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Needs Improvement

#2822 of 2,846 schools in PA

Solomon/plains MS

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

A Wilkes-barre Area Sd middle school where students score 10 points below what's typical for similar communities.

43 Abbott St, Plains, PA 18705

  • Math 11% vs PA 36% (2024)
  • Reading 35% vs PA 53% (2024)
  • 18.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.9Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-3.86 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics3.6Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency11.3% (2024 PSSA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency34.6% (2024 PSSA)
Math vs. State Avg-26.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-18.9 pts
Overall Proficiency23% (2024 PSSA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)33% (model expectation from 2024 PSSA)
vs. Expected-10.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile17th
Resources & Environment1.5Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio18.1:1
District spending per student$12,995
Chronic Absenteeism35.1%

Students at Solomon/plains MS score 23% 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 Proficiency11%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
36%(2024 PSSA)
ELA Proficiency35%(2024 PSSA)
School
State
53%(2024 PSSA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 8 points since 2020, reaching 23% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
70%
ELA
78%
2010
Math
64%
ELA
68%
2011
Math
59%
ELA
67%
2012
Math
63%
ELA
63%
2013
Math
63%
ELA
63%
2014
Math
14%
ELA
49%
2015
Math
15%
ELA
50%
2016
Math
18%
ELA
46%
2017
Math
18%
ELA
45%
2018
Math
18%
ELA
46%
2019
Math
18%
ELA
46%
2020*
Math
3%
ELA
27%
2021*
Math
3%
ELA
27%
2022
Math
7%
ELA
34%
2024
Math
11%
ELA
35%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 27% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 47% (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 Solomon/plains 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 62Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 41Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

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

Median income

$61,293

Median home value

$122,800

Median rent

$1,006/mo

College educated

23.3%

Homeownership

63.9%

Poverty rate

18.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 18705; 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
Genesis SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot rated4–122.0 mi25Compare →
New Story SchoolPrivate · tuition7.0private1–122.0 mi62Compare →
Jenny Lynn ElementaryPrivate · tuition6.0private1–62.3 mi50Compare →
Wyoming Valley West MSEnrollment path unverified3.06–82.3 mi1,141Compare →

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
#9 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

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

About Solomon/plains MS

Solomon/plains MS is a public middle school in Plains, PA, part of Wilkes-barre Area Sd, serving approximately 741 students in grades 6th-8th with a 18.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 2.4 out of 10 and ranks #2,822 of 2,846 schools in PA. State assessment records show 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 47% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Solomon/plains MS

What grades does Solomon/plains MS serve?

Solomon/plains MS serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Solomon/plains MS?

Solomon/plains MS has an enrollment of approximately 741 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Solomon/plains MS?

The student-teacher ratio at Solomon/plains MS is 18.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Solomon/plains MS rank in PA?

Solomon/plains MS ranks #2,822 of 2,846 schools in PA.

What is Solomon/plains MS's MySchoolScout rating?

Solomon/plains MS has a current MySchoolScout rating of 2.4 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 Solomon/plains MS?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Solomon/plains MS has 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 47% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Solomon/plains MS a charter school?

No, Solomon/plains MS is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Solomon/plains MS a Title I school?

No, Solomon/plains MS is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Solomon/plains MS?

100.0% of students at Solomon/plains 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
741
Student-Teacher Ratio
18.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
41
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Luzerne County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
35.1%
Area population (ZIP 18705)
15,595
Area average commute
21.4 min
Area median age
38.9
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 18705; 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

Related reading

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