The top reported proficiency rate is 35% in Science. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Northeast Intrmd Sch
Northeast Intermediate School serves fifth through eighth grade in Scranton and faces significant academic headwinds. On the most recent state assessments, proficiency in math stands at a very low level, and English language arts proficiency, while higher, remains well below the midpoint for schools in Lackawanna County. Science results from an earlier year showed higher proficiency, though the sample tested was much smaller. Across all three subjects, Northeast ranks in the bottom quartile among county schools on overall proficiency. For a parent evaluating this school, the central reality is that most students are not meeting grade-level standards in core academics, and this is the academic context the school operates in.
The student body reflects Scranton's demographics and economic circumstances. Nearly the entire enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating severe economic stress in the families served. The student population is racially and ethnically diverse, with roughly equivalent shares of Hispanic, White, and Black students, smaller shares of Asian and students identifying with multiple races, and very few students from other backgrounds. Data on special education and English learner enrollments were not available, so the full picture of student needs is incomplete.
Northeast is a regular public school with an enrollment of roughly a thousand students spread evenly across grades five through eight. It sits at a straightforward neighborhood address in the North Scranton area and operates under the Scranton School District, which underwent major restructuring to exit financial recovery in early 2023. One direct consequence of that recovery plan was the relocation of fifth graders from elementary schools into the intermediate schools, so Northeast's configuration reflects a district-wide decision made several years ago rather than a choice about the school's grade span alone.
The district has moved to expand academic options and restore programs in recent years. A new STEMM Academy (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical) opened at Scranton High School in fall 2022 for seventh through twelfth graders by application, offering project-based learning, AP courses, and advanced tools in anatomy and virtual reality. A much larger infusion of state adequacy funding in the 2024-25 school year allowed the district to restore middle school art, music, health and physical education, family and consumer science, and technology education—courses that had been cut during the recovery period. The district also added counselor and social worker positions. These restorations mean that students at intermediate schools like Northeast now have access to a fuller range of programs than they did a few years ago, though the core academic performance challenge remains.
The Scranton housing market is characterized by downtown adaptive reuse of historic buildings into apartments aimed at students and young professionals, with some moderate-income single-family construction in surrounding areas. Housing values in the Scranton zip code are below state and national benchmarks, and rental costs are modest by national standards, making the area relatively affordable. A parent relocating to Scranton would find Northeast serves a stable, economically strained neighborhood with deep roots in the city.
Northeast's very low proficiency rates warrant direct conversation with the school about what support systems exist for struggling students, what interventions are in place, and how the school measures progress beyond state tests. A parent may also want to explore whether the restored middle school electives and additional counseling staff are accessible to all students or limited by scheduling or selection criteria.
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