Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 9 schools in district

Heights/Murray El Sch

1 S Sherman St, Wilkes Barre, PA 18702Wilkes-Barre Area SD →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
837
Students
Total enrolled
$24,364
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 70% vs nat'l
18.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 22% vs nat'l
48/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 837 students in grades KG–05 in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.
70% above average funding
District spends $24,364 per pupil, 70% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 48th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Heights/Murray El Sch is a large elementary in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, serving grades KG–05 with 837 students. The district invests $24,364 per student — 70% above the national average of $14,347, with a 18.7:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Heights/Murray El Sch

837
Total Students
18.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
45
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution400 male · 437 female
48%
52%
Male 48%Female 52%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 837 students
Student Composition
14%
56%
20%
10%
White14%
Hispanic / Latino56%
Black20%
Multiracial10%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 422630006923

Academic Outcomes at Heights/Murray El Sch

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
48
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 48th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 74th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 18702

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$24,364Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$24,364
State avg
$97,525
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$10,720
Student Support$4,629
Administration$2,924
Operations$3,655
Other$2,436
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $24,364 spent per student, an estimated $10,793 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
37%
46%
State government
37.4%
Local (property tax)
45.8%
Federal programs
16.8%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $24,364/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 100% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Dr David W Kistler El SchSolomon/Plains El SchDaniel J Flood El SchDodson El Sch
↓
Middle
G A R MSSolomon/Plains MS
↓
High School
Wilkes-Barre Area HSWilkes-Barre Area SD STEM Academy
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyLuzerne County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWilkes-Barre Area SD →
Phone: (570)826-7256
NCES ID: 422630006923
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Wilkes Barre seeking a public elementary 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.

More in Wilkes-Barre Area SD
High
Wilkes-Barre Area HS
2,293 students · 09–12
● 44 opp87% FRL
Mid
G A R MS
1,026 students · 06–08
● 48 opp100% FRL
Elem
Dr David W Kistler El Sch
916 students · KG–05
● 48 opp100% FRL
Mid
Solomon/Plains MS
736 students · 06–08
● 44 opp100% FRL
Elem
Solomon/Plains El Sch
712 students · KG–05
● 44 opp100% FRL
Elem
Daniel J Flood El Sch
592 students · KG–05
● 44 opp100% FRL
Elem
Dodson El Sch
486 students · KG–05
● 48 opp100% FRL
High
Wilkes-Barre Area SD STEM Academy
80 students · 09–12
● 44 opp100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1 S Sherman St, Wilkes Barre, PA 18702
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.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
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.