The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in Science. The lowest is 51% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Abington Heights Ms
Abington Heights Middle School serves grades five through eight in Clarks Summit, a small residential borough in Lackawanna County just northwest of Scranton. The school enrolls a mix of students drawn from Clarks Summit, Waverly, and Chinchilla, with a student body that is predominantly white and comes from a relatively affluent community where very few students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school sits a short drive off the State Street downtown on a separate campus site, serving as one of the main civic anchors in the Abingtons region.
The most recent state assessment data show mixed but generally solid performance. In English Language Arts, proficiency reached above three-fifths of tested students. Math proficiency ran at just above half. Science, tested only in one recent year, showed strong results at three-quarters of students proficient. When viewed across the tested subjects and grade bands, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among the county's school districts, a position that reflects measurably stronger achievement than most of its neighbors in Lackawanna County.
The school's enrollment stands at just over one thousand students spread fairly evenly across the four grade levels, with the grade-eight cohort slightly larger than the younger grades. Demographic data show very limited English learner or special-education population reporting; parents may want to check directly with the school about the actual count and support structures for students with disabilities and those learning English as a second language, since the available state reporting does not break those numbers out for this school.
The wider Abington Heights School District has made two significant recent changes that affect families in the area. The district adopted the Great Minds Wit & Wisdom curriculum districtwide for English Language Arts across all elementary and middle schools, shifting to a knowledge-building model with longer daily reading blocks. That curriculum change is visible in classrooms and through family materials sent home each module. More immediately, consecutive property tax increases in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years raised the millage rate noticeably, which translates to a material increase in the annual property-tax bill for homeowners across the district's three municipalities. For families considering a move to the area or already considering this middle school, those tax changes represent a reset in the ongoing cost of living in this community.
Housing values in the 18411 zip code, which includes Clarks Summit and the school's primary service area, have held fairly steady and sit slightly below the state median. New residential construction continues in and around the district, with several active homebuilder communities bringing new townhomes and custom-home lots to the region, so the community remains a draw for young families and residents seeking suburban access with proximity to Scranton. The local economy centers on government and health services, with Clarks Summit State Hospital and Keystone Community Resources among the larger employers. Most residents commute to Scranton for work or drive to sites across the region.
The school's science results and the overall proficiency position suggest that middle-grade instruction here is reasonably strong, particularly in core academic areas. The math proficiency, however, sits at the threshold where a parent might ask the school directly about intervention strategies, instructional approaches, and support available for students working below grade level. For families looking for a middle school with solid foundational performance in a smaller, economically stable, predominantly suburban community, Abington Heights offers that profile. Prospective residents should factor in the recent and ongoing property-tax environment, which has reshuffled the cost equation for homeownership in the district.
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