Northwest Area School District

243 Thorne Hill Rd
Shickshinny, PA 18655
(District boundaries shown in map)
4/
10
Bottom 50%
For the 2025 school year, there are 2 public elementary schools serving 480 students in Northwest Area School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Pennsylvania.
Public Elementary Schools in Northwest Area School District have an average math proficiency score of 38% (versus the Pennsylvania public elementary school average of 35%), and reading proficiency score of 47% (versus the 54% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 7% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Black), which is less than the Pennsylvania public elementary school average of 42% (majority Hispanic and Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (PA)
# Schools
3 Schools
2,145 Schools
# Students
900 Students
1,108,977 Students
# Teachers
73 Teachers
82,943 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1

District Rank

Northwest Area School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 675 school districts in Pennsylvania (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 90-94% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
This School District
State Average (PA)
#430 out of 684 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
This chart displays the overall district rank of Northwest Area   School District, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
30%
36%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Northwest Area   School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Pennsylvania by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
51%
55%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Northwest Area   School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Pennsylvania by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
60-64%
57%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Northwest Area   School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Pennsylvania by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
90-94%
87%
This chart displays public school graduation rate of Northwest Area   School District and public school graduation rate of Pennsylvania by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.11
0.61
# American Indian Students
n/a
2,278 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
n/a
# Asian Students
3 Students
51,838 Students
% Asian Students
n/a
5%
# Hispanic Students
9 Students
173,776 Students
% Hispanic Students
1%
16%
# Black Students
5 Students
169,696 Students
% Black Students
1%
15%
# White Students
851 Students
645,871 Students
% White Students
95%
58%
# Hawaiian Students
n/a
965 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
32 Students
63,991 Students
% of Two or more races Students
3%
6%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
19
7,744
# Students in K Grade:
67
110,287
# Students in 1st Grade:
64
120,767
# Students in 2nd Grade:
71
126,133
# Students in 3rd Grade:
60
120,907
# Students in 4th Grade:
68
125,574
# Students in 5th Grade:
65
126,000
# Students in 6th Grade:
66
126,698
# Students in 7th Grade:
68
94,854
# Students in 8th Grade:
79
93,972
# Students in 9th Grade:
66
16,255
# Students in 10th Grade:
61
14,467
# Students in 11th Grade:
70
12,872
# Students in 12th Grade:
76
12,447
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $23,686 in this school district is less than the state median of $23,696. The school district revenue/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $23,478 is higher than the state median of $23,119. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
This School District
This State (PA)
Total Revenue
$21 MM
$39,541 MM
This chart displays total revenue of Northwest Area   School District and median value from total revenues of all school districts in Pennsylvania by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending
$21 MM
$38,578 MM
This chart displays total spending of Northwest Area   School District and median value from total spendings of all school districts in Pennsylvania by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Revenue / Student
$23,686
$23,696
This chart displays average revenue per public school student in Northwest Area   School District and average revenue per public school student of all school districts in Pennsylvania by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending / Student
$23,478
$23,119
This chart displays average spending per public school student in Northwest Area   School District and average spending per public school student of all school districts in Pennsylvania by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Best Northwest Area School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Northwest Area Primary School
(Math: 40-44% | Reading: 60-64% )
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
417 Shickshinny Lake Rd
Shickshinny, PA 18655
(570) 864-3461
Grades: PK-2
| 221 students
Rank: #22.
Northwest Area Intermediate School
(Math: 38% | Reading: 47%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
21 Sunset Lake Rd
Shickshinny, PA 18655
(570) 256-3649
Grades: 3-6
| 259 students

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Quick Stats (2025)

  • District size: 3 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 900 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 12:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 5%
  • : 90-94% (Top 50% in PA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 30% (Btm 50%)
  • : 51% (Btm 50%)
  • : 60-64% (Top 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), PA Dept. of Education

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