Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 22 schools in district

Fountain Hill El Sch

1330 Church St, Bethlehem, PA 18015Bethlehem Area SD →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
513
Students
Total enrolled
$23,782
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 66% vs nat'l
11.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 27% vs nat'l
38/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 25% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 513 students in grades PK–05 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
66% above average funding
District spends $23,782 per pupil, 66% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 38th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Fountain Hill El Sch is a large elementary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, serving grades PK–05 with 513 students. The district invests $23,782 per student — 66% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 11.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 86% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 38/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Fountain Hill El Sch

513
Total Students
11.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
86%
Free Lunch
45
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution252 male · 261 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility86%
National avg 52% · 439 students
Student Composition
16%
67%
16%
Asian1%
White16%
Hispanic / Latino67%
Black16%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 420357006723

Academic Outcomes at Fountain Hill El Sch

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
38
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 38th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 18th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 18015

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$23,782Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$23,782
State avg
$97,525
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$10,464
Student Support$4,519
Administration$2,854
Operations$3,567
Other$2,378
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $23,782 spent per student, an estimated $10,536 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
25%
64%
State government
24.8%
Local (property tax)
64.1%
Federal programs
11.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $23,782/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 11.3:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 86% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Spring Garden El SchGovernor Wolf El SchDonegan El SchClearview El Sch
+11 more
↓
Middle
East Hills MSNitschmann MSNortheast MSBroughal MS
↓
High School
Liberty HSFreedom HS
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyLehigh County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBethlehem Area SD →
Phone: (610)865-5881
NCES ID: 420357006723
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Bethlehem seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Bethlehem Area SD
High
Liberty HS
2,640 students · 09–12
● 55 opp50% FRL
High
Freedom HS
1,753 students · 09–12
● 47 opp38% FRL
Mid
East Hills MS
1,047 students · 06–08
● 47 opp47% FRL
Mid
Nitschmann MS
781 students · 06–08
● 55 opp49% FRL
Mid
Northeast MS
725 students · 06–08
● 55 opp75% FRL
Elem
Spring Garden El Sch
508 students · KG–05
● 47 opp46% FRL
Mid
Broughal MS
500 students · 06–08
● 38 opp88% FRL
Elem
Governor Wolf El Sch
459 students · KG–05
● 47 opp57% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1330 Church St, Bethlehem, PA 18015
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.