Laurel Elementary School

Q: Is Laurel Elementary School a good school?

Laurel Elementary School ranks 173 rd of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Laurel Elementary School is a public elementary school located in New Castle, Pennsylvania, serving 496 students in grades K-6. The school is part of the New Castle Area School District, which is ranked 82 out of 606 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Laurel Elementary School consistently outperforms the state and district averages in PSSA test scores, with significantly higher proficiency rates in Math (71.7% vs. 39.3%), Science (87.7% vs. 65.6%), and English Language Arts (73.2% vs. 53.8%). The school also has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (21.17%), indicating a more affluent student population. Additionally, Laurel Elementary has a student-teacher ratio of 15.2, which is lower than the state average, suggesting a more personalized learning environment. However, the school has a predominantly white student population, with 96.77% of students identifying as white, which is higher than the state average and nearby schools.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Slippery Rock Area Elementary School and Neshannock Memorial Elementary School, Laurel Elementary School generally outperforms them in academic metrics. This consistent performance over the years has led to the school's ranking among Pennsylvania elementary schools improving from 508 in 2018-2019 to 173 in 2022-2023. While the school's strong academic record and socioeconomic advantage suggest a quality education, the lack of racial diversity may be an area for the school to consider addressing in the future.

Detail:

Public K-6

223 McCaslin Rd
New Castle, PA 16101-9602

(724) 658-2673

District: Laurel School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
173^rd of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,775

Students who attend Laurel Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Laurel High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.2

Number of students: 496

Racial breakdown:

White:

96.8%

Hispanic:

1.4%

African American:

0.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 21.2%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare Laurel Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Laurel Elementary School ranks better than 88.7% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 86.01. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (96.8%), Hispanic (1.4%), African American (0.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 21.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Laurel Elementary School is 15.2. (See more...)

Compare Laurel Elementary School employs 32.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Laurel Elementary School is $15,775.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Laurel Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Laurel Elementary School 173^rd of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Laurel Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Laurel School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Laurel School District 82^nd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Laurel Elementary School.

What do you think?

Your rating for Laurel Elementary School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Laurel Elementary School

Compare

Rank History for all students at Laurel Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	58.60	632^nd	1302	51.5%
2004	59.31	623^rd	1308	52.4%
2005	61.95	585^th	1299	55.0%
2006	57.76	772^nd	1545	50.0%
2007	53.86	887^th	1555	43.0%
2008	49.76	980^th	1551	36.8%
2009	60.80	729^th	1549	52.9%
2010	64.64	644^th	1579	59.2%
2011	59.51	799^th	1597	50.0%
2012	68.86	585^th	1599	63.4%
2013	65.78	627^th	1519	58.7%
2014	65.43	603^rd	1467	58.9%
2015	67.91	532^nd	1474	63.9%
2016	71.68	468^th	1554	69.9%
2017	65.80	597^th	1547	61.4%
2018	65.58	619^th	1530	59.5%
2019	69.93	508^th	1544	67.1%
2021	69.50	445^th	1433	68.9%
2022	81.59	259^th	1534	83.1%
2023	86.01	173^rd	1534	88.7%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	87.90	82^nd	1414	94.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Laurel Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	78.46	227^th	1236	81.6%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Laurel Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	862	2	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	867
1990	863	1	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	865
1991	885	1	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	893
1992	885	2	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	891
1993	880	1	2	2	1	n/a	n/a	886
1994	841	2	0	6	1	n/a	n/a	850
1995	801	3	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	812
1996	801	3	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	812
1997	790	3	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	800
1998	759	5	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	771
1999	772	5	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	782
2000	749	4	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	759
2001	745	3	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	754
2002	752	4	8	4	0	n/a	n/a	768
2003	752	4	8	4	0	n/a	n/a	768
2004	738	6	8	3	0	n/a	n/a	755
2005	746	5	5	2	0	n/a	n/a	758
2006	721	6	8	2	0	n/a	n/a	737
2007	699	7	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	712
2008	726	8	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	738
2009	692	13	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	709
2010	687	17	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	708
2011	676	15	2	2	0	0	0	695
2012	625	10	1	2	0	0	0	638
2013	605	7	1	1	0	0	0	614
2014	616	5	2	1	0	0	1	625
2015	613	3	3	9	0	0	3	631
2016	576	1	2	8	0	0	7	594
2017	561	0	3	5	1	0	8	578
2018	538	0	5	5	1	0	5	554
2019	519	0	4	7	1	0	10	541
2020	514	0	3	6	1	0	11	535
2021	503	0	2	6	0	0	1	512
2022	505	2	2	8	0	0	1	518
2023	480	4	3	7	0	0	2	496

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 Laurel Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	867	41.5	20.8	n/a
1990	865	44.0	19.6	0
1991	893	44.0	20.2	n/a
1992	891	46.0	19.3	n/a
1993	886	41.5	21.3	n/a
1994	850	42.0	20.2	n/a
1995	812	41.0	19.8	n/a
1996	812	41.0	19.8	n/a
1997	800	39.5	20.3	n/a
1998	771	38.5	20.0	n/a
1999	782	42.5	18.4	n/a
2000	759	46.5	16.3	19.4
2001	754	46.5	16.2	18.2
2002	768	49.3	15.6	19.5
2003	768	49.3	15.6	19.5
2004	755	50.3	15.0	17.7
2005	758	48.9	15.5	19.8
2006	737	45.9	16.1	25.4
2007	712	46.8	15.2	27.1
2008	738	42.0	17.6	29.8
2009	709	38.7	18.3	21.6
2010	708	38.7	18.2	30.9
2011	695	38.1	18.2	36
2012	638	33.9	18.7	33.9
2013	614	38.5	15.9	28
2014	625	38.0	16.4	26.1
2015	631	38.0	16.6	29.8
2016	594	36.0	16.5	30.3
2017	578	36.0	16.0	31.1
2018	554	33.4	16.5	29.1
2019	541	34.4	15.7	29.8
2020	535	34.4	15.5	28
2021	512	34.4	14.8	24.6
2022	518	33.4	15.5	25.1
2023	496	32.5	15.2	21.2

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 Laurel Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	867	41.5	20.8	n/a
1990	865	44.0	19.6	0
1991	893	44.0	20.2	n/a
1992	891	46.0	19.3	n/a
1993	886	41.5	21.3	n/a
1994	850	42.0	20.2	n/a
1995	812	41.0	19.8	n/a
1996	812	41.0	19.8	n/a
1997	800	39.5	20.3	n/a
1998	771	38.5	20.0	n/a
1999	782	42.5	18.4	n/a
2000	759	46.5	16.3	19.4
2001	754	46.5	16.2	18.2
2002	768	49.3	15.6	19.5
2003	768	49.3	15.6	19.5
2004	755	50.3	15.0	17.7
2005	758	48.9	15.5	19.8
2006	737	45.9	16.1	25.4
2007	712	46.8	15.2	27.1
2008	738	42.0	17.6	29.8
2009	709	38.7	18.3	21.6
2010	708	38.7	18.2	30.9
2011	695	38.1	18.2	36
2012	638	33.9	18.7	33.9
2013	614	38.5	15.9	28
2014	625	38.0	16.4	26.1
2015	631	38.0	16.6	29.8
2016	594	36.0	16.5	30.3
2017	578	36.0	16.0	31.1
2018	554	33.4	16.5	29.1
2019	541	34.4	15.7	29.8
2020	535	34.4	15.5	28
2021	512	34.4	14.8	24.6
2022	518	33.4	15.5	25.1
2023	496	32.5	15.2	21.2

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 Laurel Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$594 (4.2%)	$13,442 (95.8%)	$14,036
2020	$556 (4.0%)	$13,364 (96.0%)	$13,920
2021	$982 (6.3%)	$14,696 (93.7%)	$15,678
2022	$1,310 (8.3%)	$14,464 (91.7%)	$15,775

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Laurel 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 508^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 173^rd of 1534 Elementary schools	21.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Laurel Elementary School)	64.1	76.1	12%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Laurel Elementary School)	70.5	77.6	7.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Laurel Elementary School)	63.7	73.8	10.1%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Laurel Elementary School)	90.9	87.7	3.2%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Laurel Elementary School)	67.6	66.2	1.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
5th Grade Math (Laurel Elementary School)	57.3	72.2	14.9%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Laurel Elementary School)	67	77.8	10.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
6th Grade Math (Laurel Elementary School)	51.4	65.3	13.9%
6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	39	36.4	2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Laurel Elementary School)	67.1	70.9	3.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63	55.6	7.4%
All Grades Math (Laurel Elementary School)	59.2	71.7	12.5%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Laurel Elementary School)	90.9	87.7	3.2%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Laurel Elementary School)	68.1	73.2	5.1%
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	541	496	8.3%
African American	0	4
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	4	3	25%
Hispanic	7	7
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	519	480	7.5%
Two or More Races	10	2	80%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29.8%	21.2%	8.6%

Schools Near Laurel 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
Laurel Elementary School	Public	K-6	223 McCaslin Rd	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Laurel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 658-2673	496	33	15.2	21.2%	480 (96.8%)	4 (0.8%)	7 (1.4%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	86	173^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	88.7%		81.6	259^th of 1534 public elementary schools	83.1%	86	76.1	73.8	72.2	65.3	71.7	87.7	87.7	77.6	66.2	77.8	70.9	73.2	$15,775	$1,310	$14,465
Harry W Lockley Early Learning Center	Public	K-2	900 East Main St.	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	New Castle Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 656-4735	775	49	15.8	100.0%	384 (49.5%)	148 (19.1%)	48 (6.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	192 (24.8%)								(n/a)													$17,288	$2,819	$14,469
Shenango Elementary School	Public	K-6	2501 Old Pittsburgh Rd	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Shenango Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 658-5566	528	41	13.0	100.0%	484 (91.7%)	4 (0.8%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.1%)	69.3	511^th of 1534 public elementary schools	66.7%		67.8	543^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	64.6%	32	67.2	48.1	43.9	45.0	49.6	83.2	83.2	56.3	68.9	59.8	80.0	67.0	$16,045	$1,780	$14,266
Washington Intrmd School	Public	3-5	101 East Euclid Avenue	New Castle	16105	Lawrence County	New Castle Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 656-4729	714	49	14.6	100.0%	385 (53.9%)	109 (15.3%)	55 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	162 (22.7%)	11	1343^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	12.5%		7	1418^th of 1534 public elementary schools	7.6%	75	24.1	20.0	17.7		20.6	43.8	43.8	27.4	18.4	20.2		21.9	$18,683	$2,549	$16,134
Neshannock Memorial Elementary School	Public	K-6	3832 Mitchell Road	New Castle	16105	Lawrence County	Neshannock Township School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 652-8709	663	41	16.0	27.5%	607 (91.6%)	12 (1.8%)	12 (1.8%)	8 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.5%)	75.7	357^th of 1534 public elementary schools	76.7%		74.2	409^th of 1534 public elementary schools	73.3%	52	62.1	67.0	52.2	54.9	59.2	91.7	91.7	67.3	80.4	60.0	57.0	66.4	$16,212	$949	$15,263
Union Memorial Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	500 S Scotland Ln	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Union Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 652-6683	338	29	11.6	66.0%	262 (77.5%)	34 (10.1%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (11.2%)	72.1	450^th of 1534 public elementary schools	70.7%		75.4	375^th of 1534 public elementary schools	75.6%	75	59.6	56.5	59.7		58.6	82.6	82.6	59.6	69.6	69.3		66.0	$18,116	$1,268	$16,848
Wilmington Area Elementary School	Public	K-4	450 Wood St	New Wilmington	16142	Lawrence County	Wilmington Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 656-8866	350	30	11.8	99.1%	339 (96.9%)	3 (0.9%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	61.9	657^th of 1534 public elementary schools	57.2%		61.3	656^th of 1534 public elementary schools	57.2%	1	58.9	54.8			57.0	79.3	79.3	64.7	47.6			56.5	$30,501	$2,968	$27,533
Mohawk Elementary School	Public	K-5	351 Mohawk School Road	New Castle	16102	Lawrence County	Mohawk Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 667-7782	670	45	14.7	32.4%	630 (94.0%)	3 (0.4%)	9 (1.3%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.7%)	76.7	339^th of 1534 public elementary schools	77.9%		69.7	502^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	67.3%	163	60.7	65.0	64.5		63.3	88.0	88.0	59.8	71.0	73.8		67.9	$15,392	$1,416	$13,976
North Side Primary School	Public	K-2	Orchard & North Streets	Ellwood City	16117	Lawrence County	Ellwood City Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 752-1381	364	28	12.8	58.0%	325 (89.3%)	3 (0.8%)	9 (2.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.1%)								(n/a)													$15,455	$2,618	$12,838
Slippery Rock Area Elementary School	Public	K-5	470 N Main St	Slippery Rock	16057	Butler County	Slippery Rock Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 794-2960	452	31	14.6	43.8%	418 (92.5%)	8 (1.8%)	9 (2.0%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.7%)	84.3	209^th of 1534 public elementary schools	86.4%		90	94^th of 1534 public elementary schools	93.9%	115	70.9	66.1	80.8		72.7	95.0	95.0	70.9	65.0	79.5		72.0	$9,282	$416	$8,865

Frequently Asked Questions about Laurel Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Laurel Elementary School attend?

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

High : Laurel High School

What district is Laurel Elementary School in?

Laurel School District

Is Laurel Elementary School a good school?

Laurel Elementary School ranks 173^rd of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Laurel Elementary School?

Students at Laurel Elementary School are 97% White, 1% Hispanic.

How many students attend Laurel Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 496 students attended Laurel Elementary School.

Rate Laurel Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

PAPennsylvania Elementary School Rankings

PAPennsylvania District Rankings

Schools in New Castle, PA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Laurel Elementary School!

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.