Best Public Schools in West Chester, PA

Summary:

The West Chester, Pennsylvania area is home to a diverse array of 20 schools, including 12 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 4 high schools, and 1 alternative school, spanning two school districts - the West Chester Area School District and the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. The data reveals a mix of high-performing and more challenged schools, with standout institutions like Pocopson Elementary School and Mary C Howse Elementary School consistently ranking among the top in the state.

Graduation rates across the area vary widely, from a low of 68.1% at 21st Century Cyber Charter School to a high of 97.4% at West Chester Bayard Rustin High School. Academic performance on standardized tests also shows significant disparities, with 3rd grade math proficiency ranging from 49.4% at Sarah W Starkweather Elementary to 85.3% at Pocopson Elementary. Socioeconomic factors, as measured by free/reduced lunch eligibility, vary greatly as well, from just 2.32% at Pocopson Elementary to 88.33% at Chester County Family Academy Charter School.

Overall, the West Chester area presents a complex educational landscape, with some schools excelling across multiple metrics while others face more significant challenges. Further analysis could explore the factors driving these disparities and identify strategies to support improved outcomes for all students in the region.

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2023)	Keystone Exams Biology (2023)	Keystone Exams Literature (2023)	PSSA Math (2023)							PSSA Science (2023)			PSSA English Language Arts (2023)							Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	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 Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science 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
West Chester Bayard Rustin High School	Public	9-12	1100 Shiloh Road	West Chester	19382	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-4300	1,210	91	13.2	16.3%	970 (80.2%)	67 (5.5%)	70 (5.8%)	66 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	35 (2.9%)	79.8	113^th of 674 public high schools	83.2%		87.7	39^th of 634 public high schools	93.8%	74	49.7	56.4	86.4																		$18,316	$290	$18,025
East Bradford Elementary School	Public	K-5	820 Frank Rd	West Chester	19380	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-2100	470	36	13.1	16.0%	382 (81.3%)	15 (3.2%)	42 (8.9%)	9 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.7%)	86.4	168^th of 1534 public elementary schools	89.0%		84.6	208^th of 1534 public elementary schools	86.4%	40				68.5	82.4	63.1				70.6	92.7		92.7	73.6	84.0	77.7				78.3	$16,945	$315	$16,630
East Goshen Elementary School	Public	K-5	800 N Chester Rd	West Chester	19380	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-1500	510	36	14.0	18.4%	396 (77.6%)	19 (3.7%)	47 (9.2%)	21 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.3%)	87.1	156^th of 1534 public elementary schools	89.8%		86.5	171^st of 1534 public elementary schools	88.9%	15				75.6	75.0	59.5				70.1	93.0		93.0	76.7	79.5	83.5				79.7	$16,523	$307	$16,215
Stetson Middle School	Public	6-8	1060 Wilmington Pike	West Chester	19382	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-2700	843	67	12.5	18.1%	665 (78.9%)	49 (5.8%)	53 (6.3%)	38 (4.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (4.4%)	79.4	154^th of 893 public middle schools	82.8%		83	113^th of 883 public middle schools	87.2%	41							39.0	40.9	30.3	36.6		77.0	77.0				73.7	70.6	75.7	73.3	$17,529	$279	$17,250
E N Peirce Middle School	Public	6-8	1314 Burke Rd	West Chester	19380	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-2500	1,018	85	12.0	19.6%	717 (70.4%)	44 (4.3%)	128 (12.6%)	87 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	41 (4.0%)	79.3	155^th of 893 public middle schools	82.6%		82.4	119^th of 883 public middle schools	86.5%	36							48.0	52.5	30.2	43.2		71.6	71.6				68.8	69.7	62.4	66.8	$16,975	$286	$16,689
West Chester Henderson High School	Public	9-12	400 Montgomery Ave	West Chester	19380	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-3300	1,429	94	15.1	16.1%	1,060 (74.2%)	64 (4.5%)	142 (9.9%)	128 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.3%)	31 (2.2%)	81.6	100^th of 674 public high schools	85.2%		85.5	59^th of 634 public high schools	90.7%	41	55.8	63.0	78.3																		$17,800	$313	$17,487
Fern Hill Elementary School	Public	K-5	915 Lincoln Ave	West Chester	19380	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-1600	391	37	10.5	24.3%	263 (67.3%)	19 (4.9%)	49 (12.5%)	40 (10.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (5.1%)	75.7	358^th of 1534 public elementary schools	76.7%		83.4	232^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	84.9%	126				62.9	60.0	59.7				61.0	88.0		88.0	66.7	72.6	64.5				67.5	$17,961	$691	$17,270
Mary C Howse Elementary School	Public	K-5	641 W Boot Rd	West Chester	19380	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-1300	493	34	14.7	7.7%	224 (45.4%)	18 (3.7%)	30 (6.1%)	192 (38.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.9%)	89.5	105^th of 1534 public elementary schools	93.2%		85.9	183^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	88.1%	78				76.0	65.6	81.1				73.5	94.6		94.6	81.6	83.7	86.5				84.0	$16,230	$376	$15,854
Westtown-Thornbury Elementary School	Public	K-5	750 Westbourne Road	West Chester	19382	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-1800	545	38	14.5	14.7%	427 (78.3%)	26 (4.8%)	38 (7.0%)	14 (2.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (7.0%)	85.6	182^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	88.1%		84.6	209^th of 1534 public elementary schools	86.4%	27				77.9	67.0	58.3				67.8	89.6		89.6	83.2	74.2	82.4				79.8	$14,637	$318	$14,318
Glen Acres Elementary School	Public	K-5	1150 Delancey Pl	West Chester	19382	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-1700	485	35	13.8	23.9%	351 (72.4%)	31 (6.4%)	45 (9.3%)	25 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.8%)	69.8	495^th of 1534 public elementary schools	67.7%		84.1	222^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	85.5%	273				54.1	67.1	53.2				57.8	94.5		94.5	51.8	72.6	60.8				61.3	$18,203	$583	$17,620
Penn Wood Elementary School	Public	K-5	1470 Johnny's Way	West Chester	19382	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-1900	463	33	13.9	14.7%	374 (80.8%)	13 (2.8%)	16 (3.5%)	31 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.3%)	84.4	205^th of 1534 public elementary schools	86.6%		75.8	367^th of 1534 public elementary schools	76.1%	162				76.2	69.6	71.4				72.6	88.4		88.4	73.9	66.2	76.2				72.5	$15,428	$320	$15,108
J R Fugett Middle School	Public	6-8	500 Ellis Ln	West Chester	19380	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-2900	908	78	11.6	23.0%	626 (68.9%)	48 (5.3%)	102 (11.2%)	81 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (5.6%)	77.6	168^th of 893 public middle schools	81.2%		78.6	153^rd of 883 public middle schools	82.7%	15							49.2	44.2	27.8	39.9		65.5	65.5				66.6	77.6	67.4	70.1	$17,678	$293	$17,385
West Chester East High School	Public	9-12	450 Ellis Ln	West Chester	19380	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-3800	1,251	90	13.9	20.1%	900 (71.9%)	76 (6.1%)	137 (11.0%)	95 (7.6%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	39 (3.1%)	82.1	97^th of 674 public high schools	85.6%		85.7	58^th of 634 public high schools	90.9%	39	52.2	60.1	84.1																		$17,877	$272	$17,605
Hillsdale Elementary School	Public	K-5	725 W Market St	West Chester	19382	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-2000	545	43	12.5	18.2%	419 (76.9%)	13 (2.4%)	71 (13.0%)	7 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.4%)	84.8	196^th of 1534 public elementary schools	87.2%		83.9	223^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	85.5%	27				70.1	73.0	68.2				70.6	89.0		89.0	73.6	75.0	76.5				75.0	$16,452	$590	$15,862
Greystone Elementary School	Public	K-5	1195 Aram Ave	West Chester	19380	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-2300	536	39	13.8	25.0%	367 (68.5%)	21 (3.9%)	87 (16.2%)	29 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.0%)	69.4	509^th of 1534 public elementary schools	66.8%					(n/a)				61.5	64.4	40.6				56.2	83.2		83.2	54.0	77.2	62.0				65.6	$15,778	$304	$15,474
Sarah W Starkweather Elementary School	Public	K-5	1050 Wilmington Pike	West Chester	19382	Chester County	West Chester Area School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(484) 266-2200	578	42	13.7	18.2%	447 (77.3%)	32 (5.5%)	48 (8.3%)	16 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (6.1%)	72.9	432^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	71.8%		77.9	329^th of 1534 public elementary schools	78.6%	103				49.4	62.1	53.4				55.7	88.2		88.2	62.5	70.2	73.3				68.6	$16,974	$521	$16,453
21st Century Cyber Charter School	Public, Virtual, Charter	6-12	1245 Wrights Lane	West Chester	19380	Chester County	21st Century Cyber Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(484) 875-5400	1,239	58	21.1		822 (66.3%)	194 (15.7%)	106 (8.6%)	20 (1.6%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	94 (7.6%)	60.7	288^th of 674 public high schools	57.3%		57	328^th of 634 public high schools	48.3%	40	33.5	49.5	72.0				35.0	21.0	19.2	21.7		70.4	70.4				55.0	43.9	64.9	58.1	$15,782	$00	$15,782
Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	1332 Enterprise Dr	West Chester	19380	Chester County	Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(610) 701-3333	3,283	246	13.3		2,004 (61.0%)	577 (17.6%)	258 (7.9%)	213 (6.5%)	9 (0.3%)	5 (0.2%)	217 (6.6%)								(n/a)	33.9	53.8	72.1	50.0	30.1	27.4	35.1	34.3	22.8	31.8	73.0	76.3	75.5	54.7	51.6	60.3	74.0	63.2	60.3	62.3	$12,081	$1,057	$11,024
Pocopson Elementary School	Public	K-5	1105 Pocopson Road	West Chester	19382	Chester County	Unionville-Chadds Ford School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(610) 793-9241	517	35	14.6	2.3%	410 (79.3%)	9 (1.7%)	19 (3.7%)	54 (10.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.6%)	94.2	22^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	98.6%		93.9	21^st of 1534 public elementary schools	98.6%	1				85.3	86.4	75.5				82.1	98.6		98.6	91.2	90.5	84.7				88.7	$28,237	$493	$27,744

Cities Near West Chester

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Exton	3.01 mi	6	574^th
Downingtown	4.47 mi	13	66^th
Malvern	4.92 mi	6	94^th
Chadds Ford	7.5 mi	2	15^th
Thorndale	7.85 mi	1	703^rd

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.