The top reported proficiency rate is 93% in Science. The lowest is 74% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Glenwood El Sch
Glenwood Elementary is a kindergarten-through-fifth-grade school serving about six hundred students in Media, Delaware County. The school sits in downtown Media, a walkable borough of historic brick buildings, shops, and trolley access to Philadelphia.
The school's proficiency results are strong. In math, about three-quarters of tested students in grades three through five scored at proficient levels, with about four-fifths in that group hitting proficiency. In English language arts, proficiency landed somewhat lower but still in the solid range. Science proficiency data is from an earlier year and reflects a notably higher level of mastery. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among other schools measured within Delaware County.
The student body is roughly three-quarters white, with meaningful representation from Asian, multiracial, and Black households. About one in seven students qualify for free or reduced price lunch. Enrollment is fairly stable across the grade bands, with the largest classes in third grade.
Media itself is fixed geographically and has not expanded beyond its compact footprint, so the demographic texture of the school reflects a settled, walkable neighborhood with proximity to downtown institutions, restaurants, parks, and the regional rail and trolley lines. The surrounding housing market in the zip code sits above state and national medians, with home values and rents both reflecting that position. Families considering Glenwood should understand they are choosing a school in a high-cost area with limited new housing supply within the borough itself.
The broader context for Glenwood involves significant change in the district. Rose Tree Media School District has struggled with overcrowding at its four existing elementary schools. The district's initial plan to build a fifth elementary school in Edgmont Township failed after Edgmont voters rejected the proposal, followed by litigation and abandonment of the site. The district has now pivoted to a new K-1 Early Learning Center, which will introduce full-day kindergarten for the first time, scheduled to open in the 2029-30 school year. This shift means that families with kindergarteners and first-graders will eventually have a different pathway, while Glenwood and its sister elementary schools will continue to serve the full K-5 span during the transition. The overcrowding context is relevant: elementary enrollment in the district remains under pressure, though the planned center aims to ease some of that strain by pulling the youngest grades into a dedicated space.
Glenwood's location in downtown Media gives it a particular identity. It is walkable from its neighborhoods, sits near civic landmarks and parks, and serves a community with strong real estate values and household income above the national median. The school's proficiency results are competitive, especially in math, and the student body shows meaningful racial and economic diversity for a school in this real estate market. For families already in Media or considering the area for its walkability and downtown character, Glenwood is a neighborhood school with solid academic performance and access to the town itself.
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