The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in Science. The lowest is 16% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Harris Sch
Harris School serves kindergarten through eighth grade in Collingdale, a densely built, predominantly Black borough in Delaware County just outside Philadelphia. The school sits on Sharon Avenue adjacent to Collingdale Park, embedded in the residential street grid rather than on a campus. It is part of Southeast Delco School District and draws its students from the immediate neighborhood.
The school enrolls a substantial number of students, with particularly strong enrollment in middle grades. All students enrolled in the school qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the student body comes from families with limited income. The student population is predominantly Black, with smaller populations of White, Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial students. Data on special education enrollment and English learner populations were not available.
State testing results show that Harris faces genuine academic challenges. In English language arts, proficiency among students in grades three through eight hovers around one-third. In mathematics, proficiency is considerably lower, in the mid-teens. Science results are somewhat stronger, at about forty-five percent proficiency, though the most recent data available is from an earlier school year. When measured against other districts in Delaware County, Harris sits below the midpoint in overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. A parent may want to look into what academic support and intervention programs the school offers and whether the school has developed a plan to address these results.
The setting is walkable and transit-accessible. Collingdale is pedestrian-friendly at a neighborhood scale, with small neighborhood businesses within walking distance and four SEPTA light-rail stops in the borough. Collingdale Park, which adjoins the school, is one of the larger parks in Delaware County and includes basketball courts, playgrounds, and a baseball diamond. The Community Center and Community Center Park sit a short distance away at MacDade Boulevard and Clifton Avenue. High school students in the district attend Academy Park High School, located outside the borough.
The housing market in Collingdale is competitive and fully built out. Home values have risen substantially over the long term. Median home values sit in the mid-range relative to the state benchmark and below the national benchmark. Rent is notably less expensive than mortgage costs in the area. The borough itself is a bedroom community for Philadelphia and Delaware County, with much of the daytime population commuting out for work.
At the district level, Southeast Delco was named one of seven Delaware County districts selected to receive a new Pennsylvania tax-equity supplement aimed at districts with high local property-tax burdens relative to resident wealth. This is a structural shift in funding that directly affects what homeowners pay. The district has also carried out a multi-year facilities upgrade, including HVAC and air-conditioning improvements across all schools, filtered water fountains, and LED lighting projects, changing day-to-day learning conditions in every building.
Harris School serves a neighborhood population with significant economic need and academic performance that trails peers in the county. The school's setting is walkable and embedded in the community, and district-level investments in facilities are ongoing. Whether this school fits your family depends on whether you are looking for a neighborhood school with deep roots in the community, whether you can engage with the academic profile and any gaps you may identify, and whether the housing market and transportation access suit your needs.
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