The top reported proficiency rate is 83% in Science. The lowest is 71% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Holicong Ms
Holicong MS serves grades seven through nine in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, as part of the Central Bucks School District. The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly white and relatively affluent, with only a small share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body includes a modest share of Asian students and smaller populations of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. Data on special education enrollment and English learners was not available.
The school's academic performance, measured by state proficiency assessments, places it well above the midpoint among Bucks County's middle schools. In English language arts, about four-fifths of tested students achieved proficiency. Math proficiency was somewhat lower, with roughly seven in ten students meeting the standard. Science proficiency, measured in the prior year, was notably higher at about four-fifths. Across these three subjects, Holicong's combined proficiency stands in the top quartile relative to other Bucks County districts. No trend data was available to show whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability year-to-year.
The Doylestown area where Holicong sits is a small historic borough serving as Bucks County's seat. It has a preserved downtown anchored by locally owned shops, restaurants, and cultural institutions—the James A. Michener Art Museum, Mercer Museum, and Fonthill Castle draw visitors from across the region. Tree-lined streets, streetscape improvements made in recent decades, and First Friday events create walkable street life. The town did not experience heavy industrialization and has remained largely residential in character. Doylestown has a SEPTA Regional Rail station providing service to Center City Philadelphia.
Housing values in the Doylestown ZIP code are well above the state benchmark. Rents are also above average, and the ratio of rent to household income suggests affordability challenges for renters. For prospective homebuyers, mortgage costs are material, and a parent may want to review housing costs against household income carefully. The area is experiencing significant residential development, including a major mixed-use apartment complex that opened in late 2024 and new townhome and single-family communities in surrounding townships within the Central Bucks district.
The Central Bucks School District is undergoing structural changes that will affect every family. Ninth graders are being integrated into the high schools beginning in the 2025-26 school year, and sixth graders will shift to middle schools in 2026-27. This ends the district's decades-long configuration of K-6 elementary, 7-9 middle, and 10-12 high schools. For families with children at Holicong, the transition means the school will gain incoming sixth graders in 2026-27 while losing current ninth graders in 2025-26, reshaping the school's composition and mission.
The district has also introduced full-day kindergarten for the first time in its history, starting as a pilot in six elementary schools in 2025-26. Prior to this, kindergarten was half-day only—a change of note for families with younger children in the pipeline.
Property taxes in the district have risen substantially. After six consecutive years of no increases through 2021, the district has now raised taxes for six years straight, with increases each exceeding the state's Act 1 Index through special exception status related to special-education costs. For homeowners, these cumulative increases represent a material, ongoing change in the cost of living in the district.
In November 2023, school board elections flipped control to a Democratic majority that reversed several policies of the previous board, including suspension of a controversial library materials policy and a sex-based athletics policy. This shift has reshaped curriculum direction and library access, affecting the school climate.
Holicong offers a solid academic foundation in a suburban, affluent community with strong proficiency rates and good access to cultural amenities. Parents considering the school should factor in the district's current structural transitions, rising property tax trajectory, and the school's shift from ninth-grade to sixth-grade orientation. The community and housing market reflect high property costs and an area in transition due to infill development.
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