Is Paxtang Elementary School a good school?

Paxtang Elementary School ranks 983 rd of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Paxtang Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 294 students attended Paxtang Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Paxtang Elementary School?

Students at Paxtang Elementary School are 27% African American, 26% White, 19% Asian, 17% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Paxtang Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Paxtang Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Swatara Middle School High : Central Dauphin East Senior High School

Paxtang Elementary School

Summary:

Paxtang Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades K-5 in the Central Dauphin School District in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with a diverse student population of 294 as of the 2022-2023 school year.

While Paxtang Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Pennsylvania elementary schools, its academic performance on PSSA tests is mixed compared to the district and state averages. The school's math proficiency rates (43.6%) are higher than the district (37.2%) and state (39.3%) averages, and its science proficiency rates (73%) are significantly higher than the district (64.7%) and state (65.6%) averages. However, its English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency rates (41.9%) are lower than the district (53.4%) and state (53.8%) averages. This may be due to the school's high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 99.66% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

Compared to nearby schools in the Central Dauphin School District, Paxtang Elementary School performs better in math and science but worse in ELA. The school's racial diversity, with a higher percentage of African American, Hispanic, and Asian students compared to the district, may also contribute to its unique challenges and strengths. Additionally, the school's declining enrollment and ranking over the past decade warrant further investigation and targeted interventions to support student success.

Detail:

Public K-5

3530 Rutherford St
Harrisburg, PA 17111-1852

(717) 561-1781

District: Central Dauphin School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
983^rd of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,635

Students who attend Paxtang Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Swatara Middle School
High:	Central Dauphin East Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.1

Number of students: 294

Racial breakdown:

African American:

26.5%

White:

25.9%

Asian:

19.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.7%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare Paxtang Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Paxtang Elementary School ranks worse than 64.1% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 9^th among 13 ranked elementary schools in the Central Dauphin School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 42.49. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Paxtang Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (26.5%), White (25.9%), Asian (19%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Paxtang Elementary School is 14.1, which is the 5^th best among 13 elementary schools in the Central Dauphin School District. (See more...)

Compare Paxtang Elementary School employs 20.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Paxtang Elementary School is $16,635, which is the 2^nd highest among 13 elementary schools in the Central Dauphin School District.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Paxtang Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Paxtang Elementary School 983^rd of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Paxtang Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Central Dauphin School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Dauphin School District 342^nd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Paxtang Elementary School.

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Your rating for Paxtang Elementary School?

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Rank History for Paxtang Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Paxtang Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	76.23	327^th	1302	74.9%
2004	86.36	128^th	1308	90.2%
2005	71.65	372^nd	1299	71.4%
2006	70.85	453^rd	1545	70.7%
2007	67.23	558^th	1555	64.1%
2008	47.90	1021^st	1551	34.2%
2009	36.78	1194^th	1549	22.9%
2010	34.05	1252^nd	1579	20.7%
2011	43.65	1149^th	1597	28.1%
2012	50.72	1039^th	1599	35.0%
2013	57.38	836^th	1519	45.0%
2014	47.12	984^th	1467	32.9%
2015	42.86	971^st	1474	34.1%
2016	35.74	1115^th	1554	28.2%
2017	27.53	1189^th	1547	23.1%
2018	33.01	1128^th	1530	26.3%
2019	29.42	1155^th	1544	25.2%
2021	23.08	1125^th	1433	21.5%
2022	35.64	1073^rd	1534	30.1%
2023	42.49	983^rd	1534	35.9%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	48.73	794^th	1414	43.8%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, September 13, 2019

We've had an excellent experience at Paxtang Elementary with our children. It is a diverse school, both racially and economically, and the staff do a great job bringing the school together and educating the kids. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Paxtang Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	310	17	6	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	336
1989	329	19	11	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	366
1990	327	16	12	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	368
1991	176	3	8	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	192
1992	187	6	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	204
1993	220	10	4	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	240
1994	205	11	6	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	238
1995	201	22	15	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	246
1996	201	22	15	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	246
1997	192	21	14	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	231
1998	203	30	13	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	256
1999	187	36	10	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	243
2000	163	36	12	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	227
2001	167	44	8	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	231
2002	167	42	18	33	0	n/a	n/a	0	260
2003	167	42	18	33	0	n/a	n/a	0	260
2004	170	46	14	42	0	n/a	n/a	0	272
2005	153	53	13	27	0	n/a	n/a	0	246
2006	135	41	21	33	1	n/a	n/a	0	231
2007	148	44	25	35	0	n/a	n/a	0	252
2008	119	44	23	34	0	n/a	n/a	0	220
2009	122	44	22	38	0	n/a	n/a	7	233
2010	115	38	22	42	0	n/a	n/a	20	237
2011	91	31	22	53	1	0	23	0	221
2012	93	30	23	49	2	0	20	0	217
2013	84	35	28	34	2	0	30	0	213
2014	79	42	34	45	2	0	28	0	230
2015	79	46	26	59	3	0	30	0	243
2016	76	56	41	65	2	0	26	0	266
2017	68	56	45	66	1	0	24	0	260
2018	71	68	49	75	0	0	30	0	293
2019	79	62	20	67	0	0	22	0	250
2020	75	54	21	54	0	0	25	0	229
2021	67	51	18	40	0	0	19	0	195
2022	63	50	19	41	0	0	18	0	191
2023	76	78	56	51	2	0	31	0	294

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 Paxtang Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	336	18.4	18.2	n/a
1989	366	26.0	14.0	n/a
1990	368	22.3	16.5	0
1991	192	15.9	12.0	n/a
1992	204	15.5	13.1	n/a
1993	240	15.0	16.0	n/a
1994	238	16.0	14.9	n/a
1995	246	14.0	17.6	n/a
1996	246	14.0	17.6	n/a
1997	231	15.0	15.4	n/a
1998	256	18.0	14.2	n/a
1999	243	17.0	14.3	n/a
2000	227	17.0	13.4	16.3
2001	231	16.0	14.4	16.5
2002	260	18.2	14.3	35.4
2003	260	18.2	14.3	35.4
2004	272	19.0	14.3	25
2005	246	18.0	13.7	37.4
2006	231	18.2	12.7	40.7
2007	252	19.8	12.7	40.9
2008	220	18.1	12.2	43.6
2009	233	19.0	12.2	44.7
2010	237	19.9	11.9	51.2
2011	221	18.6	11.8	42.5
2012	217	18.8	11.5	42.9
2013	213	17.2	12.3	48.4
2014	230	17.3	13.2	54.8
2015	243	17.0	14.2	59.7
2016	266	18.0	14.7	66.9
2017	260	19.3	13.4	66.9
2018	293	18.7	15.6	100
2019	250	19.4	12.8	100
2020	229	19.5	11.7	100
2021	195	18.8	10.3	100
2022	191	15.7	12.1	98.4
2023	294	20.8	14.1	99.7

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 Paxtang Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	336	18.4	18.2	n/a
1989	366	26.0	14.0	n/a
1990	368	22.3	16.5	0
1991	192	15.9	12.0	n/a
1992	204	15.5	13.1	n/a
1993	240	15.0	16.0	n/a
1994	238	16.0	14.9	n/a
1995	246	14.0	17.6	n/a
1996	246	14.0	17.6	n/a
1997	231	15.0	15.4	n/a
1998	256	18.0	14.2	n/a
1999	243	17.0	14.3	n/a
2000	227	17.0	13.4	16.3
2001	231	16.0	14.4	16.5
2002	260	18.2	14.3	35.4
2003	260	18.2	14.3	35.4
2004	272	19.0	14.3	25
2005	246	18.0	13.7	37.4
2006	231	18.2	12.7	40.7
2007	252	19.8	12.7	40.9
2008	220	18.1	12.2	43.6
2009	233	19.0	12.2	44.7
2010	237	19.9	11.9	51.2
2011	221	18.6	11.8	42.5
2012	217	18.8	11.5	42.9
2013	213	17.2	12.3	48.4
2014	230	17.3	13.2	54.8
2015	243	17.0	14.2	59.7
2016	266	18.0	14.7	66.9
2017	260	19.3	13.4	66.9
2018	293	18.7	15.6	100
2019	250	19.4	12.8	100
2020	229	19.5	11.7	100
2021	195	18.8	10.3	100
2022	191	15.7	12.1	98.4
2023	294	20.8	14.1	99.7

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 Paxtang Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,628 (10.3%)	$14,134 (89.7%)	$15,763
2020	$1,884 (11.6%)	$14,383 (88.4%)	$16,268
2021	$1,555 (8.7%)	$16,298 (91.3%)	$17,853
2022	$3,064 (18.4%)	$13,571 (81.6%)	$16,635

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Paxtang 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 1155^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 983^rd of 1534 Elementary schools	10.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Paxtang Elementary School)	26.8	35	8.2%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Paxtang Elementary School)	39	40	1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Paxtang Elementary School)	43.2	46.2	3%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Paxtang Elementary School)	83.8	73	10.8%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Paxtang Elementary School)	62.1	44	18.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
5th Grade Math (Paxtang Elementary School)	19	46.3	27.3%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Paxtang Elementary School)	35.7	41.4	5.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
All Grades Math (Paxtang Elementary School)	29.2	43.6	14.4%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Paxtang Elementary School)	83.8	73	10.8%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Paxtang Elementary School)	45	41.9	3.1%
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	250	294	17.6%
African American	62	78	25.8%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	20	56	180%
Hispanic	67	51	23.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	79	76	3.8%
Two or More Races	22	31	40.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	99.7%	0.3%

Schools Near Paxtang 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
Paxtang Elementary School	Public	K-5	3530 Rutherford St	Harrisburg	17111	Dauphin County	Central Dauphin School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 561-1781	294	21	14.1	99.7%	76 (25.9%)	78 (26.5%)	51 (17.3%)	56 (19.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (10.5%)	42.5	983^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	35.9%		35.6	1073^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	30.1%	90	35.0	46.2	46.3		43.6	73.0	73.0	40.0	44.0	41.4		41.9	$16,635	$3,064	$13,571
Lawnton Elementary School	Public	K-5	4400 Franklin St	Harrisburg	17111	Dauphin County	Central Dauphin School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 558-9430	283	20	14.2	99.3%	29 (10.2%)	63 (22.3%)	28 (9.9%)	136 (48.1%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (8.5%)	43.3	967^th of 1534 public elementary schools	37.0%		38.8	1036^th of 1534 public elementary schools	32.5%	69	29.4	32.5	43.2		36.0	81.0	81.0	41.2	45.2	53.0		47.2	$15,170	$2,634	$12,536
Melrose School	Public	K-5	2041 Berryhill St	Harrisburg	17104	Dauphin County	Harrisburg City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 703-1440	597	35	16.9	100.0%	18 (3.0%)	284 (47.6%)	239 (40.0%)	33 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.9%)	4.6	1490^th of 1534 public elementary schools	2.9%		7.6	1401^st of 1534 public elementary schools	8.7%	89	5.6	12.5	0.0		7.2	35.6	35.6	15.5	15.5	8.9		14.0	$23,011	$598	$22,413
Scott School	Public	K-5	1900 Derry Street	Harrisburg	17104	Dauphin County	Harrisburg City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 703-4560	461	32	14.4	100.0%	13 (2.8%)	180 (39.0%)	235 (51.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.7%)	2.9	1528^th of 1534 public elementary schools	0.4%		3.8	1518^th of 1534 public elementary schools	1.0%	10	6.4	4.8	1.6		4.3	19.1	19.1	11.3	10.1	6.8		9.5	$27,242	$707	$26,534
South Side Elementary School	Public	K-5	4525 Union Deposit Rd	Harrisburg	17111	Dauphin County	Central Dauphin School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 657-3204	654	46	14.1	99.7%	92 (14.1%)	220 (33.6%)	101 (15.4%)	163 (24.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	77 (11.8%)	28.7	1137^th of 1534 public elementary schools	25.9%		30.8	1108^th of 1534 public elementary schools	27.8%	29	44.0	20.0	38.3		32.6	60.0	60.0	43.9	36.5	35.1		38.4	$12,233	$1,744	$10,489
Foose School	Public	PK, KG-5	1301 Sycamore St	Harrisburg	17104	Dauphin County	Harrisburg City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 703-1280	535	47	11.2	100.0%	25 (4.7%)	227 (42.4%)	262 (49.0%)	8 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.4%)	2.9	1529^th of 1534 public elementary schools	0.3%		2.8	1532^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	0.1%	3	9.3	1.3	1.6		4.2	25.0	25.0	12.3	9.1	6.3		9.4	$23,694	$615	$23,078
Steelton-Highspire Elementary School	Public	K-6	250 Reynders Avenue	Steelton	17113	Dauphin County	Steelton-Highspire School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 704-3826	738	50	14.6	100.0%	56 (7.6%)	382 (51.8%)	205 (27.8%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (12.5%)	5.3	1464^th of 1534 public elementary schools	4.6%		5	1469^th of 1534 public elementary schools	4.2%	5	7.2	8.5	1.2	2.2	5.0	39.2	39.2	13.7	15.8	8.6	26.4	16.2	$11,362	$4,472	$6,890
Sylvan Heights Science Charter School	Public, Charter	K-4	915 S 13th Street	Harrisburg	17104	Dauphin County	Sylvan Heights Science Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(717) 232-9220	216	15	14.4	100.0%	2 (0.9%)	154 (71.3%)	53 (24.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.2%)	10.4	1353^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	11.8%		8.4	1386^th of 1534 public elementary schools	9.6%	33	23.8	5.6			15.4	25.0	25.0	40.5	8.3			25.7	$14,987	$2,923	$12,064
Tri-Community Elementary School	Public	K-5	255 Cypress St	Steelton	17113	Dauphin County	Central Dauphin School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 939-9591	428	32	13.5	100.0%	105 (24.5%)	148 (34.6%)	81 (18.9%)	43 (10.0%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (11.2%)	35.9	1070^th of 1534 public elementary schools	30.2%		22.7	1196^th of 1534 public elementary schools	22.0%	126	44.3	33.4	24.6		34.5	70.9	70.9	40.8	46.5	44.3		43.8	$13,967	$2,156	$11,811
Premier Arts and Science Charter School	Public, Charter	K-3	500 North 17th Street	Harrisburg	17103	Dauphin County	Premier Arts and Science Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(717) 234-3200	156	13	12.0	100.0%	10 (6.4%)	111 (71.2%)	32 (20.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)								(n/a)	0.0				0.0			5.6				5.6	$2,554	$2,554	$00

Paxtang Elementary School

Paxtang Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Central Dauphin School District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Paxtang Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Paxtang Elementary School

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

Review counts

Enrollment information for Paxtang Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Paxtang Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Paxtang Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Paxtang Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Paxtang Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Paxtang Elementary School