Top Rankings
Lancaster 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 6 public middle schools serving 2,865 students in Lancaster School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 2/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in Pennsylvania.
Public Middle Schools in Lancaster School District have an average math proficiency score of 8% (versus the Pennsylvania public middle school average of 26%), and reading proficiency score of 30% (versus the 52% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 89% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Pennsylvania public middle school average of 46% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (PA)
# Schools
19 Schools
923 Schools
# Students
9,964 Students
591,579 Students
# Teachers
844 Teachers
44,337 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Lancaster 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 74% has decreased from 84% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#574 out of 684 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
14%
36%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
28%
55%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
33%
57%
Graduation Rate
74%
87%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.59
0.65
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
4%
4%
% Hispanic
61%
17%
% Black
16%
20%
% White
13%
54%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $24,175 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 $25,560 is higher than the state median of $23,119. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$241 MM
$39,541 MM
Spending
$255 MM
$38,578 MM
Revenue / Student
$24,175
$23,696
Spending / Student
$25,560
$23,119
Best Lancaster School District Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Martin School
(Math: 14% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
2000 Wabank Rd
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 291-6193
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 291-6193
Grades: PK-8
| 650 students
Rank: #22.
Reynolds Middle School
(Math: 11% | Reading: 35%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
605 W Walnut St
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 291-6257
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 291-6257
Grades: 6-8
| 504 students
Rank: #33.
Lincoln Middle School
(Math: 8% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
1001 Lehigh Ave
Lancaster, PA 17602
(717) 291-6187
Lancaster, PA 17602
(717) 291-6187
Grades: 6-8
| 489 students
Rank: #44.
Wheatland Middle School
(Math: 6% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
919 Hamilton Park Dr
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 291-6285
Lancaster, PA 17603
(717) 291-6285
Grades: 6-8
| 448 students
Rank: #55.
Phoenix Academy
Magnet School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
630 Rockland St
Lancaster, PA 17602
(717) 735-7860
Lancaster, PA 17602
(717) 735-7860
Grades: 6-12
| 290 students
Rank: #66.
Jackson Middle School
(Math: 4% | Reading: 16%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
431 S Ann St
Lancaster, PA 17602
(717) 291-6161
Lancaster, PA 17602
(717) 291-6161
Grades: 6-8
| 484 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.