The top reported proficiency rate is 88% in Science. The lowest is 58% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on C G Johnson El Sch
C.G. Johnson Elementary is a small school serving kindergarten through fourth grade in Reynoldsville, a historic industrial town in Jefferson County that is experiencing gradual population decline. The school sits at the heart of a district undertaking major structural changes, making this a moment of transition for families considering the school.
The student body is nearly homogeneous by race and ethnicity, with the overwhelming majority white, and every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. Enrollment is modest across the five grades, with class sizes ranging from about fifty to nearly seventy students per grade level. The school's data on students with disabilities or English learners was not available.
In academic performance, the school shows a split profile. Science proficiency stands strong, well ahead of where comparable schools in the county perform overall. Mathematics and English language arts proficiency both sit below the county median for elementary schools on the comparison measure. In math, a little more than half of tested students in grades three through four met proficiency standards. In ELA, the proficiency rate was nearly identical. These numbers suggest that while the school has a particular strength in science instruction, reading and math are areas where families should expect closer attention and potentially more individualized support as students progress.
The district context matters here. DuBois Area School District recently consolidated eight elementary schools into four modernized buildings. C.G. Johnson is one of the four schools that remain, but that consolidation decision has already been made and students are now distributed across the district's chosen configuration. More immediately relevant to families: the district just approved a comprehensive science curriculum overhaul for 2025-26, shifting to inquiry-based programs aligned with Pennsylvania's new standards. That change should ripple directly into C.G. Johnson's science classrooms. The district also received a substantial state STEM and career-education grant, the kind of maximum award given to only a few districts statewide, meaning new pathway programming is on the way at the secondary level—relevant for families planning ahead past elementary school.
On affordability, the district has held property taxes flat across two consecutive budgets, a signal for families weighing housing costs in the area. The town itself is small and quiet, built largely on a pre-World War II footprint, with a modest commercial downtown along Main Street. Housing values in the 15851 zip code are well below state and national medians, and rental affordability is reasonable relative to income, making the area accessible to working families. The town has limited walkability for daily errands and no public transit; families drive for most needs.
What matters most for a prospective parent: the school's science foundation is solid, reading and math attainment needs closer inspection, and the family should understand that the district is in the middle of a multi-year curricular and facilities modernization. Those investments may strengthen outcomes, but they are still unfolding. A direct conversation with the school about how it is supporting students in math and ELA, and what the new science curriculum means for instruction, would help ground any enrollment decision.
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