The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in Science. The lowest is 32% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mid Valley El Ctr
Mid Valley Elementary Center serves kindergarten through grade six in Throop, a small borough adjacent to Scranton in Lackawanna County. The school enrolls a substantial population across its seven grades, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly from kindergarten through sixth grade. The demographic composition is predominantly white, with meaningful representation from Hispanic, multiracial, and Black students. All enrolled students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a community where families face economic hardship across the board.
The school's academic performance shows mixed results across subjects. In English language arts, proficiency falls below the midpoint among Lackawanna County's school districts. Mathematics proficiency is considerably lower, placing the school in the bottom tier of county performance. Science proficiency, by contrast, is substantially stronger, with three-quarters of tested students meeting or exceeding the standard—a genuine strength that stands out against county comparisons. Across all tested subjects and grades combined, the school sits above the county median overall, though this reflects the strength in science balancing weaker performance in literacy and numeracy.
The elementary years are foundational for reading and math skills, and the proficiency rates in both subjects warrant attention. A parent considering this school may want to look into what the school and district are doing to address math and ELA instruction, what support structures exist for students who are not yet meeting standards, and whether there are clear improvement trajectories or professional development efforts underway. The science results suggest the school has capable teaching and programming in at least one core area, which is encouraging.
Throop itself is a mixed residential-industrial small town of about five square miles. The residential core has low speed limits and is walkable in patches, though commercial activity clusters around auto-oriented shopping areas rather than a traditional downtown. The borough sits adjacent to industrial parks and the Keystone Sanitary Landfill to the east, giving the community an economic anchor but also significant truck traffic and industrial character. Housing is modestly priced relative to state and national benchmarks, and the market has been stable with a slight decline year-over-year. Population growth is slow and steady. The school sits within the Mid Valley School District, which operates only two schools—this elementary center and a secondary center—both in Throop. The district recently completed a substantial upgrade to its athletic complex, rebuilding fields, courts, and track with modern turf and lighting, a visible investment in student facilities that touches all secondary students.
The community offers parks with athletic facilities, access to the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, an annual Cow Flop fundraiser supporting youth sports, and after-school programming at the Throop Community Civic Center. Transit via the County of Lackawanna Transit System connects the borough to Scranton and surrounding towns. For a family choosing Mid Valley Elementary, this is a solidly working-class, economically challenged community where the school serves nearly universal economic need, paired with a school whose strengths appear concentrated in science and whose reading and math outcomes are below county norms. The fit depends on what family circumstances are and what support strategies the school can articulate for students not yet meeting grade-level standards.
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