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Lafayette Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1271^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,511 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Better than 16% of Pennsylvania elementary schools

Summary

Lafayette Elementary School is a public elementary school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, serving 446 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Lancaster School District, which is ranked 491 out of 606 school districts in the state.

Despite higher per-student spending and a relatively low student-teacher ratio, Lafayette Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom 20% of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with significantly below-average performance on PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) tests in both Math and English Language Arts. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 24.9% of Lafayette students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to 41.7% statewide and 22.4% in the Lancaster School District. Similarly, only 22.8% of Lafayette students were proficient or better in PSSA ELA, compared to 48.5% statewide and 27.6% in the district.

Interestingly, nearby schools in the Lancaster School District, such as Ross Elementary, Martin School, and Smith-Wade-Elementary Elementary, generally outperform Lafayette Elementary on academic measures, despite serving similar student populations. Lafayette's performance has also been declining over the past several years, suggesting the school is struggling to address the unique needs of its student population and improve educational outcomes.

437

Students ?

10.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$26,173

Per pupil spending ?

102.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1000 Fremont St
Lancaster, PA 17603

(717) 291-6183

District: Lancaster School District

Students who attend Lafayette Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Wheatland Middle School
High:	McCaskey Campus

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

57.2%

African American:

16.7%

White:

13.5%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare Lafayette Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 19th percentile in 2015 → 16th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Pennsylvania average (24% vs 45% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (16th percentile)

!English Language Arts scores 26 pts below the Pennsylvania average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school24%

District avg25%

Pennsylvania avg45%

1,271^st of 1,511

Pennsylvania public elementary schools ?

Bottom 16%▼ down 3 pts since 2015

From bottom 19% (2015) to bottom 16% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Pennsylvania Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

10^th of 13Elementary Schools in the Lancaster School District

491^st of 606Lancaster School District among Pennsylvania districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	15.1	1271 of 1511	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.1	1270 of 1526	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	14.5	1283 of 1534	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	14.9	1271 of 1534	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	8.9	1270 of 1433	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.9	1242 of 1544	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	18.6	1257 of 1530	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	19.0	1264 of 1547	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	16.0	1296 of 1554	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	19.4	1192 of 1474	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	15.8	1260 of 1467	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	8.3	1367 of 1519	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	11.0	1442 of 1599	9.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	14.5	1442 of 1597	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	13.0	1436 of 1579	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	17.0	1379 of 1549	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	22.3	1331 of 1551	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	45.3	1045 of 1555	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2006	36.7	1192 of 1545	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	26.4	1060 of 1299	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	28.5	1022 of 1308	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	40.1	890 of 1302	31.6%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	41.6	216 of 413	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	20.1	392 of 437	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	21.0	862 of 1030	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.3	920 of 1084	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.8	928 of 1043	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	42.7	96 of 207	53.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	43.7	114 of 200	43.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.3	109 of 196	44.4%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	14.1	1251 of 1466	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	14.3	1267 of 1488	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	35.0	273 of 429	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	32.9	321 of 454	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	33.6	298 of 432	31.0%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	19.1	1160 of 1369	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	15.9	1243 of 1432	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	20.5	1159 of 1414	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	17.0	1224 of 1475	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.7	1210 of 1495	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2024	62.2	462 of 1229	62.4%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2024)62nd percentile+46 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)54th percentile+38 vs school

African American (2025)48th percentile+32 vs school

Hispanic (2025)36th percentile+20 vs school

Male (2025)17th percentile~ school

Disabled (2025)16th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)15th percentile~ school

Female (2025)15th percentile~ school

By subject vs Pennsylvania (2024-2025) ?

Math25%-17 vs state

English Language Arts23%-26 vs state

2.0

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What people are saying

by a citizen
Sunday, April 5, 2009

In the past few weeks, I have been in and out of Lafayette Elementary as an aide. If there's on thing I've noticed, it's that the teachers don't seem to hold much hope for the students. Instead, teachers go through the motions of a day-to-day classroom, shuffling them along to the next teacher, always adhering to what the PSSAs may or may not have on them.
I have hope for the students of Lafayette, and I wish the teachers would, too. Give the students a chance to show you how bright they are, instead of constantly putting them down. Let them flourish and grow, and be creative. These kids have it in them, but they won't get it from the Lafayette staff. Close Quote

Schools Near Lafayette Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				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/Discounted Lunch Recipients	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	PSSA Math 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th 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 All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lafayette Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 Fremont St	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6183	437	40	10.9	102.1%	59 (13.5%)	73 (16.7%)	250 (57.2%)	31 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.5%)	15.1	1271^st of 1511 public elementary schools	15.9%		16.1	1270^th of 1526 public elementary schools	16.8%	1	28.4	26.2	20.4	24.9	26.9	23.1	18.7	22.8	$26,173	$3,873	$22,300
Hamilton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1300 Wabank Rd	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6166	339	31	10.9	98.8%	39 (11.5%)	55 (16.2%)	214 (63.1%)	12 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.6%)	28	1104^th of 1511 public elementary schools	26.9%		30	1107^th of 1526 public elementary schools	27.5%	3	46.8	38.3	24.5	36.6	29.8	34.0	28.9	30.9	$24,842	$3,737	$21,105
Smith-Wade-Elementary Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	910 Hamilton Park Drive	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6151	397	33	12.0	103.0%	103 (25.9%)	58 (14.6%)	182 (45.8%)	15 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	38 (9.6%)	37.5	997^th of 1511 public elementary schools	34.0%		32.4	1087^th of 1526 public elementary schools	28.8%	90	39.6	43.5	18.0	34.7	48.2	49.2	31.4	43.6	$21,663	$3,452	$18,211
Price Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	340 S. West End Avenue	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6252	331	37	8.9	107.6%	21 (6.3%)	64 (19.3%)	214 (64.7%)	13 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.7%)	14.7	1278^th of 1511 public elementary schools	15.4%		17.3	1254^th of 1526 public elementary schools	17.8%	24	31.1	33.3	8.0	24.0	19.7	30.7	18.0	22.0	$25,299	$3,823	$21,476
Carter and MacRae Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	251 S Prince St	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 396-6842	444	48	9.2	92.6%	36 (8.1%)	122 (27.5%)	252 (56.8%)	7 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.1%)	12.6	1311^th of 1511 public elementary schools	13.2%		15.8	1276^th of 1526 public elementary schools	16.4%	35	13.8	31.3	22.4	22.0	13.8	20.4	19.3	17.7	$24,059	$3,377	$20,682
Fulton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	225 W Orange St	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6110	274	27	10.1	99.3%	33 (12.0%)	50 (18.2%)	166 (60.6%)	8 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.2%)	34.7	1033^rd of 1511 public elementary schools	31.6%		25.4	1149^th of 1526 public elementary schools	24.7%	116	42.1	45.2	17.5	33.9	42.1	48.4	32.5	40.4	$24,742	$3,893	$20,849
King Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	466 Rockland St	Lancaster	17602	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6178	413	34	12.1	97.6%	15 (3.6%)	58 (14.0%)	318 (77.0%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.1%)	8.3	1386^th of 1511 public elementary schools	8.3%		13.9	1304^th of 1526 public elementary schools	14.5%	82	21.3	21.2	8.4	17.1	11.7	19.7	11.6	14.5	$23,728	$3,595	$20,132
Washington Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	545 S Ann St	Lancaster	17602	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6275	467	49	9.5	102.4%	12 (2.6%)	41 (8.8%)	400 (85.7%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.9%)	16.7	1251^st of 1511 public elementary schools	17.2%		14	1299^th of 1526 public elementary schools	14.9%	48	24.6	32.8	18.2	24.8	17.4	31.0	25.8	24.3	$27,161	$3,608	$23,553
Wharton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	705 N Mary St	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6281	327	27	12.1	101.8%	161 (49.2%)	17 (5.2%)	102 (31.2%)	13 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (10.4%)	49.7	826^th of 1511 public elementary schools	45.3%		54.8	795^th of 1526 public elementary schools	47.9%	31	58.2	46.3	39.2	48.4	58.2	44.5	30.5	45.2	$22,596	$3,518	$19,078
Ross Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	840 N Queen St	Lancaster	17603	Lancaster County	Lancaster School District	No	No	No	Yes	(717) 291-6268	281	21	13.3	94.0%	40 (14.2%)	43 (15.3%)	152 (54.1%)	8 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	37 (13.2%)	24.9	1140^th of 1511 public elementary schools	24.6%		40.5	1002^nd of 1526 public elementary schools	34.3%	138	25.7	34.4	26.0	28.2	25.0	21.9	42.0	31.4	$25,032	$3,964	$21,069

Frequently Asked Questions about Lafayette Elementary School

What district is Lafayette Elementary School in?

Lancaster School District

Is Lafayette Elementary School a good school?

Lafayette Elementary School ranks in the bottom 15.9% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Lafayette Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Lafayette Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Wheatland Middle School
High : McCaskey Campus

How many students attend Lafayette Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 437 students attended Lafayette Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Lafayette Elementary School?

Students at Lafayette Elementary School are 57% Hispanic, 17% African American, 14% White, 7% Asian, 5% Two or more races.

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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.

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.