The top reported proficiency rate is 80% in Science. The lowest is 61% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Lakeside Elementary School
Lakeside Elementary is a campus elementary school in Honesdale that serves grades three through five, with an enrollment distributed fairly evenly across those three grades. The school is part of Wayne Highlands School District, which operates six schools across a large geographic footprint in Wayne County and surrounding areas; Lakeside sits on a campus edge rather than in the downtown core.
The school's academic performance on the most recent state assessments shows proficiency rates in the mid-range for elementary instruction. In math, about three-fifths of students tested scored at proficient or above. English language arts results were slightly lower, with a similar proportion. The most recent science assessment data available, from a prior year, showed substantially stronger performance at above three-quarters proficiency. This spread between stronger science results and more modest math and reading outcomes is worth watching; a parent may want to ask the school how it supports math and reading instruction alongside what appears to be effective science teaching.
Within the comparison of districts operating in Wayne County, Lakeside's overall proficiency index places it in the top tier of schools across its county peers. That positioning reflects the school's strongest areas relative to its regional context.
The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population representing a meaningful minority share and very small numbers of other groups. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting economic conditions in the community. Data on special education enrollment and English learner support were not available.
Honesdale itself is the county seat, a small historic borough with a walkable downtown centered on Main Street's Victorian storefronts, parks, and locally-owned shops and restaurants. The town is experiencing a slow population decline but is in an active downtown reinvestment phase, including infrastructure improvements and an influx of new restaurants and small businesses. Housing values are stable and near the state benchmark. Wayne Memorial Hospital is the dominant local employer, along with the school district itself. The surrounding region draws second-home visitors and seasonal residents to the Pocono mountains, and the character is a mix of year-round community and part-time residency.
The district passed a property tax increase for the 2024-25 school year that is now permanent, raising the ongoing cost to homeowners. This is the context in which a family considering Lakeside is making decisions about schooling and housing.
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