Public schools in Lancaster, PA
43 open public schools with an address in Lancaster, operated by 7 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
43
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
24,392
43 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.2:1
Pennsylvania median 13:1
Charter schools
1
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Lancaster public schools
The federal directory lists 43 public schools in Lancaster, PA: 27 elementary, 10 middle, 6 high. The 43 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 24,392 students, an average of 567 per school. The largest campus is McCaskey Campus (2,600 students), and the largest elementary school is Martin School (623).
Lancaster SD operates the most schools here (19), and 6 regular districts have at least one Lancaster campus, plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 12.2:1, lower than the statewide school median of 13:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 1 charter school, 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 5 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Lancaster
Lancaster SD
Public school district
19 schools in Lancaster
Manheim Township SD
Public school district
8 schools in Lancaster · 9 total
Conestoga Valley SD
Public school district
5 schools in Lancaster · 6 total
Lampeter-Strasburg SD
Public school district
5 schools in Lancaster
Hempfield SD
Public school district
3 schools in Lancaster · 10 total
Penn Manor SD
Public school district
2 schools in Lancaster · 10 total
La Academia Partnership CS
Independent charter agency
1 school in Lancaster
Elementary schools in Lancaster
27| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brecht Sch Manheim Township SD | KG–04 | 236 | 13.7:1 | |
| Bucher Sch Manheim Township SD | KG–04 | 403 | 12.8:1 | |
| Burrowes El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 308 | 11:1 | |
| Carter and MacRae El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 444 | 9.3:1 | |
| Centerville El Sch Hempfield SD | KG–06 | 544 | 14.3:1 | |
| Fritz El Sch Conestoga Valley SD | PK–05 | 526 | 12.2:1 | |
| Fulton El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 274 | 10.1:1 | |
| Hambright El Sch Penn Manor SD | KG–06 | 574 | 13.9:1 | |
| Hamilton El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 339 | 10.9:1 | |
| Hans Herr El Sch Lampeter-Strasburg SD | 03–05 | 611 | 13.7:1 | |
| King El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 413 | 12.1:1 | |
| Lafayette El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 437 | 10.9:1 | |
| Lampeter El Sch Lampeter-Strasburg SD | 01–02 | 375 | 12.9:1 | |
| Lampeter-Strasburg Early Childhood Center Lampeter-Strasburg SD | KG–KG | 185 | 34.7:1 | |
| Leola El Sch Conestoga Valley SD | PK–05 | 287 | 8.1:1 | |
| Martin School Lancaster SD | PK–08 | 623 | 11.8:1 | |
| Neff Sch Manheim Township SD | KG–04 | 283 | 14.2:1 | |
| Nitrauer Sch Manheim Township SD | KG–04 | 468 | 16.3:1 | |
| Price El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 331 | 8.9:1 | |
| Rohrerstown El Sch Hempfield SD | KG–06 | 457 | 12.9:1 | |
| Ross El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 281 | 13.4:1 | |
| Schaeffer Sch Manheim Township SD | KG–04 | 318 | 13.8:1 | |
| Smith-Wade-El El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 397 | 12:1 | |
| Smoketown El Sch Conestoga Valley SD | KG–05 | 470 | 12.4:1 | |
| Washington El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 467 | 9.5:1 | |
| Wharton El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 327 | 12.1:1 | |
| Wickersham El Sch Lancaster SD | PK–05 | 402 | 11.8:1 |
Middle schools in Lancaster
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centerville MS Hempfield SD | 07–08 | 559 | 12:1 | |
| Gerald G Huesken MS Conestoga Valley SD | 06–08 | 851 | 11.7:1 | |
| Jackson MS Lancaster SD | 06–08 | 524 | 10.3:1 | |
| Landis Run Intermediate School Manheim Township SD | 05–06 | 929 | 15.1:1 | |
| Lincoln MS Lancaster SD | 06–08 | 465 | 9.1:1 | |
| Manheim Twp MS Manheim Township SD | 07–08 | 914 | 12.6:1 | |
| Manor Middle School Penn Manor SD | 07–08 | 472 | 14.2:1 | |
| Martin Meylin MS Lampeter-Strasburg SD | 06–08 | 686 | 15.4:1 | |
| Reynolds MS Lancaster SD | 06–08 | 511 | 11.6:1 | |
| Wheatland MS Lancaster SD | 06–08 | 453 | 9.6:1 |
High schools in Lancaster
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conestoga Valley SHS Conestoga Valley SD | 09–12 | 1,304 | 15.5:1 | |
| La Academia Partnership CS La Academia Partnership CS · Charter | 06–12 | 196 | 10.9:1 | |
| Lampeter-Strasburg SHS Lampeter-Strasburg SD | 09–12 | 890 | 14.9:1 | |
| Manheim Twp HS Manheim Township SD | 09–12 | 1,953 | 16:1 | |
| McCaskey Campus Lancaster SD | 09–12 | 2,600 | 14.9:1 | |
| Phoenix Academy Lancaster SD · Magnet | 06–12 | 305 | 12.2:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White41.3%
- Hispanic36.3%
- Black10.4%
- Asian5.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial6.5%
Enrollment-weighted across 43 Lancaster schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (24,392 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Lancaster
How many public schools are in Lancaster, PA?
The current NCES directory lists 43 open public schools with a location address in Lancaster: 27 elementary, 10 middle, 6 high. Together they reported 24,392 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Lancaster?
Schools with an address in Lancaster belong to 7 education agencies, led by Lancaster SD (19 schools), Manheim Township SD (8 schools), Conestoga Valley SD (5 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Lancaster?
McCaskey Campus reported the largest high-school enrollment in Lancaster, with 2,600 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Lancaster?
Yes. 1 of the 43 public schools in Lancaster are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including La Academia Partnership CS. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Lancaster schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Lancaster public schools is 12.2:1, lower than the Pennsylvania school median of 13:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Lancaster guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Pennsylvania cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Pennsylvania cities