New Ranking Reveals the Top Elementary and Middle Schools in PA

Pennsylvania’s Best K-8 Schools Ranked by U.S. News & World Report

Parents in Pennsylvania can now compare the performance of their child’s school with others, thanks to the new education rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. These rankings highlight the best K-8 schools in the state, providing valuable insights to parents.

Methodology for Ranking Pennsylvania K-8 Schools

The 2024 Best Elementary and Middle School rankings were primarily based on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education. The key focus areas were student proficiency in core subject areas such as reading and mathematics.

Top Ten Public Elementary Schools in Pennsylvania

1. Bower Hill Elementary School, Peters Township Schools
2. Fairview Elementary School, Fox Chapel Area Schools
3. Bradford Woods Elementary School, North Allegheny Schools
4. Rheems Elementary School, Elizabethtown Area Schools
5. Wexford Elementary School, Pine-Richland Schools
6. Eisenhower Elementary School, Upper Saint Clair Schools
7. Hillside Elementary School, Tredyffrin-Easttown Schools
8. Franklin Elementary School, North Allegheny Schools
9. Markham Elementary School, Mt. Lebanon Schools
10. Valley Forge Elementary School, Tredyffrin-Easttown Schools

Top Ten Public Middle Schools in Pennsylvania

1. Julia R. Masterman Secondary School, Philadelphia City Schools
2. Hershey Middle School, Derry Township Schools
3. Boyce Middle School, Upper Saint Clair Schools
4. Valley Forge Middle School, Tredyffrin-Easttown Schools
5. Fort Couch Middle School, Upper Saint Clair Schools
6. Tredyffrin-Easttown Middle School, Tredyffrin-Easttown Schools
7. Bala-Cynwyd Middle School, Lower Merion Schools
8. Radnor Middle School, Radnor Township Schools
9. Welsh Valley Middle School, Lower Merion Schools
10. Jefferson Middle School, Mt. Lebanon Schools

This comprehensive list includes data from over 79,000 public elementary and middle schools nationwide.

Key Factors in Analysis

To determine the rankings, U.S. News analyzed several factors including state assessments of students’ proficiency in mathematics and reading/language arts. The report also considered students’ backgrounds, achievement in core subjects, and overall education quality. In case of ties, student-teacher ratios were applied to determine the final ranking.

According to LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News, these rankings are designed to provide parents with a clear understanding of their child’s school performance within its community.

Jones emphasized the importance of data such as student-teacher ratio, district spending, and the availability of school counselors, in keeping parents informed and engaged with their child’s education.

For a district to be included in the rankings, at least two of its top performing schools must rank in the top 75 percent of the overall elementary or middle school rankings.