The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 27% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on T. E. Harrington Middle School
T. E. Harrington Middle School serves seventh and eighth graders in the Mount Laurel Township School District, a suburban community in Burlington County about a short drive from Philadelphia. This is the only middle school in the district; students from six K-4 elementary schools feed into a single upper elementary school for grades five and six before arriving here, and after eighth grade they move to Lenape High School in a separate regional district. The school has a moderate enrollment for a two-grade middle school, and its student body is predominantly white with notable shares of Asian, Black, Hispanic, and multiracial students. A relatively small fraction of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a more economically advantaged context compared with many districts in the county.
On state assessments, the picture is mixed. In English language arts, a majority of students met the proficient benchmark in both seventh and eighth grades, a clear strength. Mathematics proficiency was lower, especially in eighth grade, where fewer than a third of students scored proficient. Science results are available only for eighth graders and show that about a quarter of students met the proficiency standard. Overall, the school’s proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint among Burlington County districts, but the gap between ELA and math means families should expect uneven outcomes depending on the subject. Because the school serves only middle grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was not available in the record.
Mount Laurel itself is a predominantly residential suburb that grew rapidly from the 1960s onward. It was ranked by Money magazine as one of the best places to live in the country, cited for its family orientation, housing options, and highway access to Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore. The community is car-dependent, with no traditional downtown center; schools, parks, and commercial strips are spread across separate campuses. Laurel Acres Park is the primary community gathering spot. Housing values in Mount Laurel are well above the national average, and the rental market is active, making this a relatively high-cost area. The district’s most recent voter referendum authorized bonded debt for capital projects, meaning facility improvements are underway, and the budget adopted a property tax levy increase that directly affects homeowners. These financial decisions contribute to the trade-offs families weigh when considering this community.
For a parent evaluating T. E. Harrington Middle School, the academic offering is strongest in literacy, while math and science proficiency suggest room for improvement that may warrant a closer look at the school’s instructional support and curriculum. The student peer environment is economically less diverse than many other Burlington County schools, though the racial and ethnic mix includes multiple groups. The school operates as a regular public middle school with no special designation such as magnet or charter. Families who value a suburban setting with easy highway connectivity and a strong ELA program may find this school a reasonable match, while those concerned about math and science outcomes may want to investigate the school’s approach in those subjects directly.
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