Is Independence Elementary School a good school?

Independence Elementary School ranks 497 th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Independence Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 253 students attended Independence Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Independence Elementary School?

Students at Independence Elementary School are 92% White, 4% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What schools do graduates of Independence Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Independence Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Hopewell Junior High School High : Hopewell Senior High School

Independence Elementary School

Summary:

Independence Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 253 students in grades K-4 in the Hopewell Area School District in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. This high-performing school consistently outperforms the district and state averages on standardized tests, with impressive academic results across multiple subjects and grade levels.

In the 2022-2023 school year, 53.8% of all students at Independence Elementary School were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to 44.9% for the Hopewell Area School District and 39.3% for Pennsylvania. In PSSA English Language Arts, 71.7% of all students at Independence Elementary were proficient or better, compared to 61.4% for the district and 53.8% for the state. The school also excels in PSSA Science, with 82% of all students proficient or better, significantly higher than the district's 69.5% and the state's 65.6%. Despite having a relatively high percentage of students from low-income backgrounds (46.25% receive free or reduced-price lunch), Independence Elementary's low-income students perform exceptionally well, ranking in the top 16% of Pennsylvania elementary schools for this subgroup.

When compared to other nearby elementary schools, such as Hopewell Elementary and Margaret Ross Elementary, Independence Elementary stands out for its higher academic performance, lower student-teacher ratio of 13:1, and higher per-student spending of $17,532 in the 2021-2022 school year. These factors likely contribute to the school's consistent success in supporting student learning and achievement.

Detail:

Public K-4

103 School Road
Aliquippa, PA 15001-9801

(724) 375-3201

District: Hopewell Area School District

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,532

Students who attend Independence Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Hopewell Junior High School
High:	Hopewell Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.0

Number of students: 253

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.7%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Two or more races:

3.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 46.2%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare Independence Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Independence Elementary School ranks better than 67.6% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 2^nd among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Hopewell Area School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.76. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (91.7%), Hispanic (3.6%), two or more races (3.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 46.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Hopewell Area School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Independence Elementary School is 13, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the Hopewell Area School District! (See more...)

Compare Independence Elementary School employs 19.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Independence Elementary School is $17,532. 1 elementary schools in the Hopewell Area School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Independence Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Elementary School 497^th of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Independence Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Hopewell Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Hopewell Area School District 170^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Independence Elementary School?

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Rank History for Independence Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Independence Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2006	84.38	107^th	1545	93.1%
2007	81.83	183^rd	1555	88.2%
2008	83.09	132^nd	1551	91.5%
2009	68.84	493^rd	1549	68.2%
2010	77.51	273^rd	1579	82.7%
2011	64.59	660^th	1597	58.7%
2012	55.44	941^st	1599	41.2%
2013	63.72	680^th	1519	55.2%
2014	66.96	567^th	1467	61.3%
2016	79.41	288^th	1554	81.5%
2017	67.73	556^th	1547	64.1%
2018	74.92	386^th	1530	74.8%
2019	70.89	488^th	1544	68.4%
2021	64.02	549^th	1433	61.7%
2022	68.19	537^th	1534	65.0%
2023	69.76	497^th	1534	67.6%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	77.79	228^th	1414	83.9%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Independence Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	52.41	427^th	1043	59.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Independence Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	50.90	621^st	1236	49.8%

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 Independence Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	400	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	401
1989	412	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	414
1990	410	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	413
1991	370	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	372
1992	379	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	379
1993	308	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	308
1994	319	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	321
1995	321	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	322
1996	321	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	322
1997	333	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	335
1998	302	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	303
1999	311	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	311
2000	296	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	298
2001	274	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	276
2002	234	3	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	238
2003	234	3	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	238
2004	215	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	218
2005	197	3	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	201
2006	193	3	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	197
2007	189	3	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	195
2008	204	1	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	3	213
2009	307	0	0	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	316
2010	287	0	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	1	292
2011	300	0	1	5	0	0	3	0	309
2012	276	1	2	4	0	0	3	0	286
2013	261	2	1	1	0	0	2	0	267
2014	261	0	0	1	1	0	3	0	266
2015	260	0	0	2	0	0	3	0	265
2016	261	1	0	0	0	1	4	0	267
2017	235	3	0	2	0	0	6	0	246
2018	220	1	0	3	0	0	3	0	227
2019	226	1	0	4	1	0	4	0	236
2020	262	1	0	9	0	0	8	0	280
2021	237	0	0	7	0	0	9	0	253
2022	239	1	0	7	0	0	10	0	257
2023	232	3	0	9	0	0	9	0	253

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 Independence Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	401	19.2	20.8	n/a
1989	414	18.3	22.6	n/a
1990	413	18.8	21.9	0
1991	372	17.7	21.0	n/a
1992	379	20.1	18.8	n/a
1993	308	19.5	15.8	n/a
1994	321	17.0	18.9	n/a
1995	322	17.4	18.5	n/a
1996	322	17.4	18.5	n/a
1997	335	18.0	18.6	n/a
1998	303	19.4	15.6	n/a
1999	311	19.8	15.7	n/a
2000	298	18.4	16.2	7
2001	276	19.0	14.5	21.4
2002	238	17.3	13.8	19.7
2003	238	17.3	13.8	19.7
2004	218	16.6	13.1	19.7
2005	201	16.1	12.5	23.4
2006	197	15.2	13.0	27.4
2007	195	13.9	14.0	26.7
2008	213	12.0	17.8	23.8
2009	316	19.0	16.6	25.6
2010	292	17.0	17.1	30.9
2011	309	19.0	16.2	36.2
2012	286	21.0	13.6	31.5
2013	267	18.0	14.8	31.5
2014	266	17.8	14.9	30.8
2015	265	19.0	13.9	32.5
2016	267	18.0	14.8	33.3
2017	246	18.3	13.4	39
2018	227	16.8	13.4	34.8
2019	236	16.8	14.0	23.3
2020	280	18.0	15.5	25.4
2021	253	19.3	13.0	45.5
2022	257	19.3	13.2	43.2
2023	253	19.3	13.0	46.2

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 Independence Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	401	19.2	20.8	n/a
1989	414	18.3	22.6	n/a
1990	413	18.8	21.9	0
1991	372	17.7	21.0	n/a
1992	379	20.1	18.8	n/a
1993	308	19.5	15.8	n/a
1994	321	17.0	18.9	n/a
1995	322	17.4	18.5	n/a
1996	322	17.4	18.5	n/a
1997	335	18.0	18.6	n/a
1998	303	19.4	15.6	n/a
1999	311	19.8	15.7	n/a
2000	298	18.4	16.2	7
2001	276	19.0	14.5	21.4
2002	238	17.3	13.8	19.7
2003	238	17.3	13.8	19.7
2004	218	16.6	13.1	19.7
2005	201	16.1	12.5	23.4
2006	197	15.2	13.0	27.4
2007	195	13.9	14.0	26.7
2008	213	12.0	17.8	23.8
2009	316	19.0	16.6	25.6
2010	292	17.0	17.1	30.9
2011	309	19.0	16.2	36.2
2012	286	21.0	13.6	31.5
2013	267	18.0	14.8	31.5
2014	266	17.8	14.9	30.8
2015	265	19.0	13.9	32.5
2016	267	18.0	14.8	33.3
2017	246	18.3	13.4	39
2018	227	16.8	13.4	34.8
2019	236	16.8	14.0	23.3
2020	280	18.0	15.5	25.4
2021	253	19.3	13.0	45.5
2022	257	19.3	13.2	43.2
2023	253	19.3	13.0	46.2

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 Independence Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$491 (2.9%)	$16,596 (97.1%)	$17,088
2020	$649 (4.3%)	$14,560 (95.7%)	$15,209
2021	$1,213 (7.3%)	$15,502 (92.7%)	$16,715
2022	$1,368 (7.8%)	$16,164 (92.2%)	$17,532

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence 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 488^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 497^th of 1534 Elementary schools	0.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Independence Elementary School)	64.6	69	4.4%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Independence Elementary School)	75	76.4	1.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Independence Elementary School)	48.6	37.2	11.4%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Independence Elementary School)	94.6	82	12.6%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Elementary School)	80.6	66.7	13.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
All Grades Math (Independence Elementary School)	57.7	53.8	3.9%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Independence Elementary School)	94.6	82	12.6%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Independence Elementary School)	77.4	71.7	5.7%
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	236	253	7.2%
African American	1	3	200%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	4	9	125%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	226	232	2.7%
Two or More Races	4	9	125%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	23.3%	46.2%	22.9%

Schools Near Independence 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
Independence Elementary School	Public	K-4	103 School Road	Aliquippa	15001	Beaver County	Hopewell Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 375-3201	253	19	13.0	46.2%	232 (91.7%)	3 (1.2%)	9 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.6%)	69.8	497^th of 1534 public elementary schools	67.6%		68.2	537^th of 1534 public elementary schools	65.0%	40	69.0	37.2			53.8	82.0	82.0	76.4	66.7			71.7	$17,532	$1,368	$16,164
Hopewell Elementary School	Public	K-4	3000 Kane Road	Aliquippa	15001	Beaver County	Hopewell Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 375-1111	354	21	17.0	35.3%	304 (85.9%)	12 (3.4%)	17 (4.8%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	18 (5.1%)	61.1	670^th of 1534 public elementary schools	56.3%		74.5	402^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	73.8%	268	59.7	40.5			49.0	83.5	83.5	57.1	62.0			59.9	$14,452	$651	$13,801
Bon Meade Elementary School	Public	K-4	1595 Brodhead Rd	Moon township	15108	Allegheny County	Moon Area School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 264-9440	594	38	15.8	15.7%	486 (81.8%)	24 (4.0%)	22 (3.7%)	33 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.9%)	89.9	97^th of 1534 public elementary schools	93.7%		91.8	62^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	96.0%	35	75.4	88.4			81.4	96.2	96.2	77.2	83.7			80.2	$17,513	$356	$17,158
Margaret Ross Elementary School	Public	K-4	1955 Maratta Rd	Aliquippa	15001	Beaver County	Hopewell Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 375-2956	219	15	14.3	39.3%	184 (84.0%)	8 (3.7%)	5 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	20 (9.1%)	72.7	437^th of 1534 public elementary schools	71.5%		80	289^th of 1534 public elementary schools	81.2%	148	73.9	56.0			64.6	81.7	81.7	76.0	56.0			65.6	$17,966	$1,198	$16,768
Aliquippa Elementary School	Public	K-6	800 Twenty-First Street	Aliquippa	15001	Beaver County	Aliquippa School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 857-7500	474	50	9.4	85.7%	56 (11.8%)	307 (64.8%)	36 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	74 (15.6%)	4.6	1489^th of 1534 public elementary schools	2.9%		5.3	1463^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	4.6%	26	11.3	8.6	2.9	2.9	6.1	34.5	34.5	17.0	13.8	9.0	11.5	12.5	$23,054	$1,287	$21,767
J.A. Allard Elementary School	Public	K-4	170 Shafer Road	Moon Township	15108	Allegheny County	Moon Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 262-2500	208	15	13.6	31.7%	151 (72.6%)	9 (4.3%)	27 (13.0%)	17 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	78.9	307^th of 1534 public elementary schools	80.0%		84.8	203^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	86.8%	104	73.4	71.0			72.3	74.2	74.2	73.9	72.4			73.3	$17,174	$349	$16,826
South Side Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4949 State Route 151	Hookstown	15050	Beaver County	South Side Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 573-9581	430	35	12.4	30.5%	409 (95.1%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.5%)	57.5	748^th of 1534 public elementary schools	51.2%		60.4	679^th of 1534 public elementary schools	55.7%	69	58.4	30.4	60.0		48.3	82.8	82.8	51.6	52.2	62.3		54.9	$25,510	$1,460	$24,050
Highland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1101 Highland Avenue	Ambridge	15003	Beaver County	Ambridge Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 266-2833	316	26	12.2	99.1%	160 (50.6%)	94 (29.7%)	8 (2.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	51 (16.1%)	22	1201^st of 1534 public elementary schools	21.7%		15	1269^th of 1534 public elementary schools	17.3%	68	23.9	32.5	13.0		22.9	60.5	60.5	41.3	36.6	31.9		36.6	$15,488	$1,765	$13,723
Richard J. Hyde Elementary School	Public	K-4	110 Wallridge Dr	Moon Township	15108	Allegheny County	Moon Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 264-9440	221	16	13.6	100.0%	110 (49.8%)	29 (13.1%)	51 (23.1%)	13 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (8.1%)	80.5	275^th of 1534 public elementary schools	82.1%		71.3	476^th of 1534 public elementary schools	69.0%	201	75.0	65.8			69.7	84.2	84.2	78.6	68.4			72.7	$17,446	$354	$17,091
Edgeworth Elementary School	Public	K-5	200 Meadow Ln	Sewickley	15143	Allegheny County	Quaker Valley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 749-3605	412	32	13.0	21.4%	340 (82.5%)	9 (2.2%)	24 (5.8%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (8.7%)	91.6	67^th of 1534 public elementary schools	95.6%		93.8	24^th of 1534 public elementary schools	98.4%	43	88.5	80.6	69.9		79.6	94.0	94.0	84.2	80.6	83.6		82.9	$21,591	$1,242	$20,349

Independence Elementary School

Independence Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Hopewell Area School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Independence Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Independence Elementary School

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Independence Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Independence Elementary School

Enrollment information for Independence Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Independence Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Independence Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Independence Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Independence Elementary School