Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

James Buchanan High School

Q: Is James Buchanan High School a good school?

James Buchanan High School ranks 460 th of 681 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

460^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 681 Pennsylvania High Schools

Better than 32% of Pennsylvania high schools

Summary

James Buchanan High School is a public high school in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, serving 706 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Tuscarora School District, which is ranked 308 out of 606 school districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

James Buchanan High School has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking, ranging from a high of 127 out of 680 Pennsylvania high schools in 2014-2015 (4-star rating) to a low of 460 out of 681 in 2024-2025 (2-star rating). The school's performance has generally been declining, with the 2-star rating in recent years indicating below-average performance compared to other Pennsylvania high schools. Student subgroup performance varies, with female students outperforming male students and white students and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds seeing declining performance. Disabled students have the lowest performance, ranking in the bottom 10% of Pennsylvania high schools.

James Buchanan High School's performance on standardized tests is mixed, with proficiency rates below the state average in Algebra I and Literature, but closer to or above the state average in Biology. The school's four-year graduation rate has been relatively stable, ranging from 85.8% to 90.1% in recent years, which is generally in line with the state average. Compared to nearby schools, Waynesboro Area Senior High School and Southern Fulton Junior/Senior High School have higher statewide rankings and ratings, while Fannett-Metal Senior High School has a similar ranking and rating to James Buchanan High School.

721

Students ?

16.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,159

Per pupil spending ?

97.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4773 Fort Loudon Rd
Mercersburg, PA 17236-9692

(717) 328-2146

District: Tuscarora School District

Feeder schools for James Buchanan High School:

Elementary:	Mercersburg Elementary School
	Montgomery Elementary School
	Mountain View Elementary School
	St Thomas Elementary School
Middle:	James Buchanan Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.3%

Two or more races:

4.2%

Hispanic:

2.9%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare James Buchanan High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 81st percentile in 2015 → 32nd in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Pennsylvania average (43% vs 52% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 49 percentile points since 2015

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school43%

District avg43%

Pennsylvania avg52%

460^th of 681

Pennsylvania public high schools ?

Bottom 32%▼ down 49 pts since 2015

From top 19% (2015) to bottom 32% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Pennsylvania High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

308^th of 606Tuscarora School District among Pennsylvania districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	39.0	460 of 681	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.0	356 of 686	48.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	67.8	229 of 674	66.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	52.3	374 of 634	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	72.1	166 of 537	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	70.1	241 of 693	65.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	73.8	197 of 673	70.7%	★★★★☆
2017	68.6	259 of 663	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	61.3	345 of 677	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2015	77.9	127 of 680	81.3%	★★★★☆
2014	68.4	175 of 580	69.8%	★★★☆☆
2013	43.3	409 of 591	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	60.6	313 of 664	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	57.5	340 of 660	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2010	48.9	407 of 649	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	53.6	353 of 632	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2008	35.1	484 of 621	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	27.7	518 of 615	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	34.6	478 of 604	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	59.3	279 of 593	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2004	39.1	425 of 590	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	61.2	246 of 583	57.8%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	17.1	471 of 524	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	47.0	225 of 513	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	25.3	389 of 502	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	46.6	397 of 657	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	64.2	258 of 665	61.2%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	35.8	438 of 651	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.6	394 of 664	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	65.5	214 of 652	67.2%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	30.7	475 of 660	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	43.3	412 of 662	37.8%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	24.9	470 of 583	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	38.2	386 of 595	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	56.9	255 of 577	55.8%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Female (2025)40th percentile+7 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)33rd percentile~ school

Male (2025)28th percentile-4 vs school

White (2025)19th percentile-13 vs school

Disabled (2025)10th percentile-22 vs school

By subject vs Pennsylvania (2024-2025) ?

Biology50%~ state avg

Literature50%-12 vs state

Algebra I30%-14 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate James Buchanan High School and help other families decide.

Rate James Buchanan High School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near James Buchanan High School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2025)	Keystone Exams Biology (2025)	Keystone Exams Literature (2025)	PSSA Math (2025)			PSSA English Language Arts (2025)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
James Buchanan High School	Public	9-12	4773 Fort Loudon Rd	Mercersburg	17236	Franklin County	Tuscarora School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 328-2146	721	45	16.1	97.9%	658 (91.3%)	5 (0.7%)	21 (2.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.6%)	30 (4.2%)	39	460^th of 681 public high schools	32.5%		54	356^th of 686 public high schools	48.1%	104	30.1	50.0	50.0							$12,159	$414	$11,745
McConnellsburg High School	Public	9-12	151 E Cherry St	Mc Connellsburg	17233	Fulton County	Central Fulton School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 485-3195	285	22	12.9	41.8%	262 (91.9%)	5 (1.8%)	7 (2.5%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.5%)	64.1	257^th of 681 public high schools	62.3%		65.7	242^nd of 686 public high schools	64.7%	15	52.4	61.9	57.1							$18,026	$1,306	$16,720
Fulton County Center for Career and Technology	Public	9-12	145 East Cherry Street	Mc Connellsburg	17233	Fulton County	Fulton County Center for Career and Technology	No	No	No	No	(717) 485-5813	1	8	.1		1 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Greencastle-Antrim Senior High School	Public	9-12	300 S Ridge Ave	Greencastle	17225	Franklin County	Greencastle-Antrim School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 597-3226	982	56	17.5	38.4%	845 (86.0%)	22 (2.2%)	62 (6.3%)	9 (0.9%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (4.3%)	77.4	146^th of 681 public high schools	78.6%		64.3	254^th of 686 public high schools	63.0%	108	62.3	61.5	70.3							$13,129	$87	$13,042
Chambersburg Area Career Magnet School	Public, Magnet	9-12	2459 Loop Road	Chambersburg	17202	Franklin County	Chambersburg Area School District	No	Yes	No	No	(717) 261-5656	706	33	21.4	47.6%	521 (73.8%)	26 (3.7%)	117 (16.6%)	7 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	33 (4.7%)	62.2	277^th of 681 public high schools	59.3%		60.8	284^th of 686 public high schools	58.6%	7	48.6	61.0	58.3							$12,845	$861	$11,984
Franklin County Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	2463 Loop Rd	Chambersburg	17202	Franklin County	Franklin County Career and Technology Center	No	No	No	No	(717) 263-9033	3	29	.1		2 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53.3	356^th of 681 public high schools	47.7%					(n/a)	52.2	54.2	48.0
Chambersburg Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	511 S 6th St	Chambersburg	17201	Franklin County	Chambersburg Area School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 261-3328	2,319	133	17.4	60.4%	1,226 (52.9%)	215 (9.3%)	680 (29.3%)	49 (2.1%)	1 (0.0%)	2 (0.1%)	146 (6.3%)	49	388^th of 681 public high schools	43.0%		35.9	483^rd of 686 public high schools	29.6%	95	40.7	46.2	59.1							$13,923	$567	$13,356
Southern Fulton Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	13083 Buck Valley Rd	Warfordsburg	17267	Fulton County	Southern Fulton School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 294-3251	323	23	14.3	42.7%	300 (92.9%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.9%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (3.1%)	73.2	180^th of 681 public high schools	73.6%		76.9	143^rd of 686 public high schools	79.2%	37	48.0	69.4	70.0	14.6	10.0	12.4	30.9	38.0	34.3	$19,452	$2,257	$17,194
Forbes Road Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	159 Red Bird Drive	Waterfall	16689	Fulton County	Forbes Road School District	No	No	No	No	(814) 685-3866	158	13	12.4	58.2%	148 (93.7%)	1 (0.6%)	4 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.2%)	63.6	261^st of 681 public high schools	61.7%		7.7	621^st of 686 public high schools	9.5%	360	66.7	33.3	72.7	46.9	43.4	45.4	46.9	52.2	49.1	$24,703	$321	$24,382
Waynesboro Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	550 E 2nd St	Waynesboro	17268	Franklin County	Waynesboro Area School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 762-1191	1,392	80	17.4	50.8%	1,151 (82.7%)	40 (2.9%)	92 (6.6%)	10 (0.7%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	95 (6.8%)	53.7	350^th of 681 public high schools	48.6%		60.4	290^th of 686 public high schools	57.7%	60	50.3	46.7	56.9							$13,360	$499	$12,861

Frequently Asked Questions about James Buchanan High School

What is the racial makeup of James Buchanan High School?

Students at James Buchanan High School are 91% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

What schools feed into James Buchanan High School?

James Buchanan High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Mercersburg Elementary School
Elementary : Montgomery Elementary School
Elementary : Mountain View Elementary School
Elementary : St Thomas Elementary School
Middle : James Buchanan Middle School

Is James Buchanan High School a good school?

James Buchanan High School ranks 460^th of 681 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is James Buchanan High School in?

Tuscarora School District

How many students attend James Buchanan High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 721 students attended James Buchanan High School.

Rate James Buchanan High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

PAPennsylvania High School Rankings

PAPennsylvania District Rankings

Schools in Mercersburg, PA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for James Buchanan High School!

Latest Pennsylvania data All new data »

2024–25 graduation ratesMar 29, 2026

2024–25 dropout ratesMar 27, 2026

2023–24 school spending dataJan 29, 2026

2024–25 Keystone Exams & PSSA scoresNov 13, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.