James Buchanan Middle School

Summary:

James Buchanan Middle School is a public middle school in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, serving around 550 students in grades 6-8 as part of the Tuscarora School District. While the school's academic performance is generally in the middle range for Pennsylvania, it faces some notable challenges, including below-average proficiency rates on state assessments and a concerning trend of increasing dropout rates.

One of the key areas of concern at James Buchanan Middle School is the significant disparity in performance between different student subgroups. While the school excels in supporting students with disabilities, it struggles to provide equitable outcomes for White students and students from low-income backgrounds, who perform in the bottom half of the state. Additionally, the school's per-student funding has fluctuated over the years, which may be a contributing factor to its academic performance.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Greencastle-Antrim Middle School, James Buchanan Middle School generally performs in the middle to lower range. Addressing the challenges faced by the school, including improving academic performance, addressing equity issues, and ensuring stable and adequate funding, could be crucial for the school to better serve its diverse student population.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 5191 Fort Loudon Rd
       Mercersburg, PA  17236-9692


(717) 328-5221

District: Tuscarora School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
402nd of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,060 Help


Students who attend James Buchanan Middle School usually attend:

High:    James Buchanan High School

Feeder schools for James Buchanan Middle School:

Elementary:    Mercersburg Elementary School
    Montgomery Elementary School
    Mountain View Elementary School
    St Thomas Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.7 Help
Number of students:  550

Racial breakdown:

White:
91.3%
Two or more races:
4.0%
Hispanic:
3.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details James Buchanan Middle School ranks better than 54.9% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.1. (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 (91.3%), two or more races (4%), Hispanic (3.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Buchanan Middle School is 13.7. (See more...)
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Compare James Buchanan Middle School employs 40.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Buchanan Middle School is $6,060.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

James Buchanan Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks James Buchanan Middle School 402nd of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See James Buchanan Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
White students:


Tuscarora School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Tuscarora School District 334th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for James Buchanan Middle School

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Rank History for all students at James Buchanan Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 73.37 180th 643 72.0%
2004 72.36 196th 663 70.4%
2005 58.72 331st 687 51.8%
2006 54.73 404th 736 45.1%
2007 59.47 359th 749 52.1%
2008 55.74 394th 753 47.7%
2009 50.08 479th 770 37.8%
2010 53.72 464th 805 42.4%
2011 56.51 442nd 825 46.4%
2012 56.70 451st 834 45.9%
2013 52.78 443rd 758 41.6%
2014 51.75 424th 728 41.8%
2015 62.32 318th 835 61.9%
2016 68.05 281st 870 67.7%
2017 64.84 308th 877 64.9%
2018 65.63 307th 861 64.3%
2019 59.83 393rd 891 55.9%
2021 50.92 403rd 797 49.4%
2022 60.14 350th 883 60.4%
2023 58.76 368th 893 58.8%
2024 56.10 402nd 891 54.9%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James Buchanan Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 58.06 333rd 874 61.9%
2024 55.28 375th 877 57.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at James Buchanan Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 59.50 346th 860 59.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at James Buchanan Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 43.96 321st 660 51.4%
2024 58.62 192nd 672 71.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at James Buchanan Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 50.49 428th 870 50.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at James Buchanan Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 40.76 397th 681 41.7%
2024 36.50 441st 673 34.5%
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.

James Buchanan 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 James Buchanan Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 653 7 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 663
1989 649 13 0 6 0 n/a n/a 0 668
1990 617 9 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 629
1991 617 10 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 627
1992 606 4 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 610
1993 602 7 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 612
1994 608 9 4 5 0 n/a n/a 0 626
1995 600 8 4 3 3 n/a n/a 0 618
1996 600 8 4 3 3 n/a n/a 0 618
1997 604 6 2 7 3 n/a n/a 0 622
1998 590 5 2 1 1 n/a n/a 0 599
1999 603 8 2 3 1 n/a n/a 0 617
2000 670 11 0 2 1 n/a n/a 0 684
2001 661 15 0 8 1 n/a n/a 0 685
2002 627 17 1 5 2 n/a n/a 0 652
2003 627 17 1 5 2 n/a n/a 0 652
2004 599 21 2 6 1 n/a n/a 0 629
2005 583 21 2 9 0 n/a n/a 0 615
2006 591 28 2 13 1 n/a n/a 0 635
2007 565 21 1 11 1 n/a n/a 0 599
2008 611 15 1 9 1 n/a n/a 0 637
2009 632 10 1 11 2 n/a n/a 0 656
2010 611 13 5 12 4 n/a n/a 2 647
2011 615 15 5 14 5 1 2 0 657
2012 606 14 5 14 4 1 2 0 646
2013 631 13 2 12 2 1 1 0 662
2014 547 12 4 12 2 0 3 0 580
2015 528 9 5 14 2 1 6 0 565
2016 487 8 4 19 2 1 10 0 531
2017 522 8 4 20 3 1 15 0 573
2018 517 5 6 20 2 0 18 0 568
2019 541 9 3 19 1 0 28 0 601
2020 541 6 4 14 0 0 18 0 583
2021 515 5 1 13 0 0 22 0 556
2022 508 3 2 17 2 0 17 0 549
2023 502 1 3 17 1 4 22 0 550

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 James Buchanan Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 663 49.0 13.5 n/a
1989 668 44.5 15.0 n/a
1990 629 49.0 12.8 0
1991 627 47.5 13.2 n/a
1992 610 49.0 12.4 n/a
1993 612 42.0 14.6 n/a
1994 626 42.0 14.9 n/a
1995 618 42.0 14.7 n/a
1996 618 42.0 14.7 n/a
1997 622 41.0 15.2 n/a
1998 599 41.0 14.6 n/a
1999 617 42.0 14.7 n/a
2000 684 43.0 15.9 26.2
2001 685 44.0 15.6 25.3
2002 652 43.4 15.0 27
2003 652 43.4 15.0 27
2004 629 42.4 14.8 29.7
2005 615 44.4 13.9 28.6
2006 635 42.2 15.0 28
2007 599 42.2 14.2 29.4
2008 637 41.9 15.2 27.3
2009 656 42.8 15.3 27.3
2010 647 42.5 15.2 33.5
2011 657 43.5 15.0 31.7
2012 646 37.3 17.2 34.5
2013 662 37.5 17.6 32.2
2014 580 37.4 15.5 31.7
2015 565 38.0 14.8 36.3
2016 531 37.0 14.3 41.1
2017 573 37.3 15.3 37.7
2018 568 37.3 15.2 39.3
2019 601 37.2 16.1 41.9
2020 583 37.2 15.6 40.7
2021 556 36.1 15.4 48.6
2022 549 40.0 13.7 45
2023 550 40.1 13.7 100

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 James Buchanan Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 663 49.0 13.5 n/a
1989 668 44.5 15.0 n/a
1990 629 49.0 12.8 0
1991 627 47.5 13.2 n/a
1992 610 49.0 12.4 n/a
1993 612 42.0 14.6 n/a
1994 626 42.0 14.9 n/a
1995 618 42.0 14.7 n/a
1996 618 42.0 14.7 n/a
1997 622 41.0 15.2 n/a
1998 599 41.0 14.6 n/a
1999 617 42.0 14.7 n/a
2000 684 43.0 15.9 26.2
2001 685 44.0 15.6 25.3
2002 652 43.4 15.0 27
2003 652 43.4 15.0 27
2004 629 42.4 14.8 29.7
2005 615 44.4 13.9 28.6
2006 635 42.2 15.0 28
2007 599 42.2 14.2 29.4
2008 637 41.9 15.2 27.3
2009 656 42.8 15.3 27.3
2010 647 42.5 15.2 33.5
2011 657 43.5 15.0 31.7
2012 646 37.3 17.2 34.5
2013 662 37.5 17.6 32.2
2014 580 37.4 15.5 31.7
2015 565 38.0 14.8 36.3
2016 531 37.0 14.3 41.1
2017 573 37.3 15.3 37.7
2018 568 37.3 15.2 39.3
2019 601 37.2 16.1 41.9
2020 583 37.2 15.6 40.7
2021 556 36.1 15.4 48.6
2022 549 40.0 13.7 45
2023 550 40.1 13.7 100

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 James Buchanan Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $60 (0.5%) $13,069 (99.6%) $13,128
2020 $157 (1.3%) $12,396 (98.7%) $12,553
2021 $442 (3.3%) $12,779 (96.7%) $13,221
2022 $602 (9.9%) $5,458 (90.1%) $6,060

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

Impact of COVID-19 on James Buchanan 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 393rd of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 368th of 893 Middle schools
 2.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Math (James Buchanan Middle School)29.131.7
 2.6%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (James Buchanan Middle School)64.851.6
 13.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (James Buchanan Middle School)30.628.4
 2.2%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (James Buchanan Middle School)61.350
 11.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (James Buchanan Middle School)34.233.9
 0.3%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (James Buchanan Middle School)71.568.5
 3%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (James Buchanan Middle School)62.955.9
 7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (James Buchanan Middle School)31.331.2
 0.1%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (James Buchanan Middle School)71.568.5
 3%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (James Buchanan Middle School)6352.4
 10.6%
   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 Students601550
 8.5%
African American91
 88.9%
American Indian11
Asian33
Hispanic1917
 10.5%
Pacific Islander04
White541502
 7.2%
Two or More Races2822
 21.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients41.9%100%
 58.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about James Buchanan Middle School

Students at James Buchanan Middle School are 91% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

Students who attend James Buchanan Middle School usually go on to attend James Buchanan High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 550 students attended James Buchanan Middle School.

James Buchanan Middle School ranks 402nd of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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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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