The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in English language arts. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Intermediate Sch
Intermediate School serves fifth and sixth graders in Shillington, a small, tree-lined residential borough in Berks County just outside Reading. The school sits on a campus shared with the middle school and high school on land that once housed the county almshouse, set apart from the downtown civic core around the town hall and library. The building sits on Governor Drive, and both grades feed into the middle school and eventually the high school within the same district.
The school's recent state assessment results show proficiency rates that place it below the midpoint relative to other districts in Berks County. In English language arts, roughly half the tested students achieved proficiency; in mathematics, the proportion was considerably lower, around a third. Data on special education enrollment, English learner enrollment, and participation rates were not available from state records. These two subjects are the main state-assessed areas at the elementary and intermediate grades, so the proficiency index combining both falls below the county median.
The student body reflects the economic and demographic character of the school's attendance area. Nearly all students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating widespread economic need; the state does not disclose whether this stems from policy or from student circumstances, but the figure is substantially higher than typical for Pennsylvania schools. The enrollment is diverse: roughly one-third of students identify as Hispanic, one-third as white, with the remainder distributed among Asian, Black, and multiracial students. The enrollment across the two grades is evenly split.
Shillington itself is a mature, built-out borough where most housing predates the 1970s, with no major new subdivisions. The housing market is tight, with homes selling quickly and median home values rising year over year. The borough is walkable around its small downtown along Lancaster Avenue, where commercial shops, restaurants, and grocers sit within walking distance of residential blocks, but most households still need a car for commutes. The area is served by public transit through BARTA bus routes that connect to downtown Reading. The Governor Mifflin School District, headquartered in Shillington, operates under universal free meals for all students through a federal Community Eligibility Provision, a material household benefit for families considering the area.
The district has been undertaking a large secondary-campus reconstruction project funded through restructured debt and bonds without a tax millage increase for the project itself. However, the district has announced successive property tax hikes outside the project: a significant increase for fiscal 2024-25 and another for 2026-27. For families weighing a move into the district, this signals a sustained upward trajectory in school taxes. The high school added a dual-enrollment accounting capstone through the University of Pittsburgh, one of only two programs of its kind in the state, expanding college-credit pathways for students who reach that level.
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