Is Central Elementary School a good school?

Central Elementary School ranks 716 th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Central Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 440 students attended Central Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Central Elementary School?

Students at Central Elementary School are 90% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic, 3% African American.

What schools do graduates of Central Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Rommelt Elementary School High : South Williamsport Area Junior/Senior High School

Central Elementary School

Summary:

Central Elementary School is a public elementary school located in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, serving 440 students in grades K-4. The school is part of the South Williamsport Area School District, which is ranked 374 out of 606 districts in the state.

Central Elementary School consistently outperforms the district and state in academic assessments, with significantly higher proficiency rates in PSSA Math, Science, and English Language Arts. However, the school has a relatively homogeneous student population, with 90% of students identifying as White, which is higher than nearby schools like Hepburn-Lycoming Primary School (75.68% White) and Jackson Primary School (49.53% White). Additionally, Central Elementary School has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (50.68%) compared to the state average, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

While Central Elementary School's overall academic performance is strong, its ranking and rating have fluctuated over the years, ranging from a high of 201 out of 1,474 Pennsylvania elementary schools and a 4-star rating in 2014-2015 to a low of 983 out of 1,433 schools and a 2-star rating in 2020-2021. The school's current ranking is 716 out of 1,534 schools, with a 3-star rating. Additionally, the school's performance for specific subgroups, such as White students and students with disabilities, is lower than the overall school performance, and its low spending per student and higher student-teacher ratio may be areas for further investigation and potential improvement.

Detail:

Public K-4

555 W Mountain Ave
South Williamsport, PA 17702-7507

(570) 323-3694

District: South Williamsport Area School District

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $30

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Rommelt Elementary School
High:	South Williamsport Area Junior/Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.7

Number of students: 440

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.0%

Two or more races:

3.6%

Hispanic:

3.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.7%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare Central Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Central Elementary School ranks better than 53.3% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.24. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (90%), two or more races (3.6%), Hispanic (3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 50.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 14.7. (See more...)

Compare Central Elementary School employs 29.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Elementary School is $30.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Central Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Elementary School 716^th of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Central Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

South Williamsport Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks South Williamsport Area School District 374^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Central Elementary School.

What do you think?

Your rating for Central Elementary School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Central Elementary School

Compare

Rank History for all students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2006	69.59	485^th	1545	68.6%
2007	68.18	535^th	1555	65.6%
2008	66.25	586^th	1551	62.2%
2009	73.64	373^rd	1549	75.9%
2010	77.60	269^th	1579	83.0%
2011	69.41	518^th	1597	67.6%
2012	64.83	699^th	1599	56.3%
2013	68.83	540^th	1519	64.5%
2014	68.09	542^nd	1467	63.1%
2015	83.04	201^st	1474	86.4%
2016	80.91	262^nd	1554	83.1%
2017	69.01	528^th	1547	65.9%
2018	57.78	775^th	1530	49.3%
2019	57.63	783^rd	1544	49.3%
2021	39.02	983^rd	1433	31.4%
2022	49.84	898^th	1534	41.5%
2023	59.24	716^th	1534	53.3%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	59.94	588^th	1414	58.4%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	35.53	676^th	1043	35.2%

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

Rank History for White students at Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	39.40	824^th	1236	33.3%

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: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Do not send your children here if they have an IEP, a 504, or any kind of a disability. The assistant superintendant has no idea what he's doing, and the PA Department of Education has now placed the school district under the Warning category, as its scores are faltering, especially in the area of IEP/Special Education. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	476	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	477
1989	504	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	505
1990	504	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	504
1991	510	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	513
1992	433	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	436
1993	438	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	439
1994	453	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	456
1995	427	5	6	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	439
1996	427	5	6	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	439
1997	419	5	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	433
1998	402	9	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	416
1999	391	3	4	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	404
2000	411	4	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	421
2001	421	4	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	431
2002	507	11	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	520
2003	507	11	1	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	520
2004	474	8	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	484
2005	455	4	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	465
2006	456	10	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	473
2007	472	12	5	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	493
2008	441	9	4	3	1	n/a	n/a	4	462
2009	461	12	6	2	2	n/a	n/a	3	486
2010	482	15	7	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	504
2011	455	14	5	5	1	0	0	0	480
2012	475	15	6	5	0	0	1	0	502
2013	482	14	9	4	1	0	2	0	512
2014	475	19	11	5	0	0	2	0	512
2015	442	17	7	11	0	1	5	0	483
2016	455	16	8	8	0	1	11	0	499
2017	434	13	6	6	0	1	13	0	473
2018	426	9	3	4	0	1	19	0	462
2019	426	10	4	6	0	0	32	0	478
2020	433	9	1	8	0	0	33	0	484
2021	393	12	2	8	0	0	28	0	443
2022	405	9	4	14	0	0	25	0	457
2023	396	11	4	13	0	0	16	0	440

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	477	24.0	19.8	n/a
1989	505	27.1	18.6	n/a
1990	504	27.1	18.5	0
1991	513	27.1	18.9	n/a
1992	436	24.5	17.7	n/a
1993	439	23.8	18.4	n/a
1994	456	24.8	18.4	n/a
1995	439	23.0	19.1	n/a
1996	439	23.0	19.1	n/a
1997	433	24.0	18.0	n/a
1998	416	25.0	16.6	n/a
1999	404	25.0	16.2	n/a
2000	421	27.0	15.6	29.2
2001	431	26.0	16.6	29.5
2002	520	28.0	18.6	23.5
2003	520	28.0	18.6	23.5
2004	484	27.5	17.6	27.3
2005	465	30.1	15.4	26.2
2006	473	31.1	15.2	36.2
2007	493	31.0	15.9	35.3
2008	462	32.0	14.4	39.7
2009	486	32.0	15.2	37.5
2010	504	33.5	15.0	37.7
2011	480	32.5	14.7	32.5
2012	502	30.5	16.4	37.1
2013	512	28.5	17.9	33.4
2014	512	30.3	16.8	35.7
2015	483	30.0	16.1	39.1
2016	499	30.0	16.6	41.3
2017	473	31.5	15.0	47.8
2018	462	30.5	15.1	47.6
2019	478	30.0	15.9	46
2020	484	29.7	16.2	54.1
2021	443	30.2	14.6	48.3
2022	457	32.0	14.2	51
2023	440	29.7	14.7	50.7

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	477	24.0	19.8	n/a
1989	505	27.1	18.6	n/a
1990	504	27.1	18.5	0
1991	513	27.1	18.9	n/a
1992	436	24.5	17.7	n/a
1993	439	23.8	18.4	n/a
1994	456	24.8	18.4	n/a
1995	439	23.0	19.1	n/a
1996	439	23.0	19.1	n/a
1997	433	24.0	18.0	n/a
1998	416	25.0	16.6	n/a
1999	404	25.0	16.2	n/a
2000	421	27.0	15.6	29.2
2001	431	26.0	16.6	29.5
2002	520	28.0	18.6	23.5
2003	520	28.0	18.6	23.5
2004	484	27.5	17.6	27.3
2005	465	30.1	15.4	26.2
2006	473	31.1	15.2	36.2
2007	493	31.0	15.9	35.3
2008	462	32.0	14.4	39.7
2009	486	32.0	15.2	37.5
2010	504	33.5	15.0	37.7
2011	480	32.5	14.7	32.5
2012	502	30.5	16.4	37.1
2013	512	28.5	17.9	33.4
2014	512	30.3	16.8	35.7
2015	483	30.0	16.1	39.1
2016	499	30.0	16.6	41.3
2017	473	31.5	15.0	47.8
2018	462	30.5	15.1	47.6
2019	478	30.0	15.9	46
2020	484	29.7	16.2	54.1
2021	443	30.2	14.6	48.3
2022	457	32.0	14.2	51
2023	440	29.7	14.7	50.7

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 Central Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$02 (8.3%)	$22 (91.7%)	$24
2020	$02 (8.3%)	$22 (91.7%)	$24
2021	$03 (10.0%)	$27 (90.0%)	$30
2022	$04 (13.3%)	$26 (86.7%)	$30

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central 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 783^rd of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 716^th of 1534 Elementary schools	4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Central Elementary School)	52.1	57.6	5.5%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	65.7	54.3	11.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Central Elementary School)	59.4	51.7	7.7%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Central Elementary School)	82.3	78.2	4.1%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	65.6	56.3	9.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
All Grades Math (Central Elementary School)	55.7	54.8	0.9%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Central Elementary School)	82.3	78.2	4.1%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	65.6	55.3	10.3%
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	478	440	7.9%
African American	10	11	10%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	4	4
Hispanic	6	13	116.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	426	396	7%
Two or More Races	32	16	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	46%	50.7%	4.7%

Schools Near Central 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
Central Elementary School	Public	K-4	555 W Mountain Ave	South Williamsport	17702	Lycoming County	South Williamsport Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 323-3694	440	30	14.7	50.7%	396 (90.0%)	11 (2.5%)	13 (3.0%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.6%)	59.2	716^th of 1534 public elementary schools	53.3%		49.8	898^th of 1534 public elementary schools	41.5%	182	57.6	51.7			54.8	78.2	78.2	54.3	56.3			55.3	$30	$04	$26
Cochran Primary School	Public	K-3	1500 Cherry St	Williamsport	17701	Lycoming County	Williamsport Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 322-9731	508	37	13.7	79.9%	248 (48.8%)	110 (21.7%)	34 (6.7%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	113 (22.2%)								(n/a)	30.6				30.6			41.3				41.3	$15,733	$1,844	$13,889
Jackson Primary School	Public	K-3	2500 Newberry St	Williamsport	17701	Lycoming County	Williamsport Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 323-1992	533	39	13.5	84.1%	264 (49.5%)	87 (16.3%)	52 (9.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	126 (23.6%)								(n/a)	39.8				39.8			37.2				37.2	$15,601	$2,111	$13,490
Donald E. Schick School	Public	PK, KG-5	2800 Four Mile Dr	Montoursville	17754	Lycoming County	Loyalsock Township School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 326-3554	754	47	16.0	46.0%	588 (78.0%)	47 (6.2%)	23 (3.1%)	18 (2.4%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	75 (9.9%)	68.8	523^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	65.9%		63.9	608^th of 1534 public elementary schools	60.4%	85	54.5	59.2	49.1		54.3	89.9	89.9	59.6	63.6	61.9		61.8	$9,735	$503	$9,231
Lyter Elementary School	Public	K-4	900 Spruce St	Montoursville	17754	Lycoming County	Montoursville Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 368-2614	401	27	14.7	39.7%	366 (91.3%)	3 (0.7%)	12 (3.0%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.0%)	82.3	234^th of 1534 public elementary schools	84.7%		78.4	320^th of 1534 public elementary schools	79.1%	86	90.7	64.9			76.2	84.5	84.5	86.6	65.3			74.6	$17,964	$1,812	$16,152
Hepburn-Lycoming Primary School	Public	K-3	355 Route 973 East	Cogan Station	17728	Lycoming County	Williamsport Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 601-1112	407	30	13.4	66.1%	308 (75.7%)	27 (6.6%)	18 (4.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (13.0%)								(n/a)	56.4				56.4			50.0				50.0	$16,728	$1,496	$15,232
Montgomery Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	120 Penn St	Montgomery	17752	Lycoming County	Montgomery Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 547-1608	523	39	13.3	47.6%	484 (92.5%)	2 (0.4%)	17 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.6%)	55	786^th of 1534 public elementary schools	48.8%		66.4	566^th of 1534 public elementary schools	63.1%	220	48.5	38.6	48.8	45.1	45.7	77.1	77.1	46.9	42.1	63.4	59.7	53.7	$14,575	$2,609	$11,966
Loyalsock Valley Elementary School	Public	K-4	3790 Route 87 Highway	Montoursville	17754	Lycoming County	Montoursville Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 435-0446	223	18	12.1	35.4%	212 (95.1%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.8%)	58.5	731^st of 1534 public elementary schools	52.3%		61.8	648^th of 1534 public elementary schools	57.8%	83	56.3	42.5			49.5	76.6	76.6	58.3	61.7			60.0	$19,426	$1,347	$18,079
Ward L Myers Elementary School	Public	K-6	125 New St	Muncy	17756	Lycoming County	Muncy School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 546-3129	457	33	14.0	47.0%	428 (93.7%)	7 (1.5%)	6 (1.3%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.8%)	72.2	446^th of 1534 public elementary schools	70.9%		76.6	354^th of 1534 public elementary schools	76.9%	92	72.0	54.5	53.3	52.5	56.9	85.5	85.5	65.3	65.5	50.7	70.1	62.5	$19,414	$1,335	$18,079
Salladasburg Elementary School	Public	K-5	3490 Route 287 Highway	Jersey Shore	17740	Lycoming County	Jersey Shore Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 398-2931	179	14	12.6	46.9%	175 (97.8%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	63.9	620^th of 1534 public elementary schools	59.6%		65.6	578^th of 1534 public elementary schools	62.3%	42	61.3	50.0	43.8		51.8	90.0	90.0	77.4	55.0	46.9		60.2	$15,925	$978	$14,947

Central Elementary School

Central Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

South Williamsport Area School District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Central Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Central Elementary School

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Central Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Central Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Central Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Central Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Central Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Central Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Central Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Central Elementary School