State College School District

State College is a large suburban-rural public school district in Centre County and home to Penn State University - the largest employer in the area. There are 9 elementary schools, 3 secondary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school divided between two buildings. In addition to those, there are 4 public charter schools. These schools draw students from State College, Boalsburg, Park Forest, Port Matilda, Pennsylvania Furnace, Centre Hall, Pine Grove Mills, Lemont, and Bellefonte. All schools have an extensive extracurricular program for students that includes clubs, activities, and sports. Their mascot is the Little Lion, and the school colors are maroon and gray. 

State College has also been given the nickname of "Happy Valley," a name that saw some usage in the 1950s, but became more widely used and recognized starting in the late 1960s.

In 2013, it was ranked as the third safest metropolitan area in the United States by the CQ Press and in 2016 by Best College Reviews as the 8th best college town in the nation.