The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in Science. The lowest is 8% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on South Scranton Intrmd Sch
South Scranton Intermediate School serves grades five through eight in a school of roughly the same size across all four grades. The school sits in a city that has undergone significant structural change in recent years, both in governance and in how it allocates resources, and those shifts are directly felt in what students encounter here.
The immediate context: Scranton School District exited state financial recovery in early 2023 after more than a decade under that designation, becoming only the second district in Pennsylvania to do so. That exit came with real changes to school organization. Fifth graders, previously part of elementary buildings, moved into the intermediate schools. Some South Scranton attendance boundaries shifted to West Scranton High School. These were not abstract policy moves; they reshaped the student populations and enrollments families experienced. More recently, beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the district received a substantial increase in state funding tied to Pennsylvania's adequacy remedy, which allowed it to restore middle school art, music, health and physical education, family and consumer science, and technology education, along with additional counseling and social work staff. For a parent or student arriving now, that means access to those courses and supports that had been cut during the recovery period.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with meaningful representation of Black and Asian students, and a substantial population of White students; the school also serves a small number of Native American and Pacific Islander students. Essentially all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the neighborhoods the school draws from.
Academic performance, as measured by the state's standardized assessments, is notably below the midpoint among Lackawanna County school districts. In mathematics, the most recent testing year shows proficiency well into single digits. In English language arts, it reaches the low double digits. Science testing, from an earlier year, shows higher performance though still well below the county median. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile of county districts. This is plainly a soft spot, and a parent weighing this school should ask directly what intervention or support the school is providing to address these gaps, what the trajectory has been, and what specific academic pathways the school uses to help students who arrive below grade level.
The school operates in a city with a modest housing market. Home values are below the state and national benchmarks, and rents are modest as well, making the neighborhoods around South Scranton more affordable than many comparable areas. That affordability has attracted some recent development, though much of it has concentrated in downtown loft conversions rather than new construction in the residential neighborhoods farther out. The city's economy has diversified significantly from its anthracite and manufacturing past; health care, higher education, government, logistics, and e-commerce now anchor employment.
Data on special education enrollment and English learner status were not available. The school's specific program offerings, course sequencing, or extracurricular structure were not provided. A family considering this school would benefit from asking the school directly about how it addresses the proficiency gaps, what support exists for students working below grade level, and what co-curricular and elective options are available given the district's recent restoration of arts and other middle school courses.
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