Clay Elementary School

Q: Is Clay Elementary School a good school?

Clay Elementary School ranks 557 th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Clay Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 377 students in grades K-4 in the Ephrata Area School District in Pennsylvania. This high-performing school consistently outperforms state and district averages in academic assessments, ranking in the top 40% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

Clay Elementary School's academic excellence is evident across various subjects and grade levels. In the 2022-2023 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 53.2% in math, 85.9% in science, and 62.7% in English language arts, significantly higher than the Ephrata Area School District and the state of Pennsylvania. The school's strong performance extends to its subgroups, such as White students, low socioeconomic status students, and disabled students, ranking in the top 30-35% of Pennsylvania elementary schools for these groups.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Brownstown Elementary School, Lititz Elementary School, and Reamstown Elementary School, Clay Elementary School stands out with its consistently high academic performance and effective support for diverse student populations. The school's higher-than-average per-student spending of $16,798 may contribute to its success, providing the resources and funding necessary to deliver a quality education.

Detail:

Public K-4

250 Clay School Rd
Ephrata, PA 17522

(717) 721-1100

District: Ephrata Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
557^th of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,798

Students who attend Clay Elementary School usually attend:

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

Student/teacher ratio: 12.9

Number of students: 377

Racial breakdown:

White:

76.1%

Hispanic:

10.3%

Two or more races:

6.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 41.6%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare Clay Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Clay Elementary School ranks better than 63.7% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Ephrata Area School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.77. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (76.1%), Hispanic (10.3%), two or more races (6.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 41.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Ephrata Area School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Clay Elementary School is 12.9. 2 elementary schools in the Ephrata Area School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Clay Elementary School employs 29.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

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 2023 Rankings:

Clay Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Clay Elementary School 557^th of 1534 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:

Disabled students:

White students:

Ephrata Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Ephrata Area School District 186^th of 606 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
2003	52.04	725^th	1302	44.3%
2004	73.96	366^th	1308	72.0%
2005	55.38	717^th	1299	44.8%
2006	65.06	589^th	1545	61.9%
2007	66.40	581^st	1555	62.6%
2008	64.09	643^rd	1551	58.5%
2009	72.45	400^th	1549	74.2%
2010	64.50	648^th	1579	59.0%
2011	76.41	294^th	1597	81.6%
2012	79.68	219^th	1599	86.3%
2013	79.66	241^st	1519	84.1%
2014	72.33	439^th	1467	70.1%
2015	78.55	294^th	1474	80.1%
2016	82.61	226^th	1554	85.5%
2017	75.28	380^th	1547	75.4%
2018	67.64	574^th	1530	62.5%
2019	74.32	420^th	1544	72.8%
2021	80.94	251^st	1433	82.5%
2022	54.84	801^st	1534	47.8%
2023	66.77	557^th	1534	63.7%

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	354^th	1414	75.0%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status 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	335^th	1043	67.9%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled 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	485^th	1236	60.8%

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 Clay Elementary School

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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

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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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

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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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

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

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total 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 420^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 557^th 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)	70.1	56.3	13.8%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Clay Elementary School)	66.7	65.6	1.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Clay Elementary School)	63.8	50.7	13.1%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Clay Elementary School)	94.5	85.9	8.6%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Clay Elementary School)	78.9	60.2	18.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
All Grades Math (Clay Elementary School)	66.9	53.2	13.7%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Clay Elementary School)	94.5	85.9	8.6%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Clay Elementary School)	72.9	62.7	10.2%
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	481	377	21.6%
African American	13	14	7.7%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	20	13	35%
Hispanic	41	39	4.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	383	287	25.1%
Two or More Races	22	23	4.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	36%	41.6%	5.7%

Schools Near Clay 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
Clay Elementary School	Public	K-4	250 Clay School Rd	Ephrata	17522	Lancaster County	Ephrata Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 721-1100	377	29	12.9	41.6%	287 (76.1%)	14 (3.7%)	39 (10.3%)	13 (3.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (6.1%)	66.8	557^th of 1534 public elementary schools	63.7%		54.8	801^st of 1534 public elementary schools	47.8%	244	56.3	50.7			53.2	85.9	85.9	65.6	60.2			62.7	$16,798	$638	$16,160
John Beck Elementary School	Public	K-6	418 E Lexington Rd	Lititz	17543	Lancaster County	Warwick School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 626-3702	438	32	13.5	26.5%	402 (91.8%)	3 (0.7%)	17 (3.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.0%)	65.4	588^th of 1534 public elementary schools	61.7%		77.7	338^th of 1534 public elementary schools	78.0%	250	58.6	50.0	66.0	41.3	53.4	84.3	84.3	45.6	61.1	67.3	58.0	58.1	$15,802	$519	$15,283
Highland Elementary School	Public	K-4	99 Highland Ave	Ephrata	17522	Lancaster County	Ephrata Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 721-1160	468	31	14.8	49.6%	345 (73.7%)	7 (1.5%)	75 (16.0%)	8 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.8%)	70.5	483^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	68.5%		59.7	697^th of 1534 public elementary schools	54.6%	214	68.1	49.5			57.7	83.6	83.6	76.4	58.8			66.7	$14,807	$635	$14,172
Fulton Elementary School	Public	K-4	51 East Fulton Street	Ephrata	17522	Lancaster County	Ephrata Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 721-1130	316	26	12.2	56.6%	230 (72.8%)	9 (2.8%)	49 (15.5%)	5 (1.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.6%)	63.5	628^th of 1534 public elementary schools	59.1%		52.9	843^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	45.0%	215	50.7	62.2			55.8	80.7	80.7	67.6	50.0			60.0	$17,089	$737	$16,352
Denver Elementary School	Public	K-5	South 4th Street	Denver	17517	Lancaster County	Cocalico School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 336-1501	437	31	13.9	46.0%	372 (85.1%)	4 (0.9%)	39 (8.9%)	11 (2.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.3%)	80.8	266^th of 1534 public elementary schools	82.7%		79.8	292^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	81.0%	26	68.5	72.3	70.4		70.3	95.3	95.3	64.4	60.0	77.0		66.8	$4,288	$682	$3,606
Akron Elementary School	Public	K-4	125 S 11th St	Akron	17501	Lancaster County	Ephrata Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 859-0400	276	22	12.2	60.1%	204 (73.9%)	5 (1.8%)	32 (11.6%)	9 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (9.4%)	59.7	708^th of 1534 public elementary schools	53.8%		64.9	592^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	61.4%	116	57.1	40.9			49.4	86.4	86.4	58.0	55.9			57.0	$17,077	$596	$16,481
John R Bonfield Elementary School	Public	K-6	101 N Oak St	Lititz	17543	Lancaster County	Warwick School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 626-3704	476	33	14.2	44.7%	376 (79.0%)	11 (2.3%)	65 (13.7%)	7 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.6%)	58.2	735^th of 1534 public elementary schools	52.1%		67.7	546^th of 1534 public elementary schools	64.4%	189	52.2	51.4	44.2	50.0	49.6	75.8	75.8	52.1	50.0	54.1	59.4	54.0	$14,200	$466	$13,734
Lititz Elementary School	Public	K-6	20 S Cedar St	Lititz	17543	Lancaster County	Warwick School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 626-3701	456	30	15.4	37.7%	354 (77.6%)	14 (3.1%)	51 (11.2%)	10 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.9%)	65.4	586^th of 1534 public elementary schools	61.8%		66.1	571^st of 1534 public elementary schools	62.8%	15	54.2	54.5	43.1	67.7	55.2	83.6	83.6	52.6	54.6	44.8	86.1	60.3	$16,075	$528	$15,547
Reamstown Elementary School	Public	K-5	44 South Reamstown Road	Reamstown	17567	Lancaster County	Cocalico School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 336-1531	396	26	14.9	42.9%	336 (84.8%)	4 (1.0%)	30 (7.6%)	18 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.0%)	66.1	572^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	62.7%		77.9	331^st of 1534 public elementary schools	78.4%	241	56.6	66.1	55.4		59.0	83.1	83.1	51.3	45.7	83.1		60.0	$4,238	$675	$3,564
Kissel Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	215 Landis Valley Rd	Lititz	17543	Lancaster County	Warwick School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 626-3703	577	38	15.0	33.1%	464 (80.4%)	20 (3.5%)	55 (9.5%)	11 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (4.3%)	66.8	555^th of 1534 public elementary schools	63.8%		71.1	480^th of 1534 public elementary schools	68.7%	75	50.0	59.3	54.6	46.0	52.7	85.0	85.0	51.8	55.3	68.8	69.9	60.9	$14,385	$472	$13,913

Frequently Asked Questions about Clay Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Clay Elementary School attend?

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

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

Is Clay Elementary School a good school?

Clay Elementary School ranks 557^th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Clay Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 377 students attended Clay Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Clay Elementary School?

Students at Clay Elementary School are 76% White, 10% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 4% African American, 3% Asian.

What district is Clay Elementary School in?

Ephrata 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.