The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 39% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Riverside Jshs
Riverside JSHS serves grades seven through twelve in Taylor, a small industrial borough in Lackawanna County just southwest of Scranton. The school is part of Riverside School District, which covers Taylor and Moosic.
The student body at Riverside JSHS reflects the economic realities of the region. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate that signals substantial economic hardship across the school's community. The enrollment draws primarily from white residents of the area, with a meaningful share of Hispanic students and smaller populations of Black and Asian students represented. The school does not report data on special education enrollment or English learners, so the full scope of those populations is not available.
In state mathematics proficiency for grades three through eight, about four in ten students scored at proficiency or above. English language arts performed somewhat better, with about half of students meeting proficiency. Both figures place the school above the midpoint of proficiency performance among Lackawanna County's districts when those results are combined. The school does not have a graduation rate reported, which is typical for schools that serve only part of the secondary range or where state data collection does not apply to this particular grade and assessment structure.
No data on attendance or chronic absenteeism was available. The school website was not accessible in our search, so programs of study, course offerings, career pathways, or any magnet or specialized program designation cannot be described here. A parent may want to look into the school's website or contact the district directly to understand what academic tracks, electives, AP courses, or dual-credit opportunities Riverside JSHS offers.
Taylor itself is a mixed industrial and residential setting rooted in its nineteenth and twentieth-century role in silk manufacturing, coal mining, and rail transport. The landscape includes older residential blocks alongside newer warehouse and logistics parks anchored by companies like Sanofi Pasteur and Taylor Logistics. The borough sits along Interstate 81, about a short drive from downtown Scranton. Public transit is available through the COLTS County of Lackawanna Transit System. Parks include David Noakes Park and John Derenick Park with baseball, softball, basketball, and tennis facilities. The Taylor Community Library serves as a civic anchor.
Housing in the Taylor zip code runs meaningfully below both state and national medians. The median home value is substantially lower than Pennsylvania's average, making the area more affordable for families entering the market. Monthly mortgage payments track low relative to regional income levels, and rental affordability is also favorable compared to national benchmarks. This affordability has likely drawn the school's high concentration of economically disadvantaged students.
Growth in the Taylor area has been concentrated in industrial and logistics development tied to the Interstate 81 and Interstate 84 corridor rather than new residential subdivisions. Riverside School District has held property taxes flat for four consecutive years and maintains one of the lowest millage rates in Lackawanna County. The district also received a multi-year federal grant to fund three licensed professional counselors, expanding mental-health support for students across its schools, including Riverside JSHS.
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