The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in Science. The lowest is 55% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Rice Avenue Ms
Rice Avenue Middle School serves fifth through eighth grade students in Girard, a small borough in western Erie County. The school enrolls a small population of students, nearly all of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic condition of the community. The student body is predominantly white, with very small numbers of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds.
On the most recent state assessments, Rice Avenue's proficiency rates show a mixed picture. In English language arts, students performed at a solid rate, placing the school above the midpoint of proficiency across districts in Erie County. Math proficiency was lower, roughly at the county median. Science proficiency, from the prior year, was the strongest of the three subjects. Taking proficiency across tested subjects together, the school sits above the midpoint among Erie County districts. These results suggest strengths in reading and science instruction but an area where math instruction may warrant attention; a parent interested in math support might ask the school directly about how it approaches skill gaps in that area.
Girard itself is a compact, historic small town sitting about a fifteen-minute drive from Erie, with a downtown centered on Main Street and residential blocks of older homes and mid-century subdivisions. The surrounding township is largely rural and agricultural. The borough has experienced modest population decline over time, and development has been incremental rather than large-scale. Housing values in the area are below both the state and national median, and the median household income is moderate. The community's civic focus is downtown revitalization, with efforts underway to list the Main Street district on the National Register and attract reinvestment to commercial buildings.
The school sits within the Girard School District. No major recent changes to district operations or curriculum were publicly reported, suggesting the district is operating with stable leadership and direction. The school itself has no magnet designation, is not a charter, and operates as a regular public school. Beyond state assessment data, information about specific programs, staffing, attendance patterns, or other operational details was not available, so parents may benefit from visiting the school or contacting the Girard School District directly to learn more about classroom practice, extracurricular offerings, or support services the school provides.
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