The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Science. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Penn-kidder Campus
Penn-Kidder Campus serves pre-K through 8th grade in Albrightsville, a quiet, wooded community in the Pocono Mountains anchored by seasonal homes, lake developments, and tourism rather than a traditional town center. The school sits on State Route 903 as part of a dispersed landscape where the library, state park, and residential subdivisions are separated by car-dependent distances, and students from this campus travel about a mile to Jim Thorpe Area High School when they graduate to secondary grades.
The enrollment is about average for a K-8 building, with a majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the region. The student body is predominantly white, with a meaningful share of Hispanic and Black students, and a small number of multiracial learners. Special-education and English-learner status data were not available in the records provided.
On state testing, Penn-Kidder's results show a mixed picture. In English language arts for grades 3 through 8, a bit less than half of students reached proficiency. In math, the proficiency rate was substantially lower, at just over one-third. Science results, from the previous school year, were stronger at approximately two-thirds proficiency. Across the three subjects tested, the school sits in the top quartile among the county's districts on overall proficiency, a position that reflects science strength but is pulled down considerably by the math numbers. A parent should want to understand with the school itself what math support is available, whether there are patterns in which grades or student groups the gaps appear in, and what instructional changes might be underway.
The district has been holding property taxes flat for many years but approved a tax increase in June 2025, ending that streak and signaling financial strain from cyber-charter costs, state shortfalls, and aging buildings. More immediately, the district commissioned a facilities study in 2025 that identified substantial infrastructure needs across its buildings over the next decade, much marked urgent. One scenario under consideration is closing Penn-Kidder Elementary and consolidating into a new K-3 building with grade realignments at the other elementary site. This is still in planning stages, but families should anticipate that a bond issuance is likely within the next few years, bringing both facility changes and further tax or debt impact. A parent considering this school would be wise to check in directly with the district about the timeline and details of those discussions.
Albrightsville itself offers few traditional community anchors. The Penn Kidder Library, a branch of Jim Thorpe's system, hosts storytimes and programs. Hickory Run State Park, with a public beach, sits just west. Beyond that, daily life centers on private lake and resort communities, and the area is rural and car-dependent; even basic errands require driving. The housing market is dominated by second-home and vacation properties in gated communities, with some shift toward remote-work residences since the pandemic. Property values in the zip code are below the state average, and affordability is moderate.
The school operates as part of Jim Thorpe Area School District, which covers several townships. High school students leave this campus and travel to Jim Thorpe Area High School. Penn-Kidder is the primary K-8 anchor for the Albrightsville and surrounding Penn Forest and Kidder Township area, serving a stable but modest-sized enrollment in a setting built for seasonal living and outdoor recreation rather than dense residential growth.
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