James Buchanan Elementary School

Public K-5

 1621 Catasauqua Road
       Bethlehem, PA  18018-7407


(610) 865-1766

District: Bethlehem Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1067th of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,723 Help


Students who attend James Buchanan Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Nitschmann Middle School
High:    Liberty High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.5 Help
Number of students:  263

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
45.6%
White:
37.6%
African American:
9.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  60.8% Help


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 Compare James Buchanan Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details James Buchanan Elementary School ranks worse than 69.6% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 8th among 16 ranked elementary schools in the Bethlehem Area School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.15. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (45.6%), White (37.6%), African American (9.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 60.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Buchanan Elementary School is 13.5. 12 elementary schools in the Bethlehem Area School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare James Buchanan Elementary School employs 19.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Buchanan Elementary School is $17,723. 8 elementary schools in the Bethlehem Area School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

James Buchanan Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks James Buchanan Elementary School 1067th of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See James Buchanan Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Bethlehem Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Bethlehem Area School District 452nd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for James Buchanan Elementary School?

Rank History for James Buchanan Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at James Buchanan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 67.86 476th 1302 63.4%
2004 83.12 188th 1308 85.6%
2005 53.45 747th 1299 42.5%
2006 45.05 1053rd 1545 31.8%
2007 52.60 914th 1555 41.2%
2008 66.40 580th 1551 62.6%
2009 55.15 873rd 1549 43.6%
2010 58.61 819th 1579 48.1%
2011 48.47 1053rd 1597 34.1%
2012 59.63 833rd 1599 47.9%
2013 55.44 874th 1519 42.5%
2014 62.08 698th 1467 52.4%
2015 50.99 863rd 1474 41.5%
2016 48.76 949th 1554 38.9%
2017 44.29 1011th 1547 34.6%
2018 49.35 933rd 1530 39.0%
2019 49.18 939th 1544 39.2%
2022 58.04 727th 1534 52.6%
2023 36.15 1067th 1534 30.4%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James Buchanan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 45.74 856th 1414 39.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at James Buchanan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 70.08 100th 432 76.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at James Buchanan Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 40.18 815th 1236 34.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

James Buchanan Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)
0%

100%

0%

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0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, August 29, 2014

Open Quote Amazing principal, wonderful staff, family-oriented, working class school. The best decision we ever made was open enrolling our son here. Could not be happier with JBES. Close Quote



Enrollment information for James Buchanan Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 211 8 0 16 0 n/a n/a 0 235
1989 224 4 0 14 0 n/a n/a 0 242
1990 225 5 0 14 0 n/a n/a 0 244
1991 186 10 2 10 0 n/a n/a 0 208
1992 176 5 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 184
1993 238 6 1 13 0 n/a n/a 0 258
1994 233 3 0 18 0 n/a n/a 0 254
1995 245 11 3 24 0 n/a n/a 0 283
1996 245 11 3 24 0 n/a n/a 0 283
1997 249 12 4 17 0 n/a n/a 0 282
1998 239 10 1 17 0 n/a n/a 0 267
1999 243 17 3 12 0 n/a n/a 0 275
2000 245 17 8 13 0 n/a n/a 0 283
2001 223 22 11 21 0 n/a n/a 0 277
2002 232 24 9 41 0 n/a n/a 0 306
2003 232 24 9 41 0 n/a n/a 0 306
2004 212 30 10 55 0 n/a n/a 0 307
2005 226 40 17 56 0 n/a n/a 0 339
2006 199 31 8 58 0 n/a n/a 0 296
2007 188 31 5 59 0 n/a n/a 0 283
2008 181 29 6 70 0 n/a n/a 0 286
2009 175 30 10 70 0 n/a n/a 4 289
2010 143 32 13 71 0 n/a n/a 12 271
2011 144 35 13 72 1 0 0 0 265
2012 128 21 16 92 1 0 7 0 265
2013 144 23 9 84 1 0 6 0 267
2014 143 28 10 75 1 0 9 0 266
2015 155 20 8 72 1 0 11 0 267
2016 163 20 8 69 1 0 13 0 274
2017 151 22 7 74 1 0 14 0 269
2018 145 22 5 102 0 0 16 0 290
2019 130 27 4 112 0 0 13 0 286
2020 119 29 4 128 0 0 13 0 293
2021 109 33 5 119 0 0 10 0 276
2022 92 23 6 121 0 0 12 0 254
2023 99 26 9 120 0 0 9 0 263

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at James Buchanan Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 235 16.4 14.3 n/a
1989 242 15.5 15.6 n/a
1990 244 16.9 14.4 0
1991 208 14.7 14.1 n/a
1992 184 12.2 15.0 n/a
1993 258 14.6 17.7 n/a
1994 254 15.0 16.9 n/a
1995 283 16.0 17.7 n/a
1996 283 16.0 17.7 n/a
1997 282 16.9 16.7 n/a
1998 267 15.0 17.8 n/a
1999 275 19.3 14.2 n/a
2000 283 17.4 16.3 29
2001 277 21.0 13.2 29.2
2002 306 18.8 16.3 26.5
2003 306 18.8 16.3 26.5
2004 307 16.5 18.6 27.7
2005 339 19.0 17.8 23.9
2006 296 16.3 18.2 35.8
2007 283 14.9 19.0 32.5
2008 286 17.8 16.1 38.5
2009 289 18.8 15.4 42.5
2010 271 18.0 15.0 0.8
2011 265 17.8 14.8 50.9
2012 265 16.5 16.0 51.7
2013 267 17.2 15.5 0
2014 266 17.9 14.8 53.8
2015 267 18.0 14.8 52.1
2016 274 20.0 13.7 52.2
2017 269 21.2 12.6 53.5
2018 290 20.8 13.9 57.9
2019 286 20.8 13.7 59.1
2020 293 21.3 13.7 60.4
2021 276 21.0 13.1 60.9
2022 254 19.3 13.1 54.3
2023 263 19.4 13.5 60.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio James Buchanan Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 235 16.4 14.3 n/a
1989 242 15.5 15.6 n/a
1990 244 16.9 14.4 0
1991 208 14.7 14.1 n/a
1992 184 12.2 15.0 n/a
1993 258 14.6 17.7 n/a
1994 254 15.0 16.9 n/a
1995 283 16.0 17.7 n/a
1996 283 16.0 17.7 n/a
1997 282 16.9 16.7 n/a
1998 267 15.0 17.8 n/a
1999 275 19.3 14.2 n/a
2000 283 17.4 16.3 29
2001 277 21.0 13.2 29.2
2002 306 18.8 16.3 26.5
2003 306 18.8 16.3 26.5
2004 307 16.5 18.6 27.7
2005 339 19.0 17.8 23.9
2006 296 16.3 18.2 35.8
2007 283 14.9 19.0 32.5
2008 286 17.8 16.1 38.5
2009 289 18.8 15.4 42.5
2010 271 18.0 15.0 0.8
2011 265 17.8 14.8 50.9
2012 265 16.5 16.0 51.7
2013 267 17.2 15.5 0
2014 266 17.9 14.8 53.8
2015 267 18.0 14.8 52.1
2016 274 20.0 13.7 52.2
2017 269 21.2 12.6 53.5
2018 290 20.8 13.9 57.9
2019 286 20.8 13.7 59.1
2020 293 21.3 13.7 60.4
2021 276 21.0 13.1 60.9
2022 254 19.3 13.1 54.3
2023 263 19.4 13.5 60.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for James Buchanan Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $966 (6.5%) $13,862 (93.5%) $14,828
2020 $962 (6.7%) $13,424 (93.3%) $14,386
2021 $1,179 (7.1%) $15,378 (92.9%) $16,557
2022 $1,100 (6.2%) $16,623 (93.8%) $17,723

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James Buchanan Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 939th of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 1067th of 1534 Elementary schools
 8.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (James Buchanan Elementary School)57.848.5
 9.3%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (James Buchanan Elementary School)73.450
 23.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (James Buchanan Elementary School)39.143.2
 4.1%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (James Buchanan Elementary School)71.162.1
 9%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (James Buchanan Elementary School)52.145.9
 6.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (James Buchanan Elementary School)40.429
 11.4%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (James Buchanan Elementary School)66.729
 37.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
All Grades Math (James Buchanan Elementary School)45.939.8
 6.1%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (James Buchanan Elementary School)71.162.1
 9%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (James Buchanan Elementary School)63.941.3
 22.6%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students286263
 8%
African American2726
 3.7%
American Indian00
Asian49
 125%
Hispanic112120
 7.1%
Pacific Islander00
White13099
 23.8%
Two or More Races139
 30.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients59.1%60.8%
 1.7%


Schools Near James Buchanan Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about James Buchanan Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 263 students attended James Buchanan Elementary School.

Students at James Buchanan Elementary School are 46% Hispanic, 38% White, 10% African American, 3% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

James Buchanan Elementary School ranks 1067th of 1534 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend James Buchanan Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Nitschmann Middle School
High : Liberty High School


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Attendance Areas provided by ATTOM.

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.





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