The top reported proficiency rate is 81% in Science. The lowest is 48% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Memorial El Sch
Memorial Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Bloomsburg, a small historic town centered on a walkable downtown along the Susquehanna River and anchored by what is now Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania-Bloomsburg. The school sits within Bloomsburg Area School District and enrolls a student body that is about two-thirds white, with meaningful representation of Hispanic and multiracial students and a smaller number of Black and Asian students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting economic conditions in the area.
The school's recent state test results show uneven performance. In math, a little more than half of students scored at proficient levels, and in English language arts, proficiency fell below half. Science shows strength, with the large majority meeting proficiency. The school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the county's school districts, a position grounded mainly in the science results, which are notably strong.
Bloomsburg itself is experiencing modest, uneven growth. The town's 2020 population was slightly down from the prior decade, and recent home sales have softened. New residential construction clusters at the edges of town, including developments marketed at modest price points. The town economy centers on higher education through the university, healthcare anchored by Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, and manufacturing including Autoneum, Kawneer, and Arconic. Historic textiles and plastic production shaped the area's past, though mills have closed. Downtown revitalization efforts are ongoing, and the town hosts the state's largest fair, along with walkable public spaces, a public library, a children's museum, and riverside recreation.
The school's parent community reflects Bloomsburg's character. Housing affordability in the area is above the national average; median home values and rents are below state and national benchmarks. The mortgage-to-income ratio is reasonable, and rental costs are manageable relative to income.
The district itself is making structural changes that affect students schoolwide. A Communities In Schools of Pennsylvania program has recently launched at Memorial Elementary and the middle school, with full-time site coordinators placed inside buildings to address food insecurity, hygiene, mental health, and attendance obstacles and to connect families to outside resources. This is the first such program in Columbia County and represents a deliberate expansion of in-school student support beyond traditional classroom instruction. Additionally, the district has aligned new STEM offerings at the middle school to feed into the high school's Technology and Engineering pathway, creating continuity for students who pursue those interests from middle through high school. The school board has also held down property tax growth for 2024-25, which matters to homeowners weighing long-term cost of residence in the district.
For families in or considering Bloomsburg, Memorial offers a small elementary school in a town with preserved character and accessible downtown life. Proficiency in math and English language arts warrants attention and conversation with the school; the science results are a strength. The addition of in-building student-support staff is a meaningful infrastructure investment that addresses barriers families in the area may face.
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