Is Wharton Elementary School a good school?

Wharton Elementary School ranks 797 th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Wharton Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 326 students attended Wharton Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Wharton Elementary School?

Students at Wharton Elementary School are 43% White, 37% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 8% African American, 4% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Wharton Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Wharton Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Reynolds Middle School High : McCaskey Campus

Wharton Elementary School

Summary:

Wharton Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in the Lancaster School District in Lancaster, PA. With 326 students and a diverse student population, Wharton Elementary stands out for its exceptional academic performance, particularly among its Hispanic students.

Wharton Elementary consistently outperforms the Lancaster School District and the state of Pennsylvania in key academic metrics. In 2022-2023, 41.1% of Wharton students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to 17.7% for the district and 39.3% for the state. In PSSA English Language Arts, 61% of Wharton students were proficient or better, compared to 31.2% for the district and 53.8% for the state. Wharton's Hispanic students, in particular, performed exceptionally well, ranking 88th out of 432 Pennsylvania elementary schools in PSSA Math proficiency.

Despite the school's strong academic performance, Wharton Elementary faces significant socioeconomic challenges, with 100% of its students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Interestingly, Wharton outperforms many of the nearby schools in the Lancaster School District, such as Price Elementary, Fulton Elementary, and Carter and MacRae Elementary, which generally have lower academic performance. This suggests potential funding disparities within the district that may contribute to the achievement gaps observed.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

705 N Mary St
Lancaster, PA 17603-2889

(717) 291-6281

District: Lancaster School District

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $20,389

Students who attend Wharton Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Reynolds Middle School
High:	McCaskey Campus

Student/teacher ratio: 13.3

Number of students: 326

Racial breakdown:

White:

42.9%

Hispanic:

36.8%

Two or more races:

8.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare Wharton Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Wharton Elementary School ranks worse than 52% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks first among 13 ranked elementary schools in the Lancaster School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.43. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (42.9%), Hispanic (36.8%), two or more races (8.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Wharton Elementary School is 13.3. 10 elementary schools in the Lancaster School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Wharton Elementary School employs 24.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Wharton Elementary School is $20,389. 7 elementary schools in the Lancaster School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Wharton Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Wharton Elementary School 797^th of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Wharton Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Lancaster School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Lancaster School District 506^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Wharton Elementary School.

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Rank History for Wharton Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Wharton Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	32.48	974^th	1302	25.2%
2004	43.39	873^rd	1308	33.3%
2005	25.65	1065^th	1299	18.0%
2006	51.27	935^th	1545	39.5%
2007	43.16	1090^th	1555	29.9%
2008	35.46	1211^th	1551	21.9%
2009	48.61	1010^th	1549	34.8%
2010	39.42	1182^nd	1579	25.1%
2011	29.09	1317^th	1597	17.5%
2012	20.07	1368^th	1599	14.4%
2013	27.64	1222^nd	1519	19.6%
2014	46.13	1000^th	1467	31.8%
2015	43.89	957^th	1474	35.1%
2016	50.35	919^th	1554	40.9%
2017	64.97	621^st	1547	59.9%
2018	54.23	835^th	1530	45.4%
2019	49.73	929^th	1544	39.8%
2021	43.27	922^nd	1433	35.7%
2022	47.26	939^th	1534	38.8%
2023	54.43	797^th	1534	48.0%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	52.68	737^th	1414	47.9%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Wharton Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	72.77	88^th	432	79.6%

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

Rank History for White students at Wharton Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	66.31	403^rd	1236	67.4%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, April 26, 2019

The employees there has to be more focus on the other employees that work there on the actions Close Quote

Enrollment information for Wharton Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	181	12	4	16	0	n/a	n/a	213
1989	206	14	0	22	0	n/a	n/a	242
1990	206	21	3	15	0	n/a	n/a	245
1991	217	25	3	21	0	n/a	n/a	266
1992	223	22	7	17	0	n/a	n/a	269
1993	233	31	6	23	0	n/a	n/a	293
1994	224	26	6	22	0	n/a	n/a	278
1995	220	27	8	41	0	n/a	n/a	296
1996	220	27	8	41	0	n/a	n/a	296
1997	222	41	7	41	0	n/a	n/a	311
1998	179	45	6	45	0	n/a	n/a	275
1999	170	43	8	46	0	n/a	n/a	267
2000	140	35	9	59	0	n/a	n/a	243
2001	121	48	11	53	0	n/a	n/a	233
2002	134	41	9	61	0	n/a	n/a	245
2003	134	41	9	61	0	n/a	n/a	245
2004	144	39	5	74	1	n/a	n/a	263
2005	137	42	5	78	1	n/a	n/a	263
2006	128	38	3	76	1	n/a	n/a	246
2007	129	39	4	71	0	n/a	n/a	243
2008	136	51	4	71	1	n/a	n/a	263
2009	116	41	5	71	1	n/a	n/a	234
2010	102	36	9	78	0	n/a	n/a	225
2011	95	38	20	87	0	0	6	246
2012	113	47	16	115	0	0	13	304
2013	133	36	26	148	0	0	16	359
2014	121	37	23	149	0	0	16	346
2015	118	37	18	165	0	0	22	360
2016	129	30	18	164	0	0	26	367
2017	116	36	13	158	0	0	24	347
2018	108	29	14	156	0	0	25	332
2019	119	29	17	160	0	1	24	350
2020	128	31	11	171	0	0	26	367
2021	116	34	9	163	0	0	22	344
2022	106	29	1	148	0	0	23	307
2023	140	26	12	120	0	0	28	326

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 Wharton Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	213	13.5	15.7	n/a
1989	242	12.4	19.5	n/a
1990	245	17.5	14.0	0
1991	266	17.5	15.2	n/a
1992	269	19.5	13.7	n/a
1993	293	15.5	18.9	n/a
1994	278	15.5	17.9	n/a
1995	296	16.5	17.9	n/a
1996	296	16.5	17.9	n/a
1997	311	15.5	20.1	n/a
1998	275	17.0	16.2	n/a
1999	267	15.7	17.0	n/a
2000	243	19.0	12.8	53.5
2001	233	20.0	11.7	49.8
2002	245	16.3	15.0	60.4
2003	245	16.3	15.0	60.4
2004	263	17.3	15.2	54
2005	263	13.3	19.8	56.3
2006	246	13.0	18.9	54.5
2007	243	14.8	16.4	58.4
2008	263	18.5	14.2	65
2009	234	17.2	13.6	63.2
2010	225	18.5	12.1	63.6
2011	246	17.5	13.9	61.8
2012	304	17.5	17.3	57.9
2013	359	18.8	19.0	64.9
2014	346	21.0	16.4	71.1
2015	360	23.0	15.6	99.2
2016	367	26.0	14.1	100
2017	347	27.5	12.6	100
2018	332	27.5	12.0	100
2019	350	26.5	13.2	100
2020	367	25.5	14.3	96.7
2021	344	26.5	12.9	99.1
2022	307	26.5	11.5	99
2023	326	24.5	13.3	100

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 Wharton Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	213	13.5	15.7	n/a
1989	242	12.4	19.5	n/a
1990	245	17.5	14.0	0
1991	266	17.5	15.2	n/a
1992	269	19.5	13.7	n/a
1993	293	15.5	18.9	n/a
1994	278	15.5	17.9	n/a
1995	296	16.5	17.9	n/a
1996	296	16.5	17.9	n/a
1997	311	15.5	20.1	n/a
1998	275	17.0	16.2	n/a
1999	267	15.7	17.0	n/a
2000	243	19.0	12.8	53.5
2001	233	20.0	11.7	49.8
2002	245	16.3	15.0	60.4
2003	245	16.3	15.0	60.4
2004	263	17.3	15.2	54
2005	263	13.3	19.8	56.3
2006	246	13.0	18.9	54.5
2007	243	14.8	16.4	58.4
2008	263	18.5	14.2	65
2009	234	17.2	13.6	63.2
2010	225	18.5	12.1	63.6
2011	246	17.5	13.9	61.8
2012	304	17.5	17.3	57.9
2013	359	18.8	19.0	64.9
2014	346	21.0	16.4	71.1
2015	360	23.0	15.6	99.2
2016	367	26.0	14.1	100
2017	347	27.5	12.6	100
2018	332	27.5	12.0	100
2019	350	26.5	13.2	100
2020	367	25.5	14.3	96.7
2021	344	26.5	12.9	99.1
2022	307	26.5	11.5	99
2023	326	24.5	13.3	100

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 Wharton Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,046 (6.8%)	$14,305 (93.2%)	$15,351
2020	$1,241 (7.6%)	$14,987 (92.4%)	$16,228
2021	$2,448 (14.0%)	$15,007 (86.0%)	$17,455
2022	$3,296 (16.2%)	$17,094 (83.8%)	$20,389

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Wharton 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 929^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 797^th of 1534 Elementary schools	8.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Wharton Elementary School)	62.7	43.1	19.6%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wharton Elementary School)	64.4	52	12.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Wharton Elementary School)	33.3	45.6	12.3%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Wharton Elementary School)	71.9	76.1	4.2%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Wharton Elementary School)	63.2	65.2	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
5th Grade Math (Wharton Elementary School)	38.8	33.4	5.4%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Wharton Elementary School)	67.4	67.5	0.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
All Grades Math (Wharton Elementary School)	45.4	41.1	4.3%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Wharton Elementary School)	71.9	76.1	4.2%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Wharton Elementary School)	64.9	61	3.9%
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	350	326	6.9%
African American	29	26	10.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	17	12	29.4%
Hispanic	160	120	25%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	119	140	17.6%
Two or More Races	24	28	16.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Wharton 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 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 All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Wharton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	705 N Mary St	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6281	326	25	13.3	100.0%	140 (42.9%)	26 (8.0%)	120 (36.8%)	12 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (8.6%)	54.4	797^th of 1534 public elementary schools	48.0%		47.3	939^th of 1534 public elementary schools	38.8%	142	43.1	45.6	33.4	41.1	76.1	76.1	52.0	65.2	67.5	61.0	$20,389	$3,296	$17,094
Ross Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	840 N Queen St	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6268	283	19	14.8	100.0%	32 (11.3%)	29 (10.2%)	175 (61.8%)	9 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (13.4%)	42.8	979^th of 1534 public elementary schools	36.2%		49.6	903^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	41.1%	76	27.0	43.6	33.3	34.7	74.3	74.3	50.0	53.8	47.6	50.4	$21,549	$3,279	$18,271
Fulton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	225 W Orange St	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6110	283	30	9.5	100.0%	39 (13.8%)	46 (16.3%)	172 (60.8%)	7 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.7%)	19.9	1228^th of 1534 public elementary schools	19.9%		9.2	1364^th of 1534 public elementary schools	11.1%	136	32.6	15.8	18.8	23.0	60.5	60.5	33.4	27.0	41.4	33.3	$20,414	$2,840	$17,574
Brecht School	Public	K-4	1250 Lititz Pike	Lancaster	17601	Lancaster County	Manheim Township School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 291-1733	232	18	12.8	44.4%	118 (50.9%)	14 (6.0%)	55 (23.7%)	19 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (11.2%)	69.3	512^th of 1534 public elementary schools	66.6%		73.8	417^th of 1534 public elementary schools	72.8%	95	65.4	63.0		64.1	83.3	83.3	54.2	62.9		58.8	$16,204	$711	$15,494
Carter and MacRae Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	251 S Prince St	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 396-6842	418	41	10.3	92.8%	36 (8.6%)	99 (23.7%)	246 (58.9%)	9 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.5%)	8.9	1377^th of 1534 public elementary schools	10.2%		9.3	1354^th of 1534 public elementary schools	11.7%	23	14.7	13.9	11.8	13.6	45.8	45.8	21.3	22.5	23.6	22.4	$25,114	$3,715	$21,399
King Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	466 Rockland St	Lancaster	17602	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6178	389	39	10.1	100.0%	16 (4.1%)	62 (15.9%)	280 (72.0%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	25 (6.4%)	11.1	1339^th of 1534 public elementary schools	12.7%		16.7	1247^th of 1534 public elementary schools	18.7%	92	22.0	17.5	8.9	16.1	50.0	50.0	30.5	20.5	23.2	25.3	$22,879	$3,563	$19,316
Wickersham Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	401 N Reservoir St	Lancaster	17602	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6291	360	31	11.8	100.0%	36 (10.0%)	54 (15.0%)	212 (58.9%)	32 (8.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.9%)	40.6	1008^th of 1534 public elementary schools	34.3%		37.4	1055^th of 1534 public elementary schools	31.2%	47	58.9	29.1	28.0	37.2	75.0	75.0	44.8	51.1	40.0	45.1	$19,534	$3,315	$16,220
Smith-Wade-Elementary Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	910 Hamilton Park Drive	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6151	447	29	15.6	100.0%	105 (23.5%)	65 (14.5%)	212 (47.4%)	25 (5.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	38 (8.5%)	24.4	1176^th of 1534 public elementary schools	23.3%		31.9	1102^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	28.2%	74	35.7	18.3	21.1	24.9	55.0	55.0	50.0	31.2	40.4	40.2	$18,032	$2,472	$15,560
Lafayette Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 Fremont St	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6183	427	38	11.3	100.0%	49 (11.5%)	62 (14.5%)	260 (60.9%)	34 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.2%)	14.5	1283^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	16.4%		14.9	1271^st of 1534 public elementary schools	17.1%	12	24.6	17.4	15.6	19.7	60.9	60.9	25.0	18.2	33.3	25.3	$21,774	$2,861	$18,913
Price Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	615 Fairview Ave	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6252	392	35	11.1	100.0%	22 (5.6%)	74 (18.9%)	262 (66.8%)	19 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.8%)	21.6	1207^th of 1534 public elementary schools	21.3%		13.9	1290^th of 1534 public elementary schools	15.9%	83	27.0	18.8	26.9	24.3	73.0	73.0	19.6	25.0	37.7	27.6	$20,320	$3,039	$17,281

Wharton Elementary School

Wharton Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Lancaster School District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Wharton Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Wharton Elementary School

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Wharton Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Wharton Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Wharton Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Wharton Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Wharton Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Wharton Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Wharton Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Wharton Elementary School