Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

Summary:

Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School is a high-performing public elementary school in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, serving 432 students in grades K-5 and part of the Upper Dublin School District.

Thomas Fitzwater Elementary consistently ranks among the top 20% of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with impressive academic performance. On the PSSA tests, 71% of students scored proficient or better in Math, 88.7% in Science, and 75.8% in English Language Arts - all significantly higher than the state averages. The school's strong performance extends across different student subgroups, including female students, white students, and students with disabilities. Additionally, Thomas Fitzwater has a relatively low percentage of economically disadvantaged students and spends more per student than the state average, suggesting a strong investment in educational resources.

Compared to nearby schools, Thomas Fitzwater Elementary outperforms other Upper Dublin School District schools, as well as schools in the Abington School District. The school's consistent high performance over the past decade, with a statewide ranking between 116 and 302 and a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger, is a testament to the quality of education it provides to its students.


Detail:

Public K-5

 School Lane
       Willow Grove, PA  19090


(215) 784-0381

District: Upper Dublin School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
199th of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $20,801 Help


Students who attend Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Sandy Run Middle School
High:    Upper Dublin High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.1 Help
Number of students:  432

Racial breakdown:

White:
59.3%
African American:
13.7%
Two or more races:
10.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  20.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School ranks better than 87% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks last among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Upper Dublin School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 84.42. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Upper Dublin School District. Racial makeup is: White (59.3%), African American (13.7%), two or more races (10.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 20.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Upper Dublin School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School is 13.1. 2 elementary schools in the Upper Dublin School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School employs 32.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School is $20,801, which is the lowest among 4 elementary schools in the Upper Dublin School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School 199th of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Upper Dublin School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Upper Dublin School District 28th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School?

Rank History for Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 76.90 319th 1302 75.5%
2004 78.45 274th 1308 79.1%
2005 75.19 302nd 1299 76.8%
2006 80.58 215th 1545 86.1%
2007 74.13 392nd 1555 74.8%
2008 75.85 317th 1551 79.6%
2009 78.98 224th 1549 85.5%
2010 80.36 197th 1579 87.5%
2011 83.70 100th 1597 93.7%
2012 82.35 147th 1599 90.8%
2013 86.17 53rd 1519 96.5%
2014 83.89 116th 1467 92.1%
2015 81.45 233rd 1474 84.2%
2016 82.70 223rd 1554 85.6%
2017 84.22 187th 1547 87.9%
2018 82.61 226th 1530 85.2%
2019 83.00 216th 1544 86.0%
2021 83.78 190th 1433 86.7%
2022 82.48 243rd 1534 84.2%
2023 78.94 302nd 1534 80.3%
2024 84.42 199th 1526 87.0%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 72.04 336th 1414 76.2%
2024 75.06 292nd 1432 79.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 84.82 165th 1488 88.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 66.12 260th 1043 75.1%
2024 64.46 298th 1084 72.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 81.10 246th 1495 83.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 69.90 62nd 160 61.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for White students at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 73.78 292nd 1236 76.4%
2024 78.74 209th 1229 83.0%
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.

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






Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 226 40 14 0 0 n/a n/a 0 280
1989 260 39 25 1 0 n/a n/a 0 325
1990 359 48 33 2 0 n/a n/a 0 442
1991 393 45 30 4 0 n/a n/a 0 472
1992 439 61 23 3 0 n/a n/a 0 526
1993 459 52 24 2 0 n/a n/a 0 537
1994 486 78 27 5 1 n/a n/a 0 597
1995 473 82 22 1 0 n/a n/a 0 578
1996 473 82 22 1 0 n/a n/a 0 578
1997 495 96 24 2 0 n/a n/a 0 617
1998 493 82 33 2 1 n/a n/a 0 611
1999 517 96 46 1 0 n/a n/a 0 660
2000 469 69 47 3 1 n/a n/a 0 589
2001 376 66 51 2 0 n/a n/a 0 495
2002 340 62 47 3 1 n/a n/a 0 453
2003 340 62 47 3 1 n/a n/a 0 453
2004 328 60 43 3 1 n/a n/a 0 435
2005 313 72 40 2 0 n/a n/a 0 427
2006 325 64 42 5 0 n/a n/a 0 436
2007 327 57 43 4 0 n/a n/a 0 431
2008 321 58 45 7 0 n/a n/a 0 431
2009 301 64 42 4 0 n/a n/a 14 425
2010 298 67 40 7 0 n/a n/a 11 423
2011 319 51 36 10 0 0 12 0 428
2012 323 42 40 18 0 0 13 0 436
2013 318 47 45 18 0 0 14 0 442
2014 312 54 45 20 0 0 15 0 446
2015 291 60 45 21 0 0 14 0 431
2016 273 48 44 21 0 0 17 0 403
2017 273 51 45 19 0 0 21 0 409
2018 260 46 47 22 0 0 19 0 394
2019 254 41 44 21 0 0 22 0 382
2020 269 39 47 25 0 0 26 0 406
2021 235 46 41 24 1 0 33 0 380
2022 257 65 43 25 0 0 35 0 425
2023 256 59 44 25 1 0 47 0 432

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 Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 280 18.2 15.3 n/a
1989 325 22.4 14.5 n/a
1990 442 25.6 17.2 0
1991 472 26.9 17.5 n/a
1992 526 31.4 16.7 n/a
1993 537 29.0 18.5 n/a
1994 597 30.0 19.9 n/a
1995 578 29.0 19.9 n/a
1996 578 29.0 19.9 n/a
1997 617 31.0 19.9 n/a
1998 611 32.0 19.1 n/a
1999 660 32.0 20.6 n/a
2000 589 34.0 17.3 11
2001 495 34.0 14.6 10.7
2002 453 28.9 15.7 12.4
2003 453 28.9 15.7 12.4
2004 435 28.8 15.1 14.9
2005 427 28.6 14.9 13.1
2006 436 28.2 15.5 15.4
2007 431 31.6 13.6 15.5
2008 431 31.7 13.6 13.7
2009 425 33.6 12.6 15.8
2010 423 34.1 12.3 11.9
2011 428 32.9 12.9 10.5
2012 436 32.4 13.4 12.2
2013 442 32.1 13.7 13.3
2014 446 29.0 15.3 15.5
2015 431 29.0 14.8 16.5
2016 403 29.0 13.8 18.4
2017 409 28.7 14.2 15.9
2018 394 25.7 15.3 18
2019 382 23.6 16.1 14.7
2020 406 30.6 13.2 13.3
2021 380 34.8 10.9 15.3
2022 425 32.3 13.1 15.1
2023 432 32.9 13.1 20.6

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 Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 280 18.2 15.3 n/a
1989 325 22.4 14.5 n/a
1990 442 25.6 17.2 0
1991 472 26.9 17.5 n/a
1992 526 31.4 16.7 n/a
1993 537 29.0 18.5 n/a
1994 597 30.0 19.9 n/a
1995 578 29.0 19.9 n/a
1996 578 29.0 19.9 n/a
1997 617 31.0 19.9 n/a
1998 611 32.0 19.1 n/a
1999 660 32.0 20.6 n/a
2000 589 34.0 17.3 11
2001 495 34.0 14.6 10.7
2002 453 28.9 15.7 12.4
2003 453 28.9 15.7 12.4
2004 435 28.8 15.1 14.9
2005 427 28.6 14.9 13.1
2006 436 28.2 15.5 15.4
2007 431 31.6 13.6 15.5
2008 431 31.7 13.6 13.7
2009 425 33.6 12.6 15.8
2010 423 34.1 12.3 11.9
2011 428 32.9 12.9 10.5
2012 436 32.4 13.4 12.2
2013 442 32.1 13.7 13.3
2014 446 29.0 15.3 15.5
2015 431 29.0 14.8 16.5
2016 403 29.0 13.8 18.4
2017 409 28.7 14.2 15.9
2018 394 25.7 15.3 18
2019 382 23.6 16.1 14.7
2020 406 30.6 13.2 13.3
2021 380 34.8 10.9 15.3
2022 425 32.3 13.1 15.1
2023 432 32.9 13.1 20.6

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 Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $91 (0.4%) $21,648 (99.6%) $21,739
2020 $89 (0.4%) $20,374 (99.6%) $20,463
2021 $395 (1.9%) $20,354 (98.1%) $20,749
2022 $366 (1.8%) $20,435 (98.2%) $20,801

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Thomas Fitzwater 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 216th of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 302nd of 1534 Elementary schools
 5.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School)68.763.5
 5.2%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School)70.465.7
 4.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School)8368.8
 14.2%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School)93.681.3
 12.3%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School)93.568.7
 24.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School)75.465.1
 10.3%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School)81.786.2
 4.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
All Grades Math (Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School)7565.7
 9.3%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School)93.681.3
 12.3%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School)80.673.2
 7.4%
   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 Students382432
 13.1%
African American4159
 43.9%
American Indian01
Asian4444
Hispanic2125
 19%
Pacific Islander00
White254256
 0.8%
Two or More Races2247
 113.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients14.7%20.6%
 5.9%


Schools Near Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School

Students at Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School are 59% White, 14% African American, 11% Two or more races, 10% Asian, 6% Hispanic.

Students who attend Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Sandy Run Middle School
High : Upper Dublin High School

Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School ranks 199th of 1526 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 432 students attended Thomas Fitzwater 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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