Top Rankings
Harrisburg City School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Pennsylvania for:
Category
Attribute
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 5 public middle schools serving 1,822 students in Harrisburg City School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 1/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in Pennsylvania.
Public Middle Schools in Harrisburg City School District have an average math proficiency score of 3% (versus the Pennsylvania public middle school average of 26%), and reading proficiency score of 17% (versus the 52% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 97% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Black), which is more than the Pennsylvania public middle school average of 46% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (PA)
# Schools
12 Schools
923 Schools
# Students
6,229 Students
591,579 Students
# Teachers
410 Teachers
44,337 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
15:1
15:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Harrisburg City School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 675 school districts in Pennsylvania (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 71% has increased from 59% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#651 out of 684 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
5%
36%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
16%
55%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
20%
57%
Graduation Rate
71%
87%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.59
0.65
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
2%
4%
% Hispanic
45%
17%
% Black
47%
20%
% White
2%
54%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $24,958 is higher than the state median of $23,696. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $24,099 is higher than the state median of $23,119. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$156 MM
$39,541 MM
Spending
$150 MM
$38,578 MM
Revenue / Student
$24,958
$23,696
Spending / Student
$24,099
$23,119
Best Harrisburg City School District Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Marshall Math Science Academy
Magnet School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 50%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
301 Hale Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17104
(717) 703-1200
Harrisburg, PA 17104
(717) 703-1200
Grades: 5-8
| 380 students
Rank: #22.
Cougar Academy
Magnet School
(Math: 3% | Reading: 15%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
1601 State St
Harrisburg, PA 17103
(717) 703-4325
Harrisburg, PA 17103
(717) 703-4325
Grades: K-12
| 322 students
Rank: #33.
Marshall Academy
(Math: ≤5% | Reading: 6-9%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
301 Hale Ave
Harrisburg, PA 17104
(717) 703-1400
Harrisburg, PA 17104
(717) 703-1400
Grades: 5-8
| 73 students
Rank: #44.
Rowland Academy
(Math: 2% | Reading: 9%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
1842 Derry Street
Harrisburg, PA 17104
(717) 703-4500
Harrisburg, PA 17104
(717) 703-4500
Grades: 6-8
| 577 students
Rank: #55.
Camp Curtin Academy
(Math: ≤1% | Reading: 9%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
2900 N 6th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110
(717) 703-4200
Harrisburg, PA 17110
(717) 703-4200
Grades: 6-8
| 470 students
Recent Articles
Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.
Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.
Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.
