Mercersburg El Sch

Mercersburg El Sch, a low-enrollment primary school in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, run under Tuscarora SD, enrolls 232 students, covering grades K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 48% smaller than the state mean of about 443.

Across the 6 schools in Tuscarora SD (2,182 students total), Mercersburg El Sch accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Mercersburg El Sch reports that the student body is overwhelmingly White (88%); the rest breaks down as 5% Hispanic, 3% multiracial. That composition is broadly in line with Franklin County as a whole.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 18 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.1:1 students per teacher. The state averages about 13.1:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. Roughly 103% of students at Mercersburg El Sch qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. By comparison, Franklin County runs at roughly 69%, so the school's eligibility rate is somewhat above the surrounding baseline.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, Mercersburg El Sch ranks in the top 10% of Pennsylvania public schools. The BeatsExpectations model, a per-state regression of composite proficiency on FRL share, predicts schools with this student profile to land around 33.6%; Mercersburg El Sch posts 64.0%, +30.4 points above that line.

Around the school, ACS estimates for Franklin County put median household earnings sit near $77,003, about 25% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 6%. Across Franklin County's 41 public schools (combined enrollment of about 21,432 students), Mercersburg El Sch is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is James Buchanan MS, roughly 1.7 miles away. Within five miles, there are 4 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Mercersburg El Sch at 2nd of 8; the average score across the group is 53.2%.

The campus sits in a countryside setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Mercersburg El Sch's enrollment has ticked down 12% since 2018, when it stood at 265 (now 232). Class-load math has tightened: from 17.0:1 in 2018 to 13.1:1 in 2025.

On the community side, recent activity here tends to focus on classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.