Northwest Elementary School

Summary:

Northwest Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 513 students in grades PK-4 in the Reading School District in Pennsylvania. The school faces significant challenges, with consistently low academic performance, a high-poverty student population, and very limited funding resources compared to other schools in the state.

Northwest Elementary School consistently ranks in the bottom 15% of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with only 20.6% of students proficient or better in ELA and 21.3% in Math, compared to state averages of 53% and 40.4% respectively. The school has a very high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, with 100% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Additionally, Northwest Elementary reported $0 in spending per student for the past 3 school years, which is extremely low compared to the state average and other nearby schools. However, the school does have a relatively low student-teacher ratio of around 14-15 students per teacher.

When comparing Northwest Elementary to other nearby schools in the Reading School District, it consistently performs worse academically. For example, in 2023-2024, Northwest had 20.6% proficiency in ELA compared to 29.5% at Tyson-Schoener Elementary and 35.1% at Glenside Elementary. The school's performance for specific student subgroups, such as Hispanic students and English Language Learners, is slightly better than its overall performance, but its performance for students with disabilities is in the bottom 5% of the state.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

 820 Clinton Street
       Reading, PA  19601-2306


(610) 371-5904

District: Reading School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1314th of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools


Students who attend Northwest Elementary School usually attend:

High:    Reading Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.5 Help
Number of students:  501

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
90.0%
African American:
5.4%
White:
3.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Northwest Elementary School ranks worse than 86.1% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 6th among 13 ranked elementary schools in the Reading School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.2. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (90%), African American (5.4%), White (3.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Reading School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northwest Elementary School is 13.5, which is the 4th best among 13 elementary schools in the Reading School District. (See more...)
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Compare Northwest Elementary School employs 37 full-time teachers.
Finance
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northwest Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Northwest Elementary School 1314th of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Northwest Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:


Reading School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Reading School District 558th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Northwest Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 16.34 1110th 1302 14.7%
2004 6.50 1196th 1308 8.6%
2005 11.31 1171st 1299 9.9%
2006 15.03 1380th 1545 10.7%
2007 15.90 1385th 1555 10.9%
2008 20.29 1346th 1551 13.2%
2009 33.98 1233rd 1549 20.4%
2010 32.34 1275th 1579 19.3%
2011 18.33 1413th 1597 11.5%
2012 19.37 1377th 1599 13.9%
2013 12.66 1329th 1519 12.5%
2014 9.44 1316th 1467 10.3%
2015 13.64 1263rd 1474 14.3%
2016 11.08 1351st 1554 13.1%
2017 5.91 1433rd 1547 7.4%
2018 6.99 1403rd 1530 8.3%
2019 12.24 1335th 1544 13.5%
2021 6.68 1316th 1433 8.2%
2022 13.68 1293rd 1534 15.7%
2023 11.05 1340th 1534 12.6%
2024 13.20 1314th 1526 13.9%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.40 131st 196 33.2%
2024 37.65 126th 200 37.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 17.71 1196th 1414 15.4%
2024 21.09 1178th 1432 17.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 9.47 1335th 1488 10.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 15.05 958th 1043 8.1%
2024 12.73 1032nd 1084 4.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 18.04 1221st 1495 18.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Northwest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 27.92 337th 432 22.0%
2024 33.25 319th 454 29.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Hispanic 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.

Northwest Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Northwest Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 233 175 7 203 0 n/a n/a 0 618
1989 232 167 4 199 0 n/a n/a 0 602
1990 240 171 3 222 0 n/a n/a 0 636
1991 209 164 1 235 0 n/a n/a 0 609
1992 211 166 1 251 0 n/a n/a 0 629
1993 187 168 4 315 0 n/a n/a 0 674
1994 163 167 4 299 0 n/a n/a 0 633
1995 179 180 2 384 1 n/a n/a 0 746
1996 179 180 2 384 1 n/a n/a 0 746
1997 153 204 5 460 1 n/a n/a 0 823
1998 128 220 6 429 1 n/a n/a 0 784
1999 109 225 6 461 1 n/a n/a 0 802
2000 87 216 4 438 0 n/a n/a 0 745
2001 67 166 8 452 0 n/a n/a 0 693
2002 50 190 2 618 0 n/a n/a 0 860
2003 50 190 2 618 0 n/a n/a 0 860
2004 53 155 1 615 0 n/a n/a 0 824
2005 46 116 3 612 0 n/a n/a 0 777
2006 58 119 4 656 0 n/a n/a 0 837
2007 41 125 2 642 0 n/a n/a 0 810
2008 50 78 5 631 0 n/a n/a 0 764
2009 37 83 3 675 0 n/a n/a 0 798
2010 43 75 3 646 0 n/a n/a 0 767
2011 44 80 4 665 2 0 0 0 795
2012 46 66 1 649 1 0 31 0 794
2013 38 57 3 685 0 0 21 0 804
2014 35 70 1 675 0 0 18 0 799
2015 35 64 1 658 0 0 11 0 769
2016 30 58 1 617 0 0 7 0 713
2017 33 52 1 625 0 0 2 0 713
2018 30 39 1 636 0 0 0 0 706
2019 28 38 1 634 0 0 1 0 702
2020 19 41 0 507 1 0 0 0 568
2021 13 28 0 472 0 0 2 0 515
2022 14 27 0 506 0 2 5 0 554
2023 17 30 0 458 0 2 6 0 513
2024 16 27 0 451 0 0 7 0 501

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 Northwest Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 618 29.7 20.8 n/a
1989 602 35.0 17.2 n/a
1990 636 33.0 19.2 0
1991 609 36.0 16.9 n/a
1992 629 32.5 19.3 n/a
1993 674 29.0 23.2 n/a
1994 633 27.0 23.4 n/a
1995 746 25.0 29.8 n/a
1996 746 25.0 29.8 n/a
1997 823 35.0 23.5 n/a
1998 784 35.0 22.4 n/a
1999 802 37.0 21.7 n/a
2000 745 37.0 20.1 73
2001 693 37.0 18.7 78.6
2002 860 39.7 21.7 78.4
2003 860 39.7 21.7 78.4
2004 824 44.2 18.6 72.9
2005 777 42.2 18.4 86.7
2006 837 41.8 20.0 83.9
2007 810 40.4 20.0 74.9
2008 764 52.3 14.6 86.4
2009 798 46.2 17.3 88.5
2010 767 48.5 15.8 96.3
2011 795 47.5 16.7 95.3
2012 794 44.5 17.8 93.1
2013 804 45.5 17.6 85.9
2014 799 42.0 19.0 93
2015 769 41.0 18.7 99.6
2016 713 40.0 17.8 100
2017 713 42.0 16.9 98.7
2018 706 43.0 16.4 98.9
2019 702 45.0 15.6 99.1
2020 568 37.0 15.3 99.5
2021 515 36.0 14.3 99.4
2022 554 35.0 15.7 99.5
2023 513 34.3 14.9 100
2024 501 37.0 13.5 100.6

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 Northwest Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 618 29.7 20.8 n/a
1989 602 35.0 17.2 n/a
1990 636 33.0 19.2 0
1991 609 36.0 16.9 n/a
1992 629 32.5 19.3 n/a
1993 674 29.0 23.2 n/a
1994 633 27.0 23.4 n/a
1995 746 25.0 29.8 n/a
1996 746 25.0 29.8 n/a
1997 823 35.0 23.5 n/a
1998 784 35.0 22.4 n/a
1999 802 37.0 21.7 n/a
2000 745 37.0 20.1 73
2001 693 37.0 18.7 78.6
2002 860 39.7 21.7 78.4
2003 860 39.7 21.7 78.4
2004 824 44.2 18.6 72.9
2005 777 42.2 18.4 86.7
2006 837 41.8 20.0 83.9
2007 810 40.4 20.0 74.9
2008 764 52.3 14.6 86.4
2009 798 46.2 17.3 88.5
2010 767 48.5 15.8 96.3
2011 795 47.5 16.7 95.3
2012 794 44.5 17.8 93.1
2013 804 45.5 17.6 85.9
2014 799 42.0 19.0 93
2015 769 41.0 18.7 99.6
2016 713 40.0 17.8 100
2017 713 42.0 16.9 98.7
2018 706 43.0 16.4 98.9
2019 702 45.0 15.6 99.1
2020 568 37.0 15.3 99.5
2021 515 36.0 14.3 99.4
2022 554 35.0 15.7 99.5
2023 513 34.3 14.9 100
2024 501 37.0 13.5 100.6

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 Northwest Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,325 (10.9%) $10,793 (89.1%) $12,118
2020 $00 (NaN) $00 (NaN) $00
2021 $00 (NaN) $00 (NaN) $00
2022 $00 (NaN) $00 (NaN) $00

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwest 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 1335th of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 1340th of 1534 Elementary schools
 0.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Northwest Elementary School)31.89.8
 22%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Northwest Elementary School)40.921
 19.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Northwest Elementary School)12.614.7
 2.1%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Northwest Elementary School)62.161.8
 0.3%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Northwest Elementary School)33.317.1
 16.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
All Grades Math (Northwest Elementary School)18.312.1
 6.2%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Northwest Elementary School)62.161.8
 0.3%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Northwest Elementary School)34.919.1
 15.8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students702513
 26.9%
African American3830
 21.1%
American Indian00
Asian10
 100%
Hispanic634458
 27.8%
Pacific Islander02
White2817
 39.3%
Two or More Races16
 500%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.1%100%
 0.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Northwest Elementary School

Students at Northwest Elementary School are 90% Hispanic, 5% African American, 3% White, 1% Two or more races.

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

High : Reading Senior High School

Northwest Elementary School ranks in the bottom 13.9% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

In the 2023-24 school year, 501 students attended Northwest Elementary 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.





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