The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in Science. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Fulton El Sch
Fulton Elementary is a small school in Lancaster serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, with an enrollment typical for an elementary school of that span. The student population is predominantly Hispanic, with substantial shares of Black and White students and a smaller Asian population. Every student in the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the demographics and economic circumstances of the neighborhoods Fulton serves.
The school's recent state assessment results tell a mixed picture. In English language arts on the 2024-25 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, about two-fifths of students tested at proficient or above. Math results are lower, with about one-third proficient or above on the same assessment. Science proficiency, measured most recently on the 2023-24 assessment, runs substantially higher at roughly three-fifths proficient or above. Across the three subjects, Fulton's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among the school districts in Lancaster County. A parent may want to look into what supports the school is putting in place in math and English language arts, where the gaps are most visible.
Fulton sits in Lancaster city proper, a walkable downtown with dense residential neighborhoods, parks, transit, and cultural anchors like Central Market and the Fulton Theatre. The area's housing values are moderate relative to state and national benchmarks, and rent is similarly measured. The School District of Lancaster itself is navigating significant financial and operational changes. The district has faced a substantial budget shortfall traced to an accounting error, triggering consecutive property tax increases that will recur through the remainder of the decade. On the structural side, the district is receiving substantially larger state funding allocations following Pennsylvania's 2023 court ruling on school finance equity, which is funding expanded services for English learners and students with special needs. Concurrently, the district is executing the final phase of a decades-long master facilities plan, rebuilding or renovating seven schools by 2028. Families considering Fulton should factor both the recurring property tax increases and the capital improvements underway when weighing their decision.
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