The top reported proficiency rate is 52% in Math. The lowest is 47% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on James Burd El Sch
James Burd Elementary is a kindergarten-through-third-grade school serving roughly 500 students in Shippensburg, a small borough in the Cumberland Valley that straddles Cumberland and Franklin counties. The school draws from a community in measurable growth, with new subdivisions and development pressure centered on the Shippensburg area as sewer and water infrastructure attract residential and commercial expansion. Housing values have appreciated measurably in recent years, and the local economy anchors on Shippensburg University, Volvo Construction Equipment's newly arrived American headquarters, and the Beistle Company.
On state assessment, James Burd's proficiency fell below the midpoint among Cumberland County's districts. In math, roughly half of tested third-graders met proficiency; in English language arts, the share was lower. State testing data for kindergarten through second grade are not collected, so the full scope of performance across the school's grade band is not available. A parent may want to look into the school's literacy approach further with the school directly, as the district has recently shifted elementary instruction to the science of reading, with staff participating in LETRS training.
The student body is economically mixed but economically weighted. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Racially and ethnically, the school enrolls a large white plurality alongside meaningful shares of Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial students, reflecting some diversity in the community.
The school sits within a district managing significant financial and operational pressures. Shippensburg Area School District has approved a series of above-index real estate tax increases in recent years and faces a projected deficit in its coming budget; the board is actively weighing multiple construction options at the intermediate school to address enrollment growth, any of which would add new debt. Families moving into the district should expect both potential grade-reconfiguration changes in coming years and continued upward pressure on property taxes. The district adopted a Profile of a Graduate framework, a broad instructional guidance tool, so parents considering the school should also understand the pedagogical direction the district is charting.
Housing costs in the Shippensburg zip code are moderate relative to state and national benchmarks, though the market is appreciating and competitive. Rents and mortgages both remain below the national average for monthly housing cost. The area offers parks and trails including the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail, and a walkable historic downtown along King Street with civic anchors like the library and community events such as the Corn Festival.
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