The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in Science. The lowest is 22% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Union Terrace El Sch
Union Terrace Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in central Allentown, drawing from a dense urban residential neighborhood on the city's west side. The school enrolls a small but substantial population, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across the grade span, and serves children almost entirely from low-income families, as reflected in universal free-and-reduced-price lunch eligibility. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller populations of Black and multiracial students, and very few White and Asian students. The school's demographic composition reflects Allentown's own demographic profile and the neighborhood's economic circumstances.
Academically, Union Terrace's performance on state assessments sits in the bottom quartile among Lehigh County's public schools when all tested subjects and grades are considered together. In math, about one-quarter of students in grades three through five tested at proficiency levels three or four on Pennsylvania's system of school assessment. English language arts results are lower, with about one-fifth of students at or above proficiency. Science proficiency, measured on the most recent available assessment, was stronger, with roughly half of students demonstrating proficiency. These mixed results reflect a school working within significant economic and resource constraints. A parent may want to look into further detail with the school about literacy programming, since the ELA result is notably below the math outcome and is a focus area for the Allentown School District overall.
The broader Allentown City School District, where Union Terrace sits, has adopted an ambitious strategic plan titled "Lighting the Way," adopted in 2024, that prioritizes third-grade literacy proficiency and Algebra I mastery by ninth grade, alongside efforts to raise graduation rates and reduce chronic absenteeism. The district has recently opened three new theme-based schools including a science-focused elementary and a dual-language immersion academy, significantly expanding school choice within the district. Union Terrace itself remains a traditional neighborhood elementary school and does not carry a special theme or focus.
The district has benefited from a major increase in state education funding following Pennsylvania's school funding lawsuit, which has allowed the district to hold property taxes flat for three consecutive years and invest in new schools, literacy initiatives, and capital improvements. However, for the 2026-27 school year, the district has proposed its first property tax increase in years to support ongoing capital projects. For families considering the area, this signals a shift in the tax picture.
Allentown as a city is in an active revitalization phase, driven by downtown development through its Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ), which has attracted substantial private investment in apartments, offices, and entertainment venues like the PPL Center arena. Major employers include Lehigh Valley Health Network, the region's largest employer, as well as corporate headquarters of Air Products and PPL Corporation. The downtown core, centered on Hamilton Street, has become increasingly walkable in recent years through streetscape improvements and is home to cultural anchors including the Allentown Art Museum and newly relocated Da Vinci Science Center. Residential neighborhoods surrounding downtown, where Union Terrace is located, offer affordable housing relative to the region, though Allentown faces a significant housing shortage as new development accelerates. Housing in the school's zip code is modestly priced compared to the state and national average, and rental rates remain accessible, though the city overall is experiencing growth pressure.
Union Terrace is embedded in a school district actively restructuring around literacy and numeracy improvement and expanding school choice. It is a traditional elementary school serving a predominantly low-income, largely Hispanic neighborhood in a city experiencing economic transition and increasing investment. For families seeking a neighborhood elementary in a growing urban setting with strong district-level attention to early literacy, or those already rooted in the area, it represents that choice. For those seeking specialized programming or theme-based learning, the district's newer schools offer alternatives within the same system.
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