Fairfield Area Middle School

Summary:

Fairfield Area Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 5-8 in the Fairfield Area School District in Fairfield, Pennsylvania. With 296 students and a student-teacher ratio of 12.9, the school has seen a decline in its statewide ranking over the past several years, dropping from 156th out of 870 Pennsylvania middle schools in 2015-2016 to 510th out of 891 in the current 2023-2024 school year. The school is currently rated 2 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.

Fairfield Area Middle School consistently underperforms the state and district averages on PSSA assessments across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates in Math (31.2%) and English Language Arts (47.5%) were significantly lower than the state averages of 40.4% and 53%, respectively. This academic underperformance is likely exacerbated by the school's relatively high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 25.68% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023. Additionally, the school has experienced higher dropout rates in recent years, with a 1.6% dropout rate in 2022-2023, which is above the state average.

When comparing Fairfield Area Middle School to nearby middle schools, such as Gettysburg Area Middle School, it becomes evident that the school is underperforming academically. Gettysburg Area Middle School, which is only 8.43 miles away, consistently outperforms Fairfield Area Middle School on PSSA assessments and has a higher statewide ranking and rating. Furthermore, Fairfield Area Middle School's performance on PSSA assessments is particularly concerning for certain student subgroups, with the school's ranking for White students and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds in the bottom quartile of Pennsylvania middle schools, indicating significant achievement gaps.


Detail:

Public 5-8

 4840 Fairfield Rd
       Fairfield, PA  17320-9200


(717) 642-8228

District: Fairfield Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
510th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,993 Help


Students who attend Fairfield Area Middle School usually attend:

High:    Fairfield Area High School

Feeder schools for Fairfield Area Middle School:

Elementary:    Fairfield Area Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.9 Help
Number of students:  296

Racial breakdown:

White:
92.9%
Hispanic:
3.7%
African American:
1.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  25.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Fairfield Area Middle School ranks worse than 57.2% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.3. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (92.9%), Hispanic (3.7%), Asian (1.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 25.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Fairfield Area Middle School is 12.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Fairfield Area Middle School employs 22.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Fairfield Area Middle School is $15,993.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Fairfield Area Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Fairfield Area Middle School 510th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Fairfield Area Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Fairfield Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Fairfield Area School District 326th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Fairfield Area Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Fairfield Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 56.96 334th 643 48.1%
2004 46.75 442nd 663 33.3%
2005 46.49 443rd 687 35.5%
2006 49.45 452nd 736 38.6%
2007 51.33 450th 749 39.9%
2008 62.19 319th 753 57.6%
2009 55.55 422nd 770 45.2%
2010 54.85 444th 805 44.8%
2011 50.13 515th 825 37.6%
2012 54.59 476th 834 42.9%
2013 67.51 277th 758 63.5%
2014 69.04 251st 728 65.5%
2015 72.54 217th 835 74.0%
2016 78.15 156th 870 82.1%
2017 75.74 194th 877 77.9%
2018 63.60 335th 861 61.1%
2019 62.86 354th 891 60.3%
2021 48.35 433rd 797 45.7%
2022 53.73 423rd 883 52.1%
2023 57.19 384th 893 57.0%
2024 45.30 510th 891 42.8%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Fairfield Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 50.12 438th 874 49.9%
2024 29.85 630th 877 28.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Fairfield Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 46.80 489th 860 43.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Fairfield Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 40.66 533rd 870 38.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Fairfield Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 34.91 459th 681 32.6%
2024 25.67 538th 673 20.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle 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.

Fairfield Area Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 







Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Fairfield Area Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1992 268 6 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 277
1993 271 3 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 278
1994 295 4 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 301
1995 334 5 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 339
1996 334 5 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 339
1997 344 4 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 350
1998 379 1 2 6 0 n/a n/a 0 388
1999 404 2 2 6 0 n/a n/a 0 414
2000 410 6 5 2 0 n/a n/a 0 423
2001 433 1 3 3 0 n/a n/a 0 440
2002 429 5 1 4 0 n/a n/a 0 439
2003 429 5 1 4 0 n/a n/a 0 439
2004 431 1 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 436
2005 408 3 3 4 0 n/a n/a 0 418
2006 400 3 4 4 2 n/a n/a 0 413
2007 397 5 4 7 1 n/a n/a 0 414
2008 405 7 3 6 2 n/a n/a 0 423
2009 428 7 2 1 2 n/a n/a 2 442
2010 381 4 3 3 0 n/a n/a 2 393
2011 363 7 2 3 0 2 3 0 380
2012 351 3 2 6 0 3 2 0 367
2013 334 7 3 4 1 3 3 0 355
2014 334 5 3 9 3 2 2 0 358
2015 311 5 5 9 3 2 3 0 338
2016 294 3 4 10 3 1 1 0 316
2017 285 3 4 10 1 1 1 0 305
2018 287 2 5 8 1 1 0 0 304
2019 276 3 2 4 0 0 0 0 285
2020 272 3 2 6 0 0 1 0 284
2021 253 4 1 8 1 0 1 0 268
2022 260 2 2 9 0 0 0 0 273
2023 275 4 4 11 0 0 2 0 296

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 Fairfield Area Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 277 18.0 15.3 n/a
1993 278 13.0 21.4 n/a
1994 301 13.0 23.2 n/a
1995 339 13.5 25.1 n/a
1996 339 13.5 25.1 n/a
1997 350 16.0 21.9 n/a
1998 388 18.0 21.6 n/a
1999 414 18.0 23.0 n/a
2000 423 21.5 19.7 0
2001 440 23.5 18.7 0
2002 439 27.0 16.3 0
2003 439 27.0 16.3 0
2004 436 27.0 16.1 18.6
2005 418 27.0 15.5 0
2006 413 26.1 15.8 0
2007 414 25.2 16.4 0
2008 423 26.5 16.0 n/a
2009 442 28.5 15.5 n/a
2010 393 28.0 14.0 16.1
2011 380 28.3 13.4 21.8
2012 367 27.4 13.3 23.7
2013 355 26.0 13.6 21.4
2014 358 25.3 14.1 22.1
2015 338 23.0 14.6 22.2
2016 316 22.0 14.3 27.2
2017 305 21.2 14.3 n/a
2018 304 20.9 14.5 n/a
2019 285 22.0 12.9 19.6
2020 284 22.0 12.8 n/a
2021 268 22.7 11.8 23.9
2022 273 21.5 12.6 24.9
2023 296 22.8 12.9 25.7

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 Fairfield Area Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1992 277 18.0 15.3 n/a
1993 278 13.0 21.4 n/a
1994 301 13.0 23.2 n/a
1995 339 13.5 25.1 n/a
1996 339 13.5 25.1 n/a
1997 350 16.0 21.9 n/a
1998 388 18.0 21.6 n/a
1999 414 18.0 23.0 n/a
2000 423 21.5 19.7 0
2001 440 23.5 18.7 0
2002 439 27.0 16.3 0
2003 439 27.0 16.3 0
2004 436 27.0 16.1 18.6
2005 418 27.0 15.5 0
2006 413 26.1 15.8 0
2007 414 25.2 16.4 0
2008 423 26.5 16.0 n/a
2009 442 28.5 15.5 n/a
2010 393 28.0 14.0 16.1
2011 380 28.3 13.4 21.8
2012 367 27.4 13.3 23.7
2013 355 26.0 13.6 21.4
2014 358 25.3 14.1 22.1
2015 338 23.0 14.6 22.2
2016 316 22.0 14.3 27.2
2017 305 21.2 14.3 n/a
2018 304 20.9 14.5 n/a
2019 285 22.0 12.9 19.6
2020 284 22.0 12.8 n/a
2021 268 22.7 11.8 23.9
2022 273 21.5 12.6 24.9
2023 296 22.8 12.9 25.7

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 Fairfield Area Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $13 (0.1%) $11,459 (99.9%) $11,472
2020 $00 (0.0%) $12,019 (100.0%) $12,019
2021 $00 (0.0%) $12,800 (100.0%) $12,800
2022 $95 (0.6%) $15,898 (99.4%) $15,993

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Fairfield Area Middle 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 354th of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 384th of 893 Middle schools
 3.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
5th Grade Math (Fairfield Area Middle School)27.435.2
 7.8%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Fairfield Area Middle School)59.756.2
 3.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
6th Grade Math (Fairfield Area Middle School)41.132.3
 8.8%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Fairfield Area Middle School)63.258
 5.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Fairfield Area Middle School)36.830.7
 6.1%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Fairfield Area Middle School)5047.4
 2.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Fairfield Area Middle School)41.922.3
 19.6%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Fairfield Area Middle School)71.266.2
 5%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Fairfield Area Middle School)60.855.3
 5.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Fairfield Area Middle School)37.130
 7.1%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Fairfield Area Middle School)71.266.2
 5%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Fairfield Area Middle School)58.454
 4.4%
   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 Students285296
 3.9%
African American34
 33.3%
American Indian00
Asian24
 100%
Hispanic411
 175%
Pacific Islander00
White276275
 0.4%
Two or More Races02
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients19.6%25.7%
 6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Fairfield Area Middle School

Fairfield Area Middle School ranks 510th of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 296 students attended Fairfield Area Middle School.

Students who attend Fairfield Area Middle School usually go on to attend Fairfield Area High School

Students at Fairfield Area Middle School are 93% White, 4% Hispanic, 1% African American, 1% 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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