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Clay Elementary School

Summary:

Clay Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, serving 377 students in grades K-4. The school is part of the Ephrata Area School District, which is ranked 148 out of 610 school districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Clay Elementary School consistently outperforms the Ephrata Area School District and the state of Pennsylvania in PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) test scores across all grades and subjects. In the 2023-2024 school year, 66.5% of Clay Elementary students were proficient or better in PSSA English Language Arts, compared to 58.3% for the district and 53% for the state. In PSSA Math, 57.4% of Clay Elementary students were proficient or better, compared to 45.1% for the district and 40.4% for the state. The school's PSSA Science scores are particularly impressive, with 90% of students proficient or better, compared to 77.1% for the district and 65.8% for the state. Clay Elementary also performs exceptionally well for its low socioeconomic status (SES) and disabled student populations, ranking among the top schools in Pennsylvania for these subgroups.

When compared to other elementary schools in the Ephrata Area School District, Clay Elementary School consistently outperforms its peers, particularly in PSSA Math and Science scores. However, some nearby schools, such as Highland Elementary and Denver Elementary (in the Cocalico School District), also demonstrate strong academic performance, with higher PSSA scores in certain subjects and grade levels.


Detail:

Public K-4

 250 Clay School Rd
       Ephrata, PA  17522

(717) 721-1100

District: Ephrata Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
462nd of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,798 Help


Students who attend Clay Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Ephrata Intermediate School
    Ephrata Middle School
High:    Ephrata Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.0 Help
Number of students:  374

Racial breakdown:

White:
75.1%
Hispanic:
11.0%
Two or more races:
6.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  49.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Clay Elementary School ranks better than 69.7% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 2nd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Ephrata Area School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.18. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (75.1%), Hispanic (11%), two or more races (6.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 49.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Ephrata Area School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Clay Elementary School is 13, which is the 2nd best among 4 elementary schools in the Ephrata Area School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Clay Elementary School employs 28.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Clay Elementary School is $16,798. 2 elementary schools in the Ephrata Area School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Clay Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Clay Elementary School 462nd of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Clay Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
White students:


Ephrata Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Ephrata Area School District 148th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Clay Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Clay Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 52.04 725th 1302 44.3%
2004 73.96 366th 1308 72.0%
2005 55.38 717th 1299 44.8%
2006 65.06 589th 1545 61.9%
2007 66.40 581st 1555 62.6%
2008 64.09 643rd 1551 58.5%
2009 72.45 400th 1549 74.2%
2010 64.50 648th 1579 59.0%
2011 76.41 294th 1597 81.6%
2012 79.68 219th 1599 86.3%
2013 79.66 241st 1519 84.1%
2014 72.33 439th 1467 70.1%
2015 78.55 294th 1474 80.1%
2016 82.61 226th 1554 85.5%
2017 75.28 380th 1547 75.4%
2018 67.64 574th 1530 62.5%
2019 74.32 420th 1544 72.8%
2021 80.94 251st 1433 82.5%
2022 54.84 801st 1534 47.8%
2023 66.77 557th 1534 63.7%
2024 71.18 462nd 1526 69.7%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 71.17 354th 1414 75.0%
2024 74.66 296th 1432 79.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Clay Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 68.72 493rd 1488 66.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Clay Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 58.66 335th 1043 67.9%
2024 79.32 161st 1084 85.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Clay Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 71.01 431st 1495 71.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Clay Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 60.40 485th 1236 60.8%
2024 60.35 491st 1229 60.0%
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.

Clay Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Clay 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 317 0 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 320
1989 294 2 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 299
1990 307 0 7 3 0 n/a n/a 0 317
1991 317 1 9 5 0 n/a n/a 0 332
1992 315 0 4 2 0 n/a n/a 0 321
1993 331 1 3 5 0 n/a n/a 0 340
1994 290 2 3 5 0 n/a n/a 0 300
1995 284 2 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 291
1996 284 2 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 291
1997 263 1 3 2 0 n/a n/a 0 269
1998 246 0 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 251
1999 237 1 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 242
2000 247 0 8 1 0 n/a n/a 0 256
2001 259 0 4 1 0 n/a n/a 0 264
2002 264 0 1 1 1 n/a n/a 0 267
2003 264 0 1 1 1 n/a n/a 0 267
2004 278 0 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 282
2005 329 5 7 3 0 n/a n/a 0 344
2006 355 6 7 8 0 n/a n/a 0 376
2007 486 10 19 18 0 n/a n/a 0 533
2008 474 15 20 26 0 n/a n/a 0 535
2009 405 11 16 21 1 n/a n/a 1 455
2010 412 9 18 18 0 n/a n/a 0 457
2011 422 19 18 22 1 0 0 0 482
2012 418 21 24 29 0 0 0 0 492
2013 425 21 26 34 0 0 0 0 506
2014 411 13 20 32 0 2 5 0 483
2015 405 14 19 35 0 2 10 0 485
2016 378 13 19 32 1 2 16 0 461
2017 404 13 14 41 1 1 23 0 497
2018 377 13 14 35 1 1 24 0 465
2019 383 13 20 41 2 0 22 0 481
2020 360 15 21 53 3 0 24 0 476
2021 334 13 18 43 4 0 21 0 433
2022 292 10 18 41 3 0 18 0 382
2023 287 14 13 39 1 0 23 0 377
2024 281 16 12 41 1 0 23 0 374

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 Clay Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 320 15.8 20.2 n/a
1989 299 15.8 18.9 n/a
1990 317 16.1 19.6 0
1991 332 16.0 20.7 n/a
1992 321 18.0 17.8 n/a
1993 340 13.0 26.2 n/a
1994 300 13.0 23.1 n/a
1995 291 13.4 21.7 n/a
1996 291 13.4 21.7 n/a
1997 269 11.4 23.6 n/a
1998 251 13.4 18.7 n/a
1999 242 13.4 18.1 n/a
2000 256 11.4 22.5 12.9
2001 264 13.4 19.7 14.8
2002 267 13.7 19.5 22.5
2003 267 13.7 19.5 22.5
2004 282 14.7 19.2 14.9
2005 344 19.2 17.9 17.4
2006 376 22.2 16.9 22.3
2007 533 32.6 16.3 20.3
2008 535 33.8 15.8 22.4
2009 455 27.7 16.4 22.5
2010 457 26.3 17.3 22.5
2011 482 24.7 19.4 24.9
2012 492 24.7 19.8 28.9
2013 506 24.8 20.4 37.9
2014 483 27.6 17.5 37.3
2015 485 28.0 17.3 35.3
2016 461 30.0 15.3 36
2017 497 29.3 16.9 34.4
2018 465 29.6 15.6 34.2
2019 481 30.7 15.6 36
2020 476 33.2 14.3 38.7
2021 433 33.4 12.9 39.3
2022 382 31.5 12.1 35.6
2023 377 29.1 12.9 41.6
2024 374 28.7 13.0 49.2

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 Clay Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 320 15.8 20.2 n/a
1989 299 15.8 18.9 n/a
1990 317 16.1 19.6 0
1991 332 16.0 20.7 n/a
1992 321 18.0 17.8 n/a
1993 340 13.0 26.2 n/a
1994 300 13.0 23.1 n/a
1995 291 13.4 21.7 n/a
1996 291 13.4 21.7 n/a
1997 269 11.4 23.6 n/a
1998 251 13.4 18.7 n/a
1999 242 13.4 18.1 n/a
2000 256 11.4 22.5 12.9
2001 264 13.4 19.7 14.8
2002 267 13.7 19.5 22.5
2003 267 13.7 19.5 22.5
2004 282 14.7 19.2 14.9
2005 344 19.2 17.9 17.4
2006 376 22.2 16.9 22.3
2007 533 32.6 16.3 20.3
2008 535 33.8 15.8 22.4
2009 455 27.7 16.4 22.5
2010 457 26.3 17.3 22.5
2011 482 24.7 19.4 24.9
2012 492 24.7 19.8 28.9
2013 506 24.8 20.4 37.9
2014 483 27.6 17.5 37.3
2015 485 28.0 17.3 35.3
2016 461 30.0 15.3 36
2017 497 29.3 16.9 34.4
2018 465 29.6 15.6 34.2
2019 481 30.7 15.6 36
2020 476 33.2 14.3 38.7
2021 433 33.4 12.9 39.3
2022 382 31.5 12.1 35.6
2023 377 29.1 12.9 41.6
2024 374 28.7 13.0 49.2

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 Clay Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $569 (4.3%) $12,751 (95.7%) $13,320
2020 $597 (4.2%) $13,484 (95.8%) $14,081
2021 $929 (6.0%) $14,585 (94.0%) $15,515
2022 $638 (3.8%) $16,160 (96.2%) $16,798

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Clay 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 420th of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 557th of 1534 Elementary schools
 9.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Clay Elementary School)70.156.3
 13.8%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Clay Elementary School)66.765.6
 1.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Clay Elementary School)63.850.7
 13.1%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Clay Elementary School)94.585.9
 8.6%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Clay Elementary School)78.960.2
 18.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
All Grades Math (Clay Elementary School)66.953.2
 13.7%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Clay Elementary School)94.585.9
 8.6%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Clay Elementary School)72.962.7
 10.2%
   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 Students481377
 21.6%
African American1314
 7.7%
American Indian21
 50%
Asian2013
 35%
Hispanic4139
 4.9%
Pacific Islander00
White383287
 25.1%
Two or More Races2223
 4.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients36%41.6%
 5.7%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Clay Elementary School

In the 2023-24 school year, 374 students attended Clay Elementary School.

Clay Elementary School ranks 462nd of 1526 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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

Middle : Ephrata Intermediate School
Middle : Ephrata Middle School
High : Ephrata Senior High School

Students at Clay Elementary School are 75% White, 11% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 4% African American, 3% Asian.


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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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