The top reported proficiency rate is 31% in Science. The lowest is 10% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Beverly Hills Ms
Beverly Hills Middle School serves grades six through eight in Upper Darby, a densely built township just outside Philadelphia that functions as a working-class, ethnically diverse bedroom community. The school enrolls a mid-sized cohort of students drawn from neighborhoods built largely on rowhouses and small apartment buildings; the student body is predominantly Black and Asian, with a substantial Hispanic population and a small share of white students. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the township overall.
The school sits within Upper Darby School District, which recently approved a new Comprehensive Plan and has made significant curriculum choices affecting all its middle schools. Standardized core mathematics instruction uses the same textbook series district-wide in grades K-8, and at Beverly Hills specifically, social studies now relies on a curriculum provider with substantial online delivery through Chromebooks. These moves mean families can expect a consistent, standards-aligned academic experience across the district rather than varying instruction from school to school. The new Clifton Heights Middle School, currently under construction with a target opening in the coming years, will eventually relieve longstanding middle school overcrowding across the district; when it opens, class sizes at Beverly Hills and other existing middle schools should shrink.
State testing results from the most recent year available show that proficiency in mathematics was quite low, with only a small proportion of students meeting proficiency benchmarks. English language arts proficiency was higher but still well below what is typical across the state. Science proficiency, measured on a less recent assessment, sat around the lower end of the distribution. When compared against all other districts in Delaware County on an overall proficiency index spanning tested subjects and grades, Beverly Hills ranks in the bottom quartile of the county. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what remediation or intervention support is in place and what academic strategies are being deployed to move these numbers.
Upper Darby itself is a transit-rich, walkable community anchored by the SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center, a multimodal hub with subway, trolley, and bus access. The township has a recognizable downtown with restaurants, retail, and cultural venues including the Tower Theater, a regionally significant music venue. Housing costs remain relatively affordable for the Philadelphia region, with rowhouses available at below-market prices, which helps the township maintain its economic and ethnic diversity. The school district has recently acquired the shuttered Delaware County Memorial Hospital complex adjacent to Upper Darby High School, signaling long-term plans to expand capacity and modernize aging facilities. However, homeowners should expect continued upward pressure on property taxes; the district received state tax-equity funding in 2024 but is still projecting operating challenges that require further revenue action.
For families considering Beverly Hills Middle School, the key consideration is current proficiency levels. The school draws from a economically stretched, highly diverse community with strong transit and cultural infrastructure but faces documented academic headwinds. The district's standardized curriculum and the pending completion of Clifton Heights Middle School suggest momentum toward improvement and more manageable class sizes, but families should seek a clear picture from the school on its current intervention strategy and trajectory before enrolling.
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