School district or education agency · NCES 4224320

Upper Darby SD

Drexel Hill, PA

District overview See comparisons

Students12,494

Student membership reported by NCES for 2023–24.

Schools13

operational schools · 2023–24

Students12,494

students in linked records

Latest attendance year2022–23

federal comparable series

Latest finance record$15,392

per student

District, state and country

How does this district compare?

State and national figures use the same measure and reporting period. They are weighted by students or staffing whenever the source provides a denominator.

MeasureDistrictPAUnited States

Academic standing2025

21st percentile51st percentile45th percentile

This district is 30 percentile points lower than the state figure and 24 percentile points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students chronically absent2022–23

30.6%23.3%27.8%

This district is 7.3 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.8 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Revenue per studentFY 2023

$20,439$24,823$19,509

This district is $4,384 per student lower than the state figure and $930 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Spending per studentFY 2023

$15,392$18,240$15,859

This district is $2,848 per student lower than the state figure and $467 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Capital outlay per studentFY 2023

$3,338$1,977$1,964

This district is $1,361 per student higher than the state figure and $1,374 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Equipment spending per studentFY 2023

$491$513$336

This district is $22 per student lower than the state figure and $155 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Special-education spending per studentFY 2023

$5,531$3,520$1,793

This district is $2,011 per student higher than the state figure and $3,738 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Salaries per studentFY 2023

$7,515$8,815$8,742

This district is $1,300 per student lower than the state figure and $1,227 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Benefits per studentFY 2023

$4,531$5,632$3,769

This district is $1,101 per student lower than the state figure and $762 per student higher than the U.S. figure.

Debt outstanding per studentFY 2023

$7,605$15,642$11,715

This district is $8,037 per student lower than the state figure and $4,110 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Debt retired per studentFY 2023

$419$1,342$869

This district is $923 per student lower than the state figure and $450 per student lower than the U.S. figure.

Students per teacher2023–24

15:113:115:1

This district is 2.0 students per teacher higher than the state figure and about the same as the U.S. figure.

Students per counselor2023–24

357:1319:1376:1

This district is 38 students per counselor higher than the state figure and 19 students per counselor lower than the U.S. figure.

District staff per 1,000 students2023–24

100.0151.6138.9

This district is 51.6 staff per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 38.9 staff per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

Instructional aides per 1,000 students2023–24

4.619.518.5

This district is 14.9 aides per 1,000 students lower than the state figure and 13.9 aides per 1,000 students lower than the U.S. figure.

School psychologists per 1,000 students2023–24

1.41.00.9

This district is 0.4 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the state figure and 0.5 psychologists per 1,000 students higher than the U.S. figure.

Regular diplomas among completers2023–24

100.0%100.0%99.0%

This district is about the same as the state figure and 1.0 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–122023–24

2.3%2.1%2.6%

This district is 0.2 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students learning English2021–22 · reporting schools

11.9%5.4%12.0%

This district is 6.5 percentage points higher than the state figure and 0.1 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · reporting schools

16.5%18.2%14.0%

This district is 1.7 percentage points lower than the state figure and 2.5 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · reporting schools

2.5%3.2%3.9%

This district is 0.7 percentage points lower than the state figure and 1.4 percentage points lower than the U.S. figure.

Teachers reported as certified2021–22 · reporting schools

99.4%97.8%95.8%

This district is 1.6 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.6 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment change2021–22 to 2023–24

+1.6%+0.9%+0.5%

This district is 0.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.1 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students eligible for free or reduced-price meals2021–22 · valid district records

97.8%47.9%50.6%

This district is 49.9 percentage points higher than the state figure and 47.2 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students without disabilities2021–22 · matched enrollment

5.9%4.2%4.5%

This district is 1.7 percentage points higher than the state figure and 1.4 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students receiving IDEA services2021–22 · matched enrollment

11.4%8.8%9.0%

This district is 2.6 percentage points higher than the state figure and 2.4 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Out-of-school suspension rate · students with Section 504 plans2021–22 · matched enrollment

9.8%4.0%6.7%

This district is 5.8 percentage points higher than the state figure and 3.1 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Students enrolled in district distance education2021–22 · matched enrollment

25.6%7.5%5.1%

This district is 18.1 percentage points higher than the state figure and 20.5 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

School-age children in poverty2024 Census estimate

21.7%14.3%14.4%

This district is 7.4 percentage points higher than the state figure and 7.3 percentage points higher than the U.S. figure.

Enrollment · 2023–24

Who attends this district?

Kindergarten–grade 55,361 students

42.9%

Grades 6–82,821 students

22.6%

Grades 9–124,312 students

34.5%

See enrollment for every grade

Kindergarten812

Grade 1832

Grade 2918

Grade 3944

Grade 4927

Grade 5928

Grade 6923

Grade 7962

Grade 8936

Grade 91,193

Grade 101,073

Grade 11956

Grade 121,090

Students by race and ethnicity

Black or African American5,992 (48.0%)

Hispanic/Latino2,041 (16.3%)

White1,992 (15.9%)

Asian1,751 (14.0%)

Two or more races691 (5.5%)

American Indian or Alaska Native22 (0.2%)

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander5 (0.0%)

Final NCES Common Core of Data membership file, 2023–24. Suppressed or missing cells are not estimated.

Current staffing · 2023–24

How many staff members support students?

1,249.5All district staff, full-time equivalent

848Teachers, full-time equivalent

35School counselors, full-time equivalent

18School psychologists, full-time equivalent

57Instructional aides, full-time equivalent

9.5Librarians and media specialists, full-time equivalent

42School administrators, full-time equivalent

59.5Student support staff, full-time equivalent

See detailed staffing

Kindergarten teachers21.5 FTE

Elementary teachers388.2 FTE

Secondary teachers338.1 FTE

Ungraded teachers100.2 FTE

Instructional coordinators12.5 FTE

District administrators10 FTE

District administrative support57 FTE

School administrative support71 FTE

Library and media support9 FTE

Other support staff21 FTE

Final NCES Common Core of Data staff file, 2023–24. These are full-time-equivalent positions, not employee headcounts, vacancies or caseloads.

High-school outcomes · 2023–24

How many students completed school or dropped out?

998Total completers

998Regular diplomas

101Reported dropouts, grades 9–12

Regular diplomas among completers

District100.0%

PA100.0%

United States99.0%

Annual dropouts among students in grades 9–12

District2.3%

PA2.1%

United States2.6%

Final NCES Common Core of Data completer and dropout files, 2023–24. The dropout rate divides the reported annual grades 9–12 dropout count by complete grades 9–12 enrollment. It is not a cohort graduation rate. The diploma share describes credentials among completers and should not be read as a graduation rate.

Graduation · 2022–23

How many students graduated within four years?

Loading the district's official graduation record…

Learning support · 2021–22 federal snapshot

How many students may need specialized support?

Counts and shares use only schools with a usable value for that measure. The reporting-school denominator prevents missing schools from being counted as zero.

11.9%Students learning English1,422 students · 14 of 14 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District11.9%

PA5.4%

U.S.12.0%

16.5%Students receiving IDEA special-education services1,976 students · 14 of 14 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District16.5%

PA18.2%

U.S.14.0%

2.5%Students with Section 504 plans286 students · 13 of 14 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District2.5%

PA3.2%

U.S.3.9%

1.2%English learners also receiving IDEA services138 students · 14 of 14 schools reported both this measure and enrollment

District1.2%

PA0.7%

U.S.1.7%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Public-use counts are privacy-protected. These figures describe the reporting year, not current enrollment, diagnoses, service quality or unmet need.

Teacher quality and early learning · 2021–22

What did the district report about teachers and preschool?

99.4%Teachers reported as certified

Teacher certification comparison

District99.4%

PA97.8%

United States95.8%

U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021–22. Certification status is district-reported and may not match current staffing. Preschool counts cover the federal reporting year and are not a measure of available seats.

Community context · 2024

How many school-age children live in poverty?

This Census estimate provides context about families in the district. It does not measure school quality or describe every student enrolled in the district.

15,768children ages 5 to 17

3,426estimated to live in families below the poverty line

21.7%about 1 in 5 school-age children

District21.7%

PA14.3%

United States14.4%

U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. The estimate covers related children ages 5 to 17 in families in poverty and uses 2024–25 district boundaries.

District geography · 2024–25

What area does this district cover?

NCES publishes a geographic boundary for traditional school districts. Charter agencies and some special-purpose agencies may not have one.

Loading the official district boundary…

Source: NCES EDGE School District Boundaries, school year 2024–25.

Comparable districts

Districts serving a similar student population

These peers are matched using enrollment and available student population measures. Districts in PA receive geographic preference, but a closer national match may appear when it is more comparable. Open any profile for a full comparison.

Central Dauphin SDHarrisburg, PA12,543 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Hazleton Area SDHazleton, PA12,609 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →Bethlehem Area SDBethlehem, PA12,864 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →North Penn SDLansdale, PA12,997 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →West Chester Area SDWest Chester, PA12,109 studentsSimilar enrollment, community poverty, English-learner enrollment · View profile →

Academic results · 2025

How do results differ among student groups?

Asian students965 assessments

42 out of 100

White students1,015 assessments

33 out of 100

Students not economically disadvantaged1,914 assessments

28 out of 100

Fem3,329 assessments

23 out of 100

Economically disadvantaged students4,773 assessments

19 out of 100

Mal3,358 assessments

19 out of 100

Black students2,977 assessments

17 out of 100

Hispanic students1,273 assessments

13 out of 100

A score of 50 marks the national 2019 midpoint. Higher numbers indicate stronger results on the comparable Stanford research scale. This is not a state proficiency rate.

District makeup

What kinds of schools are in the district?

11Elementary schools

2Middle schools

1High schools

14Suburb setting

School levels, settings and types use the NCES 2021–22 directory matched to the federal civil-rights collection.

District finances

How is the district funded, and how does it spend?

Sources of funds

Where the money comes from

Share of district revenue supplied by each level of government.

13.1%Federal

41.1%State

45.8%Local

Uses of funds

Where the money goes

Annual spending for each enrolled student.

$15,392Total current spending per student

$10,115Instruction per student

$4,753Support services per student

Revenue by source: percentages and dollars

$33.5MFederal revenue13.1% of total revenue

$105MState revenue41.1% of total revenue

$116.9MLocal revenue45.8% of total revenue

How operating money was used

$10,115Instructionper student

$4,753Student and instructional supportper student

$5,531Special educationper student

$1,226Building operations and maintenanceper student

$595Student transportationper student

$524Food servicesper student

$626Technologyper student

People costs

$93.9MSalaries$7,515 per student

$56.6MEmployee benefits$4,531 per student

Equipment, buildings and debt

$6.1MEquipmentFY 2023

$41.7MCapital outlay$3,338 per student

$35MConstructionincluded in capital outlay

$95MDebt outstanding at year end$7,605 per student

$13.9MNew debt issuedFY 2023

$5.2MDebt principal retiredFY 2023

$3.5MInterest paid on debtFY 2023

Selected federal program revenue

$6.3MTitle I$507 per student

$9.5MChild nutrition$761 per student

What changed since FY 2022

Operating spending per student

FY 2022$14,728

FY 2023$15,392

Capital spending per student

FY 2022$2,327

FY 2023$3,338

Debt outstanding per student

FY 2022$6,971

FY 2023$7,605

Revenue shares and spending categories answer different questions and should not be added together. Source: NCES F-33 district finance, FY 2023.

Attendance

How has chronic absence changed?

2020–2114.2%

1,745 of 12,330 students

2021–2223%

2,825 of 12,302 students

2022–2330.6%

3,801 of 12,427 students

Specialized support and security · 2021–22

What specialized roles were reported?

0Sworn law-enforcement officer FTE14 reporting schools

38Security staff FTE14 reporting schools

Staffing is reported as full-time equivalents in the 2021–22 CRDC collection.

Learning opportunities

What do district schools offer?

Algebra I1 reporting schools

Calculus1 reporting schools

Biology1 reporting schools

Chemistry1 reporting schools

Physics1 reporting schools

Computer science1 reporting schools

Advanced Placement1 reporting schools

Dual enrollment1 reporting schools

Gifted programs14 reporting schools

International Baccalaureate1 reporting schools

Athletics1 reporting schools

Shares use only schools for which the program was applicable and reported. A districtwide percentage does not guarantee availability at every grade or campus. Source: 2021–22 CRDC.

Safety and discipline

What was reported across district schools?

771Out-of-school suspensions14 reporting schoolsSee schools →2In-school suspensions14 reporting schoolsSee schools →167Law-enforcement referrals14 reporting schoolsSee schools →11School-related arrests14 reporting schoolsSee schools →

Counts are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Open a measure to see the schools behind the district total.

Technology and safety · 2021–22

What access and incident data is available?

100%Schools reporting Wi-Fi14 reporting schools

100%Schools reporting fiber14 reporting schools

0Student devices reported14 reporting schools

Technology and incident figures are from the 2021–22 CRDC collection. Device counts describe the reporting year, not current inventory.

Six questions parents ask

What the available data says

Each answer shows its reporting year and opens a deeper comparison. Missing and suppressed results are never shown as zero.

Are students making academic progress?5 years of resultsLatest research estimate: 2025Explore and compare →Are students missing too much school?30.6% chronically absent2022–23 · 12,427 students measuredExplore and compare →Is the district improving?Declined overallCompare the earliest and latest available yearsExplore and compare →Where are student-group gaps largest?8 student groups2025 research estimatesExplore and compare →How much does the district spend?$15,392current spending per studentExplore and compare →Does the district have enough support staff?357:1 counselor ratioStudents per counselor in the 2023–24 federal staffing fileExplore and compare →

Data status

8 of 8 national data layers are matched to this NCES district ID. Identity and school counts use NCES records. Academic estimates use SEDA, attendance uses EDFacts, finance uses NCES F-33, staffing and enrollment use 2023–24 NCES CCD where available, teacher certification, preschool and policy fields use the 2021–22 CRDC, and community poverty context uses Census SAIPE. Four-year graduation rates use 2022–23 EDFacts. Every detailed view preserves its reporting year.

See all sources →