The top reported proficiency rate is 79% in Science. The lowest is 44% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Larry J. Macaluso El Sch
Larry J. Macaluso Elementary School is a public elementary school in Red Lion, Pennsylvania, serving kindergarten through sixth grade in a small borough of central York County. The school is part of the Red Lion Area School District, which operates across several small towns and townships in the region.
The school enrolls a student body that is majority white, with smaller populations of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment across grades is fairly even, ranging from about average to somewhat larger in the upper elementary grades, with the overall school population at a moderate size for its grade band.
On state assessments, Macaluso shows uneven academic performance. In science, the school's proficiency rate in 2022-23 was solid, placing it in the top quartile of schools among its county peers when a composite index of all tested subjects is calculated. Mathematics proficiency, however, sits at a level below the county median, and English language arts proficiency is even lower, well below the median. The gaps in reading and math are substantial and a parent may want to look into further with the school to understand what support systems are in place and what the school is doing to close them. The school does not report data on English learner populations or students receiving special education services, so the full academic picture is incomplete.
Red Lion itself is a compact, small borough with a historic downtown core of brick storefronts along Main Street and Broadway, mixed with surrounding residential neighborhoods. The community has roots in manufacturing and still hosts diverse industries including clothing, steel fabrication, milling, and plastics, alongside General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. The everyday character is walkable and small-town, with most residents able to reach shops, the library, and Fairmount Park on foot. The borough is primarily residential and has experienced active new-home construction on its edges in recent years, though much of the newer development sits just outside the borough boundary in adjoining townships. The housing market in the area is tight; homes sell quickly and median prices have appreciated modestly year over year.
The school district as a whole has undergone a notable policy shift. In late 2022 the school board adopted a permanent policy requiring students to use bathrooms, locker rooms, and athletic teams that correspond to the sex on their birth certificate, with a gender-neutral bathroom as the only alternative. This district-wide directive is a significant cultural and governance decision that directly affects how the district treats transgender students and is the kind of policy shift a family with children in or considering the district should weigh carefully.
The district has also faced recent budget strain. The 2023-24 spending plan included the possibility of a meaningful property tax increase, and board scrutiny revealed the district was paying for a substantial number of unused seats at an alternative school, suggesting ongoing fiscal pressure that homeowners in the district should factor into their financial planning.
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