Park Forest Elementary School

Summary:

Park Forest Elementary School is a public elementary school located in State College, Pennsylvania, serving 430 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. It is part of the State College Area School District, which is ranked 48th out of 610 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Park Forest Elementary School consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Pennsylvania, ranking 144th out of 1,526 schools in the 2023-2024 school year. The school's proficiency rates in PSSA exams are significantly higher than the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. In the 2023-2024 school year, 74.7% of students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to 63% for the district and 40.4% for the state. The school's performance in PSSA Science and English Language Arts is also exceptional, with 97% and 75.9% proficiency rates, respectively. Park Forest Elementary School's exceptional performance extends to student subgroups, ranking 134th out of 1,495 Pennsylvania elementary schools for male students and 157th out of 1,488 for female students.

When compared to nearby schools within the State College Area School District, Park Forest Elementary School consistently outperforms the other district schools in PSSA proficiency rates. Schools like Spring Creek Elementary and Ferguson Township Elementary also demonstrate strong academic performance, but Park Forest Elementary School's slightly higher per-student spending and lower student-teacher ratio may contribute to its exceptional results. The school's strong performance is not solely dependent on the socioeconomic status of its student population, as nearby schools have varying percentages of free and reduced-price lunch recipients.


Detail:

Public K-5

 2181 School Dr
       State College, PA  16803-1131


(814) 231-5010

District: State College Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
144th of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $20,639 Help


Students who attend Park Forest Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Park Forest Middle School
High:    State College Area High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.7 Help
Number of students:  413

Racial breakdown:

White:
78.0%
Two or more races:
8.5%
Hispanic:
5.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  18.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Park Forest Elementary School ranks better than 90.6% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 4th among 8 ranked elementary schools in the State College Area School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 87.44. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (78%), two or more races (8.5%), Hispanic (5.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 18.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Park Forest Elementary School is 13.7. 6 elementary schools in the State College Area School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Park Forest Elementary School employs 30.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Park Forest Elementary School is $20,639, which is the 3rd highest among 8 elementary schools in the State College Area School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Park Forest Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Park Forest Elementary School 144th of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Park Forest Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


State College Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks State College Area School District 48th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Park Forest Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Park Forest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 57.66 647th 1302 50.3%
2004 68.70 457th 1308 65.1%
2005 83.30 112th 1299 91.4%
2006 59.20 728th 1545 52.9%
2007 74.84 369th 1555 76.3%
2008 65.00 619th 1551 60.1%
2009 65.85 592nd 1549 61.8%
2010 69.76 506th 1579 68.0%
2011 67.03 598th 1597 62.6%
2012 74.35 409th 1599 74.4%
2013 72.70 429th 1519 71.8%
2014 73.46 404th 1467 72.5%
2015 76.07 345th 1474 76.6%
2016 73.58 414th 1554 73.4%
2017 68.23 544th 1547 64.8%
2018 70.55 489th 1530 68.0%
2019 75.88 391st 1544 74.7%
2021 78.03 294th 1433 79.5%
2022 79.16 303rd 1534 80.2%
2023 85.64 180th 1534 88.3%
2024 87.44 144th 1526 90.6%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Park Forest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 81.09 176th 1414 87.6%
2024 67.97 426th 1432 70.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Park Forest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 85.13 157th 1488 89.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Park Forest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 86.89 134th 1495 91.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Park Forest Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 77.10 244th 1236 80.3%
2024 81.99 161st 1229 86.9%
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.

Park Forest 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 Park Forest 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 620 9 22 6 3 n/a n/a 0 660
1989 581 15 23 5 0 n/a n/a 0 624
1990 566 18 19 8 1 n/a n/a 0 612
1991 583 13 22 8 2 n/a n/a 0 628
1992 636 13 16 7 3 n/a n/a 0 675
1993 643 17 26 5 2 n/a n/a 0 693
1994 644 18 21 8 3 n/a n/a 0 694
1995 505 13 23 10 3 n/a n/a 0 554
1996 505 13 23 10 3 n/a n/a 0 554
1997 489 18 26 10 0 n/a n/a 0 543
1998 502 27 30 14 0 n/a n/a 0 573
1999 497 16 23 42 0 n/a n/a 0 578
2000 562 14 28 11 2 n/a n/a 0 617
2001 541 11 28 20 3 n/a n/a 0 603
2002 363 6 36 18 2 n/a n/a 0 425
2003 363 6 36 18 2 n/a n/a 0 425
2004 329 10 45 14 4 n/a n/a 0 402
2005 360 12 25 9 1 n/a n/a 0 407
2006 400 17 27 3 0 n/a n/a 0 447
2007 390 23 32 10 1 n/a n/a 0 456
2008 395 17 34 11 3 n/a n/a 0 460
2009 400 11 38 11 3 n/a n/a 13 476
2010 399 14 32 12 1 n/a n/a 16 474
2011 417 12 34 11 1 0 23 0 498
2012 400 12 39 15 0 0 21 0 487
2013 387 14 42 18 0 0 27 0 488
2014 366 14 37 23 0 1 34 0 475
2015 360 16 36 22 0 2 40 0 476
2016 369 13 35 24 0 2 47 0 490
2017 367 12 33 30 0 4 51 0 497
2018 361 24 33 34 0 2 55 0 509
2019 350 18 44 23 0 1 51 0 487
2020 371 15 25 27 0 1 44 0 483
2021 357 18 24 22 0 0 40 0 461
2022 325 22 30 18 0 0 33 0 428
2023 328 15 28 22 0 0 37 0 430
2024 322 9 22 23 1 1 35 0 413

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 Park Forest Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 660 34.2 19.2 n/a
1989 624 37.0 16.8 n/a
1990 612 33.4 18.3 0
1991 628 36.2 17.3 n/a
1992 675 38.5 17.5 n/a
1993 693 34.5 20.1 n/a
1994 694 38.9 17.8 n/a
1995 554 32.8 16.9 n/a
1996 554 32.8 16.9 n/a
1997 543 32.8 16.6 n/a
1998 573 35.3 16.2 n/a
1999 578 36.8 15.7 n/a
2000 617 37.0 16.7 21.1
2001 603 39.0 15.5 16.9
2002 425 30.5 13.9 18.6
2003 425 30.5 13.9 18.6
2004 402 27.2 14.8 22.9
2005 407 27.4 14.9 19.4
2006 447 31.2 14.3 19.9
2007 456 32.7 13.9 16.7
2008 460 34.2 13.5 20.4
2009 476 35.4 13.4 19.2
2010 474 35.1 13.5 21.2
2011 498 36.1 13.7 20.9
2012 487 37.7 12.9 14.6
2013 488 36.5 13.3 20.9
2014 475 33.7 14.0 18.9
2015 476 34.0 14.0 16.2
2016 490 34.0 14.4 23.1
2017 497 33.8 14.6 19.1
2018 509 34.9 14.5 18.1
2019 487 35.4 13.7 17.7
2020 483 35.1 13.7 17.4
2021 461 33.1 13.9 15.6
2022 428 33.4 12.8 16.4
2023 430 30.3 14.1 19.3
2024 413 30.1 13.7 18.9

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 Park Forest Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 660 34.2 19.2 n/a
1989 624 37.0 16.8 n/a
1990 612 33.4 18.3 0
1991 628 36.2 17.3 n/a
1992 675 38.5 17.5 n/a
1993 693 34.5 20.1 n/a
1994 694 38.9 17.8 n/a
1995 554 32.8 16.9 n/a
1996 554 32.8 16.9 n/a
1997 543 32.8 16.6 n/a
1998 573 35.3 16.2 n/a
1999 578 36.8 15.7 n/a
2000 617 37.0 16.7 21.1
2001 603 39.0 15.5 16.9
2002 425 30.5 13.9 18.6
2003 425 30.5 13.9 18.6
2004 402 27.2 14.8 22.9
2005 407 27.4 14.9 19.4
2006 447 31.2 14.3 19.9
2007 456 32.7 13.9 16.7
2008 460 34.2 13.5 20.4
2009 476 35.4 13.4 19.2
2010 474 35.1 13.5 21.2
2011 498 36.1 13.7 20.9
2012 487 37.7 12.9 14.6
2013 488 36.5 13.3 20.9
2014 475 33.7 14.0 18.9
2015 476 34.0 14.0 16.2
2016 490 34.0 14.4 23.1
2017 497 33.8 14.6 19.1
2018 509 34.9 14.5 18.1
2019 487 35.4 13.7 17.7
2020 483 35.1 13.7 17.4
2021 461 33.1 13.9 15.6
2022 428 33.4 12.8 16.4
2023 430 30.3 14.1 19.3
2024 413 30.1 13.7 18.9

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 Park Forest Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $462 (2.6%) $17,368 (97.4%) $17,830
2020 $638 (3.6%) $16,973 (96.4%) $17,610
2021 $1,107 (5.8%) $17,866 (94.2%) $18,973
2022 $788 (3.8%) $19,851 (96.2%) $20,639

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Park Forest 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 391st of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 180th of 1534 Elementary schools
 13.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Park Forest Elementary School)80.388.5
 8.2%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Park Forest Elementary School)8072.9
 7.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Park Forest Elementary School)69.680
 10.4%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Park Forest Elementary School)89.797.5
 7.8%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Park Forest Elementary School)75.673.4
 2.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (Park Forest Elementary School)45.149.2
 4.1%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Park Forest Elementary School)66.176.5
 10.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
All Grades Math (Park Forest Elementary School)67.373.1
 5.8%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Park Forest Elementary School)89.797.5
 7.8%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Park Forest Elementary School)74.874.2
 0.6%
   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 Students487430
 11.7%
African American1815
 16.7%
American Indian00
Asian4428
 36.4%
Hispanic2322
 4.3%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White350328
 6.3%
Two or More Races5137
 27.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients17.7%19.3%
 1.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Park Forest Elementary School

Students at Park Forest Elementary School are 78% White, 8% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 2% African American.

Yes. Park Forest Elementary School ranks in the top 9.4% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

Students who attend Park Forest Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Park Forest Middle School
High : State College Area High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 413 students attended Park Forest 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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