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Lower Merion School District (2026) - Bala Cynwyd, PA

Lower Merion School District

301 E Montgomery Ave
Ardmore, PA 19003-3399
(District boundaries shown in map)
10/
10
Top 5%

Top Rankings

Lower Merion School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Pennsylvania for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 5%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 1%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 1%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 5%)
Diversity
Most diverse schools (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 3 public middle schools serving 2,659 students in Lower Merion School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 1% of public middle schools in Pennsylvania.
Public Middle Schools in Lower Merion School District have an average math proficiency score of 75% (versus the Pennsylvania public middle school average of 29%), and reading proficiency score of 85% (versus the 52% statewide average).
The top-ranked public middle schools in Lower Merion School District are Bala-cynwyd Middle School and Welsh Valley Middle School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking. Minority enrollment is 37% of the student body (majority Asian and Black), which is less than the Pennsylvania public middle school average of 47% (majority Black and Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (PA)
# Schools
11 Schools
927 Schools
# Students
8,533 Students
594,310 Students
# Teachers
770 Teachers
44,702 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
11:1
11:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Lower Merion School District, which is ranked within the top 5% of all 677 school districts in Pennsylvania (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 97% has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
This School District
State Average (PA)
#7 out of 685 school districts
(Top 5%)
79%
38%
86%
55%
87%
57%
97%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.57
0.65
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
12%
5%
% Hispanic
6%
17%
% Black
10%
20%
% White
63%
53%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
9%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $33,910 is higher than the state median of $23,724. The school district revenue/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $35,147 is higher than the state median of $23,146. The school district spending/student has grown by 7% over four school years.
This School District
This State (PA)
Total Revenue
$289 MM
$39,541 MM
Spending
$300 MM
$38,578 MM
Revenue / Student
$33,910
$23,724
Spending / Student
$35,147
$23,146

Best Lower Merion School District Public Middle Schools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Bala-cynwyd Middle School
(Math: 78% | Reading: 86%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
510 Bryn Mawr Ave
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
(610) 645-1480
Gr: 5-8 | 794 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #22.
Welsh Valley Middle School
(Math: 73% | Reading: 83%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
325 Tower Lane
Narberth, PA 19072
(610) 658-3920
Gr: 5-8 | 788 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: n/an/a
1860 W Montgomery Ave
Villanova, PA 19085
(484) 418-2222
Gr: 5-8 | 1,077 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 38%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 11 schools
  • Grades: K-12
  • Enrollment: 8,533 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 11:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 37%
  • : 97% (Top 5% in PA)
  • : Top 5%
  • : 79% (Top 1%)
  • : 86% (Top 5%)
  • : 87% (Top 1%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), PA Dept. of Education

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