The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Montgomery Jshs
Montgomery JSHS sits at 120 Penn Street in Montgomery, a small riverside borough in Lycoming County serving grades seven through twelve to a school population of just under four hundred. The school sits downtown rather than on a suburban campus, integrated into the fabric of the borough alongside the library and civic offices, which shapes the texture of school life.
The enrollment is distributed fairly evenly across grades, with roughly fifty to seventy-five students per grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a small number of Hispanic, multiracial, Asian and Black students. More than half the student population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, marking a school serving a working and low-income population. Data on special education and English learner populations were not available.
On the 2024-25 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment for students in grades three through eight, Montgomery JSHS students scored below the state median. In English language arts, just over half of tested students reached proficiency, placing the school in the bottom quartile among Lycoming County districts. In mathematics, the proficiency rate fell to around thirty percent, significantly lower than the county median. When proficiency rates are averaged across both subjects, the school's overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint county-wide. These results suggest a need to examine how the school is supporting student progress, particularly in mathematics, where the gap is most pronounced. A parent may want to ask the school directly about remediation, tutoring, small-group instruction, or other supports underway to close this gap.
The school does not report a graduation rate, which is typical for a building that serves only grades seven through twelve; that metric applies to schools that span the full pathway to diploma or to districts that track four-year progression. State testing results were available only for grades three through eight, since high school grades are not tested under Pennsylvania's assessment system. No data on attendance, chronic absenteeism, or school discipline appeared in the available data.
Montgomery Area School District, the parent district, is moving forward with a substantial renovation and construction project for the athletic and community center, tied to two consecutive property tax increases approved in recent budgets that have raised the millage rate over time. Families considering the area should factor those increases into their housing calculations. The district also offers a K-12 Virtual Academy with a standards-aligned online curriculum where students earn a Montgomery diploma while remaining eligible to participate in sports and extracurriculars, providing an alternative pathway for families who prefer full-time remote learning.
The borough itself is small and stable rather than growing, with a flat to slightly declining population and home values roughly two-thirds those of the county median, indicating an affordable but not appreciating housing market. The town has a walkable downtown with a library, small businesses, and river access, though the school population has also declined modestly over the past decade. Manufacturing and the school district itself anchor the local economy.
The academic results here suggest a school that is working with students who arrive with varied academic starting points and support needs. Enrollment is stable and compact, and the downtown location means the school is woven into town life rather than set apart. For a family seeking an affordable rural community and a smaller school setting where teachers likely know their students well, this school merits a closer look, particularly if you can discuss with administrators how they are addressing the gaps in mathematics proficiency and what academic supports are available to your student.
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