The top reported proficiency rate is 90% in Science. The lowest is 57% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Clay El Sch
Clay Elementary serves kindergarten through fourth grade in Ephrata, a small Lancaster County borough with a walkable downtown, a presence of Pennsylvania Dutch culture, and growing residential neighborhoods. The school enrolls students across a typical range of family backgrounds: about half the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, and the student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Asian, Black, and multiracial students. The enrollment is moderate in size for an elementary school of this grade span, distributed fairly evenly across the five grade levels.
On state testing in mathematics and English language arts, Clay Elementary's results fall below the midpoint when compared to other districts in Lancaster County. In the most recent testing window, proficiency in math stood at roughly the middle of the school's third and fourth graders, while proficiency in English language arts was modestly higher. By contrast, on the science assessment (most recent data from the prior year), the school posted much stronger results, with a substantial majority of tested students meeting or exceeding the proficiency threshold. The variation across subjects suggests uneven strength in academic areas or possibly different student cohorts tested across years. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly given the softer performance in the core areas of math and reading.
Against the Lancaster County comparison group, Clay Elementary's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among the county's schools. This indicates that despite the moderate results in math and ELA, the school's combined performance across all tested subjects and grade levels stands above the median for its county.
Ephrata itself is experiencing steady residential growth, with an active housing market and new construction ongoing. The town functions as a regional commercial hub while maintaining a small-town character, anchored by a downtown with historic buildings, local shops and restaurants, and civic events including the Ephrata Fair. The community pool, library, and rail trail provide recreational anchors. The district has invested substantially in facilities, including a major renovation of Ephrata High School completed recently and an ongoing HVAC replacement program at elementary schools. These improvements come against a backdrop of rising property taxes; the district raised the millage rate in 2025-26, continuing an upward trend driven in part by debt service on construction projects. Families considering a move to the area should factor this trajectory into housing affordability calculations alongside current market prices.
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