Mars Area Elementary School

Summary:

Mars Area Elementary School is a highly-rated public elementary school serving grades 2-4 in the Mars Area School District in Mars, Pennsylvania. With 907 students, the school has consistently ranked among the top 10-15% of Pennsylvania elementary schools over the past decade, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

One of the key factors that sets Mars Area Elementary School apart is its exceptional academic performance. The school consistently outperforms state and district averages on PSSA tests in Math, Science, and English Language Arts, with 77.1% of students proficient or better in Math compared to 39.3% statewide and 63.3% in the district. The school also has a significantly higher percentage of white students (93.27%) and a lower percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds (12.79%) compared to nearby schools like Haine Elementary and Marshall Elementary.

Despite its high academic performance, Mars Area Elementary School spends relatively efficiently, with $11,192 per student, which is lower than the spending at some nearby high-performing schools like Poff Elementary ($50 per student) and Marshall Elementary ($16,323 per student). This suggests the school may be able to achieve excellent results with relatively efficient use of resources, providing valuable insights for other districts.

Detail:

Public 2-4

549 Route 228
Mars, PA 16046-3123

(724) 625-3161

District: Mars Area School District

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,192

Students who attend Mars Area Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Mars Area Centennial School
	Mars Area Middle School
High:	Mars Area Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.6

Number of students: 907

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.3%

Asian:

3.7%

Hispanic:

1.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 12.8%

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Compare Mars Area Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mars Area Elementary School ranks better than 90.5% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 87.6. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (93.3%), Asian (3.7%), Hispanic (1.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 12.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mars Area Elementary School is 17.6. (See more...)

Compare Mars Area Elementary School employs 51.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mars Area Elementary School is $11,192.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Mars Area Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mars Area Elementary School 146^th of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Mars Area Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Mars Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Mars Area School District 45^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Mars Area Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Mars Area Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	82.26	218^th	1302	83.3%
2004	65.20	523^rd	1308	60.0%
2005	77.88	243^rd	1299	81.3%
2006	71.97	428^th	1545	72.3%
2007	74.41	381^st	1555	75.5%
2008	79.89	216^th	1551	86.1%
2009	77.20	277^th	1549	82.1%
2010	82.04	151^st	1579	90.4%
2011	79.84	218^th	1597	86.3%
2012	81.80	157^th	1599	90.2%
2013	81.51	183^rd	1519	88.0%
2014	85.23	88^th	1467	94.0%
2015	86.19	132^nd	1474	91.0%
2016	82.96	218^th	1554	86.0%
2017	86.06	149^th	1547	90.4%
2018	86.75	131^st	1530	91.4%
2019	84.59	179^th	1544	88.4%
2021	87.67	124^th	1433	91.3%
2022	86.44	173^rd	1534	88.7%
2023	87.60	146^th	1534	90.5%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Mars Area Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	72.08	335^th	1414	76.3%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Mars Area Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	83.03	112^th	1043	89.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Mars Area Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	83.01	160^th	1236	87.1%

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 Mars Area Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	236	0	2	0	4	n/a	n/a	0	242
1989	237	1	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	242
1990	275	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	277
1991	257	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	257
1992	262	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	262
1993	282	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	284
1994	347	3	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	353
1995	399	2	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	405
1996	399	2	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	405
1997	434	1	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	437
1998	470	1	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	474
1999	476	0	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	480
2000	500	2	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	504
2001	397	1	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	400
2002	391	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	392
2003	391	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	392
2004	496	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	498
2005	630	1	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	635
2006	647	1	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	652
2007	639	2	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	645
2008	699	1	6	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	714
2009	703	4	8	2	3	n/a	n/a	0	720
2010	677	5	9	6	1	n/a	n/a	1	699
2011	683	8	10	6	2	0	0	0	709
2012	711	6	16	9	1	0	3	0	746
2013	715	9	13	5	0	0	2	0	744
2014	685	6	18	7	0	0	2	0	718
2015	702	5	19	6	0	0	1	0	733
2016	708	9	24	8	0	0	2	0	751
2017	690	11	28	6	0	0	2	0	737
2018	673	13	20	7	0	0	1	0	714
2019	681	11	18	10	0	0	2	0	722
2020	722	9	19	13	1	0	1	0	765
2021	756	8	19	13	1	0	1	0	798
2022	813	6	22	8	1	0	6	0	856
2023	846	7	34	12	0	0	8	0	907

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 Mars Area Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	242	13.4	18.0	n/a
1989	242	15.2	15.9	n/a
1990	277	16.2	17.0	0
1991	257	15.7	16.3	n/a
1992	262	17.0	15.4	n/a
1993	284	12.0	23.7	n/a
1994	353	14.0	25.2	n/a
1995	405	20.0	20.3	n/a
1996	405	20.0	20.3	n/a
1997	437	21.0	20.8	n/a
1998	474	23.0	20.6	n/a
1999	480	25.0	19.2	n/a
2000	504	30.0	16.8	12.5
2001	400	25.0	16.0	9
2002	392	23.0	17.0	6.6
2003	392	23.0	17.0	6.6
2004	498	26.2	19.0	5.4
2005	635	34.2	18.6	4.1
2006	652	35.6	18.3	8.6
2007	645	35.8	18.0	8.4
2008	714	40.5	17.6	5
2009	720	44.5	16.2	4.2
2010	699	44.5	15.7	9.2
2011	709	44.5	15.9	9.3
2012	746	42.5	17.5	8.2
2013	744	41.5	17.9	5.8
2014	718	40.7	17.6	7.8
2015	733	43.0	17.0	9.5
2016	751	50.0	15.0	9.2
2017	737	48.4	15.2	9.6
2018	714	49.9	14.3	8.1
2019	722	48.4	14.9	9.3
2020	765	50.2	15.2	9.9
2021	798	51.4	15.5	11.2
2022	856	51.4	16.6	9.6
2023	907	51.4	17.6	12.8

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 Mars Area Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	242	13.4	18.0	n/a
1989	242	15.2	15.9	n/a
1990	277	16.2	17.0	0
1991	257	15.7	16.3	n/a
1992	262	17.0	15.4	n/a
1993	284	12.0	23.7	n/a
1994	353	14.0	25.2	n/a
1995	405	20.0	20.3	n/a
1996	405	20.0	20.3	n/a
1997	437	21.0	20.8	n/a
1998	474	23.0	20.6	n/a
1999	480	25.0	19.2	n/a
2000	504	30.0	16.8	12.5
2001	400	25.0	16.0	9
2002	392	23.0	17.0	6.6
2003	392	23.0	17.0	6.6
2004	498	26.2	19.0	5.4
2005	635	34.2	18.6	4.1
2006	652	35.6	18.3	8.6
2007	645	35.8	18.0	8.4
2008	714	40.5	17.6	5
2009	720	44.5	16.2	4.2
2010	699	44.5	15.7	9.2
2011	709	44.5	15.9	9.3
2012	746	42.5	17.5	8.2
2013	744	41.5	17.9	5.8
2014	718	40.7	17.6	7.8
2015	733	43.0	17.0	9.5
2016	751	50.0	15.0	9.2
2017	737	48.4	15.2	9.6
2018	714	49.9	14.3	8.1
2019	722	48.4	14.9	9.3
2020	765	50.2	15.2	9.9
2021	798	51.4	15.5	11.2
2022	856	51.4	16.6	9.6
2023	907	51.4	17.6	12.8

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 Mars Area Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$13,230 (100.0%)	$13,230
2020	$118 (1.0%)	$11,450 (99.0%)	$11,568
2021	$325 (2.9%)	$11,048 (97.1%)	$11,374
2022	$106 (0.9%)	$11,085 (99.0%)	$11,192

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mars Area 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 179^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 146^th of 1534 Elementary schools	2.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Mars Area Elementary School)	75.7	75.8	0.1%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mars Area Elementary School)	86.4	74.8	11.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Mars Area Elementary School)	72.8	78.4	5.6%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Mars Area Elementary School)	91.2	92	0.8%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mars Area Elementary School)	88.6	81.7	6.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
All Grades Math (Mars Area Elementary School)	74.2	77.1	2.9%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Mars Area Elementary School)	91.2	92	0.8%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Mars Area Elementary School)	87.5	78.2	9.3%
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	722	907	25.6%
African American	11	7	36.4%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	18	34	88.9%
Hispanic	10	12	20%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	681	846	24.2%
Two or More Races	2	8	300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	9.3%	12.8%	3.5%

Schools Near Mars Area 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
Mars Area Elementary School	Public	2-4	549 Route 228	Mars	16046	Butler County	Mars Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 625-3161	907	51	17.6	12.8%	846 (93.3%)	7 (0.8%)	12 (1.3%)	34 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (0.9%)	87.6	146^th of 1534 public elementary schools	90.5%		86.4	173^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	88.7%	27	75.8	78.4		77.1	92.0	92.0	74.8	81.7		78.2	$11,192	$106	$11,085
Mars Area Primary Center	Public	K-1	547 Route 228	Mars	16046	Butler County	Mars Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 625-1588	532	25	21.1	10.5%	493 (92.7%)	4 (0.8%)	4 (0.8%)	24 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.3%)								(n/a)											$9,789	$123	$9,666
Richland Elementary School	Public	K-3	3811 Bakerstown Road	Gibsonia	15044	Allegheny County	Pine-Richland School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 443-1558	495	34	14.6	5.9%	422 (85.3%)	7 (1.4%)	15 (3.0%)	31 (6.3%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.2%)								(n/a)	81.8			81.8			77.7			77.7	$14,809	$542	$14,267
Hance Elementary School	Public	K-3	5518 Molnar Drive	Gibsonia	15044	Allegheny County	Pine-Richland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 443-1541	408	25	16.2	8.3%	361 (88.5%)	3 (0.7%)	9 (2.2%)	7 (1.7%)	11 (2.7%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.9%)								(n/a)	75.3			75.3			66.3			66.3	$14,133	$619	$13,513
Rowan Elementary School	Public	K-4	8051 Rowan Rd	Cranberry Twp	16066	Butler County	Seneca Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 776-1518	527	37	14.3	14.0%	449 (85.2%)	13 (2.5%)	13 (2.5%)	20 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.1%)	84.9	192^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	87.5%		85	198^th of 1534 public elementary schools	87.1%	6	74.2	68.2		71.1	90.7	90.7	75.0	78.5		76.8	$15,103	$812	$14,291
Wexford Elementary School	Public	K-3	250 Brown Road	Wexford	15090	Allegheny County	Pine-Richland School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 935-4631	433	24	18.1	3.7%	321 (74.1%)	6 (1.4%)	15 (3.5%)	70 (16.2%)	7 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.2%)								(n/a)	84.8			84.8			76.2			76.2	$13,927	$222	$13,705
Bradford Woods Elementary School	Public	K-5	41 Forest Road	Bradfordwoods	15015	Allegheny County	North Allegheny School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 935-5081	357	27	13.1	7.8%	284 (79.6%)	4 (1.1%)	16 (4.5%)	42 (11.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.8%)	96.4	2^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	99.9%		96.5	2^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	99.9%		94.2	92.0	93.6	93.4	98.0	98.0	88.4	96.0	93.6	92.3	$17,422	$297	$17,125
Poff Elementary School	Public	K-5	2990 Haberlein Rd	Gibsonia	15044	Allegheny County	Hampton Township School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 492-6335	314	22	14.4	9.9%	289 (92.0%)	2 (0.6%)	7 (2.2%)	10 (3.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.6%)	96	3^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	99.8%		93.1	43^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	97.2%	40	92.7	98.3	78.7	90.8	100.0	100.0	88.9	93.4	95.7	92.6	$50	$02	$49
Marshall Elementary School	Public	K-5	5135 Wexford Run Rd	Wexford	15090	Allegheny County	North Allegheny School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 935-4044	768	53	14.5	6.8%	401 (52.2%)	10 (1.3%)	21 (2.7%)	290 (37.8%)	7 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (5.1%)	92.3	50^th of 1534 public elementary schools	96.7%		94.2	15^th of 1534 public elementary schools	99.0%	35	83.2	86.3	75.8	82.1	95.8	95.8	79.2	86.0	83.7	83.1	$16,323	$562	$15,761
Ehrman Crest Elementary School	Public	K-4	2070 Ehrman Rd	Cranberry Twp	16066	Butler County	Seneca Valley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 538-3680	758	51	14.7	18.9%	663 (87.5%)	9 (1.2%)	34 (4.5%)	16 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	35 (4.6%)	76.7	338^th of 1534 public elementary schools	78.0%		72.7	438^th of 1534 public elementary schools	71.4%	100	77.4	60.0		68.5	86.9	86.9	64.9	65.5		65.3	$15,286	$940	$14,346

Frequently Asked Questions about Mars Area Elementary School

How many students attend Mars Area Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 907 students attended Mars Area Elementary School.

Is Mars Area Elementary School a good school?

Yes. Mars Area Elementary School ranks in the top 9.5% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Mars Area Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Mars Area Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Mars Area Centennial School
Middle : Mars Area Middle School
High : Mars Area Senior High School

What is the racial makeup of Mars Area Elementary School?

Students at Mars Area Elementary School are 93% White, 4% Asian, 1% Hispanic.

What district is Mars Area Elementary School in?

Mars Area School District

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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.