The top reported proficiency rate is 85% in Science. The lowest is 62% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Loyalsock Valley El Sch
Loyalsock Valley Elementary is a small rural school serving kindergarten through fourth grade in the northern part of Montoursville Area School District. It sits in a quiet, family-oriented borough that functions as a residential suburb of Williamsport, about a short drive from the county seat. The school itself has an enrollment of about two hundred students, with roughly a third of the student body qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student population is predominantly white, with a small number of multiracial, Black, and Hispanic students.
State test results for the school show a mixed picture across subjects. In math and English language arts, proficiency rates for grades three through four fall in the low-to-mid range. Science results are considerably stronger, with a substantially higher proportion of students meeting state standards. When schools in Lycoming County are compared on overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades, Loyalsock Valley ranks in the top quartile among its county peers, a meaningful distinction that places it above the median performance of other schools in the region.
The borough itself presents a small-town character. It spans a walkable footprint with neighborhood sidewalks and a modest downtown on Broad Street, lined with older brick buildings and longtime establishments like Johnson's Cafe and Mel's Deli. Big-box retail is concentrated on Loyalsock Avenue, and the community anchors itself around Indian Park and the W.B. Konkle Memorial Library, recently renovated. Williamsport Regional Airport operates in the borough, anchoring a meaningful employment base alongside regional healthcare systems. The area is built out with mostly older single-family homes, with population holding steady and a median age reflecting a stable, aging community. Housing values are modest relative to national benchmarks, and mortgage costs and rent are both affordable by national standards.
A major change is coming to this school. In April 2025 the Montoursville Area School Board voted to close Loyalsock Valley Elementary at the end of the 2026-2027 school year, consolidating all elementary students into a renovated Lyter Elementary starting in 2027-2028. This means any family currently choosing this school or the rural north-of-Montoursville option it represents should be aware that enrollment will end within about one year. The district is pursuing an expansion of Lyter Elementary tied to the consolidation, funded by borrowing and drawing from capital reserves, with officials stating no tax increase would be required.
At the district level, there has been sustained attention to instructional consistency and early support. The district hired a Curriculum Director after the position sat vacant for a number of years and has rolled out Universal Design for Learning staff training, an MTSS framework for the elementary grades, and universal reading and math screening using Acadience and i-Ready. These changes signal a coordinated, district-wide effort to identify struggling students early and align instruction, not merely isolated school efforts.
For families evaluating this school, the closure timeline is the decisive factor. If you are looking for stability and a long-term neighborhood fit, this is not the right choice. If you need an immediate placement and understand the transition timeline, the school's above-average standing among county peers and focus on universal screening and early intervention may make sense for one or two years. A parent should clarify with the district exactly when the closure takes effect and what the enrollment timeline and transition process will look like.
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