Palmyra Area Middle School

Summary:

Palmyra Area Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 6-8 in the Palmyra Area School District, located in Palmyra, PA. With 829 students, the school has consistently ranked among the top middle schools in Pennsylvania, currently ranking 54th out of 893 schools and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Palmyra Area Middle School stands out for its exceptional academic performance, with students significantly outperforming state averages on PSSA tests across all subjects and grade levels. In 2022-2023, 76.7% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, 56.5% in Math, and 73.1% in Science, all well above the state averages. The school also excels in supporting its diverse student population, ranking 37th out of 362 PA middle schools for Hispanic students, 54th out of 681 for White students, and 60th out of 874 for low socioeconomic status students, all with 5-star ratings.

Compared to nearby schools, such as Central Dauphin East Middle School, which has much lower proficiency rates in Math (12.5% vs. 56.5%) and English Language Arts (42.1% vs. 76.7%), Palmyra Area Middle School stands out as a high-performing institution. The school's consistent top-tier rankings and equitable outcomes for all student subgroups suggest it has established effective teaching and learning practices that are producing strong results. This proximity to the highly-ranked Hershey Middle School may also contribute to Palmyra Area Middle School's drive to maintain its high standards.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 50 W Cherry St
       Palmyra, PA  17078-2301


(717) 838-1331

District: Palmyra Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
54th of 893 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,278 Help


Students who attend Palmyra Area Middle School usually attend:

High:    Palmyra Area Senior High School

Feeder schools for Palmyra Area Middle School:

Elementary:    Forge Road Elementary School
    Lingle Avenue Elementary School
    Northside Elementary School
    Pine Street Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.0 Help
Number of students:  829

Racial breakdown:

White:
81.8%
Hispanic:
7.2%
Asian:
5.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  29.2% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Palmyra Area Middle School ranks better than 94% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 90.81. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (81.8%), Hispanic (7.2%), Asian (5.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 29.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palmyra Area Middle School is 14. (See more...)
Help
Compare Palmyra Area Middle School employs 59 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palmyra Area Middle School is $13,278.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Palmyra Area Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Palmyra Area Middle School 54th of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Palmyra Area Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Disabled students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Palmyra Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Palmyra Area School District 52nd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Palmyra Area Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Palmyra Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 85.71 71st 643 89.0%
2004 74.42 180th 663 72.9%
2005 79.75 137th 687 80.1%
2006 79.73 106th 736 85.6%
2007 71.50 214th 749 71.4%
2008 70.75 218th 753 71.0%
2009 72.37 206th 770 73.2%
2010 70.76 234th 805 70.9%
2011 75.93 175th 825 78.8%
2012 81.20 102nd 834 87.8%
2013 72.13 216th 758 71.5%
2014 73.82 180th 728 75.3%
2015 82.62 106th 835 87.3%
2016 84.42 107th 870 87.7%
2017 80.59 138th 877 84.3%
2018 78.76 152nd 861 82.3%
2019 86.34 88th 891 90.1%
2021 84.02 88th 797 89.0%
2022 88.15 72nd 883 91.8%
2023 90.81 54th 893 94.0%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Palmyra Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 87.56 60th 874 93.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Palmyra Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 73.97 90th 660 86.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Palmyra Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 28.20 111th 144 22.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Palmyra Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 83.97 37th 362 89.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Palmyra Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 88.18 54th 681 92.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Palmyra Area Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Palmyra Area Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 763 4 8 4 0 n/a n/a 0 779
1989 704 4 10 0 0 n/a n/a 0 718
1990 722 3 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 729
1991 799 3 10 1 1 n/a n/a 0 814
1992 628 3 8 5 3 n/a n/a 0 647
1993 656 7 5 4 0 n/a n/a 0 672
1994 631 12 5 5 0 n/a n/a 0 653
1995 618 11 8 2 0 n/a n/a 0 639
1996 618 11 8 2 0 n/a n/a 0 639
1997 582 9 9 3 1 n/a n/a 0 604
1998 618 9 11 2 0 n/a n/a 0 640
1999 604 6 11 7 0 n/a n/a 0 628
2000 628 5 16 4 1 n/a n/a 0 654
2001 637 5 9 6 0 n/a n/a 0 657
2002 651 8 16 3 0 n/a n/a 0 678
2003 651 8 16 3 0 n/a n/a 0 678
2004 675 12 13 8 0 n/a n/a 0 708
2005 672 11 11 11 1 n/a n/a 0 706
2006 662 11 9 6 2 n/a n/a 0 690
2007 688 11 12 16 0 n/a n/a 0 727
2008 658 15 16 19 0 n/a n/a 0 708
2009 632 18 21 14 1 n/a n/a 0 686
2010 650 19 22 13 1 n/a n/a 0 705
2011 706 9 22 24 0 0 16 0 777
2012 738 8 15 25 1 0 16 0 803
2013 742 8 18 29 1 0 17 0 815
2014 746 8 16 36 2 0 25 0 833
2015 724 8 19 36 1 0 30 0 818
2016 741 7 20 44 1 0 27 0 840
2017 746 7 23 58 0 0 32 0 866
2018 782 8 23 54 0 0 30 0 897
2019 757 5 31 58 0 0 38 0 889
2020 749 9 38 56 1 1 34 0 888
2021 692 13 43 46 1 2 30 0 827
2022 688 13 38 59 1 2 29 0 830
2023 678 14 42 60 0 0 35 0 829

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Palmyra Area Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 779 48.6 16.0 n/a
1989 718 41.9 17.1 n/a
1990 729 44.3 16.4 0
1991 814 48.8 16.6 n/a
1992 647 41.9 15.4 n/a
1993 672 35.0 19.2 n/a
1994 653 34.5 18.9 n/a
1995 639 36.0 17.8 n/a
1996 639 36.0 17.8 n/a
1997 604 36.5 16.5 n/a
1998 640 33.8 18.9 n/a
1999 628 37.5 16.7 n/a
2000 654 36.5 17.9 10.7
2001 657 37.5 17.5 12.2
2002 678 39.5 17.2 9.3
2003 678 39.5 17.2 9.3
2004 708 40.5 17.5 9.9
2005 706 39.5 17.9 8.9
2006 690 38.5 17.9 0
2007 727 41.0 17.7 11.8
2008 708 48.7 14.5 10.9
2009 686 50.3 13.6 11.5
2010 705 49.0 14.3 15.9
2011 777 47.0 16.5 15.1
2012 803 48.4 16.5 13.7
2013 815 49.6 16.4 18.2
2014 833 50.4 16.4 22.7
2015 818 51.0 16.0 24.2
2016 840 54.0 15.5 23.3
2017 866 54.6 15.8 25.1
2018 897 58.1 15.4 24
2019 889 58.1 15.3 26
2020 888 55.0 16.1 22.1
2021 827 59.9 13.8 28.2
2022 830 60.1 13.7 27.7
2023 829 59.0 14.0 29.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Palmyra Area Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 779 48.6 16.0 n/a
1989 718 41.9 17.1 n/a
1990 729 44.3 16.4 0
1991 814 48.8 16.6 n/a
1992 647 41.9 15.4 n/a
1993 672 35.0 19.2 n/a
1994 653 34.5 18.9 n/a
1995 639 36.0 17.8 n/a
1996 639 36.0 17.8 n/a
1997 604 36.5 16.5 n/a
1998 640 33.8 18.9 n/a
1999 628 37.5 16.7 n/a
2000 654 36.5 17.9 10.7
2001 657 37.5 17.5 12.2
2002 678 39.5 17.2 9.3
2003 678 39.5 17.2 9.3
2004 708 40.5 17.5 9.9
2005 706 39.5 17.9 8.9
2006 690 38.5 17.9 0
2007 727 41.0 17.7 11.8
2008 708 48.7 14.5 10.9
2009 686 50.3 13.6 11.5
2010 705 49.0 14.3 15.9
2011 777 47.0 16.5 15.1
2012 803 48.4 16.5 13.7
2013 815 49.6 16.4 18.2
2014 833 50.4 16.4 22.7
2015 818 51.0 16.0 24.2
2016 840 54.0 15.5 23.3
2017 866 54.6 15.8 25.1
2018 897 58.1 15.4 24
2019 889 58.1 15.3 26
2020 888 55.0 16.1 22.1
2021 827 59.9 13.8 28.2
2022 830 60.1 13.7 27.7
2023 829 59.0 14.0 29.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Palmyra Area Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $06 (0.1%) $11,235 (99.9%) $11,241
2020 $04 (0.0%) $11,532 (100.0%) $11,536
2021 $257 (2.0%) $12,498 (98.0%) $12,755
2022 $373 (2.8%) $12,906 (97.2%) $13,278

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Palmyra Area Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 88th of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 54th of 893 Middle schools
 3.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Palmyra Area Middle School)57.564.3
 6.8%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Palmyra Area Middle School)82.382.8
 0.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Palmyra Area Middle School)53.453.3
 0.1%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Palmyra Area Middle School)75.373.3
 2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Palmyra Area Middle School)52.752.2
 0.5%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Palmyra Area Middle School)77.673.1
 4.5%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Palmyra Area Middle School)75.374.3
 1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Palmyra Area Middle School)54.456.5
 2.1%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Palmyra Area Middle School)77.673.1
 4.5%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Palmyra Area Middle School)77.476.7
 0.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students889829
 6.7%
African American514
 180%
American Indian00
Asian3142
 35.5%
Hispanic5860
 3.4%
Pacific Islander00
White757678
 10.4%
Two or More Races3835
 7.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients26%29.2%
 3.2%


Schools Near Palmyra Area Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Palmyra Area Middle School

Students who attend Palmyra Area Middle School usually go on to attend Palmyra Area Senior High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 829 students attended Palmyra Area Middle School.

Students at Palmyra Area Middle School are 82% White, 7% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American.

Yes. Palmyra Area Middle School ranks in the top 6.0% of Pennsylvania middle schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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