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Public school systems play a crucial role in shaping local economies, influencing everything from property values to workforce development. The economic impact of local public schools extends far beyond education, affecting businesses, government budgets, and community well-being. Below are key ways in which public schools contribute to local economic health.

  1. Boosting Property Values and Municipal Revenue A strong public school system increases demand for housing in the district, driving up property values. Studies consistently show that homes in high-performing school districts command higher prices than comparable homes in weaker districts. Higher property values, in turn, generate more property tax revenue for local governments, which can be reinvested in infrastructure, public safety, and other community services.

    Additionally, businesses are more likely to establish themselves in areas with well-regarded schools, knowing that educated communities attract skilled workers and stable families. This creates a positive feedback loop where better schools lead to economic growth, which then further supports school funding.

  2. Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness Public schools are the primary source of skilled labor for local industries. By providing foundational education, vocational training, and college preparation, schools ensure that businesses have access to qualified employees. Areas with strong school systems tend to have lower unemployment rates and higher average incomes because educated workers are more productive and adaptable to changing job markets.

    Investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, career and technical education (CTE), and partnerships with local businesses further enhance workforce readiness. Companies often consider school quality when deciding where to locate, as they need a pipeline of talent to sustain operations.

  3. Direct Employment and Local Spending Public schools are among the largest employers in many communities, providing jobs for teachers, administrators, custodians, and support staff. These employees spend their salaries locally, supporting restaurants, retail stores, and service providers. The multiplier effect means that every dollar spent on school payroll circulates through the economy multiple times, stimulating additional business activity.

    Beyond salaries, schools also contribute to local economies through construction projects (e.g., building new facilities or renovating old ones), purchasing supplies from area vendors, and contracting services like transportation and food supply. These expenditures create jobs and generate tax revenue.

  4. Reducing Long-Term Public Costs Quality education correlates with lower crime rates, reduced reliance on social welfare programs, and better public health outcomes. Students who graduate from strong school systems are less likely to require government assistance, engage in criminal activity, or face chronic unemployment. This reduces the burden on taxpayers, who would otherwise fund prisons, healthcare for the uninsured, and social services.

    Early childhood education programs, in particular, have been shown to yield high long-term returns by improving graduation rates and future earnings while decreasing incarceration costs.

  5. Attracting and Retaining Families and Businesses Families with children prioritize school quality when choosing where to live. Communities with reputable schools experience population growth, which sustains local businesses and services. Conversely, declining school performance can lead to outmigration, shrinking the tax base and harming economic vitality.

    Similarly, corporations evaluating relocation opportunities assess school systems to ensure employees will have access to good education for their children. A weak school system can deter investment, while a strong one can attract high-paying jobs and stimulate economic diversification.

Conclusion

The local public school system is not just an educational institution but a cornerstone of economic stability and growth. By enhancing property values, developing a skilled workforce, employing residents, reducing public costs, and attracting businesses, schools create a thriving economic ecosystem. Policymakers and community leaders must recognize that investing in education yields broad economic benefits, making it one of the most impactful ways to ensure long-term prosperity.

The following report contains those school districts that are completely or partially within the county. The school districts are sorted in a left to right order based on the number of students that are estimated to live in the county, although they may actually attend a school outside the county boundary. Except where noted all figures are for the entire disctrict population and not just that portion that are in the county.

Where available, the district's name contains a link to that district's website.
 
Eastern York School District
South Eastern School District  
West York Area School District  
Southern York County School District  
York Suburban School District  
Northern York County School District  
Dover Area School District  
Northeastern York School District  
Spring Grove Area School District  
South Western School District  
Red Lion Area School District  
Central York School District  
West Shore School District  
York City School District  
Dallastown Area School District  
Grade Span of Agency
Number of Schools
Total Classroom Teachers
Student/Teachers

    Prekindergarten
    Kindergarten
    Grade 1
    Grade 2
    Grade 3
    Grade 4
    Grade 5
    Grade 6
    Grade 7
    Grade 8
    Grade 9
    Grade 10
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
PK thru 12 Students
Ungraded Students
Adult Education and Other Students
Special Ed IEP Students
Total Students

White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Native American
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Undefined or Multiple Races

Prekindergarten Teachers
Kindergarten Teachers
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
Ungraded Class Teachers
Total FTE Teachers

Elementary School Counselors
Secondary School Counselors
School Counselors
Total Counselors

School Administrators
School Administrative Support Staff
Instr. Coord. and Super. to Staff
Student Support Services Staff
Librarians/media specialists
Library/Media Support Staff
School Psychologists
Paraprofessionals/Instructional Aides
Total School Staff

LEA Administrators
LEA Administrative Support Staff
Total LEA Staff

All Other Support Staff
Total Other Staff
KG-12
8
403
16.14

0
435
437
472
454
502
520
470
526
514
488
535
552
465
6,370
0
0
136
6,506

4,605
645
153
658
16
9
284

0
23
174
156
50
403

0
0
19
19

15
30
8
13
5
4
4
136
206

7
16
31

87
87
PK-12
9
439
14.30

211
529
487
487
465
523
480
467
495
459
615
410
318
286
6,232
0
0
46
6,278

422
2,500
12
2,975
3
1
319

18
22
203
112
84
439

0
0
10
10

21
16
7
20
0
0
6
46
109

10
21
38

124
124
KG-12
13
527
14.37

0
460
557
581
539
601
560
638
570
527
642
614
587
573
7,449
0
0
123
7,572

5,449
455
224
899
16
10
396

1
19
212
215
80
527

0
0
24
24

27
28
6
43
8
4
6
123
239

5
21
32

128
128
KG-12
7
375
15.09

0
381
382
428
422
413
450
398
438
426
461
475
434
446
5,554
0
0
103
5,657

3,416
515
249
896
9
6
463

0
15
169
167
24
375

0
0
14
14

19
23
4
8
5
6
2
103
166

6
12
22

120
120
KG-12
8
347
13.98

0
325
365
368
356
369
387
404
356
383
417
349
369
319
4,767
0
0
83
4,850

3,771
264
41
403
3
0
285

0
20
155
153
19
347

0
0
14
14

13
19
6
18
1
16
2
83
153

5
16
27

124
124
KG-12
6
305
14.57

0
279
337
332
313
350
335
350
326
351
348
346
359
320
4,346
0
0
98
4,444

3,566
246
64
288
6
9
167

0
14
135
146
10
305

0
0
11
11

14
21
4
8
5
10
4
98
161

7
15
26

151
151
KG-12
6
257
15.55

0
276
299
307
280
316
286
327
322
311
317
303
307
279
3,930
0
0
67
3,997

3,208
194
25
296
5
5
197

0
13
107
106
31
257

0
0
13
13

12
19
6
10
2
3
3
67
116

5
10
21

198
198
KG-12
8
256
15.46

0
282
285
301
302
322
325
278
300
338
304
297
305
245
3,884
0
0
75
3,959

2,733
318
123
428
16
3
263

0
14
128
114
0
256

0
0
14
14

8
13
2
7
5
1
3
75
112

4
10
16

68
68
KG-12
6
227
14.83

0
213
264
250
240
223
252
236
257
283
281
272
221
259
3,251
0
0
116
3,367

2,405
169
36
471
4
3
163

0
12
97
96
22
227

0
0
9
9

12
20
2
5
6
4
3
116
166

3
7
12

69
69
KG-12
6
224
14.75

0
223
259
261
238
265
272
259
231
262
249
249
257
251
3,276
0
0
27
3,303

2,900
51
77
154
4
6
84

0
12
105
87
20
224

0
0
10
10

11
11
2
8
4
1
3
27
65

6
10
18

166
166
KG-12
6
225
13.43

0
189
219
243
183
220
252
258
253
247
237
226
220
230
2,977
0
0
45
3,022

1,862
269
109
450
4
1
282

0
11
96
95
23
225

0
0
12
12

9
15
1
8
3
6
3
45
89

6
11
18

35
35
KG-12
5
203
14.01

0
172
221
205
189
205
219
214
253
197
217
234
225
248
2,799
0
0
45
2,844

2,444
121
32
119
7
3
73

0
10
92
85
16
203

0
0
10
10

11
15
1
15
4
4
3
45
97

3
20
24

38
38
PK-12
5
213
13.31

0
229
210
193
206
219
210
230
204
212
214
253
210
184
2,774
0
0
60
2,834

1,482
311
77
618
9
1
276

0
6
101
97
9
213

0
0
9
9

12
13
2
17
3
4
3
60
112

7
15
23

58
58
PK-12
6
206
12.16

0
163
194
209
172
197
189
186
207
212
188
188
184
173
2,462
0
0
43
2,505

2,215
67
23
74
6
4
73

0
9
101
80
16
206

0
0
9
9

10
18
3
13
3
3
3
43
93

6
10
19

37
37
KG-12
5
185
12.29

0
162
173
181
181
181
190
179
156
191
165
175
160
134
2,228
0
0
46
2,274

1,863
38
6
205
2
2
112

0
9
88
83
5
185

0
0
6
6

9
13
1
10
0
3
2
46
83

5
12
18

57
57


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus

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