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If you could change one rule at Big Spring MS, what would it be?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
550
Middle
DISTRICT 469 · STATE 594
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·BIG SPRING SD·NCES 420366006326
Big Spring MS
43 Mount Rock Rd, Newville, PA 17241 · (717) 776-2471 · Cumberland County
GRADES 06–08MIDDLE41-RURALTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL550 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
12.2:1
45 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 12.2:1 · STATE 13.2:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
42%
231 students
DISTRICT 46% · STATE 75%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other middle schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade
Student demographics
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Big Spring MS→Big Spring HS
Based on grade levels within Big Spring SD. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
PSSA + Keystone 2024-25 . % Proficient or AdvancedEnglish Language Arts
61.6%
PA avg 51.1% . +2.1pp since 2023
Math
42.9%
PA avg 43.0% . +5.3pp since 2023
What this means: On the PSSA + Keystone, Pennsylvania's statewide test, about 62 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 43 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Pennsylvania schools, those numbers are about 51 and 43. Reading and writing scores are up about 2 points since 2023, while math scores are up about 5 points.
Source: PSSA + Keystone. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
52.1%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
59.6%
based on PA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-7.5pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 52% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 60% typical for Pennsylvania schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Pennsylvania's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
7-year change
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
550
-39 (-7%) vs 2017
Student : Teacher
12.2:1
was 12.3:1
% White
92%
was 94%
% Hispanic
3%
was 2%
% Black
1%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
About Big Spring MS
Big Spring MS, a mid-tier 6-8 campus in Newville, Pennsylvania, operated by Big Spring SD, educates 550 students, covering grades 6 through 8.
Within Big Spring SD, which oversees 5 schools and 2,344 students, Big Spring MS is one campus in the system.
Demographically, Big Spring MS lists that 92% of students identify as White, making the school strongly White-majority; the rest is composed of 4% multiracial, 3% Hispanic. That is visibly more White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 82%.
On the income-and-resources front, On paper, Big Spring MS has 45 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.2:1. The state averages around 13.2:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Around 42% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.
On a demographically-adjusted basis, Big Spring MS tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 59.6% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 52.1%.
Across the wider county, census data for Cumberland County shows median household earnings sit near $87,494, 40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Big Spring MS is one of 57 public schools in Cumberland County (combined enrollment of about 33,044 students).
Mount Rock Elem Sch is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.1 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 4 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Big Spring MS at 5th of 9; the average score across the group is 53.0%.
The campus sits in a countryside setting.
Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Big Spring MS has edged down 7%, going from 589 students in 2018 to 550 in 2025.
Inside the community feed, the feed for Big Spring MS typically covers school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.
Cumberland County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
268,323
Census ACS
Median income
$87,494
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
40%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
5%
Below federal line
Schools in county
57
33,044 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Big Spring SD
- Big Spring HSHigh · 764 students
- Newville El SchElementary · 351 students
- Oak Flat El SchElementary · 348 students
- Mount Rock Elem SchElementary · 331 students
Other schools in Newville
- Big Spring HSHigh · 764 students
- Newville El SchElementary · 351 students
- Oak Flat El SchElementary · 348 students
- Mount Rock Elem SchElementary · 331 students
Nearby schools
- Mount Rock Elem Sch0.1 mi · 331
- Big Spring HS0.4 mi · 764
- Newville El Sch1.1 mi · 351
- Oak Flat El Sch1.3 mi · 348
- North Dickinson El Sch7.3 mi · 193
- Carlisle Area HS9.6 mi · 1,559
Frequently asked questions
About Big Spring MSWhat is the total enrollment at Big Spring MS?
Big Spring MS enrolls approximately 550 students in grades 06-08.
What grades does Big Spring MS serve?
Big Spring MS serves grades 06-08.
How many teachers does Big Spring MS have?
Big Spring MS employs 45 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 12.2:1.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Big Spring MS?
At Big Spring MS, the student body is approximately 92% White, 3% Hispanic, 1% Black, 1% Asian, 4% Two or more.
What district is Big Spring MS in?
Big Spring MS is part of Big Spring SD.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.