Best Public Schools in Plains, PA

The city of Plains, Pennsylvania is home to 4 schools, including 1 elementary school, 1 middle school, and 2 high schools, all part of the Wilkes-Barre Area School District. The standout school in this data set is the Wilkes-Barre Area School District STEM Academy, a high school that consistently ranks among the top 3 in the state of Pennsylvania with exceptional test scores and a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

In contrast, the district's other high school, Wilkes-Barre Area High School, ranks in the bottom half of Pennsylvania high schools and has much lower proficiency rates. The elementary school, Solomon/Plains Elementary, appears to be performing relatively well, with proficiency rates above the district and state averages in both math and English language arts. All schools in the district have very high free/reduced lunch rates, with 100% of students qualifying, suggesting a student population facing significant socioeconomic challenges.

The data also reveals that the Wilkes-Barre Area School District STEM Academy spends significantly less per student at $1,580 compared to $11,707 and $12,674 at the other high school and middle school, respectively. This suggests the school may be able to achieve high performance with fewer resources, potentially through more efficient or innovative approaches.