The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in Science. The lowest is 37% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Floyd C Fretz Ms
Floyd C Fretz Middle School serves the sixth through eighth grade band in Bradford, a small city in McKean County that has experienced long-term population decline but retains a compact historic downtown and a working manufacturing base anchored by employers like Zippo Manufacturing and a regional medical center.
The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly white, with a very substantial majority qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is evenly distributed across the three middle grades.
On state assessments, the school's results are mixed. In English language arts, a solid majority of students tested reached proficiency in the most recent school year. Mathematics proficiency was considerably lower, with roughly one in three students meeting the standard. Science proficiency, measured in the prior school year, fell between the two, with just over half the students proficient. Across its tested subjects and grades, the school ranks in the top quartile of proficiency when compared against the other districts in McKean County, though this position reflects the county's overall results rather than a particularly high bar.
The school sits within the Bradford Area School District, which is itself navigating significant fiscal pressures. The district has proposed a property tax increase for the coming school year, described as only the second such increase in many years, and is publicly considering closing an elementary school as a cost-saving step. These district-level decisions will reshape which buildings serve which grades and what tax burden families carry.
The district has also implemented a new restrictive cell phone policy starting in the 2025-26 school year, with the stated aim of improving academic achievement, encouraging face-to-face interaction, and reducing classroom distractions. This policy choice reflects a pedagogical direction parents will encounter.
Housing in the Bradford area is affordable relative to state and national medians, and the compact downtown is walkable for short trips, though car dependence is the norm for most residents. Civic anchors include parks with recreation facilities, a public library, trail networks, and cultural venues associated with the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The economic context reflects modest but stable employment, with health care, retail, and manufacturing as primary job sectors.
State testing data do not include average scale scores for English language arts and mathematics, so a more granular picture of where performance gaps lie is not available from the data provided. Special education and English learner enrollment counts were also not reported. A parent may want to seek those details directly from the school or district to understand the full academic support picture.
See more original research from School Decision →