The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Science. The lowest is 30% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on New Bloomfield El Sch
New Bloomfield Elementary serves grades pre-K through fifth grade in a small elementary school within the West Perry School District. The school sits in the borough of New Bloomfield, the county seat of Perry County, a rural and small-town setting within commuting distance of Harrisburg. The enrollment is roughly four hundred students, almost entirely from economically disadvantaged backgrounds: all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and a very small number from other backgrounds. No data on students with individualized education plans or English learners was available.
Academic results in 2024-25 show uneven performance. In science, tested during 2022-23, the school's proficiency rate was substantially above the midpoint among districts in Perry County. In English language arts and math, however, the school's proficiency rates are lower: in ELA about one-third of students reached proficiency, and in math the rate was closer to roughly one in three. Compared to the other district-level schools assessed within Perry County, the school's overall proficiency profile places it in the top quartile, though this positioning reflects strength in science and more modest results in reading and math. Trend data over multiple years was not available to show whether these results are rising, falling, or steady.
The district is currently pursuing a major capital improvements project that would consolidate elementary operations onto the secondary campus in Elliottsburg, currently about a short drive away, by building a new elementary school there and realigning grade levels across the district. This would be a significant shift in where students attend school and which building houses which grades. The district adopted its comprehensive plan in March 2024, now in effect through 2027, and continues to adjust property taxes within the state-set index each year, a recurring cost factor for families in the area.
New Bloomfield is a quiet county-seat borough with tree-lined streets, a historic courthouse, and small-town character. The median home value is comparable to the state average and modestly below the national average, with a typical monthly mortgage payment considerably lower than national norms. The local economy centers on county government employment and small independent businesses. Growth has been steady but modest, tied to the broader Perry County pattern of rural residential development with commuting access to Harrisburg. A parent considering this school should understand both the science proficiency strength and the gaps in reading and math, and should become familiar with the district's current facility plans and their timeline, since they could affect where the child's school building is located and which grade configurations will operate where in coming years.
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