Summary:
The 18603 zip code area in Pennsylvania is home to 4 schools that are part of the Berwick Area School District, including 2 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school. While the schools face challenges with high poverty levels and potential equity concerns, one elementary school, Salem Elementary School, stands out for its strong academic performance, outpacing the district and state averages on standardized tests.
Despite the overall struggles of the middle and high schools in the district to meet state and district standards, Salem Elementary School achieved a ranking of 540 out of 1,534 Pennsylvania elementary schools, the highest in the group, and earned a 3-out-of-5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's PSSA proficiency rates in Math, Science, and English Language Arts were significantly higher than the district and state averages across all grades. In contrast, Berwick Area Middle School and Berwick Area High School generally performed below the district and state on Keystone Exam and PSSA proficiency rates.
The high free/reduced lunch rates, ranging from 99.59% to 100% across all schools, indicate that the student population in this zip code faces significant economic challenges. This socioeconomic factor likely contributes to the academic performance challenges observed, highlighting the need for targeted support and resources to address the needs of this community. Additionally, the racial makeup of the schools, with a majority white student population, raises questions about equity and access to educational opportunities for minority students, warranting further investigation.
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