Big Beaver Falls Area Sd, PA

Original Research by School Decision on Big Beaver Falls Area Sd

Big Beaver Falls Area School District serves a small student population across the towns of Beaver Falls, Darlington, Koppel, New Galilee, and Wampum in western Pennsylvania. The district operates four schools spanning pre-K through grade twelve.

The district faces significant academic headwinds. Across grades three through eight, proficiency in English language arts stands below two in five students, and in mathematics it falls below one in three. Among Beaver County's districts, the district's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint. The current state assessment data does not permit a year-to-year trend analysis; whether these levels reflect stable performance, a recent decline, or an area of improvement cannot be determined from the available numbers.

Attendance presents another concern. Chronic absenteeism in the district sits in the bottom quartile when compared to other Beaver County districts, well above the county median. This gap is substantial enough that a parent may want to look into the district's approach to attendance support and what drives absence patterns in the communities served.

The district's student body is racially and ethnically diverse. Just under half identify as white; roughly a quarter identify as Black; a significant share identify as multiracial; and a smaller portion identify as Hispanic. American Indian, Asian, and Native Hawaiian students make up single-digit counts. Free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility data was not available, so the level of economic hardship among enrolled students cannot be assessed from these figures alone. English learner enrollment numbers were also not reported.

Housing in the district's service area is generally affordable relative to national standards. Home values show modest appreciation year over year, and rental costs remain modest. Mortgage affordability, at the estimated monthly payment level, sits in a manageable range for middle-income households. The area's median household income and unemployment rate align with national averages, suggesting a working-class community without acute economic distress but also without substantial wealth concentration.

Per-pupil spending in the district falls in the lower half of the middle range among Beaver County districts. The district operates with per-pupil current expenditure slightly below the county median, though above the district floor.

State testing data for high school grades was not provided, so graduation rate and eleventh or twelfth grade achievement cannot be assessed. Program offerings, staffing ratios, and detailed course access were also not available. The district's website was not found in the search, limiting visibility into curriculum detail, special programming, or publicly stated priorities.

Recent district news and board actions yielded no major shifts in policy, curriculum, or operations that would substantially reshape the parent experience. The district appears to operate under routine governance without recent referenda or strategic initiatives of clear, lasting impact.

For families in this region, the district offers geographic accessibility and modest housing costs but presents material academic performance gaps and attendance challenges that merit direct conversation with school leadership about support systems and student engagement strategies.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,618

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 4%

Black 26%

White 47%

Asian 0%

Two+ 23%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

38%

—

Gr 4

41%

—

Gr 5

30%

—

Gr 6

29%

—

Gr 7

36%

—

Gr 8

25%

—

Gr 38

33%

—

Math

Gr 3

36%

—

Gr 4

51%

—

Gr 5

25%

—

Gr 6

25%

—

Gr 7

16%

—

Gr 8

11%

—

Gr 38

27%

—

Schools in this District

4 schools are officially reported under this district.

Beaver Falls MS

Beaver Falls Area SHS

Big Beaver El Sch

Central El Sch

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

32%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

38%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$188,318

Year-over-year change+5.0%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$112K to $213K

vs. state typical0.66x

vs. national typical0.51x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
15010	Beaver Falls	$199K	+8.5%	33.0%
16141	New Galilee	$182K	+5.4%	21.3%
16115	Darlington	$213K	+5.6%	21.3%
16157	Wampum	$165K	-0.6%	21.0%
16136	Koppel	$112K	+0.8%	3.4%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$958/mo

Year-over-year change+6.6%

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
15010	Beaver Falls	$958	+6.6%	33.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$950/mo

Home price / national median income2.3x

Annual rent / national median income13.7%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$8/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$286,387 (+2.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.