The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Science. The lowest is 13% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on John Adams #4
John Adams #4 is a small elementary school serving kindergarten through fourth grade in Scranton's Capouse Avenue neighborhood. It enrolls around 195 students in roughly balanced class sizes across its five grade levels.
The school faces significant academic headwinds. On the most recent statewide testing available, proficiency in English language arts stood at a low level, and mathematics proficiency was substantially lower still. Science results from an earlier year were notably stronger, though still below the midpoint for schools in Lackawanna County. Overall, the school's combined proficiency across tested subjects places it in the bottom quartile among county districts. A parent evaluating this school should ask the principal directly about what specific supports are in place for math and reading instruction, what intervention programs serve students who are not yet proficient, and what the trajectory has been in recent years.
The school's student body is economically stressed and diverse. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. By racial and ethnic composition, the school is roughly equally divided between Hispanic students, white students, and Black students, with a smaller Asian population and two-or-more-races students. The high poverty rate and strong diversity are realities of the neighborhood and the city itself.
Scranton as a city has undergone significant recent change. It is a mid-sized former coal town that has pivoted toward health care, higher education, government, and logistics employment. Downtown has seen adaptive reuse of historic buildings into apartments marketed to younger professionals and students. The housing market is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks, though rental costs have risen moderately in recent quarters. Major employers include hospitals, universities, state government, and Amazon and Chewy fulfillment operations. The city is pedestrian-friendly in its downtown and immediately adjacent neighborhoods but becomes more car-dependent elsewhere.
The Scranton School District itself exited financial recovery in early 2023 after operating under state oversight for nearly two decades. That recovery period included school closures and structural changes that directly reshaped student attendance zones. More recently, a significant increase in state adequacy funding beginning in the 2024-25 school year has allowed the district to restore prekindergarten, expand kindergarten support, and bring back middle school arts and electives. However, the district paused plans to close or consolidate additional elementary schools in July 2025 because of a documented surge in special education enrollment, which now represents a meaningful share of district students. This context matters: John Adams #4 was previously on the list of schools the district had considered closing, but that is on indefinite hold.
For a family considering this school, the essential question is whether the current academic performance and the classroom supports available match their child's needs and their own capacity to supplement instruction at home. The school's very low proficiency rates suggest it is under strain, though the district's recent infusions of funding for counselors and social workers may begin to change conditions. A parent should visit the school, observe classrooms if possible, and speak with current families about their experience before enrolling.
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