The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in Science. The lowest is 39% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Old Forge El Sch
Old Forge Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in a small, tight-knit borough in Lackawanna County about five miles southwest of Scranton. The school sits on Melmore Street in the same compact in-town cluster that houses the borough's civic and commercial life, rather than on a separated campus. A recent, substantial renovation of the K-12 facility completed in 2023 modernized the building with updated flooring, lighting, and classroom technology, marking the first comprehensive upgrade in decades.
The student body reflects the borough's character. A majority of students come from families qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating modest household income across the enrollment. The school is predominantly white, with meaningful representation of Hispanic and other students of color. Enrollment is stable and relatively small for a full elementary span, at about five hundred students across seven grades.
On state assessments, the school's performance tells a mixed picture. In math and English language arts, proficiency rates hover around the lower end, with roughly four in ten students meeting proficiency standards in each subject in 2024-25. Science performance is considerably stronger, with about two-thirds of students proficient on the most recent available data from 2022-23. Overall, the school's proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the district comparisons within Lackawanna County, though it sits in a region where many elementary schools face similar challenges with reading and math attainment.
The specifics matter here. A parent considering this school should understand that the lower reading and math proficiency rates mean a substantial share of students are not yet meeting grade-level standards in those foundational areas. This is worth discussing directly with the school about what support structures exist for students below proficiency and what intervention or instructional approaches are in place. The gap between math and ELA performance on one hand and science on the other is notable and worth exploring to understand the school's relative strengths. The recent building renovation suggests district investment in the physical learning environment, though capital improvement alone does not drive academic outcomes.
Old Forge is a community where many families have roots going back generations. The borough is genuinely walkable, with schools, businesses, and civic buildings all within the same few blocks. Housing is modestly priced and the homeownership rate is high. The Lackawanna River Heritage Trail and local parks offer outdoor recreation. For families seeking a small-town setting with lower housing costs than larger nearby cities and a sense of community continuity, Old Forge fits that profile. The elementary school is embedded in that fabric, not separate from it.
What you would not find here is a school with district-wide honors or gifted programs documented in available sources, or extensive specialty course pathways at the elementary level. The school is a regular public elementary with a fairly traditional grade structure. State testing data on participation rates and certain demographic breakdowns for special populations were not available, so a parent should ask the school directly about services for English learners and students with IEPs to understand the full scope of support.
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