These Are PA's Best K-8 Schools, U.S. News Says

PENNSYLVANIA — The top elementary and middle schools around Pennsylvania have been ranked in a brand-new study released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.

For the inaugural list, U.S. News published rankings and data on more than 80,000 public elementary and middle schools across the United States.

Schools are ranked at the state and district levels. The best charter schools and best magnet schools ranked as stand-alone categories.

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Here’s a look at the top 50 middle schools in Pennsylvania, with the school and school district both listed:

1. Julia R. Masterman School, Philadelphia
2. Penn Alexander School, Philadelphia
3. Jefferson Middle School, Mt Lebanon
4. Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP), Philadelphia
5. Boyce Middle School, Upper Saint Clair
6. South Fayette Middle School, South Fayette Township
7. Carver HS, Philadelphia
8. Bala-Cynwyd Middle School, Lower Merion
9. Fort Couch Middle School, Upper Saint Clair Sd
10. Mellon Middle School, Mt Lebanon
11. Meredith William M School, Philadelphia
12. Greenberg Joseph School, Philadelphia
13. Peters Twp Middle School, Peters Township
14. Radnor Middle School, Radnor Township
15. New Hope-Solebury Middle School, New Hope-Solebury
16. Wendover Middle School, Hempfield Area
17. Hillcrest Intermediate School, Norwin
18. Welsh Valley Middle School, Lower Merion
19. Dorseyville Middle School, Fox Chapel Area
20. Spring-Ford Middle School 7th Grade Center, Spring-Ford Area
21. Hampton Middle School, Hampton Township
22. Charles F Patton Middle School, Unionville-Chadds Ford
23. Great Valley Middle School, Great Valley
24. Tredyffrin-Easttown Middle School, Tredyffrin-Easttown
25. Donald H Eichhorn Middle School, Lewisburg Area
26. Wissahickon Middle School, Wissahickon
27. Walnut Creek Middle School, Millcreek Township
28. Springhouse Middle School, Parkland
29. Haine Middle School, Seneca Valley
30. Southern Lehigh Intermediate School, Southern Lehigh
31. Independence Middle School, Bethel Park
32. Sandy Run Middle School, Upper Dublin
33. Pittsburgh Capa, Pittsburgh
34. David E Williams Middle School, Montour
35. Mccall Gen George A School, Philadelphia
36. Pine-Richland Middle School, Pine-Richland
37. Valley Forge Middle School, Tredyffrin-Easttown
38. Haverford Middle School, Haverford Township
39. Murray Avenue School, Lower Moreland Township
40. Park Forest Middle School, State College Area
41. Boyertown Area Middle School-East, Boyertown Area
42. Moon Area Lower Middle School, Moon Area
43. Mast Community CS, Mast Community
44. Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures CS, Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures
45. North East Middle School, North East
46. Conemaugh Twp Area Middle/Senior High School, Conemaugh Township Area
47. Southern Lehigh Middle School, Southern Lehigh
48. Richardson Middle School, Springfield
49. Colonial Middle School, Colonial
50. Neil Armstrong 5-6 Middle School, Bethel Park

And the top 50 elementary schools:

1. Fairview Elementary School, Fox Chapel Area
2. Bower Hill Elementary School, Peters Township
3. Pleasant Valley Elementary School, Peters Township
4. Markham Elementary School, Mt Lebanon
5. Howard Elementary School, Bald Eagle Area
6. Mccullough Elementary School, Penn-Trafford
7. Sunrise Elementary School, Penn-Trafford
8. Sabold Elementary School, Springfield
9. Ohara Elementary School, Fox Chapel Area
10. Foster Elementary School, Mt Lebanon
11. Richland Elementary School, Pine-Richland
12. Poff Elementary School, Hampton Township
13. Burchfield Primary School, Shaler Area
14. Hance Elementary School, Pine-Richland
15. Franklin Elementary School, North Allegheny
16. Scott Primary School, Shaler Area
17. Fort Washington Elementary School, Upper Dublin
18. Hoover Elementary School, Mt Lebanon
19. Hillside Elementary School, Tredyffrin-Easttown
20. Dallastown Elementary School, Dallastown Area
21. Lionville Elementary School, Downingtown Area
22. Baker Elementary School, Upper Saint Clair
23. Penn Wynne School, Lower Merion
24. Clara Barton Elementary School, West Mifflin Area
25. Jefferson Elementary School, Mt Lebanon
26. Fred J. Jaindl Elementary School, Parkland
27. Ithan Elementary School, Radnor Township
28. Lower Gwynedd Elementary School, Wissahickon
29. Mccormick Elementary School, Moon Area
30. Merion Elementary School, Lower Merion
31. Stony Creek Elementary School, Wissahickon
32. Washington Elementary School, Mt Lebanon
33. Loomis Elementary School, Marple Newtown,
34. Bainbridge Elementary School, Elizabethtown Area
35. Newlonsburg Elementary School, Franklin Regional
36. Swarthmore-Rutledge School, Wallingford-Swarthmore
37. Harrison Park Elementary School, Penn-Trafford
38. Cetronia School, Parkland
39. Kernsville School, Parkland
40. Neff School, Manheim Township
41. Conemaugh Twp Area Elementary School, Conemaugh Township Area
42. Cynwyd School, Lower Merion
43. Sunset Valley Elementary School, Norwin
44. Eisenhower Elementary School,Upper Saint Clair
45. Mill Village Elementary School, Fort Leboeuf
46. Blue Mountain Elementary West School, Blue Mountain
47. Clark Elementary School, Harbor Creek
48. Caley Elementary School, Upper Merion Area
49. Hahntown Elementary School, Norwin
50. Bradford Woods Elementary School, North Allegheny

To determine the rankings, U.S. News used data from the U.S. Department of Education to analyze two areas at each school:

• Math and reading proficiency — or how well students perform on state assessments.
• Math and reading performance — or how well they perform compared with expectations.

The state assessment data used in the rankings is from the 2018-19 school year and, therefore, predates any effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on test-taking.

Nationally, California has 5,534 ranked elementary schools — the most of any state — followed by Texas at 4,446; New York at 2,211; Florida at 2,128; and Illinois at 2,038 schools.

California also has the most ranked middle schools with 2,319, followed by Texas at 1,942; Illinois at 1,243; New York at 1,219; and Florida at 997.

See the complete list of 2021’s Best K-8 Schools.