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Best Public Schools in New Castle, PA

Coming soon: We're expecting this year's test scores from the Pennsylvania Department of Education any day now — new rankings will be posted the moment they're released!

Coming soon: This year's test scores are expected from the Pennsylvania Department of Education any day now — new rankings will follow the moment they're released!

At a glance

Schools

8,564

Students

Districts

5-star schools

Top rankedNeshannock Junior/Senior High School32^nd of 681 Pennsylvania high schools

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Biggest riser

Mohawk Junior High School up 130 spots statewide this year

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Smallest classes

Laurel High School 10.8 students per teacher

SchoolDigger ratings

5★

4★

3★

1★

1 school without a SchoolDigger rating (too few tested students)

Compare Pennsylvania cities →See the top-ranked Pennsylvania schools →

Summary:

The city of New Castle, Pennsylvania, is home to 18 schools, including 7 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 7 high schools, serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The schools are spread across several school districts, with the majority belonging to the New Castle Area School District.

Among the standout schools in the area are Mohawk Elementary School, which is part of the highly-ranked Mohawk Area School District and boasts consistently high test scores, and Neshannock Memorial Elementary School, which is in the top-performing Neshannock Township School District. Another standout is Laurel High School, part of the highly-ranked Laurel School District, which has a high graduation rate and strong performance on Keystone Exams.

However, the data also reveals that many schools in the area have high percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage. This socioeconomic factor appears to be correlated with lower academic performance, as measured by test scores and other metrics. Additionally, there is a clear connection between district-level performance and individual school performance, with the top-performing schools generally located in the higher-ranked school districts.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2025)	Keystone Exams Biology (2025)	Keystone Exams Literature (2025)	PSSA Math (2025)							PSSA English Language Arts (2025)							Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2023-24)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	PSSA Math 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Laurel High School	Public	9-12	2497 Harlansburg Rd	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Laurel School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-9056	313	29	10.8	33.1%	300 (95.8%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.9%)	78.6	136^th of 681 public high schools	80.0%		75.8	153^rd of 686 public high schools	77.7%	17	56.4	75.3	68.3															$19,662	$406	$19,256
Laurel Elementary School	Public	K-6	223 McCaslin Rd	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Laurel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 658-2673	503	31	16.2	37.7%	482 (95.8%)	3 (0.6%)	10 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.4%)	83.3	232^nd of 1511 public elementary schools	84.6%		85.7	178^th of 1526 public elementary schools	88.3%	54				85.1	66.7	66.6	60.8			69.3	74.6	58.1	60.8	67.6			64.9	$16,508	$1,307	$15,202
Laurel Middle School	Public	7-8	2497 Harlansburg RD	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Laurel School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-9056	160	7	24.3	36.2%	155 (96.9%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)	88.5	86^th of 873 public middle schools	90.1%		81.2	130^th of 891 public middle schools	85.4%	44								61.1	44.3	52.5					75.4	61.3	68.2	$19,521	$403	$19,118
Lawrence County Career and Technical Center	Public	9-12	750 Phelps Way	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Lawrence County Career and Technical Center	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-3583	418	32	13.2	—	364 (87.1%)	20 (4.8%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.9%)	20.4	551^st of 681 public high schools	19.1%		19.5	560^th of 686 public high schools	18.4%	9	22.7	32.0	42.5
Mohawk Senior High School	Public	9-12	385 Mohawk School Road	New Castle	16102	Lawrence County	Mohawk Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 667-7782	406	31	12.9	35.3%	386 (95.1%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.7%)	75.5	156^th of 681 public high schools	77.1%		70.1	206^th of 686 public high schools	70.0%	50	64.8	56.4	70.2															$17,852	$913	$16,939
Mohawk Elementary School	Public	K-5	351 Mohawk School Road	New Castle	16102	Lawrence County	Mohawk Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 667-7782	709	45	15.7	37.5%	663 (93.5%)	2 (0.3%)	12 (1.7%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.1%)	75.7	361^st of 1511 public elementary schools	76.1%		76.5	362^nd of 1526 public elementary schools	76.3%	1				68.2	68.2	59.5				65.1	64.5	67.3	48.3				59.7	$14,963	$981	$13,982
Mohawk Junior High School	Public	6-8	385 Mohawk School Rd	New Castle	16102	Lawrence County	Mohawk Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 667-7782	329	22	15.1	48.7%	313 (95.1%)	2 (0.6%)	5 (1.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.4%)	76	163^rd of 873 public middle schools	81.3%		66.2	293^rd of 891 public middle schools	67.1%	130							48.1	52.0	40.7	46.8				54.7	64.0	52.7	56.9	$15,543	$794	$14,748
Neshannock Memorial Elementary School	Public	K-6	3832 Mitchell Road	New Castle	16105	Lawrence County	Neshannock Township School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 652-8709	688	45	15.3	30.3%	631 (91.7%)	10 (1.5%)	13 (1.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.9%)	26 (3.8%)	77.6	323^rd of 1511 public elementary schools	78.6%		80.5	275^th of 1526 public elementary schools	82.0%	48				53.2	78.7	65.0	45.7			60.1	58.5	71.9	66.0	64.1			65.0	$17,501	$477	$17,024
Neshannock Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	3834 Mitchell Rd	New Castle	16105	Lawrence County	Neshannock Township School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-5513	545	33	16.6	29.4%	505 (92.7%)	6 (1.1%)	11 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.7%)	18 (3.3%)	92.4	32^nd of 681 public high schools	95.3%		92.3	38^th of 686 public high schools	94.5%	6	80.0	69.5	88.6					48.5	39.4	44.1					55.7	73.0	63.9	$23,540	$117	$23,423
New Castle Senior High School	Public	9-12	300 E Lincoln Ave	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	New Castle Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 656-4700	740	48	15.4	—	374 (50.5%)	176 (23.8%)	55 (7.4%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	131 (17.7%)	24.5	527^th of 681 public high schools	22.6%		27.5	517^th of 686 public high schools	24.6%	10	32.7	29.5	42.9															$19,484	$3,231	$16,253
Washington Intrmd School	Public	3-5	101 East Euclid Avenue	New Castle	16105	Lawrence County	New Castle Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 656-4729	707	48	14.6	—	345 (48.8%)	124 (17.5%)	61 (8.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	176 (24.9%)	18.8	1222^nd of 1511 public elementary schools	19.1%		20.7	1208^th of 1526 public elementary schools	20.8%	14				24.6	31.2	29.9				28.5	26.0	16.0	29.8				24.1	$18,168	$3,013	$15,156
New Castle Junior High School	Public	6-8	310 E Lincoln Ave	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	New Castle Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 656-4700	689	42	16.3	—	357 (51.8%)	126 (18.3%)	50 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	152 (22.1%)	15.6	714^th of 873 public middle schools	18.2%		13.2	755^th of 891 public middle schools	15.3%	41							12.1	16.2	10.1	12.8				17.8	19.4	25.0	20.5	$18,178	$3,014	$15,164
Harry W Lockley Early Learning Center	Public	K-2	900 East Main St.	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	New Castle Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 656-4735	736	52	14.1	—	340 (46.2%)	163 (22.1%)	60 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	169 (23.0%)								(n/a)																		$18,157	$3,011	$15,147
Shenango Elementary School	Public	K-6	2501 Old Pittsburgh Rd	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Shenango Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 658-5566	485	38	12.7	—	436 (89.9%)	6 (1.2%)	7 (1.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (7.0%)	72	442^nd of 1511 public elementary schools	70.7%		73.5	427^th of 1526 public elementary schools	72.0%	15				65.0	59.2	44.5	41.4			53.2	71.4	64.5	53.7	61.3			63.5	$18,430	$1,834	$16,596
Shenango High School	Public	7-12	2550 Ellwood Rd	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Shenango Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-5537	449	35	12.7	—	420 (93.5%)	5 (1.1%)	5 (1.1%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.6%)	80.9	108^th of 681 public high schools	84.1%		84	89^th of 686 public high schools	87.0%	19	60.6	70.9	71.0					37.2	36.7	36.9					53.8	53.2	53.5	$23,189	$51	$23,137
Union Memorial Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	500 S Scotland Ln	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Union Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 652-6683	320	29	11.1	—	251 (78.4%)	29 (9.1%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (11.6%)	64.9	578^th of 1511 public elementary schools	61.7%		63.3	631^st of 1526 public elementary schools	58.7%	53				66.0	57.1	51.9				58.3	60.0	70.3	32.1				53.4	$19,322	$1,497	$17,825
Union Area High School	Public	9-12	2106 Camden Ave	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Union Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-4501	193	17	11.5	—	161 (83.4%)	20 (10.4%)	3 (1.6%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.6%)	74.6	166^th of 681 public high schools	75.6%		74.2	164^th of 686 public high schools	76.1%	2	54.8	64.3	69.1															$21,159	$1,639	$19,520
Union Area Middle School	Public	6-8	2106 Camden Ave	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Union Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 658-4501	174	12	14.9	—	125 (71.8%)	29 (16.7%)	3 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (9.8%)	52.3	406^th of 873 public middle schools	53.5%		66.7	290^th of 891 public middle schools	67.5%	116							29.4	22.5	27.4	26.5				52.9	46.9	50.0	50.0	$19,849	$1,538	$18,311

Cities Near New Castle

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Ellwood City	8.72 mi	7	383^rd
New Wilmington	9.36 mi	3	342^nd
Darlington	12.77 mi	1	529^th
West Middlesex	13.89 mi	4	319^th
Slippery Rock	15.32 mi	3	162^nd

See the top PA Pennsylvania cities

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.