The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Science. The lowest is 62% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Wayne Highlands Ms
Wayne Highlands Middle School is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in Honesdale, a small borough nestled in the Wayne County valley. The school enrolls a student body of approximately that size, drawn from across a sprawling district that covers much of the surrounding area and operates six schools in total.
Academically, the school's most recent state testing data shows proficiency rates in the low to mid range. In English language arts, about two-thirds of students scored at proficient levels, while in mathematics the rate was lower, with fewer than two-thirds meeting proficiency. Science results from the most recent available year were stronger, with proficiency near three-quarters. Measured against the other districts in Wayne County, the school's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among county peers, a meaningful position that reflects solid performance without reaching the highest levels. The data available does not include trend information showing year-to-year change, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about progress over time.
The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller presence of Hispanic students and a few other racial and ethnic groups represented. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a figure that reflects the economic circumstances of families in this area. Special education and English learner enrollment figures were not reported in the available data.
Honesdale itself is the county seat, a compact historic town built around a Main Street of Victorian-era storefronts and local shops. The downtown retains strong civic anchors in Central Park and the Wayne County Courthouse, and has been formally designated for Main Street revitalization with active infrastructure upgrades underway. Schools in the district, however, sit on separate campuses at the edges of town rather than in the commercial core, a reflection of the district's unusual footprint spanning a large geographic area across several communities. Housing in the broader area is affordable relative to national benchmarks, with a median home value somewhat below the state average and a substantial stock of older structures, particularly pre-1940s homes, alongside newer construction. The local economy centers on Wayne Memorial Hospital as the largest employer, with the school district itself a significant institutional presence.
The district faced a permanent increase in its real estate tax rate for the 2024-2025 school year, publicly reported as part of its annual budget adoption, a change that affects all homeowners across the area. A parent considering this school might ask the district about its academic priorities, intervention strategies for students below proficiency, and any recent changes or initiatives intended to move achievement upward, particularly in mathematics where proficiency is notably lower than in English language arts.
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