The top reported proficiency rate is 82% in Science. The lowest is 51% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Forks El Sch
Forks Elementary School is a small Kindergarten through Grade 5 building in Easton that serves a diverse student body with substantial economic need. The school sits within the Easton Area School District, which is currently navigating a major capital project and rising property tax pressures that will affect families considering the area.
The school enrolled about a third of a typical elementary student body when viewed across all six grade levels. The student composition is roughly evenly split between white students and students of color, with a meaningful share of Hispanic and Asian students, a smaller share of Black students, and a small number of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students. Economically, the student body faces significant hardship: the free-or-reduced-price lunch count reported exceeds the total enrollment, a data pattern that often reflects how schools count eligible students and suggests widespread poverty among families served.
On state testing, the school shows uneven performance across subjects. In mathematics and English language arts (both tested in grades three through five), proficiency rates hovered near or just above one-half of students, placing the school in the top quartile when compared against districts in Northampton County. Science proficiency was notably stronger, with roughly four-fifths of tested students meeting proficiency standards when the assessment was last administered. This gap between literacy and numeracy proficiency on the one hand and science on the other is worth understanding further with the school directly. Overall, the school's combined proficiency index ranks it in the top quartile among county districts, though the foundation in reading and math is clearly an area where many students are working below grade level.
No data on special education enrollment, English learner enrollment, or chronic absenteeism rates were available for the school, making it impossible to paint a complete picture of the school's support systems or student engagement patterns. A parent may want to reach out to the school directly about special services, the breadth of ELL support, and how the school approaches attendance.
Easton itself is a walkable small city in the Lehigh Valley centered around a historic downtown anchored by Centre Square, where the Easton Farmers' Market (publicly reported as the oldest continuous open-air market in the country) draws steady foot traffic alongside galleries, restaurants, and the State Theatre. The city is in an active redevelopment phase with multiple mixed-use housing projects underway, and major employers include Crayola LLC (headquartered there), Lafayette College, St. Luke's University Health Network, and Victaulic. The housing market in the area has been appreciating, with median home values above the state average and affordability metrics suggesting mortgage costs are higher than rents.
The district is undertaking a transformational project: construction of a new high school to replace an overcrowded existing building, with groundbreaking slated for 2027. This major capital investment is driving consecutive property tax increases, which have been adopted over the past three budget cycles specifically to fund debt service on the high school project. Families moving into or living within the district should anticipate further tax pressure related to this effort, as the project is expected to span several years and reshape the district's financial obligations.
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