Mountaintop Area Elementary School

Q: Is Mountaintop Area Elementary School a good school?

Mountaintop Area Elementary School ranks 280 th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Mountaintop Area Elementary School is a public K-5 school in Snow Shoe, PA, serving a student population of 116 that is predominantly white. The school consistently outperforms the Bald Eagle Area School District and the state of Pennsylvania in academic achievement, particularly in math, science, and English language arts.

Mountaintop Area Elementary School's academic performance is exceptional, with 69.9% of students proficient or better in PSSA Math and 67.9% proficient in PSSA English Language Arts, significantly higher than the district and state averages. The school's science proficiency is especially impressive, with 93.8% of students scoring proficient or better on the PSSA Science exam. This consistent high performance has earned the school a top 20% ranking among Pennsylvania elementary schools for most of the past decade.

While Mountaintop Area Elementary School's academic success is noteworthy, the school's lack of racial diversity, with over 96% of students identifying as white, may be an area for the school and district to address. Additionally, the school has seen a growing population of economically disadvantaged students, with the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch increasing from 28.57% in 2020-2021 to 40.52% in 2022-2023. When compared to other nearby schools, such as Howard Elementary School and Wingate Elementary School, Mountaintop Area Elementary School stands out as a high-performing institution, but it lags behind the top-performing elementary schools in the State College Area School District.

Detail:

Public K-5

100 School Dr # 865
Snow Shoe, PA 16874-8702

(814) 387-6861

District: Bald Eagle Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
280^th of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $25,124

Students who attend Mountaintop Area Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Bald Eagle Area Middle School/Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.6

Number of students: 116

Racial breakdown:

White:

96.6%

Two or more races:

2.6%

Hispanic:

0.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 40.5%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare Mountaintop Area Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mountaintop Area Elementary School ranks better than 81.7% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Bald Eagle Area School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.13. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (96.6%), two or more races (2.6%), Hispanic (0.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 40.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Bald Eagle Area School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mountaintop Area Elementary School is 11.6, which is the highest among 4 elementary schools in the Bald Eagle Area School District! (See more...)

Compare Mountaintop Area Elementary School employs 9.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mountaintop Area Elementary School is $25,124, which is the 2^nd highest among 4 elementary schools in the Bald Eagle Area School District.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Mountaintop Area Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mountaintop Area Elementary School 280^th of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Mountaintop Area Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Bald Eagle Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Bald Eagle Area School District 173^rd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Mountaintop Area Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Mountaintop Area Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	84.66	177^th	1302	86.4%
2004	74.64	355^th	1308	72.9%
2005	69.69	415^th	1299	68.1%
2006	58.49	750^th	1545	51.5%
2007	73.56	408^th	1555	73.8%
2008	67.44	559^th	1551	64.0%
2009	63.01	669^th	1549	56.8%
2010	67.06	581^st	1579	63.2%
2011	67.35	590^th	1597	63.1%
2012	77.33	305^th	1599	80.9%
2013	76.17	340^th	1519	77.6%
2014	82.74	142^nd	1467	90.3%
2015	85.50	148^th	1474	90.0%
2016	85.41	154^th	1554	90.1%
2017	72.50	444^th	1547	71.3%
2018	75.88	364^th	1530	76.2%
2019	77.28	351^st	1544	77.3%
2021	80.58	257^th	1433	82.1%
2022	65.87	574^th	1534	62.6%
2023	80.13	280^th	1534	81.7%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for White students at Mountaintop Area Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	68.04	379^th	1236	69.3%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Mountaintop Area Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	174	0	0	n/a	n/a	174
1989	178	0	0	n/a	n/a	178
1990	153	0	0	n/a	n/a	153
1991	148	0	0	n/a	n/a	148
1992	151	0	0	n/a	n/a	151
1993	145	0	0	n/a	n/a	145
1994	144	0	0	n/a	n/a	144
1995	247	0	0	n/a	n/a	247
1996	247	0	0	n/a	n/a	247
1997	256	0	0	n/a	n/a	256
1998	250	0	0	n/a	n/a	250
1999	254	0	0	n/a	n/a	254
2000	238	0	0	n/a	n/a	238
2001	241	0	0	n/a	n/a	241
2002	243	0	0	n/a	n/a	243
2003	243	0	0	n/a	n/a	243
2004	257	1	0	n/a	n/a	258
2005	241	3	0	n/a	n/a	244
2006	232	5	0	n/a	n/a	237
2007	231	5	1	n/a	n/a	237
2008	224	5	1	n/a	n/a	230
2009	202	5	1	n/a	n/a	208
2010	236	2	1	n/a	n/a	239
2011	209	1	1	0	0	211
2012	166	1	0	0	0	167
2013	162	2	0	0	0	164
2014	152	1	0	0	0	153
2015	141	0	0	0	0	141
2016	135	2	0	0	0	137
2017	132	2	0	0	0	134
2018	124	2	0	0	2	128
2019	125	0	0	0	0	125
2020	121	0	0	0	0	121
2021	117	0	2	0	0	119
2022	106	0	2	0	1	109
2023	112	0	1	0	3	116

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Mountaintop Area Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	174	8.9	19.5	n/a
1989	178	8.9	20.0	n/a
1990	153	8.9	17.1	0
1991	148	8.6	17.2	n/a
1992	151	8.8	17.1	n/a
1993	145	6.0	24.2	n/a
1994	144	8.0	18.0	n/a
1995	247	12.0	20.6	n/a
1996	247	12.0	20.6	n/a
1997	256	12.0	21.3	n/a
1998	250	13.0	19.2	n/a
1999	254	13.0	19.5	n/a
2000	238	12.0	19.8	44.5
2001	241	11.0	21.9	31.1
2002	243	14.3	17.0	31.7
2003	243	14.3	17.0	31.7
2004	258	12.9	20.0	31
2005	244	14.1	17.3	31.6
2006	237	13.9	17.1	41.8
2007	237	14.1	16.8	37.6
2008	230	17.1	13.5	34.8
2009	208	15.7	13.2	39.9
2010	239	17.7	13.5	24.3
2011	211	18.0	11.7	43.1
2012	167	16.0	10.4	36.5
2013	164	15.9	10.2	33.5
2014	153	14.7	10.3	35.3
2015	141	13.0	10.8	33.3
2016	137	13.0	10.5	24.8
2017	134	12.2	10.9	32.1
2018	128	12.8	9.9	36.7
2019	125	10.8	11.5	31.2
2020	121	10.0	12.0	25.6
2021	119	9.9	11.9	28.6
2022	109	10.0	10.8	33.9
2023	116	9.9	11.6	40.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Mountaintop Area Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	174	8.9	19.5	n/a
1989	178	8.9	20.0	n/a
1990	153	8.9	17.1	0
1991	148	8.6	17.2	n/a
1992	151	8.8	17.1	n/a
1993	145	6.0	24.2	n/a
1994	144	8.0	18.0	n/a
1995	247	12.0	20.6	n/a
1996	247	12.0	20.6	n/a
1997	256	12.0	21.3	n/a
1998	250	13.0	19.2	n/a
1999	254	13.0	19.5	n/a
2000	238	12.0	19.8	44.5
2001	241	11.0	21.9	31.1
2002	243	14.3	17.0	31.7
2003	243	14.3	17.0	31.7
2004	258	12.9	20.0	31
2005	244	14.1	17.3	31.6
2006	237	13.9	17.1	41.8
2007	237	14.1	16.8	37.6
2008	230	17.1	13.5	34.8
2009	208	15.7	13.2	39.9
2010	239	17.7	13.5	24.3
2011	211	18.0	11.7	43.1
2012	167	16.0	10.4	36.5
2013	164	15.9	10.2	33.5
2014	153	14.7	10.3	35.3
2015	141	13.0	10.8	33.3
2016	137	13.0	10.5	24.8
2017	134	12.2	10.9	32.1
2018	128	12.8	9.9	36.7
2019	125	10.8	11.5	31.2
2020	121	10.0	12.0	25.6
2021	119	9.9	11.9	28.6
2022	109	10.0	10.8	33.9
2023	116	9.9	11.6	40.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Mountaintop Area Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$45 (0.2%)	$18,186 (99.8%)	$18,230
2020	$102 (0.6%)	$18,146 (99.4%)	$18,249
2021	$423 (2.3%)	$18,081 (97.7%)	$18,503
2022	$364 (1.4%)	$24,761 (98.6%)	$25,124

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mountaintop Area Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 351^st of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 280^th of 1534 Elementary schools	4.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Mountaintop Area Elementary School)	78.3	66.6	11.7%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mountaintop Area Elementary School)	78.3	61.1	17.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Mountaintop Area Elementary School)	50	62.6	12.6%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Mountaintop Area Elementary School)	100	93.8	6.2%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mountaintop Area Elementary School)	63.1	62.5	0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
5th Grade Math (Mountaintop Area Elementary School)	71.5	79	7.5%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mountaintop Area Elementary School)	81	79	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
All Grades Math (Mountaintop Area Elementary School)	67.2	69.9	2.7%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Mountaintop Area Elementary School)	100	93.8	6.2%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Mountaintop Area Elementary School)	74.6	67.9	6.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	125	116	7.2%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	0	1
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	125	112	10.4%
Two or More Races	0	3
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	31.2%	40.5%	9.3%

Schools Near Mountaintop Area Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				PSSA Math (2023)				PSSA Science (2023)		PSSA English Language Arts (2023)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSSA Math 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Mountaintop Area Elementary School	Public	K-5	100 School Dr # 865	Snow Shoe	16874	Centre County	Bald Eagle Area School District	No	No	No	No	(814) 387-6861	116	10	11.6	40.5%	112 (96.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.6%)	80.1	280^th of 1534 public elementary schools	81.7%		65.9	574^th of 1534 public elementary schools	62.6%	294	66.6	62.6	79.0	69.9	93.8	93.8	61.1	62.5	79.0	67.9	$25,124	$364	$24,761
Wingate Elementary School	Public	K-5	776 S Eagle Valley Rd	Wingate	16823	Centre County	Bald Eagle Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(814) 355-4872	373	34	11.0	48.3%	352 (94.4%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.5%)	48.1	908^th of 1534 public elementary schools	40.8%		34.2	1082^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	29.5%	174	60.0	55.5	39.1	50.5	83.3	83.3	56.4	31.5	31.9	39.3	$20,929	$2,199	$18,730
Bellefonte Elementary School	Public	K-5	100 W Linn St	Bellefonte	16823	Centre County	Bellefonte Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(814) 355-5519	335	30	11.2	47.2%	303 (90.4%)	8 (2.4%)	14 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.7%)	48.1	906^th of 1534 public elementary schools	40.9%		50.3	889^th of 1534 public elementary schools	42.0%	17	54.0	18.4	47.7	42.3	68.4	68.4	50.0	56.7	50.7	52.0	$27,491	$4,334	$23,157
Benner Elementary School	Public	K-5	490 Buffalo Run Rd	Bellefonte	16823	Centre County	Bellefonte Area School District	No	No	No	No	(814) 355-2812	244	19	12.7	22.1%	229 (93.9%)	3 (1.2%)	3 (1.2%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.5%)	80.9	263^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	82.9%		78.8	308^th of 1534 public elementary schools	79.9%	45	75.0	75.9	71.1	73.8	89.7	89.7	66.7	70.0	60.6	65.4	$21,038	$212	$20,827
West Branch Area Elementary School	Public	K-4	356 Allport Cutoff	Morrisdale	16858	Clearfield County	West Branch Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(814) 345-5615	341	32	10.8	43.1%	322 (94.4%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.8%)	44.7	953^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	37.9%		43.1	993^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	35.3%	40	53.6	18.8		36.8	73.4	73.4	62.3	41.5		52.2	$22,385	$2,629	$19,756
Howard Elementary School	Public	K-5	255 School Street	Howard	16841	Centre County	Bald Eagle Area School District	No	No	No	No	(814) 625-2423	90	9	9.5	42.2%	87 (96.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	87.7	144^th of 1534 public elementary schools	90.6%		86.5	172^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	88.8%	28	85.7	90.0	66.7	82.6	95.0	95.0	57.1	95.0	75.0	78.2	$24,872	$314	$24,558
Spring Creek Elementary School	Public	K-5	217 Scholl St	State College	16801	Centre County	State College Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(814) 231-5026	369	27	13.7	19.8%	300 (81.3%)	7 (1.9%)	15 (4.1%)	15 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (8.7%)	85.2	186^th of 1534 public elementary schools	87.9%		83.9	224^th of 1534 public elementary schools	85.4%	38	68.9	71.7	73.1	71.0	95.5	95.5	68.8	76.5	78.0	74.1	$19,208	$961	$18,247
Park Forest Elementary School	Public	K-5	2181 School Dr	State College	16803	Centre County	State College Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(814) 231-5010	430	30	14.1	19.3%	328 (76.3%)	15 (3.5%)	22 (5.1%)	28 (6.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (8.6%)	85.6	180^th of 1534 public elementary schools	88.3%		79.2	303^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	80.2%	123	88.5	80.0	49.2	73.1	97.5	97.5	72.9	73.4	76.5	74.2	$20,639	$788	$19,851
Pleasant Gap Elementary School	Public	K-5	230 S Main St	Pleasant Gap	16823	Centre County	Bellefonte Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(814) 359-2739	193	21	9.3	25.4%	178 (92.2%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	3 (1.6%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.1%)	67.7	541^st of 1534 public elementary schools	64.7%		59.1	710^th of 1534 public elementary schools	53.7%	169	69.0	78.8	48.6	65.0	81.8	81.8	48.2	69.7	51.4	56.7	$24,943	$2,506	$22,437
Gray's Woods Elementary School	Public	K-5	160 Brackenbourne Drive	Port Matilda	16870	Centre County	State College Area School District	No	No	No	No	(814) 235-6100	369	26	14.0	11.9%	330 (89.4%)	2 (0.5%)	6 (1.6%)	14 (3.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.1%)	74.5	395^th of 1534 public elementary schools	74.3%		81.5	262^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	82.9%	133	60.3	64.3	72.1	65.8	91.1	91.1	48.4	61.4	79.4	63.7	$18,489	$608	$17,881

Frequently Asked Questions about Mountaintop Area Elementary School

How many students attend Mountaintop Area Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 116 students attended Mountaintop Area Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Mountaintop Area Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Mountaintop Area Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Bald Eagle Area Middle School/Senior High School

What district is Mountaintop Area Elementary School in?

Bald Eagle Area School District

What is the racial makeup of Mountaintop Area Elementary School?

Students at Mountaintop Area Elementary School are 97% White, 3% Two or more races.

Is Mountaintop Area Elementary School a good school?

Mountaintop Area Elementary School ranks 280^th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Mountaintop Area Elementary School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.