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Lower Merion School District

Public school districtGrades K–12Regional · 2 towns

Serves Lower Merion and Narberth.

Students

8,533

Schools

11

Spent per student

$32,865

PA $21,758

Students per teacher

11:1

Debt

$174.3M

fiscal 2024

The gist

What stands out about Lower Merion School District

School Grade A+: better than 98% of Delaware districts
Math proficiency 37 pts above the state
Graduation rate (4-year) 9 pts above the state
Spends 51% more per student than the PA average
11 students per teacher
Debt of $174.3M, about $20,430 per student

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Brookside.

K–52 elementary schoolsChristina School District

6–82 middle schoolsChristina School District

9–123 high schoolsChristina School District

Test scores vs. PA

2020–21

Math proficiency74%

State average 37.1%

Graduation rate (4-year)96%

State average 87.5%

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024

$32,865 per student · 51% above PA

Spending

Classroom instruction 63%Support & administration 35%Other 2%

Paid for by

Local (mostly property tax) 84%State 15%Federal 1%

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time

8,595’20

8,461’21

8,518’22

8,487’23

8,533’24

About steady.

Students

White 63%Asian 12%Black 9%Two or more races 9%Hispanic 6%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

11 public schools.

Penn Wynne Sch

Elementary · Grades K–4 · Wynnewood

621 students13:1

Gladwyne Sch

Elementary · Grades K–4 · Gladwyne

556 students13:1

Penn Valley Sch

Elementary · Grades K–4 · Narberth

542 students12:1

Elementary · Grades K–4 · Bala Cynwyd

446 students12:1

Merion El Sch

Elementary · Grades K–4 · Merion Station

438 students11:1

Belmont Hills El Sch

Elementary · Grades K–4 · Bala Cynwyd

358 students11:1

Black Rock MS

Middle · Grades 5–8 · Villanova

1,077 students10:1

Bala-Cynwyd MS

Middle · Grades 5–8 · Bala Cynwyd

794 students10:1

Welsh Valley MS

Middle · Grades 5–8 · Narberth

788 students10:1

Lower Merion HS

High · Grades 9–12 · Ardmore

1,674 students12:1

Harriton SHS

High · Grades 9–12 · Rosemont

1,239 students11:1

Towns served

Lower Merion 64,174Narberth 4,511

Nearby districts

Compare spending and schools next door.

Colonial School DistrictConshohocken, Whitemarsh

$23,317per student

Upper Merion Area School DistrictUpper Merion, West Conshohocken

$24,249per student

Haverford Township School DistrictHaverford

$18,687per student

Philadelphia City School DistrictPhiladelphia

$19,525per student

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES directory and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings are opinions.