Bike 79Very Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low0/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

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

Median income

$77,156

Median home value

$244,500

Median rent

$1,265/mo

College educated

36.7%

Homeownership

62.4%

Poverty rate

14.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 17603; 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
Ross EL SchEnrollment path unverified7.3PK–50.4 mi264Compare →
Sacred Heart SchoolPrivate · tuition7.2privatePK–80.5 mi161Compare →
Fulton EL SchEnrollment path unverified5.7PK–50.7 mi272Compare →
Lancaster Country Day SchoolPrivate · tuition7.5privatePK–120.7 mi520Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

Lancaster Sd

Schools in district
19
Rank in district
#1 of 19
District spending per student
$22,604NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
20.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Wharton EL Sch is listed in Lancaster SD; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Wharton EL Sch

Wharton EL Sch is a public elementary school in Lancaster, PA, part of Lancaster Sd, serving approximately 333 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 13.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.3 out of 10 and ranks #345 of 2,846 schools in PA. State assessment records show 50% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 58% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Wharton EL Sch

What grades does Wharton EL Sch serve?

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

How many students attend Wharton EL Sch?

Wharton EL Sch has an enrollment of approximately 333 students.

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

The student-teacher ratio at Wharton EL Sch is 13.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Wharton EL Sch rank in PA?

Wharton EL Sch ranks #345 of 2,846 schools in PA.

What is Wharton EL Sch's MySchoolScout rating?

Wharton EL Sch has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.3 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 Wharton EL Sch?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Wharton EL Sch has 50% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 58% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Wharton EL Sch a charter school?

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

Is Wharton EL Sch a Title I school?

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

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

100.0% of students at Wharton 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
333
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
25
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Lancaster County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
13.2%
Area population (ZIP 17603)
66,788
Area average commute
23.8 min
Area median age
35.5
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 17603; 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

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