The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Science. The lowest is 17% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Mcnichols Plaza
McNichols Plaza is a kindergarten through fourth-grade elementary school in Scranton serving a student body that is predominantly Hispanic, with substantial Black, white, and Asian student populations. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the neighborhood and the broader city. The enrollment sits at a moderate level for an early-grade school, split fairly evenly across the five grade levels served.
The school's most recent state assessment results show a pronounced split by subject. In science, the proficiency rate is substantially above the middle range for schools in Lackawanna County, indicating solid performance in that domain. Reading and math present a different picture. English language arts proficiency is at the lower end of the county range, and math proficiency is similarly low. Both math and reading results suggest that a significant portion of students are not meeting grade-level standards, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school—whether targeted interventions are underway, what supports exist for struggling readers and math learners, and how the school is working to build foundational skills in these critical early years.
The timing of assessment data also matters here. Science results come from the 2022-23 school year, while math and ELA results are current to 2024-25. This time gap means the science picture may not reflect the school's current standing; trends over that interval are not available in the data provided.
McNichols Plaza is part of Scranton School District, which exited Pennsylvania's financial recovery status in early 2023 after operating under that designation for roughly a decade. The exit marked the district's stabilization after years of closures, configuration changes, and budget pressures. More recently, state funding increases beginning in 2024-25 have allowed the district to restore programs that had been cut—including pre-K, expanded kindergarten support, middle school arts and technology education, and additional counseling and social work staff. For families with younger children, this restoration of early supports is directly relevant.
The district also launched a STEMM Academy at the high school in 2022, serving grades seven through twelve by application, though McNichols Plaza students are years away from that pathway. At the elementary level, the district has paused plans to close or consolidate schools, citing a sharp rise in special education enrollment; previously flagged elementary closures are now on indefinite hold, which means McNichols Plaza's neighborhood setting is likely to remain stable.
Scranton itself is a mid-sized city with a downtown anchored by historic buildings, dense residential neighborhoods, and a compact center where most amenities are walkable. Health care, higher education, government, and logistics form the economic base. Housing values are moderate relative to state and national benchmarks, and rents are rising modestly. The city's character reflects its coal-mining heritage as well as recent adaptive reuse of downtown buildings into apartments and lofts.
For a family considering McNichols Plaza, the school offers an early-grade foundation in a neighborhood elementary with high-poverty enrollment and strong science outcomes but weaker performance in reading and math. The broader district context shows emerging stability and program restoration after years of fiscal constraint.
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