Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 10 schools in district

Lower Merion HS

315 E Montgomery Ave, Ardmore, PA 19003Lower Merion SD
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0912Non-Charter
1,712
Students
Total enrolled
98%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
13% vs nat'l
$38,412
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
168% vs nat'l
12.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
21% vs nat'l
50/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
Large public school
Serves 1,712 students in grades 09–12 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
168% above average funding
District spends $38,412 per pupil, 168% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 50th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Lower Merion HS is a very large high in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, serving grades 09–12 with 1,712 students. The district invests $38,412 per student — 168% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 17% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. The school's 98% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at Lower Merion HS

1,712
Total Students
12.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
17%
Free Lunch
141
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0912) are served by this school
Gender Distribution959 male · 753 female
56%
44%
Male 56%Female 44%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility17%
National avg 52% · 298 students
Student Composition
10%
64%
12%
Asian10%
White64%
Hispanic / Latino7%
Black12%
Multiracial7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 421416003295

Academic Outcomes at Lower Merion HS

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
98
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
98%
State avg
90%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
50
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 50th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 80th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 19003

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$38,412Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$38,412
State avg
$97,525
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$16,901
Student Support$7,298
Administration$4,609
Operations$5,762
Other$3,841
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $38,412 spent per student, an estimated $17,016 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
14%
84%
State government
14.1%
Local (property tax)
83.7%
Federal programs
2.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 98% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Above-average funding — $38,412/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 17% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location
CountyMontgomery County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (610)645-1810
NCES ID: 421416003295
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Ardmore seeking a public high 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.

Location
315 E Montgomery Ave, Ardmore, PA 19003
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.