The middle school reading examination serves as a checkpoint for high school preparation. Performance on this exam can help predict high school success in reading. Proficiency among historically underperforming students can show whether districts and education policymakers have made progress in closing the achievement gap between traditionally underserved groups and other students.

In 2019, 60% of students in Lancaster County and 26% of students in the Lancaster City School District passed the PSSA Grade 8 English Language Arts exam, down from 65% in the County and 35% in the District in 2018. In contrast, 37% of historically underperforming students in Lancaster County and 23% of historically underperforming students in the Lancaster City School District passed the exam, down from 45% in the County and 33% in the District in 2018. Lancaster County's 2019 rate for all students was slightly higher than the statewide rate of 58%. Its rate for historically underperforming students was slightly below the statewide rate of 38%.

When compared with surrounding counties, Lancaster County has the third highest proficiency rate among all students following Cumberland (70%) and Chester (69%) and the fourth highest performance rate among historically underperforming students following Cumberland (45%), Chester and York (both 40%). Lancaster County's share of historically underperforming students in eighth grade (48%) is similar to Lebanon and York (both 49%), lower than Berks (57%) and Dauphin (55%), and higher than Cumberland (36%) and Chester (34%).

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.