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Needs Improvement

#2727 of 2,846 schools in PA

G a R MS

Middle School · Wilkes-barre Area Sd · Wilkes-barre, PA

A Wilkes-barre Area Sd middle school where students score 15 points below what's typical for similar communities.

250 South Grant Street, Wilkes-barre, PA 18702

  • Math 8% vs PA 36% (2024)
  • Reading 28% vs PA 53% (2024)
  • 20.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress4.6Below Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.68 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics3.0Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency8.2% (2024 PSSA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency28.3% (2024 PSSA)
Math vs. State Avg-29.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-25.2 pts
Overall Proficiency18% (2024 PSSA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)33% (model expectation from 2024 PSSA)
vs. Expected-15.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile12th
Resources & Environment1.3Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio20.1:1
District spending per student$12,995
Chronic Absenteeism46.4%

Students at G a R MS score 18% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 33%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 PSSA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. PA average.

Math Proficiency8%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
36%(2024 PSSA)
ELA Proficiency28%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
53%(2024 PSSA)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 36 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 18% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
52%
ELA
56%
2010
Math
48%
ELA
53%
2011
Math
51%
ELA
50%
2012
Math
43%
ELA
48%
2013
Math
39%
ELA
45%
2014
Math
5%
ELA
26%
2015
Math
13%
ELA
30%
2016
Math
14%
ELA
25%
2017
Math
13%
ELA
38%
2018
Math
9%
ELA
34%
2019
Math
9%
ELA
34%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
22%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
22%
2022
Math
6%
ELA
24%
2024
Math
8%
ELA
28%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 21% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 34% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 36 test records from PA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

100%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where G a R MS sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 68Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 29Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,000/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Wilkes-barre), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$54,892

Median home value

$115,700

Median rent

$971/mo

College educated

23%

Homeownership

57.1%

Poverty rate

18.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 18702; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Milford E Barnes JR SchoolPrivate · tuition6.8privateK–120.7 mi59Compare →
Wilkes-barre Mennonite SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot ratedK–110.9 mi22Compare →
Wyoming Valley West MSEnrollment path unverified3.06–82.0 mi1,141Compare →
Hanover Area Memorial EL SchEnrollment path unverified3.65–62.1 mi331Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Wilkes-barre Area Sd

Schools in district
10
Rank in district
#7 of 9
District spending per student
$12,995NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
26.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

G a R MS is listed in Wilkes-Barre Area SD; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About G a R MS

G a R MS is a public middle school in Wilkes-barre, PA, part of Wilkes-barre Area Sd, serving approximately 1,066 students in grades 6th-8th with a 20.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.2 out of 10 and ranks #2,727 of 2,846 schools in PA. State assessment records show 21% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about G a R MS

What grades does G a R MS serve?

G a R MS serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend G a R MS?

G a R MS has an enrollment of approximately 1,066 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at G a R MS?

The student-teacher ratio at G a R MS is 20.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does G a R MS rank in PA?

G a R MS ranks #2,727 of 2,846 schools in PA.

What is G a R MS's MySchoolScout rating?

G a R MS has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at G a R MS?

Based on loaded state assessment records, G a R MS has 21% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is G a R MS a charter school?

No, G a R MS is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is G a R MS a Title I school?

No, G a R MS is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for G a R MS?

100.0% of students at G a R MS qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
1,066
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
53
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Luzerne County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
46.4%
4-Year Graduation
72.0%
Area population (ZIP 18702)
42,120
Area average commute
20.1 min
Area median age
38.8
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 PSSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 PSSA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 PSSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 PSSA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 18702; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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