Is Park Elementary School a good school?

Park Elementary School ranks in the bottom 10.6% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

How many students attend Park Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 478 students attended Park Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Park Elementary School?

Students at Park Elementary School are 44% Hispanic, 39% White, 10% Two or more races, 6% African American.

What schools do graduates of Park Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Park Elementary School usually go on to attend: High : Columbia High School

Park Elementary School

Summary:

Park Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Columbia, Pennsylvania, serving 478 students in grades K-4. The school is part of the Columbia Borough School District, which is ranked 555 out of 606 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Park Elementary School stands out from nearby schools like Landisville Pri Center, Hambright Elementary School, and Wrightsville Elementary School in several key ways. The school has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (44.35%) compared to the 6.04% to 25.76% range at nearby schools, and a lower percentage of White students (38.91%) compared to the 47.14% to 85.56% range. Academically, Park Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom 10-20% of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with proficiency rates in PSSA Math, Science, and English Language Arts that are 20-30 percentage points lower than state and nearby district averages. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 71.13% to 75.59% over the past three years, significantly higher than the 28.43% to 60.44% range at nearby schools.

Despite the higher spending per student at Park Elementary School, ranging from $12,385 to $16,585 over the past four years, the school's academic outcomes are significantly worse than its peers. This suggests that the school may be facing unique challenges in addressing the educational needs of its student population, which is predominantly from low-income families and has a higher percentage of Hispanic students compared to nearby schools. Targeted interventions and support may be necessary to help Park Elementary School improve its academic performance and provide a high-quality education for all its students.

Detail:

Public K-4

50 S 6th St
Columbia, PA 17512

(717) 684-9780

District: Columbia Borough School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1371^st of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,585

Students who attend Park Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Columbia High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.2

Number of students: 478

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

44.4%

White:

38.9%

Two or more races:

9.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 71.1%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare Park Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Park Elementary School ranks worse than 89.4% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.14. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (44.4%), White (38.9%), two or more races (9.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 71.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Park Elementary School is 12.2. (See more...)

Compare Park Elementary School employs 38.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Park Elementary School is $16,585.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Park Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Park Elementary School 1371^st of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Park Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Columbia Borough School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbia Borough School District 555^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Park Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Park Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	33.51	959^th	1302	26.3%
2004	24.81	1052^nd	1308	19.6%
2005	50.62	793^rd	1299	39.0%
2006	40.66	1126^th	1545	27.1%
2007	44.53	1056^th	1555	32.1%
2008	38.38	1167^th	1551	24.8%
2009	33.75	1239^th	1549	20.0%
2010	30.97	1290^th	1579	18.3%
2011	35.37	1248^th	1597	21.9%
2012	36.92	1225^th	1599	23.4%
2013	22.70	1259^th	1519	17.1%
2014	17.10	1254^th	1467	14.5%
2015	24.76	1148^th	1474	22.1%
2016	24.16	1226^th	1554	21.1%
2017	33.05	1137^th	1547	26.5%
2018	31.22	1141^st	1530	25.4%
2019	31.34	1138^th	1544	26.3%
2021	20.41	1145^th	1433	20.1%
2022	20.27	1207^th	1534	21.3%
2023	9.14	1371^st	1534	10.6%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	12.92	1261^st	1414	10.8%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Park Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	12.88	998^th	1043	4.3%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Park Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	23.78	361^st	432	16.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Park Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	4.97	1200^th	1236	2.9%

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 Park Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	556	40	1	11	0	n/a	n/a	608
1989	529	46	0	15	0	n/a	n/a	590
1990	524	43	3	31	1	n/a	n/a	602
1991	508	39	3	29	0	n/a	n/a	579
1992	509	46	2	27	0	n/a	n/a	584
1993	514	46	5	40	0	n/a	n/a	605
1994	495	54	4	36	0	n/a	n/a	589
1995	514	55	3	47	0	n/a	n/a	619
1996	514	55	3	47	0	n/a	n/a	619
1997	521	58	2	47	0	n/a	n/a	628
1998	531	60	1	47	0	n/a	n/a	639
1999	474	75	1	31	0	n/a	n/a	581
2000	449	76	2	42	0	n/a	n/a	569
2001	401	74	4	51	2	n/a	n/a	532
2002	347	75	7	76	1	n/a	n/a	506
2003	347	75	7	76	1	n/a	n/a	506
2004	315	69	3	77	1	n/a	n/a	465
2005	288	74	8	80	1	n/a	n/a	451
2006	326	54	3	82	0	n/a	n/a	465
2007	303	55	2	90	0	n/a	n/a	450
2008	322	58	3	102	0	n/a	n/a	485
2009	316	63	4	89	0	n/a	n/a	472
2010	304	60	5	79	0	n/a	n/a	448
2011	283	62	5	95	0	0	1	446
2012	262	58	5	124	0	0	15	464
2013	250	53	4	121	0	0	34	462
2014	233	49	5	124	0	2	36	449
2015	336	39	4	136	0	0	42	557
2016	309	40	3	149	0	0	46	547
2017	311	31	1	152	0	1	50	546
2018	297	26	1	151	0	1	51	527
2019	278	30	0	180	0	0	52	540
2020	265	31	2	183	0	0	61	542
2021	206	31	2	190	0	0	48	477
2022	197	30	2	197	0	0	41	467
2023	186	31	2	212	0	0	47	478

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 Park Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	608	35.0	17.3	n/a
1989	590	36.0	16.3	n/a
1990	602	34.0	17.7	0
1991	579	36.0	16.0	n/a
1992	584	36.0	16.2	n/a
1993	605	31.0	19.5	n/a
1994	589	31.0	19.0	n/a
1995	619	32.0	19.3	n/a
1996	619	32.0	19.3	n/a
1997	628	32.0	19.6	n/a
1998	639	33.0	19.4	n/a
1999	581	32.0	18.2	n/a
2000	569	35.0	16.3	41.1
2001	532	35.0	15.2	46.8
2002	506	30.6	16.5	50
2003	506	30.6	16.5	50
2004	465	33.5	13.9	52.7
2005	451	35.9	12.6	56.1
2006	465	36.1	12.9	61.7
2007	450	36.5	12.3	65.6
2008	485	39.9	12.2	76.3
2009	472	39.7	11.9	76.1
2010	448	38.4	11.6	77.9
2011	446	35.8	12.4	78.7
2012	464	34.5	13.4	81.7
2013	462	33.4	13.8	76.4
2014	449	33.4	13.4	80.6
2015	557	38.0	14.6	73.4
2016	547	40.0	13.6	59.8
2017	546	36.2	15.0	100
2018	527	35.5	14.8	100
2019	540	36.8	14.6	100
2020	542	36.9	14.6	100
2021	477	33.8	14.0	74.8
2022	467	38.5	12.1	75.6
2023	478	38.9	12.2	71.1

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 Park Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	608	35.0	17.3	n/a
1989	590	36.0	16.3	n/a
1990	602	34.0	17.7	0
1991	579	36.0	16.0	n/a
1992	584	36.0	16.2	n/a
1993	605	31.0	19.5	n/a
1994	589	31.0	19.0	n/a
1995	619	32.0	19.3	n/a
1996	619	32.0	19.3	n/a
1997	628	32.0	19.6	n/a
1998	639	33.0	19.4	n/a
1999	581	32.0	18.2	n/a
2000	569	35.0	16.3	41.1
2001	532	35.0	15.2	46.8
2002	506	30.6	16.5	50
2003	506	30.6	16.5	50
2004	465	33.5	13.9	52.7
2005	451	35.9	12.6	56.1
2006	465	36.1	12.9	61.7
2007	450	36.5	12.3	65.6
2008	485	39.9	12.2	76.3
2009	472	39.7	11.9	76.1
2010	448	38.4	11.6	77.9
2011	446	35.8	12.4	78.7
2012	464	34.5	13.4	81.7
2013	462	33.4	13.8	76.4
2014	449	33.4	13.4	80.6
2015	557	38.0	14.6	73.4
2016	547	40.0	13.6	59.8
2017	546	36.2	15.0	100
2018	527	35.5	14.8	100
2019	540	36.8	14.6	100
2020	542	36.9	14.6	100
2021	477	33.8	14.0	74.8
2022	467	38.5	12.1	75.6
2023	478	38.9	12.2	71.1

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 Park Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$706 (5.7%)	$11,679 (94.3%)	$12,385
2020	$686 (5.4%)	$11,919 (94.6%)	$12,604
2021	$1,397 (10.0%)	$12,614 (90.0%)	$14,012
2022	$5,430 (32.7%)	$11,155 (67.3%)	$16,584

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Park 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 1138^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 1371^st of 1534 Elementary schools	15.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Park Elementary School)	41.6	28.3	13.3%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Park Elementary School)	52.5	23.5	29%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Park Elementary School)	33.7	8.8	24.9%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Park Elementary School)	72.8	46.1	26.7%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Park Elementary School)	50.6	15.7	34.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
All Grades Math (Park Elementary School)	37.8	18	19.8%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Park Elementary School)	72.8	46.1	26.7%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Park Elementary School)	51.5	19.4	32.1%
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	540	478	11.5%
African American	30	31	3.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	180	212	17.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	278	186	33.1%
Two or More Races	52	47	9.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	71.1%	28.9%

Schools Near Park 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
Park Elementary School	Public	K-4	50 S 6th St	Columbia	17512	Lancaster County	Columbia Borough School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 684-9780	478	39	12.2	71.1%	186 (38.9%)	31 (6.5%)	212 (44.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (9.8%)	9.1	1371^st of 1534 public elementary schools	10.6%		20.3	1207^th of 1534 public elementary schools	21.3%	164	28.3	8.8			18.0	46.1	46.1	23.5	15.7			19.4	$16,585	$5,430	$11,155
Wrightsville Elementary School	Public	K-5	320 Chestnut St	Wrightsville	17368	York County	Eastern York School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 252-3676	353	28	12.4	56.1%	286 (81.0%)	1 (0.3%)	44 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.2%)	80	281^st of 1534 public elementary schools	81.7%		65.3	582^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	62.1%	301	67.4	65.5	63.6		65.6	87.9	87.9	74.5	72.5	63.6		70.6	$17,253	$1,031	$16,222
Farmdale Elementary School	Public	K-6	695 Prospect Rd	Mount Joy	17552	Lancaster County	Hempfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 898-5595	517	35	14.7	44.9%	370 (71.6%)	11 (2.1%)	104 (20.1%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (5.2%)	75.1	374^th of 1534 public elementary schools	75.6%		76	360^th of 1534 public elementary schools	76.5%	14	64.4	65.0	63.4	65.8	64.6	79.5	79.5	60.6	65.0	61.0	68.6	63.6	$15,096	$883	$14,213
Donegal Intermediate School	Public	3-6	1177 River Road	Marietta	17547	Lancaster County	Donegal School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 426-1561	833	57	14.6	49.7%	598 (71.8%)	28 (3.4%)	144 (17.3%)	10 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (6.4%)	61.4	662^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	56.8%		61	665^th of 1534 public elementary schools	56.6%	3	61.1	62.7	27.4	30.7	45.8	85.6	85.6	58.3	68.0	48.6	62.5	59.7	$14,196	$1,631	$12,564
Mountville Elementary School	Public	K-6	200 College Ave	Mountville	17554	Lancaster County	Hempfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 285-5501	596	41	14.4	46.1%	382 (64.1%)	30 (5.0%)	135 (22.7%)	7 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.7%)	69	519^th of 1534 public elementary schools	66.2%		61.5	650^th of 1534 public elementary schools	57.6%	131	47.3	67.1	58.9	48.2	54.9	88.6	88.6	53.4	64.5	67.1	60.4	61.1	$15,329	$1,107	$14,222
Donegal Primary School	Public	K-2	1055 Koser Rd	Mount Joy	17552	Lancaster County	Donegal School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 653-8812	570	38	15.0	44.7%	438 (76.8%)	21 (3.7%)	88 (15.4%)	5 (0.9%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.6%)								(n/a)													$14,593	$1,484	$13,109
Central Manor Elementary School	Public	K-6	3717 Blue Rock Rd	Washington Boro	17582	Lancaster County	Penn Manor School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 872-1401	604	38	15.8	45.4%	389 (64.4%)	50 (8.3%)	124 (20.5%)	10 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (5.1%)	73.3	425^th of 1534 public elementary schools	72.3%		78.2	323^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	78.9%	102	54.1	67.4	47.6	57.1	56.8	84.9	84.9	56.5	81.5	57.1	75.0	67.8	$12,600	$667	$11,933
Canadochly Elementary School	Public	K-5	100 Abels Rd	East Prospect	17317	York County	Eastern York School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 252-3674	381	31	12.3	55.9%	326 (85.6%)	4 (1.0%)	23 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	25 (6.6%)	56	774^th of 1534 public elementary schools	49.5%		55.3	791^st of 1534 public elementary schools	48.4%	17	65.0	35.2	45.9		47.4	74.3	74.3	61.4	55.3	54.1		56.7	$15,916	$1,229	$14,686
Landisville Pri Center	Public	K-3	320 Mumma Dr	Landisville	17538	Lancaster County	Hempfield School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 898-5519	591	36	16.3	28.4%	418 (70.7%)	29 (4.9%)	77 (13.0%)	8 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (10.0%)								(n/a)	76.8				76.8			78.2				78.2	$13,928	$210	$13,718
Hambright Elementary School	Public	K-6	3000 Charlestown Rd	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Penn Manor School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 872-9503	594	40	14.7	60.4%	280 (47.1%)	63 (10.6%)	153 (25.8%)	67 (11.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (5.2%)	73.4	421^st of 1534 public elementary schools	72.6%		60.1	686^th of 1534 public elementary schools	55.3%	265	52.0	57.7	58.2	54.6	55.6	82.6	82.6	63.7	69.8	64.0	72.0	67.3	$13,642	$1,527	$12,115

Park Elementary School

Park Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Columbia Borough School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Park Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Park Elementary School

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Park Elementary School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Park Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Park Elementary School

Enrollment information for Park Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Park Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Park Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Park Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Park Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Park Elementary School