The middle school math examination serves as a checkpoint for high school preparation. Performance on this exam can help predict high school success in math.

In 2025, 35% of students in Lancaster County passed the PSSA Grade 8 Math exam, the same as in 2024, and slightly higher than the state rate of 31%.

In comparison, 20% of economically disadvantaged students in Lancaster County and 2% of English Language Learners passed the exam in 2025. Among racial and ethnic groups, 55% of Asian students and 43% of White students passed compared to 17% of Hispanic and 13% of African American students.

Amongst neighboring counties, Lancaster County had the fourth-highest proficiency rate among all students, following Cumberland (42%), Chester (38%), and Lebanon (36%). Lancaster had the third-highest performance rate among economically disadvantaged students, behind Cumberland (23%) and Lebanon (22%).

There are a variety of factors believed to contribute to disparities in test scores and other measures of student achievement. School systems in the United States are highly segregated, and students of color disproportionately attend schools with high proportions of low-income students who may not have benefited from early learning opportunities at the same rate as other students. Schools also have different levels of resources ranging from qualified/experienced teachers to advanced courses to facilities and technology, and schools with large Black and Latino populations often have lower levels. In addition, teachers across all school systems tend to be disproportionately white, and teaching practices and curriculum may not be culturally relevant to students of color.

As assessments vary among states, it is not possible to include comparable data for the nation or other areas in this indicator. Data are from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Pennsylvania defines economically disadvantaged groups as students identified by their school district through Pennsylvania's student information system as experiencing economic disadvantage based on poverty-related records such as SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, Census-poor status, foster or institutional placement, or eligibility for free or reduced-price school meals.