The top reported proficiency rate is 92% in Science. The lowest is 75% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hershey Intrmd El Sch
Hershey Intermediate Elementary School serves grades four and five in Derry Township, the administrative unit that encompasses Hershey, Pennsylvania. The school is part of a public district that holds property taxes flat and maintains a AAA credit rating from Standard & Poor's, a distinction held by only a handful of Pennsylvania districts.
The school's academic profile is strong in science, where students score well above proficiency thresholds. In math and English language arts, proficiency rates sit in the mid-range, with about three-quarters of students meeting state standards. When measured across tested subjects and grades, the school ranks in the top quartile relative to other districts in Dauphin County. State testing data was not available for prior years, so trend information could not be assessed.
The enrollment is small, serving about equal numbers of fourth and fifth graders. The student body is majority white, with meaningful representation of Asian students and smaller shares of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on special education enrollment and English learner populations were not provided.
Hershey sits in a place shaped by its origins as a company town built by Milton S. Hershey. It remains anchored by the Hershey Company, Hersheypark and its entertainment complex, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and the Milton Hershey School, a cost-free boarding school. The community has a walkable downtown around Chocolate Avenue with civic and cultural facilities, but most institutions occupy separate campuses. Housing prices in the area have climbed and remain competitive; the median home sells for around the mid-to-upper range for the county and state, with rents also rising. The place is undergoing active development, particularly Hershey West End, a planned mixed-use community with hundreds of new homes, retail, and office space anchored near the medical center.
The district is in the midst of two major capital projects. A new Hershey Elementary School is under design to replace an aging building, a multi-year commitment with significant cost that will shape the district's budget over time. Additionally, the high school is building a permanent on-campus stadium after losing access to Hersheypark Stadium, with construction underway and completion targeted for the 2026 football season. These projects represent lasting investments in facilities, even as the district has managed to hold property taxes steady in recent budgets. A parent considering this school and district may want to understand how these capital projects will be financed and what future tax implications they might carry, though the district's financial track record and credit rating suggest it has managed large spending carefully.
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