Park Forest Middle School

Summary:

Park Forest Middle School is a high-performing public middle school in State College, Pennsylvania, serving 815 students in grades 6-8 and part of the State College Area School District, which is ranked 48th out of 610 districts in the state.

Park Forest Middle School consistently ranks among the top middle schools in Pennsylvania, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's academic performance is particularly strong, with over 80% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and Science. It also performs exceptionally well across various student subgroups, ranking highly for female, male, Asian, White, and multi-racial students. Additionally, the school has very low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 1.6%, significantly lower than the state average. Park Forest Middle School spends more per student than the state average, with spending ranging from $19,254 to $21,402 per student.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Mount Nittany Middle School, Park Forest Middle School consistently outperforms its peers in Math, Science, and English Language Arts proficiency. The school also has a relatively low percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with only 14.23% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, compared to some nearby schools like West Branch Middle School and Tyrone Area Middle School, which have over 50% of their students in this category. Additionally, Park Forest Middle School has a lower student-teacher ratio than some nearby schools, ranging from 11.8 to 13.2 over the past few years.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 2180 School Dr
       State College, PA  16803-1130


(814) 272-8217

District: State College Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
39th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $21,402 Help


Students who attend Park Forest Middle School usually attend:

High:    State College Area High School

Feeder schools for Park Forest Middle School:

Elementary:    Corl Street Elementary School
    Gray's Woods Elementary School
    Park Forest Elementary School
    Radio Park Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.3 Help
Number of students:  808

Racial breakdown:

White:
77.8%
Asian:
10.4%
Two or more races:
6.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  15.3% Help


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 Compare Park Forest Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Park Forest Middle School ranks better than 95.6% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 93.71. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (77.8%), Asian (10.4%), two or more races (6.1%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 15.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Park Forest Middle School is 13.3. (See more...)
Help
Compare Park Forest Middle School employs 60.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Park Forest Middle School is $21,402.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Park Forest Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Park Forest Middle School 39th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Park Forest Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Asian students:
White students:


State College Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks State College Area School District 48th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Park Forest Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Park Forest Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 82.91 91st 643 85.8%
2004 89.30 41st 663 93.8%
2005 82.88 104th 687 84.9%
2006 83.01 77th 736 89.5%
2007 82.18 70th 749 90.7%
2008 85.06 63rd 753 91.6%
2009 82.16 85th 770 89.0%
2010 82.95 80th 805 90.1%
2011 83.07 76th 825 90.8%
2012 85.86 39th 834 95.3%
2013 83.90 65th 758 91.4%
2014 83.14 74th 728 89.8%
2015 87.16 73rd 835 91.3%
2016 85.71 94th 870 89.2%
2017 88.41 72nd 877 91.8%
2018 87.61 71st 861 91.8%
2019 90.66 48th 891 94.6%
2021 86.81 72nd 797 91.0%
2022 91.07 52nd 883 94.1%
2023 91.16 51st 893 94.3%
2024 93.71 39th 891 95.6%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Park Forest Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 87.84 21st 187 88.8%
2024 89.83 19th 199 90.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Park Forest Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 68.76 214th 874 75.5%
2024 81.00 98th 877 88.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Park Forest Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 92.32 40th 860 95.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Park Forest Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 87.93 40th 660 93.9%
2024 94.60 22nd 672 96.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Park Forest Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 93.30 35th 870 96.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Park Forest Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 79.39 23rd 144 84.0%
2024 79.89 23rd 145 84.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for White students at Park Forest Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 82.80 74th 681 89.1%
2024 88.25 50th 673 92.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Park Forest Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Park Forest Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 790 25 11 12 2 n/a n/a 0 840
1989 757 18 24 14 2 n/a n/a 0 815
1990 799 25 36 24 3 n/a n/a 0 887
1991 874 22 30 19 2 n/a n/a 0 947
1992 855 25 35 11 8 n/a n/a 0 934
1993 880 30 42 10 2 n/a n/a 0 964
1994 945 30 35 8 3 n/a n/a 0 1021
1995 823 28 41 12 3 n/a n/a 0 907
1996 823 28 41 12 3 n/a n/a 0 907
1997 775 33 55 29 0 n/a n/a 0 892
1998 768 23 31 12 5 n/a n/a 0 839
1999 747 33 51 9 3 n/a n/a 0 843
2000 732 41 57 14 2 n/a n/a 0 846
2001 778 32 55 12 2 n/a n/a 0 879
2002 833 21 59 24 10 n/a n/a 0 947
2003 833 21 59 24 10 n/a n/a 0 947
2004 784 25 55 37 3 n/a n/a 0 904
2005 792 28 58 32 3 n/a n/a 0 913
2006 774 21 49 35 4 n/a n/a 0 883
2007 748 23 50 23 3 n/a n/a 0 847
2008 721 24 55 23 2 n/a n/a 0 825
2009 710 25 55 25 3 n/a n/a 12 830
2010 710 32 54 23 1 n/a n/a 20 840
2011 688 26 55 23 1 8 22 0 823
2012 672 17 58 18 0 4 19 0 788
2013 699 23 63 16 0 4 19 0 824
2014 705 21 62 18 1 1 18 0 826
2015 704 22 68 31 1 1 20 0 847
2016 629 26 83 32 2 0 38 0 810
2017 608 21 79 34 0 0 51 0 793
2018 602 19 78 33 0 0 56 0 788
2019 629 18 54 36 0 3 45 0 785
2020 595 19 61 39 0 3 52 0 769
2021 618 15 62 39 0 3 60 0 797
2022 612 14 74 39 2 0 59 0 800
2023 645 12 75 30 4 1 48 0 815
2024 629 15 84 26 3 2 49 0 808

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Park Forest Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 840 59.7 14.0 n/a
1989 815 61.3 13.2 n/a
1990 887 60.9 14.5 0
1991 947 74.6 12.6 n/a
1992 934 73.2 12.7 n/a
1993 964 63.4 15.2 n/a
1994 1021 59.8 17.1 n/a
1995 907 55.2 16.4 n/a
1996 907 55.2 16.4 n/a
1997 892 55.7 16.0 n/a
1998 839 59.7 14.1 n/a
1999 843 62.8 13.4 n/a
2000 846 66.4 12.7 17.5
2001 879 67.6 13.0 12.9
2002 947 68.4 13.8 14.6
2003 947 68.4 13.8 14.6
2004 904 69.2 13.1 11.7
2005 913 69.4 13.2 15.1
2006 883 64.6 13.7 12.3
2007 847 69.6 12.2 12.4
2008 825 66.2 12.5 11.4
2009 830 66.9 12.4 12.6
2010 840 67.9 12.3 15.2
2011 823 67.2 12.2 14.1
2012 788 67.2 11.7 10.7
2013 824 64.7 12.7 15.7
2014 826 65.4 12.6 12.1
2015 847 67.0 12.6 13.8
2016 810 69.0 11.7 17.7
2017 793 67.6 11.7 14.5
2018 788 64.7 12.1 17
2019 785 65.8 11.9 17.7
2020 769 66.6 11.5 13
2021 797 67.1 11.8 12.4
2022 800 65.2 12.2 11.9
2023 815 61.6 13.2 14.2
2024 808 60.3 13.3 15.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Park Forest Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 840 59.7 14.0 n/a
1989 815 61.3 13.2 n/a
1990 887 60.9 14.5 0
1991 947 74.6 12.6 n/a
1992 934 73.2 12.7 n/a
1993 964 63.4 15.2 n/a
1994 1021 59.8 17.1 n/a
1995 907 55.2 16.4 n/a
1996 907 55.2 16.4 n/a
1997 892 55.7 16.0 n/a
1998 839 59.7 14.1 n/a
1999 843 62.8 13.4 n/a
2000 846 66.4 12.7 17.5
2001 879 67.6 13.0 12.9
2002 947 68.4 13.8 14.6
2003 947 68.4 13.8 14.6
2004 904 69.2 13.1 11.7
2005 913 69.4 13.2 15.1
2006 883 64.6 13.7 12.3
2007 847 69.6 12.2 12.4
2008 825 66.2 12.5 11.4
2009 830 66.9 12.4 12.6
2010 840 67.9 12.3 15.2
2011 823 67.2 12.2 14.1
2012 788 67.2 11.7 10.7
2013 824 64.7 12.7 15.7
2014 826 65.4 12.6 12.1
2015 847 67.0 12.6 13.8
2016 810 69.0 11.7 17.7
2017 793 67.6 11.7 14.5
2018 788 64.7 12.1 17
2019 785 65.8 11.9 17.7
2020 769 66.6 11.5 13
2021 797 67.1 11.8 12.4
2022 800 65.2 12.2 11.9
2023 815 61.6 13.2 14.2
2024 808 60.3 13.3 15.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Park Forest Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $09 (0.0%) $19,245 (100.0%) $19,254
2020 $181 (0.9%) $19,808 (99.1%) $19,989
2021 $460 (2.3%) $19,685 (97.7%) $20,145
2022 $463 (2.2%) $20,939 (97.8%) $21,402

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Park Forest Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 48th of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 51st of 893 Middle schools
 0.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Park Forest Middle School)61.559.4
 2.1%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Park Forest Middle School)82.176.6
 5.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Park Forest Middle School)64.959
 5.9%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Park Forest Middle School)83.177
 6.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Park Forest Middle School)59.347.4
 11.9%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Park Forest Middle School)76.981.3
 4.4%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Park Forest Middle School)82.772.6
 10.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Park Forest Middle School)6255.6
 6.4%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Park Forest Middle School)76.981.3
 4.4%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Park Forest Middle School)82.675.5
 7.1%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students785815
 3.8%
African American1812
 33.3%
American Indian04
Asian5475
 38.9%
Hispanic3630
 16.7%
Pacific Islander31
 66.7%
White629645
 2.5%
Two or More Races4548
 6.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients17.7%14.2%
 3.5%


Schools Near Park Forest Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Park Forest Middle School

Students at Park Forest Middle School are 78% White, 10% Asian, 6% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic, 2% African American.

In the 2023-24 school year, 808 students attended Park Forest Middle School.

Students who attend Park Forest Middle School usually go on to attend State College Area High School

Yes! Park Forest Middle School is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 39th of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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