The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in Science. The lowest is 50% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Friendship El Sch
Friendship Elementary is a kindergarten through sixth-grade school in Glen Rock, Pennsylvania, serving about a mid-sized enrollment drawn from a residential community on the rolling hills of York County. The school sits on its own campus outside the small historic downtown, part of Southern York County School District.
In state testing, Friendship's proficiency results are mixed. On the most recent mathematics assessment, about half of tested students achieved proficiency, while English language arts proficiency was slightly lower, with just over half meeting the bar. Science results from the prior tested year were stronger, with approximately two-thirds of students proficient. Across tested subjects, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile when compared to other district-level schools in York County, which is a genuine strength and reflects solid performance against regional peers.
The student body is predominantly white, with Hispanic students making up a small share of enrollment and other racial groups very small in number. About a third of the school's students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating an economically mixed community. English learner and special education enrollment counts were not available in the data, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the nature and scope of support services for those populations.
Glen Rock itself is a small, quiet borough with modest but steady population growth, centered on a compact historic core along Main and Water Streets anchored by the Arthur Hufnagel Public Library and lined with small businesses and restaurants. The community is connected to the Heritage Rail Trail, which runs through town and supports walking, biking, and local events. Housing here is above the York County median value, reflecting the borough's appeal as a residential destination. Most residents commute for work, with I-83 the primary corridor; jobs in the immediate area cluster in small-scale businesses and services rather than any single large employer.
The district has made several notable pedagogical and policy shifts in recent years. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, all three elementary schools ended their one-to-one Chromebook programs, moving instead toward direct instruction, hands-on learning, and explicit focus on foundational skills like writing. This represents a deliberate choice to reduce screen time in the early grades, a decision that distinguishes the district's approach from those embracing digital-first elementary instruction. Additionally, the district overhauled its curriculum design platform in recent years, migrating to a structured format with transparent, publicly available guides on a five-year review cycle, making it easier for families to see what students learn and how. After a 2023 school board election, the district also removed the state's Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Education framework from teacher professional development and replaced it with Bullying and Harassment training, and in 2024 voted to reinstate a retired Native American sports logo—changes that signal the board's ideological direction on identity and curriculum questions families typically weigh when choosing a school.
For a family considering Friendship, the school offers solid proficiency outcomes relative to its county region and is positioned in a small, walkable community with stable housing and local civic anchors. Test results suggest a need for strengthening English language arts instruction, and a parent may want to inquire how the school supports students not yet meeting proficiency. The district's emphasis on reducing device use and building foundational skills appeals to families skeptical of early elementary screen exposure; it is a clear pedagogical stance that shapes the environment and experience.
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