The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in Science. The lowest is 50% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Joseph C Ashkar El Sch
Joseph C. Ashkar Elementary School serves prekindergarten through sixth grade in Hughesville, a small borough in Lycoming County that sits within the rural farmland surrounding the Williamsport metropolitan area. The school enrolls a mixed-size student body drawn from the compact borough and surrounding Wolf Township, with roughly half the students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly white, with very small representation of other racial and ethnic groups.
On state assessments administered in grades three through six, Ashkar's proficiency results show a mixed picture. The school's mathematics proficiency rate falls into the top quartile among Lycoming County districts when you account for all tested subjects. Science proficiency is notably strong. English language arts proficiency is lower, sitting at about the midpoint for schools in the county. The school did not report the complete suite of academic trend data that would show year-to-year direction, so a parent reading these results cannot yet see whether performance is moving upward, holding steady, or declining.
The school sits within East Lycoming School District, a four-school rural district that has invested heavily in facilities over the past two years. Ashkar itself is receiving an ADA-accessible playground upgrade as part of a district-wide suite of improvements that also includes high school renovations, track and field resurfacing, and technology upgrades across all buildings. The district recently installed a new phone system funded by school safety grants, modernizing how families communicate with schools. On the property-tax side, the district raised the real estate millage rate in 2024-25 to address budget pressures, then held the rate flat for 2025-26, so the current tax baseline for families considering the borough is now set. The district has also built an uncommon energy portfolio combining solar, geothermal, and biomass systems to reduce long-term utility costs.
The housing market in Hughesville is modest and relatively affordable compared to state and national medians. A large housing development sited on the Hughesville-Wolf Township line is in early planning and could eventually bring hundreds of new families to the area if it proceeds; county planners view the site as a designated growth location because water and sewer infrastructure are already in place. The school district has flagged stormwater concerns about the development because Ashkar and the junior-senior high school are neighbors to the proposed site.
Hughesville itself is a walkable borough where residents can reach Main Street shops and restaurants on foot, though the town is small enough that families typically drive to nearby Muncy Township for bigger retail options. The borough is home to civic anchors including the Lycoming County Fairgrounds, which hosts the county fair each July and a free symphony concert, plus parks with recreation facilities and a public library. Public transit to downtown Williamsport is available via a local bus route that takes about half an hour.
The school serves elementary grades only, so it does not offer middle or high school programming. Data on special education enrollment, English learner services, chronic absenteeism, and discipline were not available in the materials reviewed. A parent considering Ashkar would want to ask the school directly about these services, especially if their child has an individual education plan or other support needs. The school's website may carry more detail on daily operations, before- and after-school programs, and classroom pedagogy that this profile does not capture.
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