Summary:
The 18466 zip code in Tobyhanna, PA, is served by two public elementary schools—Clear Run Intrmd School (grades 3-6) and Clear Run Elementary Center (grades K-2)—both part of the Pocono Mountain School District, which holds a 2-star rating and ranks in the 43rd percentile statewide.
The most defining characteristic of these schools is the near-universal economic disadvantage among students, with a combined free/reduced lunch rate of 99.39%. This creates a "high spend, low performance" paradox: the schools spend an average of $24,740 per student—well above state and national averages—and maintain a favorable student-teacher ratio of 10.7:1. Yet, Clear Run Intrmd School ranks in the bottom 25% of Pennsylvania schools (1,136 out of 1,511) and scores significantly below district and state averages in both Math (32.3% vs. 36.4% district and 41.7% state) and ELA (28.1% vs. 36.7% district and 48.5% state). The performance gap is especially wide in ELA, where the school trails the state by 20.4 percentage points. Meanwhile, Clear Run Elementary Center has no recent test score data, creating a blind spot for early academic readiness.
Key takeaways for parents include the overwhelming impact of poverty on academic outcomes, which appears to outpace the benefits of high funding and low class sizes. The data shows a slight declining trend at Clear Run Intrmd School, dropping from the 27th percentile in 2022-2023 to the 25th percentile in 2024-2025. The lack of test data for the primary school means it is unclear whether students enter third grade already behind, but third-grade Math scores (32% vs. 53.5% state) suggest foundational weaknesses. This points to a need for intensive support services—such as literacy programs, social work, and mental health resources—alongside academic intervention to address the challenges in this community.
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