Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 11 schools in district

Park Forest MS

2180 School Dr, State College, PA 16803State College Area SD
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0608Non-Charter
815
Students
Total enrolled
$23,986
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
67% vs nat'l
13.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
14% vs nat'l
Large public school
Serves 815 students in grades 06–08 in State College, Pennsylvania.
67% above average funding
District spends $23,986 per pupil, 67% more than the national average of $14,347.
13.2 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

Park Forest MS is a large middle in State College, Pennsylvania, serving grades 06–08 with 815 students. The district invests $23,986 per student — 67% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 14% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at Park Forest MS

815
Total Students
13.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
14%
Free Lunch
62
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0608) are served by this school
Gender Distribution402 male · 413 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility14%
National avg 52% · 116 students
Student Composition
9%
79%
Asian9%
White79%
Hispanic / Latino4%
Black1%
Multiracial6%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 422277006234

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$23,986Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$23,986
State avg
$97,525
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$10,554
Student Support$4,557
Administration$2,878
Operations$3,598
Other$2,399
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $23,986 spent per student, an estimated $10,626 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
19%
75%
State government
19.1%
Local (property tax)
75.4%
Federal programs
5.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $23,986/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 14% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location
CountyCentre County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (814)272-8217
NCES ID: 422277006234
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in State College seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
2180 School Dr, State College, PA 16803
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.