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 2026-27 school year, there are 11 public schools serving 8,533 students in Lower Merion School District. This district's average testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 1% of public schools in Pennsylvania.
Public Schools in Lower Merion School District have an average math proficiency score of 79% (versus the Pennsylvania public school average of 38%), and reading proficiency score of 86% (versus the 56% statewide average).
The top-ranked public schools in Lower Merion School District are Merion Elementary School, Gladwyne School and Harriton Sr. High School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking. Lower Merion School District has one of the highest concentrations of top-ranked public schools in Pennsylvania.
Minority enrollment is 37% of the student body (majority Asian and Black), which is less than the Pennsylvania public school average of 40% (majority Hispanic and Black).

Overview

This School District
This State (PA)
# Schools
11 Schools
2,929 Schools
# Students
8,533 Students
1,665,424 Students
# Teachers
770 Teachers
124,094 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%
87.5%
(2022-23)
9.5%
23.3%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.57
0.60
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
12%
5%
% Hispanic
6%
16%
% Black
10%
14%
% White
63%
60%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
9%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $36,632 is higher than the state median of $26,978. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $35,448 is higher than the state median of $26,274. The school district spending/student has declined by 7% over four school years.
This School District
This State (PA)
Total Revenue
$313 MM
$44,930 MM
Spending
$303 MM
$43,758 MM
Revenue / Student
$36,632
$26,978
Spending / Student
$35,448
$26,274

Best Lower Merion School District Public Schools (2026-27)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Merion Elementary School
(Math: 85-89% | Reading: 91%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
549 S Bowman Ave
Merion Station, PA 19066
(610) 645-1470
Gr: K-4 | 438 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 36%
Rank: #22.
Gladwyne School
(Math: 94% | Reading: 87%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 1%
230 West Righters Mill Rd
Gladwyne, PA 19035
(610) 645-1440
Gr: K-4 | 556 students Student-teacher ratio: 14:1 Minority enrollment: 26%
Rank: #33.
Harriton Sr. High School
(Math: 78% | Reading: 91%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
600 N Ithan Ave
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(610) 658-3950
Gr: 9-12 | 1,239 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: #4 - 54. - 5.
Cynwyd School
(Math: 87% | Reading: 83%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
101 W Levering Mill Rd
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
(610) 645-1430
Gr: K-4 | 446 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 39%
Rank: #4 - 54. - 5.
Penn Wynne School
(Math: 86% | Reading: 84%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
250 Haverford Rd
Wynnewood, PA 19096
(610) 645-1450
Gr: K-4 | 621 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 47%
Rank: #66.
Penn Valley School
(Math: 83% | Reading: 84%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
301 Righters Mill Rd
Narberth, PA 19072
(610) 645-1460
Gr: K-4 | 542 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #77.
Lower Merion High School
(Math: 74% | Reading: 94%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
315 E Montgomery Ave
Ardmore, PA 19003
(610) 645-1810
Gr: 9-12 | 1,674 students Student-teacher ratio: 12:1 Minority enrollment: 38%
Rank: #88.
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: #99.
Belmont Hills Elementary School
(Math: 80-84% | Reading: 82%)
Rank:
10/
10
Top 5%
200 School Street
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
(610) 645-1420
Gr: K-4 | 358 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 30%
Rank: #1010.
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%

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools belong to Lower Merion School District?
Lower Merion School District manages 11 public schools serving 8,533 students.
What is the rank of Lower Merion School District?
Lower Merion School District is ranked #8 out of 677 school districts in Pennsylvania (top 5%) based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2022-2023 school year. This district ranks in the top 20% of Pennsylvania school districts for: Highest overall rank (Top 5%), Highest math proficiency (Top 1%), Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%), Highest science proficiency (Top 1%), Highest graduation rate (Top 5%), Most diverse schools (Top 1%), Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%) and Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
What is the racial composition of students in Lower Merion School District?
63% of Lower Merion School District students are White, 12% of students are Asian, 10% of students are Black, 9% of students are Two or more races, and 6% of students are Hispanic.
What is the student/teacher ratio of Lower Merion School District?
Lower Merion School District has a student/teacher ratio of 11:1, which is lower than the Pennsylvania state average of 13:1.
What is Lower Merion School District's spending/student ratio?
The school district's spending/student of $35,448 is higher than the state median of $26,274. The school district spending/student has declined by 7% over four school years.

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Quick Facts (26-27)

  • 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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