The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in Science. The lowest is 29% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on West Perry Ms
West Perry Middle School, located on Shermans Valley Road in Elliottsburg, serves the sixth through eighth grades of West Perry School District, a large rural district spanning a wide geographic area in Perry County. The school enrolls a modest enrollment of around five hundred students, with fairly even distribution across the three grades. All students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of widespread economic need in the area served.
The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and a handful of students from other ethnic backgrounds. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available. The broader West Perry district is currently working through a major facilities decision: following a comprehensive feasibility study, the district is exploring a capital improvements project that would potentially consolidate multiple grade levels onto a single campus by building a new elementary school at the secondary site. This is a multi-year planning effort with long-term implications for which buildings students will attend and how the district manages its physical footprint.
On state assessments in English language arts, the school's proficiency rate sits below the midpoint. Math proficiency is noticeably lower. Science proficiency, measured most recently in the prior school year, was substantially higher, though science testing does not occur every year for all grades. Across the tested subjects and grades where data exists, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Perry County, meaning its results outpace most peers in the county despite the lower absolute numbers in math and ELA.
Elliottsburg itself is a small rural hamlet in Spring Township, populated mostly by owner-occupied single-family homes built decades ago. The area has minimal walkability and no downtown center; residents drive for most errands and work. The local economy is anchored by the school district itself, a handful of small businesses in construction and related fields, and farms. Most residents commute out of the area for work. The housing market is modest in cost relative to state and national benchmarks, with high rates of owner-occupancy and a notable share of retirees. Population growth in the township has been slow and steady.
The district's comprehensive plan, approved in March 2024 and effective through the 2026-2027 school year, outlines the instructional and student services priorities families will encounter. For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the school board adopted a property tax cap aligned with the state index, meaning families should anticipate annual tax adjustments near that level going forward.
West Perry Middle School serves a student population with substantial economic hardship, delivers math instruction with room for improvement, and operates in a sparse rural setting where the school itself is the primary civic institution. For families considering the area, the school provides a neighborhood middle school experience in a low-density agricultural community where driving is essential and outdoor recreation and nearby state parks are accessible amenities.
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