Mars Area Middle School

Summary:

Mars Area Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 7-8 in the Mars Area School District, with a student population of 484 located in Mars, PA. The school has consistently received high rankings from SchoolDigger, with a 5-star rating in most years and ranking among the top middle schools in Pennsylvania.

Mars Area Middle School consistently outperforms the state averages in PSSA test scores across all subjects and grade levels, with 72% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts compared to the state average of 53.8%, and 46.6% proficiency in math compared to the state's 39.3%. However, the school has a relatively homogeneous student population, with over 94% of students identifying as White, which is higher than the racial diversity seen in many nearby schools like Ingomar Middle School (74.13% White) and Hampton Middle School (92.89% White). Additionally, only 10.54% of Mars Area Middle School students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, significantly lower than the surrounding schools like Knoch Middle School (32.06%) and Deer Lakes Middle School (37.91%).

Despite its academic success, Mars Area Middle School's lack of racial diversity and socioeconomic disparity compared to nearby schools may be areas for the district to explore. However, the school's consistent 0% dropout rate is a remarkable achievement, suggesting the district has effective strategies in place to support student engagement and retention. Overall, Mars Area Middle School is a high-performing school that excels academically and maintains a strong reputation within the state, though its demographics and performance metrics set it apart from many of the surrounding schools.

Detail:

Public 7-8

1775 Three Degree Rd
Mars, PA 16046-3129

(724) 625-3145

District: Mars Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
86^th of 893 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,649

Students who attend Mars Area Middle School usually attend:

High:

Mars Area Senior High School

Feeder schools for Mars Area Middle School:

Elementary:	Mars Area Elementary School
	Mars Area Primary Center

Student/teacher ratio: 13.2

Number of students: 484

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.4%

Asian:

2.9%

African American:

1.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 10.5%

See top rated Pennsylvania middle schools

Compare Mars Area Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mars Area Middle School ranks better than 90.4% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 87.2. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (94.4%), Asian (2.9%), African American (1.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 10.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mars Area Middle School is 13.2. (See more...)

Compare Mars Area Middle School employs 36.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mars Area Middle School is $12,649.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Mars Area Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Mars Area Middle School 86^th of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Mars Area Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle 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 Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Mars Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	84.41	79^th	643	87.7%
2004	79.65	120^th	663	81.9%
2005	85.33	85^th	687	87.6%
2006	83.60	66^th	736	91.0%
2007	72.71	190^th	749	74.6%
2008	78.82	126^th	753	83.3%
2009	79.72	111^th	770	85.6%
2010	84.45	63^rd	805	92.2%
2011	85.81	42^nd	825	94.9%
2012	82.92	82^nd	834	90.2%
2013	86.56	31^st	758	95.9%
2014	87.86	22^nd	728	97.0%
2015	91.19	39^th	835	95.3%
2016	89.15	57^th	870	93.4%
2017	90.89	43^rd	877	95.1%
2018	92.91	28^th	861	96.7%
2019	90.43	51^st	891	94.3%
2021	84.18	84^th	797	89.5%
2022	86.61	87^th	883	90.1%
2023	87.20	86^th	893	90.4%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	56.46	356^th	874	59.3%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Mars Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	67.04	142^nd	660	78.5%

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

Rank History for White students at Mars Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	77.96	106^th	681	84.4%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle 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 Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	385	2	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	392
1989	426	5	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	435
1990	457	7	4	4	0	n/a	n/a	472
1991	452	5	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	462
1992	423	5	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	433
1993	427	7	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	440
1994	470	5	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	479
1995	557	5	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	566
1996	557	5	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	566
1997	546	8	1	5	1	n/a	n/a	561
1998	588	8	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	603
1999	573	6	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	583
2000	612	5	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	621
2001	609	3	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	616
2002	663	1	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	668
2003	663	1	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	668
2004	651	0	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	654
2005	672	0	3	1	1	n/a	n/a	677
2006	667	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	668
2007	701	0	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	706
2008	454	0	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	459
2009	471	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	474
2010	456	0	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	460
2011	484	0	1	0	1	0	1	487
2012	493	2	4	2	1	0	2	504
2013	529	4	4	3	2	0	3	545
2014	513	8	8	7	2	0	2	540
2015	488	5	6	9	0	0	3	511
2016	533	3	6	5	0	0	3	550
2017	528	4	10	4	0	0	2	548
2018	502	4	7	3	0	0	1	517
2019	513	4	9	7	0	0	0	533
2020	505	5	14	10	0	0	2	536
2021	488	6	10	7	0	0	3	514
2022	488	7	12	7	0	0	2	516
2023	457	6	14	6	0	0	1	484

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 Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	392	29.2	13.4	n/a
1989	435	29.8	14.5	n/a
1990	472	29.6	15.9	0
1991	462	34.6	13.3	n/a
1992	433	33.0	13.1	n/a
1993	440	27.0	16.3	n/a
1994	479	28.0	17.1	n/a
1995	566	31.0	18.3	n/a
1996	566	31.0	18.3	n/a
1997	561	32.0	17.5	n/a
1998	603	36.0	16.8	n/a
1999	583	37.0	15.8	n/a
2000	621	38.5	16.1	17.4
2001	616	39.0	15.8	12
2002	668	43.0	15.5	10
2003	668	43.0	15.5	10
2004	654	43.2	15.1	11.6
2005	677	46.3	14.6	9.9
2006	668	42.7	15.6	8.8
2007	706	45.0	15.7	8.1
2008	459	33.0	13.9	8.5
2009	474	34.0	13.9	7.8
2010	460	35.0	13.1	7.4
2011	487	35.1	13.8	7
2012	504	34.1	14.7	8.3
2013	545	31.1	17.4	8.6
2014	540	33.3	16.1	8.7
2015	511	30.0	17.0	10.4
2016	550	35.0	15.7	7.5
2017	548	33.5	16.3	7.7
2018	517	37.3	13.8	7.9
2019	533	35.3	15.0	3.2
2020	536	34.3	15.6	n/a
2021	514	34.3	14.9	8
2022	516	35.5	14.5	3.7
2023	484	36.5	13.2	10.5

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 Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	392	29.2	13.4	n/a
1989	435	29.8	14.5	n/a
1990	472	29.6	15.9	0
1991	462	34.6	13.3	n/a
1992	433	33.0	13.1	n/a
1993	440	27.0	16.3	n/a
1994	479	28.0	17.1	n/a
1995	566	31.0	18.3	n/a
1996	566	31.0	18.3	n/a
1997	561	32.0	17.5	n/a
1998	603	36.0	16.8	n/a
1999	583	37.0	15.8	n/a
2000	621	38.5	16.1	17.4
2001	616	39.0	15.8	12
2002	668	43.0	15.5	10
2003	668	43.0	15.5	10
2004	654	43.2	15.1	11.6
2005	677	46.3	14.6	9.9
2006	668	42.7	15.6	8.8
2007	706	45.0	15.7	8.1
2008	459	33.0	13.9	8.5
2009	474	34.0	13.9	7.8
2010	460	35.0	13.1	7.4
2011	487	35.1	13.8	7
2012	504	34.1	14.7	8.3
2013	545	31.1	17.4	8.6
2014	540	33.3	16.1	8.7
2015	511	30.0	17.0	10.4
2016	550	35.0	15.7	7.5
2017	548	33.5	16.3	7.7
2018	517	37.3	13.8	7.9
2019	533	35.3	15.0	3.2
2020	536	34.3	15.6	n/a
2021	514	34.3	14.9	8
2022	516	35.5	14.5	3.7
2023	484	36.5	13.2	10.5

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 Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$13,246 (100.0%)	$13,246
2020	$118 (0.9%)	$13,342 (99.1%)	$13,460
2021	$344 (2.7%)	$12,540 (97.3%)	$12,884
2022	$163 (1.3%)	$12,486 (98.7%)	$12,649

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mars Area Middle 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 51^st of 891 Middle schools	Ranks 86^th of 893 Middle schools	3.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade Math (Mars Area Middle School)	63.3	51.4	11.9%
7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	38.2	33.2	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Mars Area Middle School)	82.9	73.2	9.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.5	54.5	6%
8th Grade Math (Mars Area Middle School)	48.4	41.9	6.5%
8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	32.2	26	6.2%
8th Grade Science (Mars Area Middle School)	78.8	73.2	5.6%
8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	58.2	57	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Mars Area Middle School)	80	70.8	9.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	57.9	52.8	5.1%
All Grades Math (Mars Area Middle School)	56	46.6	9.4%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Mars Area Middle School)	78.8	73.2	5.6%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Mars Area Middle School)	81.4	72	9.4%
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	533	484	9.2%
African American	4	6	50%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	9	14	55.6%
Hispanic	7	6	14.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	513	457	10.9%
Two or More Races	0	1
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	3.2%	10.5%	7.3%

Schools Near Mars Area Middle 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 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Mars Area Middle School	Public	7-8	1775 Three Degree Rd	Mars	16046	Butler County	Mars Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 625-3145	484	37	13.2	10.5%	457 (94.4%)	6 (1.2%)	6 (1.2%)	14 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	87.2	86^th of 893 public middle schools	90.4%		86.6	87^th of 883 public middle schools	90.1%	1				51.4	41.9	46.6		73.2	73.2				73.2	70.8	72.0	$12,649	$163	$12,486
Mars Area Centennial School	Public	5-6	100 Winfield Manor Dr	Mars	16046	Butler County	Mars Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 625-2601	540	33	16.6	11.7%	507 (93.9%)	4 (0.7%)	9 (1.7%)	18 (3.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)								(n/a)		59.7	66.3			63.0					73.8	78.3			76.0	$11,239	$83	$11,155
Eden Hall Upper Elementary School	Public	4-6	3900 Bakerstown Road	Gibsonia	15044	Allegheny County	Pine-Richland School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 443-1450	1,035	73	14.2	7.7%	879 (84.9%)	16 (1.5%)	31 (3.0%)	71 (6.9%)	5 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	32 (3.1%)								(n/a)	78.1	69.4	65.7			71.1	95.3		95.3	83.7	78.6	75.0			79.2	$16,232	$453	$15,779
Pine-Richland Middle School	Public	7-8	100 Logan Rd	Gibsonia	15044	Allegheny County	Pine-Richland School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 625-3111	724	56	12.8	7.2%	613 (84.7%)	6 (0.8%)	19 (2.6%)	60 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	24 (3.3%)	95.6	23^rd of 893 public middle schools	97.4%		93	36^th of 883 public middle schools	95.9%	13				64.0	50.9	57.4		85.4	85.4				86.4	80.0	83.1	$17,783	$636	$17,147
Marshall Middle School	Public	6-8	5145 Wexford Run Rd	Wexford	15090	Allegheny County	North Allegheny School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 934-6060	793	59	13.5	5.4%	478 (60.3%)	12 (1.5%)	26 (3.3%)	244 (30.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (4.0%)	97	14^th of 893 public middle schools	98.4%		96.2	15^th of 883 public middle schools	98.3%	1			72.5	67.5	63.4	67.8		87.6	87.6			86.8	88.3	84.3	86.5	$18,001	$271	$17,730
Ehrman Crest Middle School	Public	5-6	2070A Ehrman Rd	Cranberry Twp	16066	Butler County	Seneca Valley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 538-8800	615	40	15.4	18.4%	556 (90.4%)	10 (1.6%)	8 (1.3%)	8 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (5.2%)								(n/a)		59.4	49.8			54.8					67.0	71.5			69.2	$16,094	$1,020	$15,074
Hampton Middle School	Public	6-8	4589 School Rd	Allison Park	15101	Allegheny County	Hampton Township School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 492-6356	633	52	12.1	16.6%	588 (92.9%)	3 (0.5%)	6 (0.9%)	23 (3.6%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.6%)	95	28^th of 893 public middle schools	96.9%		95	23^rd of 883 public middle schools	97.4%	5			55.3	64.4	63.3	60.9		86.7	86.7			86.1	84.2	87.6	86.0	$29	$01	$28
Deer Lakes Middle School	Public	6-8	17 East Union Road	Cheswick	15024	Allegheny County	Deer Lakes School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 265-5310	422	34	12.2	37.9%	402 (95.3%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.6%)	69.5	252^nd of 893 public middle schools	71.8%		74.6	193^rd of 883 public middle schools	78.1%	59			58.5	38.7	33.1	42.8		61.7	61.7			61.0	50.8	57.9	56.4	$16,308	$1,114	$15,194
Haine Middle School	Public	5-6	1516 Haine School Road	Cranberry Twp	16066	Butler County	Seneca Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 776-1325	494	42	11.6	19.8%	387 (78.3%)	22 (4.5%)	24 (4.9%)	29 (5.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.3%)								(n/a)		58.5	61.0			59.7					68.7	72.8			70.6	$16,453	$821	$15,632
Knoch Middle School	Public	6-8	754 Dinnerbell Rd	Saxonburg	16056	Butler County	Knoch School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 352-1700	499	35	14.4	32.1%	484 (97.0%)	3 (0.6%)	5 (1.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.8%)	73	217^th of 893 public middle schools	75.7%		70.3	241^st of 883 public middle schools	72.7%	24			44.5	36.8	25.1	35.1		68.8	68.8			70.3	64.4	65.0	66.4	$16,478	$820	$15,658

Frequently Asked Questions about Mars Area Middle School

What high school do graduates of Mars Area Middle School attend?

Students who attend Mars Area Middle School usually go on to attend Mars Area Senior High School

Is Mars Area Middle School a good school?

Yes. Mars Area Middle School ranks in the top 9.6% of Pennsylvania middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Mars Area Middle School?

Students at Mars Area Middle School are 94% White, 3% Asian, 1% African American, 1% Hispanic.

What district is Mars Area Middle School in?

Mars Area School District

How many students attend Mars Area Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 484 students attended Mars Area Middle School.

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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.