Damascus Area School

Summary:

Damascus Area School is a small, high-performing elementary school serving grades PK-8 in the Wayne Highlands School District. With just 275 students, the school has consistently ranked among the top elementary schools in Pennsylvania, currently holding a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Damascus Area School stands out for its exceptional academic performance, consistently outpacing state and district averages on PSSA tests across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 70% of students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to 60.9% for the district and 40.4% for the state. The school also excels in supporting diverse student subgroups, ranking 29th out of 1,495 Pennsylvania elementary schools for male students and 109th out of 1,432 schools for low socioeconomic status students, both with 5-star ratings. Additionally, Damascus Area School maintains impressively low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 2.0% over the past few years, significantly lower than the state and district averages.

While Damascus Area School outperforms many nearby schools, such as Preston School and Lakeside Elementary School, in terms of academic metrics and spending per student, the surrounding Wallenpaupack Area School District and Western Wayne School District also have several strong-performing schools, such as Robert D. Wilson Elementary School and Wallenpaupack North Intermediate School, which excel in specific grade levels or subject areas.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

 174 High School Rd
       Damascus, PA  18415-9617


(570) 224-4114

District: Wayne Highlands School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
183rd of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $24,836 Help


Students who attend Damascus Area School usually attend:

High:    Honesdale High School

Student/teacher ratio:  9.9 Help
Number of students:  266

Racial breakdown:

White:
93.2%
Two or more races:
3.8%
Hispanic:
2.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  42.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Damascus Area School ranks better than 88% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks first among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Wayne Highlands School District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 85.49. (See more...)
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Compare Details Damascus Area School ranks better than 93.4% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 90.47. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (93.2%), two or more races (3.8%), Hispanic (2.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 42.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Wayne Highlands School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Damascus Area School is 9.9, which is the 2nd best among 3 elementary schools in the Wayne Highlands School District. (See more...)
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Compare Damascus Area School employs 26.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Damascus Area School is $24,836, which is the highest among 4 elementary schools in the Wayne Highlands School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Damascus Area School:

SchoolDigger ranks Damascus Area School 183rd of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Damascus Area School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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

SchoolDigger ranks Damascus Area School 59th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Damascus Area School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Wayne Highlands School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Wayne Highlands School District 95th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Damascus Area School

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Damascus Area School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 50.73 745th 1302 42.8%
2004 21.69 1077th 1308 17.7%
2005 52.04 769th 1299 40.8%
2006 71.47 440th 1545 71.5%
2007 74.38 382nd 1555 75.4%
2008 65.75 596th 1551 61.6%
2009 75.11 340th 1549 78.1%
2010 86.90 32nd 1579 98.0%
2011 85.82 52nd 1597 96.7%
2012 89.87 1st 1599 99.9%
2013 85.41 70th 1519 95.4%
2014 85.16 90th 1467 93.9%
2015 79.68 271st 1474 81.6%
2016 79.49 285th 1554 81.7%
2017 82.61 232nd 1547 85.0%
2018 81.78 245th 1530 84.0%
2019 88.11 110th 1544 92.9%
2021 90.27 80th 1433 94.4%
2022 88.29 129th 1534 91.6%
2023 90.97 75th 1534 95.1%
2024 85.49 183rd 1526 88.0%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Damascus Area School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 92.63 29th 1414 97.9%
2024 85.49 109th 1432 92.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Damascus Area School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 60.85 662nd 1488 55.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Damascus Area School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 92.52 29th 1495 98.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Damascus Area School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 87.08 96th 1236 92.2%
2024 74.53 278th 1229 77.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Damascus Area School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Damascus Area School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 51.31 387th 643 39.8%
2004 83.51 83rd 663 87.5%
2005 66.00 264th 687 61.6%
2006 67.78 246th 736 66.6%
2007 68.14 255th 749 66.0%
2008 84.00 69th 753 90.8%
2009 86.03 46th 770 94.0%
2010 82.09 88th 805 89.1%
2011 84.37 65th 825 92.1%
2012 87.14 30th 834 96.4%
2013 84.41 54th 758 92.9%
2014 85.49 45th 728 93.8%
2015 76.01 182nd 835 78.2%
2016 70.22 256th 870 70.6%
2017 74.30 209th 877 76.2%
2018 71.10 245th 861 71.5%
2019 82.15 121st 891 86.4%
2021 88.84 58th 797 92.7%
2022 92.01 44th 883 95.0%
2023 84.26 114th 893 87.2%
2024 90.47 59th 891 93.4%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Damascus Area School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 88.80 60th 860 93.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Damascus Area School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 87.86 78th 870 91.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Damascus Area School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 76.14 113th 681 83.4%
2024 81.44 86th 673 87.2%
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.

Damascus Area 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 Damascus Area School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 415 1 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 418
1989 439 1 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 442
1990 429 1 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 434
1991 429 3 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 433
1992 437 2 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 443
1993 450 0 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 457
1994 457 0 5 2 0 n/a n/a 0 464
1995 478 3 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 486
1996 478 3 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 486
1997 480 5 5 2 0 n/a n/a 0 492
1998 455 3 5 2 0 n/a n/a 0 465
1999 453 2 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 460
2000 457 2 2 6 0 n/a n/a 0 467
2001 430 3 2 10 0 n/a n/a 0 445
2002 404 4 1 7 0 n/a n/a 0 416
2003 404 4 1 7 0 n/a n/a 0 416
2004 384 4 1 4 0 n/a n/a 0 393
2005 372 2 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 380
2006 368 3 0 12 0 n/a n/a 0 383
2007 360 2 1 5 0 n/a n/a 0 368
2008 355 10 3 4 1 n/a n/a 0 373
2009 314 9 1 2 1 n/a n/a 0 327
2010 315 8 1 3 1 n/a n/a 0 328
2011 314 7 0 2 1 0 0 0 324
2012 292 7 0 5 1 0 0 0 305
2013 308 9 0 2 1 0 2 0 322
2014 290 6 0 8 0 0 3 0 307
2015 276 4 0 11 0 1 5 0 297
2016 297 5 1 8 0 1 6 0 318
2017 297 4 1 8 0 0 5 0 315
2018 285 1 1 11 0 0 4 0 302
2019 276 1 1 10 0 1 6 0 295
2020 272 1 1 8 0 0 6 0 288
2021 253 1 1 13 0 0 8 0 276
2022 251 0 1 11 0 0 6 0 269
2023 252 0 1 12 0 0 10 0 275
2024 248 0 1 7 0 0 10 0 266

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 Damascus Area School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 418 23.2 18.0 n/a
1989 442 25.2 17.5 n/a
1990 434 25.0 17.3 0
1991 433 27.5 15.7 n/a
1992 443 27.5 16.1 n/a
1993 457 23.2 19.7 n/a
1994 464 23.2 20.0 n/a
1995 486 26.0 18.7 n/a
1996 486 26.0 18.7 n/a
1997 492 26.0 18.9 n/a
1998 465 27.0 17.2 n/a
1999 460 29.0 15.9 n/a
2000 467 29.0 16.1 31.3
2001 445 30.0 14.8 36.9
2002 416 28.2 14.8 33.2
2003 416 28.2 14.8 33.2
2004 393 26.5 14.8 36.1
2005 380 27.0 14.1 36.3
2006 383 29.4 13.0 36
2007 368 29.1 12.6 43.2
2008 373 30.5 12.2 41.6
2009 327 27.5 11.9 41.9
2010 328 27.1 12.0 31.1
2011 324 26.9 12.0 28.7
2012 305 25.9 11.7 36.4
2013 322 25.9 12.4 38.8
2014 307 26.9 11.3 34.9
2015 297 27.0 11.0 36.7
2016 318 27.0 11.7 38.7
2017 315 28.8 10.9 40.3
2018 302 27.8 10.8 41.4
2019 295 27.8 10.5 38.6
2020 288 26.8 10.7 39.2
2021 276 28.0 9.8 34.1
2022 269 28.1 9.5 34.6
2023 275 27.0 10.1 40.7
2024 266 26.8 9.9 42.1

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 Damascus Area School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 418 23.2 18.0 n/a
1989 442 25.2 17.5 n/a
1990 434 25.0 17.3 0
1991 433 27.5 15.7 n/a
1992 443 27.5 16.1 n/a
1993 457 23.2 19.7 n/a
1994 464 23.2 20.0 n/a
1995 486 26.0 18.7 n/a
1996 486 26.0 18.7 n/a
1997 492 26.0 18.9 n/a
1998 465 27.0 17.2 n/a
1999 460 29.0 15.9 n/a
2000 467 29.0 16.1 31.3
2001 445 30.0 14.8 36.9
2002 416 28.2 14.8 33.2
2003 416 28.2 14.8 33.2
2004 393 26.5 14.8 36.1
2005 380 27.0 14.1 36.3
2006 383 29.4 13.0 36
2007 368 29.1 12.6 43.2
2008 373 30.5 12.2 41.6
2009 327 27.5 11.9 41.9
2010 328 27.1 12.0 31.1
2011 324 26.9 12.0 28.7
2012 305 25.9 11.7 36.4
2013 322 25.9 12.4 38.8
2014 307 26.9 11.3 34.9
2015 297 27.0 11.0 36.7
2016 318 27.0 11.7 38.7
2017 315 28.8 10.9 40.3
2018 302 27.8 10.8 41.4
2019 295 27.8 10.5 38.6
2020 288 26.8 10.7 39.2
2021 276 28.0 9.8 34.1
2022 269 28.1 9.5 34.6
2023 275 27.0 10.1 40.7
2024 266 26.8 9.9 42.1

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 Damascus Area School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $724 (3.5%) $19,973 (96.5%) $20,698
2020 $79 (0.4%) $20,682 (99.6%) $20,761
2021 $983 (4.2%) $22,316 (95.8%) $23,299
2022 $1,230 (5.0%) $23,606 (95.0%) $24,836

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Damascus Area 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 110th of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 75th of 1534 Elementary schools
 2.2%
Ranks 121st of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 114th of 893 Middle schools
 0.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Damascus Area School)86.595.4
 8.9%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Damascus Area School)83.777.3
 6.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Damascus Area School)77.373.5
 3.8%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Damascus Area School)100100
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Damascus Area School)81.867.7
 14.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (Damascus Area School)69.490.5
 21.1%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Damascus Area School)72.285.7
 13.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
6th Grade Math (Damascus Area School)74.368.8
 5.5%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Damascus Area School)88.681.3
 7.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Damascus Area School)53.140
 13.1%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Damascus Area School)62.571.5
 9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Damascus Area School)48.131.8
 16.3%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Damascus Area School)70.372.7
 2.4%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Damascus Area School)62.968.2
 5.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Damascus Area School)68.765
 3.7%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Damascus Area School)83.789.3
 5.6%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Damascus Area School)75.674.7
 0.9%
   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 Students295275
 6.8%
African American10
 100%
American Indian00
Asian11
Hispanic1012
 20%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White276252
 8.7%
Two or More Races610
 66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients38.6%40.7%
 2.1%


Schools Near Damascus Area School









Frequently Asked Questions about Damascus Area School

Damascus Area School ranks 183rd of 1526 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 266 students attended Damascus Area School.

Students who attend Damascus Area School usually go on to attend:

High : Honesdale High School

Students at Damascus Area School are 93% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.


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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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