Best Elementary Schools in New Cumberland, PA

The city of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania is home to two elementary schools - Hillside Elementary School and Fairview Elementary School - both part of the West Shore School District. While the district as a whole performs reasonably well, Fairview Elementary stands out as the clear academic leader in the area.

Fairview Elementary consistently ranks in the top 20% of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with significantly higher test scores than Hillside Elementary across math, science, and English language arts. Fairview students outperform not only their peers at Hillside, but also the district and state averages. This academic success is achieved despite Fairview spending less per student than Hillside, suggesting the school employs effective teaching methods and resource allocation strategies.

In contrast, Hillside Elementary lags behind Fairview in most performance metrics, including a lower percentage of students proficient in core subjects. However, Hillside serves a higher proportion of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, which may contribute to its lower academic outcomes. Understanding the factors behind Fairview's standout performance could provide valuable insights for improving educational quality at Hillside and other schools in the West Shore School District.