Allentown: Education and Research

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Elementary and Secondary Schools

The Allentown School District (A.S.D.) is the fourth largest in the state. The district is said to have pioneered the neighborhood school concept and has offered a program for gifted students since 1924. A.S.D. is in the high range of national norms in the percentage of students testing at high IQ levels.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Allentown public schools as of the 2002–2003 school year.

Total enrollment: 15,966

Number of facilities elementary schools: 17

secondary schools: 4

high schools: 2

Student/teacher ratio: 18.8:1

Teacher salaries average: $50,831

Funding per pupil: $7,207

Public Schools Information: Allentown School District, 31 South Penn Street, PO Box 328, Allentown, PA 18105; telephone (610)821-2641

Colleges and Universities

The Lehigh Valley is home to 11 colleges and universities, 3 of them located within Allentown city limits. Lehigh University, located in Bethlehem, is nationally recognized for its science, engineering, business, and economic programs. Muhlenberg College in Allentown offers numerous undergraduate majors, including a premedical program. Cedar Crest College and Lehigh College Workforce Training Center are also located in the city. A campus of Pennsylvania State University is located near Allentown.

Libraries and Research Centers

The Allentown Public Library's two branches house nearly a half-million volumes, and offers free public access to the Internet. The Lehigh County Historical Society Library maintains a collection of the publications of local history scholars, and a Frank Lloyd Wright Library is part of the Allentown Art Museum.

The Lehigh Valley's colleges and universities maintain extensive holdings, including the Lehigh University collection of more than 870,000 volumes featuring a special collection of engineering laboratory research project reports. Muhlenberg College's library houses 330,000 volumes, including a special collection of "best" works of fiction and nonfiction.

At the heart of the Lehigh Valley's research activities is Lehigh University, one of the country's leading technological universities. The university is home to the North East Tier Ben Franklin Advanced Technology and the Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems program, the first large-scale structure testing facility in the country. A number of private companies maintain research and development programs, including Rodale, of organic gardening fame, whose center is located in Kutztown.

Public Library Information: Main Library, 1210 Hamilton St., Allentown, PA 18102; telephone (610)820-2400