Central Elementary School

Summary:

Central Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 497. The school is part of the Big Beaver Falls Area School District, which is ranked 470 out of 606 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite spending significantly more per student ($17,778 in 2021-2022) compared to the state average, Central Elementary School consistently ranks in the bottom quarter of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Its proficiency rates in PSSA Math, Science, and English Language Arts are significantly lower than the state and district averages. For example, in 2022-2023, only 26.5% of students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to the state average of 39.3%. The school's diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (28.17%) and multi-racial (29.38%) students, and its extremely high percentage of students (100%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicate a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Interestingly, when comparing Central Elementary School to other nearby schools, such as Big Beaver Elementary School, Riverside Elementary School, and Todd Lane Elementary School, the nearby schools with higher academic performance have lower percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a potential correlation between socioeconomic status and academic achievement. Additionally, Central Elementary School's performance on PSSA assessments varies significantly among different student subgroups, with African American students performing relatively well, but White students and students with disabilities performing very poorly.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

805 15th Street
Beaver Falls, PA 15010

(724) 843-3420

District: Big Beaver Falls Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1172^nd of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,778

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Beaver Falls Middle School
High:	Beaver Falls Area Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.9

Number of students: 497

Racial breakdown:

White:

37.8%

Two or more races:

29.4%

African American:

28.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Central Elementary School ranks worse than 76.4% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.73. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Central Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (37.8%), two or more races (29.4%), African American (28.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 14.9. (See more...)

Compare Central Elementary School employs 33.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Elementary School is $17,778.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Central Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Elementary School 1172^nd of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Central Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

African American students:

White students:

Big Beaver Falls Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Big Beaver Falls Area School District 470^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Central Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2006	56.52	798^th	1545	48.3%
2007	65.14	607^th	1555	61.0%
2008	72.71	408^th	1551	73.7%
2009	65.76	596^th	1549	61.5%
2010	66.51	593^rd	1579	62.4%
2011	64.93	651^st	1597	59.2%
2012	53.63	982^nd	1599	38.6%
2013	40.46	1109^th	1519	27.0%
2014	33.08	1137^th	1467	22.5%
2016	24.80	1220^th	1554	21.5%
2017	21.98	1231^st	1547	20.4%
2018	18.25	1259^th	1530	17.7%
2019	14.33	1303^rd	1544	15.6%
2021	16.36	1180^th	1433	17.7%
2022	28.18	1133^rd	1534	26.1%
2023	24.73	1172^nd	1534	23.6%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	31.88	79^th	117	32.5%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	34.59	1015^th	1414	28.2%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	12.05	1013^th	1043	2.9%

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

Rank History for African American students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	65.15	109^th	437	75.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	8.72	1174^th	1236	5.0%

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 Central Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2005	293	173	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	467
2006	253	196	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	451
2007	238	187	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	427
2008	242	181	3	1	1	n/a	n/a	55	483
2009	235	152	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	78	468
2010	256	153	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	77	491
2011	254	140	5	1	0	0	82	0	482
2012	250	148	4	1	0	0	86	0	489
2013	242	136	5	4	1	0	103	0	491
2014	263	153	4	6	1	0	102	0	529
2015	259	146	6	10	1	0	117	0	539
2016	248	150	6	6	1	0	117	0	528
2017	255	172	4	10	2	0	134	0	577
2018	249	172	4	7	2	0	138	0	572
2019	208	143	1	10	1	0	137	0	500
2020	186	152	1	15	0	0	147	0	501
2021	181	129	0	16	0	1	145	0	472
2022	173	140	1	17	3	1	149	0	484
2023	188	140	1	14	8	0	146	0	497

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 Central Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	467	36.0	13.0	0
2006	451	35.0	12.9	74.3
2007	427	36.0	11.9	77
2008	483	38.5	12.5	80.6
2009	468	36.4	12.8	90
2010	491	35.9	13.6	89.4
2011	482	36.8	13.0	77.4
2012	489	34.0	14.3	81.8
2013	491	35.0	13.9	82.5
2014	529	35.0	15.0	83.7
2015	539	36.0	14.9	99.4
2016	528	36.0	14.6	100
2017	577	36.3	15.8	100
2018	572	36.8	15.5	100
2019	500	34.8	14.3	100
2020	501	35.1	14.2	100
2021	472	34.6	13.6	99.4
2022	484	33.3	14.5	99.4
2023	497	33.3	14.9	100

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 Central Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	467	36.0	13.0	0
2006	451	35.0	12.9	74.3
2007	427	36.0	11.9	77
2008	483	38.5	12.5	80.6
2009	468	36.4	12.8	90
2010	491	35.9	13.6	89.4
2011	482	36.8	13.0	77.4
2012	489	34.0	14.3	81.8
2013	491	35.0	13.9	82.5
2014	529	35.0	15.0	83.7
2015	539	36.0	14.9	99.4
2016	528	36.0	14.6	100
2017	577	36.3	15.8	100
2018	572	36.8	15.5	100
2019	500	34.8	14.3	100
2020	501	35.1	14.2	100
2021	472	34.6	13.6	99.4
2022	484	33.3	14.5	99.4
2023	497	33.3	14.9	100

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 Central Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$750 (5.0%)	$14,311 (95.0%)	$15,061
2020	$747 (5.3%)	$13,450 (94.7%)	$14,197
2021	$988 (6.9%)	$13,273 (93.1%)	$14,261
2022	$2,246 (12.6%)	$15,533 (87.4%)	$17,778

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central 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 1303^rd of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 1172^nd of 1534 Elementary schools	8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Central Elementary School)	29.5	21.7	7.8%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	42.7	32.5	10.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Central Elementary School)	17	43.3	26.3%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Central Elementary School)	67.7	65.1	2.6%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	32.3	43.3	11%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
5th Grade Math (Central Elementary School)	7.8	15.4	7.6%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	36.4	30.3	6.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
All Grades Math (Central Elementary School)	17.2	26.5	9.3%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Central Elementary School)	67.7	65.1	2.6%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	36.9	35.2	1.7%
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	500	497	0.6%
African American	143	140	2.1%
American Indian	1	8	700%
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	10	14	40%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	208	188	9.6%
Two or More Races	137	146	6.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Central 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 6th 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 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	805 15th Street	Beaver Falls	15010	Beaver County	Big Beaver Falls Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 843-3420	497	33	14.9	100.0%	188 (37.8%)	140 (28.2%)	14 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	8 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	146 (29.4%)	24.7	1172^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	23.6%		28.2	1133^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	26.1%	39	21.7	43.3	15.4		26.5	65.1	65.1	32.5	43.3	30.3		35.2	$17,778	$2,246	$15,533
Patterson Primary School	Public	K-2	701 Darlington Rd	Beaver Falls	15010	Beaver County	Blackhawk School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 843-1268	146	9	16.9	35.6%	132 (90.4%)	3 (2.1%)	2 (1.4%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.5%)								(n/a)													$7,694	$169	$7,525
New Brighton Area Elementary School	Public	K-5	3200 43rd St	New Brighton	15066	Beaver County	New Brighton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 843-1194	609	47	12.9	100.0%	423 (69.5%)	52 (8.5%)	19 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	115 (18.9%)	49.4	880^th of 1534 public elementary schools	42.6%		33.1	1093^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	28.7%	213	49.5	44.5	28.6		41.1	79.4	79.4	62.2	48.9	44.6		52.1	$16,334	$1,201	$15,133
Blackhawk Intermediate School	Public	K-4	635 Shenango Rd	Beaver Falls	15010	Beaver County	Blackhawk School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 843-5050	708	45	15.7	37.0%	647 (91.4%)	10 (1.4%)	19 (2.7%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.7%)	67.9	534^th of 1534 public elementary schools	65.2%		74.7	398^th of 1534 public elementary schools	74.1%	136	75.0	51.3			62.7	86.3	86.3	65.5	49.3			57.2	$6,906	$335	$6,571
Dutch Ridge Elementary School	Public	3-6	2220 Dutch Ridge Road	Beaver	15009	Beaver County	Beaver Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 774-1017	589	36	16.1	20.9%	555 (94.2%)	4 (0.7%)	8 (1.4%)	6 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.5%)	92.8	43^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	97.2%		93.1	41^st of 1534 public elementary schools	97.3%	2	82.0	82.1	89.3	68.9	80.7	91.7	91.7	86.1	84.7	87.8	80.3	84.8	$13,476	$270	$13,206
Rochester Area Elementary School	Public	K-5	540 Reno Street	Rochester	15074	Beaver County	Rochester Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 775-7500	334	34	9.7	100.0%	217 (65.0%)	52 (15.6%)	17 (5.1%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	45 (13.5%)	49.4	879^th of 1534 public elementary schools	42.7%		58.2	722^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	52.9%	157	37.0	44.9	46.3		42.6	77.6	77.6	46.3	44.9	63.0		51.6	$17,960	$2,966	$14,994
Big Beaver Elementary School	Public	K-5	588 Friendship Drive	Darlington	16115	Beaver County	Big Beaver Falls Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 827-2828	291	23	12.5	100.0%	193 (66.3%)	25 (8.6%)	24 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	48 (16.5%)	44.7	952^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	37.9%		53.2	834^th of 1534 public elementary schools	45.6%	118	34.2	44.2	51.3		43.0	76.8	76.8	43.9	39.5	52.8		45.0	$18,041	$2,279	$15,762
College Square Elementary School	Public	K-2	375 College Ave	Beaver	15009	Beaver County	Beaver Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 774-1168	433	32	13.5	24.5%	394 (91.0%)	13 (3.0%)	15 (3.5%)	5 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.2%)								(n/a)													$13,038	$261	$12,778
Riverside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	302 Country Club Drive	Ellwood City	16117	Lawrence County	Riverside Beaver County School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 758-7512	635	40	15.7	49.3%	609 (95.9%)	5 (0.8%)	9 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.7%)	67.3	548^th of 1534 public elementary schools	64.3%		71.7	464^th of 1534 public elementary schools	69.8%	84	67.7	45.9	44.7		53.2	77.6	77.6	65.1	64.6	68.8		66.1	$13,217	$726	$12,491
Todd Lane Elementary School	Public	3-5	113 Todd Ln	Monaca	15061	Beaver County	Central Valley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 775-1050	493	36	13.7	28.0%	415 (84.2%)	41 (8.3%)	13 (2.6%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.9%)	63.6	626^th of 1534 public elementary schools	59.2%		72.2	448^th of 1534 public elementary schools	70.8%	178	57.0	62.4	47.7		55.7	81.1	81.1	56.8	63.0	51.9		57.2	$15,916	$746	$15,170

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Central Elementary School?

Students at Central Elementary School are 38% White, 29% Two or more races, 28% African American, 3% Hispanic, 2% American Indian.

How many students attend Central Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 497 students attended Central Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Central Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Beaver Falls Middle School
High : Beaver Falls Area Senior High School

Is Central Elementary School a good school?

Central Elementary School ranks in the bottom 23.6% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

What district is Central Elementary School in?

Big Beaver Falls Area School District

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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.