Wilkes-Barre Area School District

730 S Main St
Wilkes Barre, PA 18702
(District boundaries shown in map)
2/
10
Bottom 50%

Top Rankings

Wilkes-Barre Area School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Pennsylvania for:

Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2024-25 school year, there are 7 public elementary schools serving 5,305 students in Wilkes-Barre Area School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 2/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in Pennsylvania.
Public Elementary Schools in Wilkes-Barre Area School District have an average math proficiency score of 11% (versus the Pennsylvania public elementary school average of 35%), and reading proficiency score of 26% (versus the 53% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 76% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Pennsylvania public elementary school average of 41% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (PA)
# Schools
10 Schools
2,154 Schools
# Students
7,777 Students
1,110,061 Students
# Teachers
422 Teachers
81,415 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
18:1
18:1

District Rank

Wilkes-Barre Area School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 679 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 81% has decreased from 84% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (PA)
#586 out of 684 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
This chart displays the overall district rank of Wilkes-Barre Area   School District, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
12%
36%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Wilkes-Barre 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.
28%
55%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Wilkes-Barre 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.
36%
57%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Wilkes-Barre 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.
81%
87%
This chart displays public school graduation rate of Wilkes-Barre Area   School District and public school graduation rate of Pennsylvania by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.67
0.61
# American Indian Students
14 Students
2,113 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
n/a
# Asian Students
63 Students
50,065 Students
% Asian Students
1%
5%
# Hispanic Students
3,783 Students
167,185 Students
% Hispanic Students
49%
15%
# Black Students
1,230 Students
171,531 Students
% Black Students
16%
15%
# White Students
2,096 Students
655,322 Students
% White Students
27%
59%
# Hawaiian Students
2 Students
945 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
589 Students
62,338 Students
% of Two or more races Students
7%
6%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
99
6,977
# Students in K Grade:
629
112,584
# Students in 1st Grade:
636
124,827
# Students in 2nd Grade:
509
119,582
# Students in 3rd Grade:
585
124,107
# Students in 4th Grade:
597
124,671
# Students in 5th Grade:
587
125,642
# Students in 6th Grade:
563
127,749
# Students in 7th Grade:
594
95,072
# Students in 8th Grade:
605
95,607
# Students in 9th Grade:
684
15,589
# Students in 10th Grade:
610
13,451
# Students in 11th Grade:
543
12,276
# Students in 12th Grade:
536
11,927
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $17,083 in this school district is less than the state median of $23,649. The school district revenue/student has declined by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $21,997 is less than the state median of $23,073. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (PA)
Total Revenue
$133 MM
$39,541 MM
This chart displays total revenue of Wilkes-Barre 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
$171 MM
$38,578 MM
This chart displays total spending of Wilkes-Barre 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
$17,083
$23,649
This chart displays average revenue per public school student in Wilkes-Barre 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
$21,997
$23,073
This chart displays average spending per public school student in Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre Area School District Public Elementary Schools (2024-25)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Solomon/plains Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 24% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
41 Abbott St
Wilkes Barre, PA 18705
(570) 826-7222
Grades: K-5
| 712 students
Rank: #22.
Daniel J Flood Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 26%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
565 N Washington St
Wilkes Barre, PA 18705
(570) 826-7245
Grades: K-5
| 592 students
Rank: #33.
Dr David W Kistler Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 13% | Reading: 25%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
301 Old River Rd
Wilkes Barre, PA 18702
(570) 826-7230
Grades: K-5
| 916 students
Rank: #44.
Solomon/plains Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 7% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
43 Abbott St
Wilkes Barre, PA 18705
(570) 826-7224
Grades: 6-8
| 736 students
Rank: #55.
Heights/murray Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 9% | Reading: 20%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
1 S Sherman St
Wilkes Barre, PA 18702
(570) 826-7256
Grades: K-5
| 837 students
Rank: #66.
G A R Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 24%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
250 South Grant Street
Wilkes Barre, PA 18702
(570) 826-7165
Grades: 6-8
| 1,026 students
Rank: #77.
Dodson Elementary School
Magnet School
(Math: 4% | Reading: 10%)
Rank:
1/
10
Bottom 50%
13 Hillard St
Wilkes Barre, PA 18702
(570) 235-6894
Grades: K-5
| 486 students

Recent Articles

What Is A Magnet School?
What Is A Magnet School?
This comprehensive guide explores magnet schools, their history, and their role in public education. It covers their unique characteristics, including specialized curricula and diverse student bodies, while discussing the pros and cons of magnet education. The article also provides practical advice for families considering magnet schools for their children.
Uniforms: The Pros and Cons
Uniforms: The Pros and Cons
This comprehensive article explores the pros and cons of school uniforms in public schools. It discusses their impact on safety, learning environment, self-expression, and cost-effectiveness. The piece presents statistics, expert opinions, and arguments from both proponents and opponents, helping parents make informed decisions about uniform policies.
Understanding Rubrics
Understanding Rubrics
This article explores the fundamental principles of rubrics in education, focusing on their role as assessment tools. It breaks down the key components of rubrics, including criteria, performance levels, and descriptors. The piece also delves into the two main types of rubrics - holistic and analytic - providing authoritative definitions and explaining their unique applications in educational settings.

Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • District size: 10 schools
  • Grades: KG-12
  • Enrollment: 7,777 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 18:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 73%
  • : 81% (Btm 50% in PA)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 12% (Btm 50%)
  • : 28% (Btm 50%)
  • : 36% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), PA Dept. of Education

Quick Links