William Penn Elementary School

Summary:

William Penn Elementary School is a public elementary school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, serving 239 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Bethlehem Area School District, which is ranked 452 out of 606 school districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's relatively high per-student spending, ranging from $15,342 to $21,026 over the past four years, William Penn Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom quarter of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with a ranking between 937 and 1293 out of 1433-1554 schools over the past 10 years. The school's performance on PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) tests is also significantly lower than the Bethlehem Area School District and the state averages across all subject areas and grade levels. This is particularly concerning for the school's large population of Hispanic students (48.12%) and students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds (64.91% to 71.97% receiving free or reduced-price lunch).

When comparing William Penn Elementary to other nearby schools within the Bethlehem Area School District, such as James Buchanan Elementary School and Spring Garden Elementary School, it becomes evident that William Penn is underperforming academically. These other schools consistently outperform William Penn on PSSA tests and have higher statewide rankings. Despite the school's efforts, William Penn Elementary has not shown significant improvement in its academic performance over the past 10 years, suggesting the need for more effective interventions to support student learning and achievement.


Detail:

Public K-5

 1002 Main St
       Bethlehem, PA  18018-6693


(610) 694-0116

District: Bethlehem Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1193rd of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,979 Help


Students who attend William Penn Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Northeast Middle School
High:    Liberty High School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.3 Help
Number of students:  239

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
48.1%
White:
31.4%
African American:
16.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  72% Help


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 Compare William Penn Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details William Penn Elementary School ranks worse than 77.8% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 10th among 16 ranked elementary schools in the Bethlehem Area School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.72. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at William Penn Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (48.1%), White (31.4%), African American (16.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 72% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at William Penn Elementary School is 12.3, which is the 7th best among 16 elementary schools in the Bethlehem Area School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare William Penn Elementary School employs 19.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at William Penn Elementary School is $18,979, which is the 6th highest among 16 elementary schools in the Bethlehem Area School District.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

William Penn Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks William Penn Elementary School 1193rd of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See William Penn Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Bethlehem Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Bethlehem Area School District 452nd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for William Penn Elementary School?

Rank History for William Penn Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at William Penn Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 52.58 715th 1302 45.1%
2004 33.39 978th 1308 25.2%
2005 33.25 1011th 1299 22.2%
2006 37.78 1180th 1545 23.6%
2007 25.54 1311th 1555 15.7%
2008 27.20 1288th 1551 17.0%
2009 33.07 1249th 1549 19.4%
2010 22.35 1361st 1579 13.8%
2011 22.25 1378th 1597 13.7%
2012 36.86 1227th 1599 23.3%
2013 27.14 1227th 1519 19.2%
2014 31.98 1146th 1467 21.9%
2015 38.27 1024th 1474 30.5%
2016 23.11 1232nd 1554 20.7%
2017 32.87 1139th 1547 26.4%
2018 20.55 1239th 1530 19.0%
2019 15.34 1293rd 1544 16.3%
2021 42.29 937th 1433 34.6%
2022 35.03 1076th 1534 29.9%
2023 22.72 1193rd 1534 22.2%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at William Penn Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 24.07 1118th 1414 20.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at William Penn Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 40.54 260th 432 39.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at William Penn Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 21.57 1062nd 1236 14.1%
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.

William Penn Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, February 17, 2020

Open Quote William Penn is an amazing school. My children have been there for four years. I appreciate the teachers, staff, educational programs, and the community of families. Close Quote



Enrollment information for William Penn Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 229 18 8 10 0 n/a n/a 0 265
1989 232 15 9 11 0 n/a n/a 0 267
1990 237 13 5 13 0 n/a n/a 0 268
1991 242 17 5 15 0 n/a n/a 0 279
1992 251 21 3 19 0 n/a n/a 0 294
1993 243 18 3 23 0 n/a n/a 0 287
1994 221 18 6 45 0 n/a n/a 0 290
1995 212 13 7 52 0 n/a n/a 0 284
1996 212 13 7 52 0 n/a n/a 0 284
1997 198 19 7 58 0 n/a n/a 0 282
1998 215 18 5 49 0 n/a n/a 0 287
1999 199 21 6 54 0 n/a n/a 0 280
2000 183 19 5 49 0 n/a n/a 0 256
2001 199 19 2 58 0 n/a n/a 0 278
2002 161 22 2 47 1 n/a n/a 0 233
2003 161 22 2 47 1 n/a n/a 0 233
2004 146 27 0 54 1 n/a n/a 0 228
2005 142 40 1 65 1 n/a n/a 0 249
2006 137 31 2 77 1 n/a n/a 0 248
2007 130 36 3 75 3 n/a n/a 0 247
2008 124 46 3 64 2 n/a n/a 0 239
2009 108 40 2 80 2 n/a n/a 3 235
2010 124 44 3 60 3 n/a n/a 6 240
2011 109 38 5 81 1 0 0 0 234
2012 111 40 6 95 1 0 5 0 258
2013 98 34 3 99 0 0 9 0 243
2014 102 19 2 109 1 0 10 0 243
2015 88 20 2 110 1 0 15 0 236
2016 79 27 1 109 1 0 19 0 236
2017 81 21 3 118 1 0 15 0 239
2018 83 34 1 120 1 0 14 0 253
2019 91 29 1 125 1 0 14 0 261
2020 67 30 4 117 0 0 14 0 232
2021 60 25 3 98 1 0 13 0 200
2022 73 36 4 107 1 0 7 0 228
2023 75 40 4 115 1 0 4 0 239

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 William Penn Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 265 16.3 16.2 n/a
1989 267 14.6 18.2 n/a
1990 268 16.0 16.7 0
1991 279 15.8 17.6 n/a
1992 294 16.2 18.1 n/a
1993 287 13.0 22.1 n/a
1994 290 15.0 19.3 n/a
1995 284 14.0 20.3 n/a
1996 284 14.0 20.3 n/a
1997 282 13.0 21.7 n/a
1998 287 16.0 17.9 n/a
1999 280 16.0 17.5 n/a
2000 256 17.0 15.1 46.5
2001 278 18.0 15.4 42.1
2002 233 17.6 13.2 46.8
2003 233 17.6 13.2 46.8
2004 228 15.7 14.5 45.2
2005 249 15.6 16.0 43.8
2006 248 17.4 14.3 54
2007 247 17.5 14.1 56.3
2008 239 16.4 14.6 56.9
2009 235 16.4 14.3 59.5
2010 240 17.1 14.0 1.7
2011 234 19.4 12.0 69.2
2012 258 16.6 15.5 69
2013 243 15.4 15.7 0
2014 243 16.6 14.5 75.7
2015 236 18.0 13.1 76.3
2016 236 18.0 13.1 76.7
2017 239 19.5 12.2 76.6
2018 253 18.5 13.6 76.7
2019 261 19.0 13.7 78.2
2020 232 18.5 12.5 76.3
2021 200 18.6 10.7 69.5
2022 228 18.4 12.3 64.9
2023 239 19.4 12.3 72

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 William Penn Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 265 16.3 16.2 n/a
1989 267 14.6 18.2 n/a
1990 268 16.0 16.7 0
1991 279 15.8 17.6 n/a
1992 294 16.2 18.1 n/a
1993 287 13.0 22.1 n/a
1994 290 15.0 19.3 n/a
1995 284 14.0 20.3 n/a
1996 284 14.0 20.3 n/a
1997 282 13.0 21.7 n/a
1998 287 16.0 17.9 n/a
1999 280 16.0 17.5 n/a
2000 256 17.0 15.1 46.5
2001 278 18.0 15.4 42.1
2002 233 17.6 13.2 46.8
2003 233 17.6 13.2 46.8
2004 228 15.7 14.5 45.2
2005 249 15.6 16.0 43.8
2006 248 17.4 14.3 54
2007 247 17.5 14.1 56.3
2008 239 16.4 14.6 56.9
2009 235 16.4 14.3 59.5
2010 240 17.1 14.0 1.7
2011 234 19.4 12.0 69.2
2012 258 16.6 15.5 69
2013 243 15.4 15.7 0
2014 243 16.6 14.5 75.7
2015 236 18.0 13.1 76.3
2016 236 18.0 13.1 76.7
2017 239 19.5 12.2 76.6
2018 253 18.5 13.6 76.7
2019 261 19.0 13.7 78.2
2020 232 18.5 12.5 76.3
2021 200 18.6 10.7 69.5
2022 228 18.4 12.3 64.9
2023 239 19.4 12.3 72

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 William Penn Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,145 (7.5%) $14,197 (92.5%) $15,342
2020 $1,340 (7.6%) $16,393 (92.4%) $17,732
2021 $2,819 (13.4%) $18,207 (86.6%) $21,026
2022 $1,844 (9.7%) $17,135 (90.3%) $18,979

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on William Penn 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 1293rd of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 1193rd of 1534 Elementary schools
 6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (William Penn Elementary School)2523.5
 1.5%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (William Penn Elementary School)41.736.3
 5.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (William Penn Elementary School)12.819.4
 6.6%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (William Penn Elementary School)56.561.1
 4.6%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (William Penn Elementary School)4530.5
 14.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (William Penn Elementary School)2522.3
 2.7%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (William Penn Elementary School)36.447.3
 10.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
All Grades Math (William Penn Elementary School)2121.7
 0.7%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (William Penn Elementary School)56.561.1
 4.6%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (William Penn Elementary School)40.838.1
 2.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students261239
 8.4%
African American2940
 37.9%
American Indian11
Asian14
 300%
Hispanic125115
 8%
Pacific Islander00
White9175
 17.6%
Two or More Races144
 71.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients78.2%72%
 6.2%


Schools Near William Penn Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about William Penn Elementary School

Students who attend William Penn Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Northeast Middle School
High : Liberty High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 239 students attended William Penn Elementary School.

William Penn Elementary School ranks in the bottom 22.2% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

Students at William Penn Elementary School are 48% Hispanic, 31% White, 17% African American, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races.


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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.





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