Original Research by School Decision on Price
Price is a tiny middle and high school building serving grades six through twelve within the Lower Dauphin School District in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania. The enrollment is very small, with roughly a dozen students spread across the upper grades. A substantial majority of the enrolled students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting economic hardship in the population served.
State testing data for Price is not publicly reported. The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment results for grades three through eight are suppressed due to the extremely small cohort size. Science data from the prior year shows a tested count so small that proficiency results are withheld. This suppression is standard practice when sample sizes risk identifying individual students, and it reflects the nature of the school rather than a weakness in performance itself. Without these results, a parent cannot assess academic proficiency in the traditional way. A family considering this school should speak directly with the district or building administration about what academic outcomes look like and how instruction is organized at such a small scale.
The school's immediate community is Hummelstown, a dense, historic borough nestled between Harrisburg and Hershey with a walkable downtown centered on Main Street. The town has strong civic anchors including its public library, multiple parks, and bus service via rabbittransit connecting to the medical center and regional employment hubs. The housing market is appreciating steadily, with home values moving upward and inventory remaining tight. Renters pay roughly a quarter of household income on average for shelter. Employment in the area draws heavily from Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey Foods operations, and smaller local employers including brewing, retail, and healthcare services.
The Lower Dauphin School District has authorized substantial general obligation bonds for capital improvements, a decision that will shape tax-rate expectations going forward. The district completed a facility study that led to a multi-phase stadium project now under construction at the middle school campus, altering traffic patterns and athletic facilities. In the 2023-24 school year, the district held its property tax millage rate flat rather than raise it, drawing from reserves instead. These choices matter for families assessing long-term cost of living in the area.
Price is an open, regular public school serving an unusually concentrated population. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of Hispanic and Black students. The school is not a charter, magnet, or Title I designation school, though the high free and reduced-price lunch rate signals economic need in the student population.
Because enrollment is so small and testing data cannot be disclosed, a parent interested in this school needs to have a direct conversation with building and district leadership about how teaching and learning work in such a compact setting, what curriculum is offered, whether specialized or alternative services drive enrollment, and what outcomes students actually achieve.
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