The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in Science. The lowest is 42% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on North Pocono Ms
North Pocono Middle School sits in Moscow, a quiet residential borough in the Pocono foothills about a short drive southeast of Scranton. The borough has a modest commercial core along Main Street and a predominantly owner-occupied character typical of small-town Pennsylvania. Most families here commute to Scranton or the Wyoming Valley for work; Moscow itself functions largely as a bedroom community. Housing values in the area run notably above Lackawanna County averages, and median household income is solid. The broader North Pocono region continues to attract new construction, with multiple builders active in the area.
The school serves grades six through eight and enrolls a student body that is demographically homogeneous, predominantly white, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The special education and English learner populations were not available in the data. The middle school campus sits on Church Street in Moscow proper, part of a cluster of district buildings anchored there; the high school, by contrast, is located on a separate campus in Covington Township.
On state assessments, North Pocono Middle performs solidly in reading and language arts, with a majority of students reaching proficiency. Math results are weaker, with less than half the tested cohort meeting proficiency standards. Science proficiency sits in the middle range. Across tested subjects, the school ranks in the top quartile among Lackawanna County districts on overall proficiency. State testing data for earlier years was not available, so trend comparisons cannot be made at this time.
The district adopted a budget for 2025-26 that includes property tax increases, a relevant consideration for families evaluating a move to the area. More substantially, the district is undertaking a major infrastructure initiative: it is borrowing funds to install solar panels across all five district buildings, replace the high school roof, and complete a districtwide lighting retrofit. These improvements will modernize facilities over the coming years, though the borrowing represents a long-term financial commitment that affects future operating capacity.
A parent evaluating North Pocono Middle should weigh the school's solid performance in language arts against its softer math results and may want to look into what support structures the school has in place for students working below grade level in mathematics. The school serves a tight-knit residential community with above-average home values and incomes relative to the county, and it offers a small-school environment characteristic of a borough-based middle grades program. Moscow itself offers limited walkable amenities; day-to-day life centers on car-based commuting. For families drawn to the North Pocono region, this middle school is the default path before students transition to the high school campus in Covington Township.
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