The top reported proficiency rate is 77% in Science. The lowest is 28% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Ross El Sch
Ross Elementary serves grades pre-K through fifth grade in Lancaster city, Pennsylvania, as part of the Lancaster School District. The school is located on North Queen Street in the heart of downtown, placing it within walking distance of Central Market, the newly renovated Lancaster Public Library, Binns Park, and the Red Rose Transit Authority Queen Street Station. For families living downtown or in nearby neighborhoods like Musser Park or Chestnut Hill, the school is walkable; families elsewhere in the district would rely on school transportation or personal drives.
The school's student body is almost entirely composed of families qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is small for its grade band, and the composition is predominantly Hispanic, with substantial Black and multiracial representation, small Asian enrollment, and a smaller white student population. Data on English learner status and special education enrollment rates were not available.
In state assessments, Ross's performance reflects mixed results across tested subjects. In English language arts and math, both using 2024-25 data, the school's proficiency rates are below the midpoint when compared to other tested schools in Lancaster County. Science results from 2023-24 are substantially stronger and well above that midpoint. Across all tested subjects combined, the school's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint among county schools. The gaps in math and ELA are clear and worth exploring directly with school leadership; a parent might ask what literacy and numeracy interventions are in place and how the school is using the increase in state adequacy funding that has flowed to the district.
The Lancaster School District is in the midst of significant structural changes. A budgeting error in 2024-25 created a large deficit that the district is addressing through consecutive property tax increases. Real estate taxes are scheduled to rise for multiple years ahead, which will materially affect housing affordability in the district's attendance zone. Simultaneously, the district has begun receiving substantially larger state adequacy allocations following Pennsylvania's 2023 court ruling on school funding. This funding is explicitly supporting expanded services for English learners and special education students. Over the same period, the district is executing the fourth phase of a decades-long facilities master plan, with elementary schools including Burrowes, Price, and others undergoing significant rebuilds or renovations, all scheduled for completion by 2028. Ross itself is not named in that construction program, so the school's physical plant and infrastructure may not be among the new buildings families will see.
For a family considering Ross, the relevant tradeoffs are these: the school sits in a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-income downtown neighborhood with real amenities and civic life, and it serves a student population that reflects the city's actual demographic composition. The school is receiving increased state resources for student support. However, the school's standardized performance in math and reading is notably below average for the county, and families are absorbing property tax increases that will compound in coming years. A parent choosing Ross should feel confident going in that they understand what those academic results show and should have a substantive conversation with school staff about how the new funding and any instructional initiatives are beginning to address the gaps.
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