Is South Hanover Elementary School a good school?

South Hanover Elementary School ranks 324 th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend South Hanover Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 385 students attended South Hanover Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of South Hanover Elementary School?

Students at South Hanover Elementary School are 82% White, 6% Asian, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American.

What schools do graduates of South Hanover Elementary School attend?

Students who attend South Hanover Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Lower Dauphin Middle School High : Lower Dauphin High School High : Price

South Hanover Elementary School

Summary:

South Hanover Elementary School is a public elementary school in Hershey, Pennsylvania, serving 385 students in grades K-5 as part of the Lower Dauphin School District. This high-performing school consistently exceeds state and district averages in academic measures, making it a standout choice for families in the Hershey area.

South Hanover Elementary School's academic excellence is evident across all grade levels and subject areas. In the 2022-2023 school year, 65.1% of students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to the district average of 48.4% and the state average of 39.3%. The school's PSSA Science performance was even more impressive, with 90.2% of students scoring proficient or better, significantly higher than the district average of 79.3% and the state average of 65.6%. South Hanover's PSSA English Language Arts scores were also strong, with 67.8% of students proficient or better, outpacing the district average of 63.8% and the state average of 53.8%. This consistent academic performance has earned the school a statewide ranking of 324 out of 1,534 schools and a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While South Hanover Elementary School's academic achievements are impressive, it's important to note that the school serves a population with a relatively higher socioeconomic status compared to some nearby schools. For example, only 15.84% of South Hanover students receive free or reduced-price lunch, in contrast with Rutherford Elementary School, where 99.55% of students qualify for this assistance. This socioeconomic difference may contribute to the academic performance gap observed between South Hanover and other schools in the region, such as Lingle Avenue Elementary School, which had 80% of students proficient or better in PSSA Math, surpassing South Hanover's 65.1%.

Detail:

Public K-5

15 W 3rd St
Hershey, PA 17033-2452

(717) 566-2564

District: Lower Dauphin School District

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,926

Students who attend South Hanover Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Lower Dauphin Middle School
High:	Lower Dauphin High School
	Price

Student/teacher ratio: 13.5

Number of students: 385

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.6%

Asian:

5.7%

Hispanic:

5.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 15.8%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare South Hanover Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Hanover Elementary School ranks better than 78.9% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 2^nd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Lower Dauphin School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 77.7. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details South Hanover Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Lower Dauphin School District. Racial makeup is: White (81.6%), Asian (5.7%), Hispanic (5.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 15.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Lower Dauphin School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Hanover Elementary School is 13.5. 2 elementary schools in the Lower Dauphin School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare South Hanover Elementary School employs 28.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Hanover Elementary School is $15,926, which is the lowest among 5 elementary schools in the Lower Dauphin School District!

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

South Hanover Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks South Hanover Elementary School 324^th of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See South Hanover Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Lower Dauphin School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Lower Dauphin School District 138^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for South Hanover Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at South Hanover Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	72.50	382^nd	1302	70.7%
2004	57.91	656^th	1308	49.8%
2005	70.38	400^th	1299	69.2%
2006	72.12	425^th	1545	72.5%
2007	72.07	439^th	1555	71.8%
2008	76.27	307^th	1551	80.2%
2009	78.01	253^rd	1549	83.7%
2010	73.09	403^rd	1579	74.5%
2011	80.07	212^th	1597	86.7%
2012	78.99	244^th	1599	84.7%
2013	86.70	40^th	1519	97.4%
2014	86.16	63^rd	1467	95.7%
2015	85.86	136^th	1474	90.8%
2016	84.81	171^st	1554	89.0%
2017	88.53	81^st	1547	94.8%
2018	89.09	75^th	1530	95.1%
2019	80.25	279^th	1544	81.9%
2021	81.67	234^th	1433	83.7%
2022	84.83	202^nd	1534	86.8%
2023	77.70	324^th	1534	78.9%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Hanover Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	40.73	914^th	1414	35.4%

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

Rank History for White students at South Hanover Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	68.55	371^st	1236	70.0%

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 South Hanover Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	360	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	360
1989	374	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	375
1990	397	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	399
1991	406	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	409
1992	451	1	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	454
1993	471	2	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	476
1994	474	5	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	482
1995	381	9	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	396
1996	381	9	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	396
1997	373	8	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	385
1998	372	13	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	391
1999	391	14	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	409
2000	401	10	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	417
2001	388	8	5	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	403
2002	362	8	3	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	380
2003	362	8	3	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	380
2004	358	3	4	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	372
2005	342	5	8	4	4	n/a	n/a	0	363
2006	322	8	8	2	4	n/a	n/a	0	344
2007	329	8	10	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	356
2008	334	5	12	6	0	n/a	n/a	2	359
2009	336	4	13	8	0	n/a	n/a	6	367
2010	338	5	15	15	0	n/a	n/a	7	380
2011	331	11	11	22	0	0	13	0	388
2012	310	9	15	27	0	0	10	0	371
2013	322	7	15	29	0	0	9	0	382
2014	312	8	10	26	0	0	9	0	365
2015	325	9	18	24	0	0	13	0	389
2016	314	11	20	17	0	0	12	0	374
2017	329	11	26	19	0	0	17	0	402
2018	335	12	28	23	0	0	13	0	411
2019	338	13	27	21	0	0	14	0	413
2020	325	22	23	25	0	0	14	0	409
2021	289	8	6	15	0	0	10	0	328
2022	321	12	20	20	1	0	19	0	393
2023	314	13	22	20	0	0	16	0	385

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 South Hanover Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	360	16.1	22.3	n/a
1989	375	18.4	20.3	n/a
1990	399	19.6	20.3	0
1991	409	22.3	18.3	n/a
1992	454	24.6	18.4	n/a
1993	476	23.5	20.3	n/a
1994	482	26.0	18.5	n/a
1995	396	19.5	20.3	n/a
1996	396	19.5	20.3	n/a
1997	385	22.7	17.0	n/a
1998	391	21.7	18.0	n/a
1999	409	22.0	18.6	n/a
2000	417	25.0	16.7	7.7
2001	403	24.7	16.3	8.2
2002	380	27.4	13.9	10
2003	380	27.4	13.9	10
2004	372	26.2	14.2	10.2
2005	363	26.1	13.9	10.5
2006	344	24.2	14.2	11
2007	356	23.7	15.0	10.7
2008	359	26.2	13.7	8.7
2009	367	24.6	14.9	8.6
2010	380	25.9	14.6	12.1
2011	388	24.9	15.5	11.1
2012	371	25.5	14.5	8.1
2013	382	24.5	15.5	8.1
2014	365	24.9	14.6	7.4
2015	389	26.0	14.9	8.7
2016	374	26.0	14.3	11.5
2017	402	26.2	15.3	10.4
2018	411	29.4	13.9	12.9
2019	413	29.4	14.0	19.6
2020	409	29.6	13.8	16.9
2021	328	27.6	11.8	12.5
2022	393	27.6	14.2	9.9
2023	385	28.4	13.5	15.8

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 South Hanover Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	360	16.1	22.3	n/a
1989	375	18.4	20.3	n/a
1990	399	19.6	20.3	0
1991	409	22.3	18.3	n/a
1992	454	24.6	18.4	n/a
1993	476	23.5	20.3	n/a
1994	482	26.0	18.5	n/a
1995	396	19.5	20.3	n/a
1996	396	19.5	20.3	n/a
1997	385	22.7	17.0	n/a
1998	391	21.7	18.0	n/a
1999	409	22.0	18.6	n/a
2000	417	25.0	16.7	7.7
2001	403	24.7	16.3	8.2
2002	380	27.4	13.9	10
2003	380	27.4	13.9	10
2004	372	26.2	14.2	10.2
2005	363	26.1	13.9	10.5
2006	344	24.2	14.2	11
2007	356	23.7	15.0	10.7
2008	359	26.2	13.7	8.7
2009	367	24.6	14.9	8.6
2010	380	25.9	14.6	12.1
2011	388	24.9	15.5	11.1
2012	371	25.5	14.5	8.1
2013	382	24.5	15.5	8.1
2014	365	24.9	14.6	7.4
2015	389	26.0	14.9	8.7
2016	374	26.0	14.3	11.5
2017	402	26.2	15.3	10.4
2018	411	29.4	13.9	12.9
2019	413	29.4	14.0	19.6
2020	409	29.6	13.8	16.9
2021	328	27.6	11.8	12.5
2022	393	27.6	14.2	9.9
2023	385	28.4	13.5	15.8

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 South Hanover Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$95 (0.7%)	$14,319 (99.3%)	$14,414
2020	$62 (0.4%)	$14,194 (99.6%)	$14,256
2021	$231 (1.5%)	$15,104 (98.5%)	$15,335
2022	$518 (3.3%)	$15,408 (96.7%)	$15,926

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Hanover 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 279^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 324^th of 1534 Elementary schools	3.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (South Hanover Elementary School)	95	74.2	20.8%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Hanover Elementary School)	91.7	67.2	24.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (South Hanover Elementary School)	57.3	51	6.3%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (South Hanover Elementary School)	87.8	90.2	2.4%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Hanover Elementary School)	74.6	54.9	19.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
5th Grade Math (South Hanover Elementary School)	63.8	68.1	4.3%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Hanover Elementary School)	78.3	77.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
All Grades Math (South Hanover Elementary School)	71	65.1	5.9%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (South Hanover Elementary School)	87.8	90.2	2.4%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (South Hanover Elementary School)	81	67.8	13.2%
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	413	385	6.8%
African American	13	13
American Indian	0	0
Asian	27	22	18.5%
Hispanic	21	20	4.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	338	314	7.1%
Two or More Races	14	16	14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	19.6%	15.8%	3.8%

Schools Near South Hanover 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
South Hanover Elementary School	Public	K-5	15 W 3rd St	Hershey	17033	Dauphin County	Lower Dauphin School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 566-2564	385	28	13.5	15.8%	314 (81.6%)	13 (3.4%)	20 (5.2%)	22 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.2%)	77.7	324^th of 1534 public elementary schools	78.9%		84.8	202^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	86.8%	122	74.2	51.0	68.1	65.1	90.2	90.2	67.2	54.9	77.9	67.8	$15,926	$518	$15,408
Hershey Early Childhood Center	Public	K-1	450-Rear Homestead Road	Hershey	17033	Dauphin County	Derry Township School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 531-2211	416	37	11.3	17.3%	279 (67.1%)	18 (4.3%)	39 (9.4%)	47 (11.3%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (7.2%)								(n/a)											$22,881	$1,538	$21,343
Hershey Primary Elementary School	Public	2-3	450 Homestead Rd	Hershey	17033	Dauphin County	Derry Township School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 531-2277	447	33	13.7	23.0%	298 (66.7%)	22 (4.9%)	37 (8.3%)	62 (13.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	25 (5.6%)								(n/a)	74.5			74.5			74.0			74.0	$18,331	$1,070	$17,261
Hershey Intrmd Elementary School	Public	4-5	450 Homestead Rd	Hershey	17033	Dauphin County	Derry Township School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 531-2277	464	37	12.5	22.4%	296 (63.8%)	35 (7.5%)	34 (7.3%)	78 (16.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (4.1%)	86.2	171^st of 1534 public elementary schools	88.9%		82.7	240^th of 1534 public elementary schools	84.4%	69		77.5	60.5	68.9	90.4	90.4		79.8	75.4	77.6	$21,355	$1,649	$19,706
Nye Elementary School	Public	K-5	200 S John St	Hummelstown	17036	Dauphin County	Lower Dauphin School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 566-0300	315	25	12.7	38.1%	239 (75.9%)	1 (0.3%)	44 (14.0%)	6 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (7.9%)	64	618^th of 1534 public elementary schools	59.7%		64.2	606^th of 1534 public elementary schools	60.5%	12	60.0	53.3	43.1	52.3	86.4	86.4	50.9	64.4	64.7	59.6	$16,291	$883	$15,408
West Hanover Elementary School	Public	K-5	7740 Manor Dr	Harrisburg	17112	Dauphin County	Central Dauphin School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 657-3210	574	33	17.4	32.1%	399 (69.5%)	45 (7.8%)	28 (4.9%)	63 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.8%)	82.7	228^th of 1534 public elementary schools	85.1%		84.6	210^th of 1534 public elementary schools	86.3%	18	75.0	63.2	72.6	70.6	86.2	86.2	74.1	66.6	74.8	72.0	$13,209	$1,113	$12,096
Lingle Avenue Elementary School	Public	K-5	600 S Lingle Ave	Palmyra	17078	Lebanon County	Palmyra Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 838-1331	582	37	15.8	29.6%	425 (73.0%)	11 (1.9%)	51 (8.8%)	62 (10.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.7%)	89.4	107^th of 1534 public elementary schools	93.0%		90	95^th of 1534 public elementary schools	93.8%	12	92.7	71.2	75.7	80.0	86.4	86.4	85.5	73.1	85.7	81.6	$12,155	$533	$11,622
East Hanover Elementary School	Public	K-5	2673 Sand Beach Rd	Grantville	17028	Dauphin County	Lower Dauphin School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 469-2686	348	26	13.5	27.6%	270 (77.6%)	4 (1.1%)	48 (13.8%)	9 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.9%)	56.4	767^th of 1534 public elementary schools	50.0%		63.3	617^th of 1534 public elementary schools	59.8%	150	43.1	54.0	51.6	49.2	80.0	80.0	53.9	60.0	50.0	54.3	$15,976	$568	$15,408
Northside Elementary School	Public	1-5	301 E Spruce St	Palmyra	17078	Lebanon County	Palmyra Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 838-1331	232	19	12.3	40.9%	187 (80.6%)	9 (3.9%)	22 (9.5%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.2%)	85.5	184^th of 1534 public elementary schools	88.0%		80	288^th of 1534 public elementary schools	81.2%	104	86.0	72.1	61.9	73.5	90.7	90.7	79.1	72.1	69.8	73.6	$16,857	$965	$15,892
Pine Street Elementary School	Public	1-5	50 W Pine St	Palmyra	17078	Lebanon County	Palmyra Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 838-1331	362	25	14.6	31.8%	283 (78.2%)	3 (0.8%)	29 (8.0%)	24 (6.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.1%)	87	160^th of 1534 public elementary schools	89.6%		88.2	134^th of 1534 public elementary schools	91.3%	26	73.1	82.8	61.1	72.0	92.2	92.2	75.7	84.1	76.4	78.6	$14,979	$1,474	$13,505

South Hanover Elementary School

South Hanover Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Lower Dauphin School District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for South Hanover Elementary School

Rank History for all students at South Hanover Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Hanover Elementary School

Rank History for White students at South Hanover Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for South Hanover Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Hanover Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio South Hanover Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Hanover Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on South Hanover Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near South Hanover Elementary School