The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in Science. The lowest is 10% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on G a R Ms
G A R M S is a middle school serving grades six through eight in Wilkes-Barre, where every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is part of the Wilkes-Barre Area School District, which serves the city of Wilkes-Barre and Plains Township in Pennsylvania's Wyoming Valley.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share identifying as Black or multi-racial; a small share are white, Asian, or Native American. The enrollment is typical for a middle school in this size range. The demographics reflect the composition of Wilkes-Barre itself, a mid-sized city with a walkable downtown anchored by Public Square, two colleges, and a regional commercial core, though the housing market here is markedly less expensive than Pennsylvania and U.S. averages.
Academically, the school's performance is below the midpoint among districts in Luzerne County. In math, proficiency is very low, with a small fraction of students meeting the state's proficiency standard. In English language arts, proficiency is also well below the state's typical performance in this grade band, with roughly a quarter of students testing at proficient levels. Science proficiency, measured most recently from the 2022-23 school year, sits above the other two subjects but still below typical state benchmarks. A parent should understand that this school is working with a student population experiencing real academic headwinds, and may want to ask the school directly how it is addressing the gap and what support systems exist for students struggling with core skills.
The district itself has been through significant change. Three historic city high schools were consolidated into a single new Wilkes-Barre Area High School in Plains Township, which opened in the 2021-22 school year, reshaping school identity and commutes for secondary students. More directly relevant to G A R M S families, the district is in the middle of a capital renovation program upgrading every building except the new high school, with energy-efficient lighting, new HVAC, ceilings, flooring, and lockers being installed without new borrowing, funded from a capital projects fund. The district's 2024-25 budget included no tax increase and a plan to use surplus funds for a property-tax decrease for homeowners via an expanded Homestead Exemption. The board also committed to hiring additional teachers and staff to lower elementary class sizes and to expand the district's STEM Academy, though G A R M S is a middle school and would not directly benefit from elementary class-size reductions.
The school sits in a city undergoing active downtown revitalization, with recent zoning approvals for mixed-use housing, student apartments, and community spaces. Public Square, the library, two college campuses, and the Intermodal Transit Center anchoring regional bus service are all within the walkable downtown core. The median home value in the area is substantially below national and state figures, and rents are correspondingly modest. A family considering G A R M S is choosing a school in a community where affordability is a real advantage, where civic anchors are walkable and integrated with higher education, and where the district is making visible infrastructure investments. But academic performance in the school itself remains a consideration that a prospective family should explore further with school leadership.
See more original research from School Decision →