The top reported proficiency rate is 91% in Science. The lowest is 65% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Baker El Sch
Baker Elementary is a small school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Altoona, a former railroad city in central Pennsylvania where civic anchors include Penn State Altoona, a growing downtown cultural district, and employers ranging from UPMC to Sheetz. The school sits in a mixed-income community where the housing market has been stable, with modest recent appreciation, and where downtown revitalization efforts are underway alongside residential development activity.
The student body is predominantly white, with nearly all students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The enrollment spans just under three hundred students across six grade levels, with relatively balanced distribution across grades. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available.
On state assessments, Baker's math proficiency sits in the middle range among its grade band: roughly two-thirds of tested students in grades three through five met or exceeded proficiency standards in the most recent year. English language arts proficiency is slightly lower at just under two-thirds. Science proficiency, measured in the prior year, was notably stronger at roughly nine in ten students meeting the standard. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Blair County, meaning Baker performs above most of its peers in the county when proficiency results are averaged across tested subjects. The strength in science stands out against more modest performance in math and ELA.
Altoona Area School District, Baker's parent district, has navigated shifting fiscal priorities in recent years. After consecutive property tax increases in the prior two budget years, the board reversed course for the 2025-26 school year, adopting a budget with no tax increase after discovering additional state aid and an available fund balance. This change may signal some relief for homeowners in the district, though families considering a move to the area should factor in the prior trajectory of increases when weighing long-term housing costs. The district recently completed a major capital project at the high school with the opening of a new building in October 2020, bringing updated performing arts, visual arts, and science facilities to the secondary campus.
Baker itself serves a high-need population. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating economic strain across the school's families. How the school addresses academic gaps in math and ELA, particularly whether targeted interventions are in place for students who do not yet meet proficiency, would be worth discussing directly with school staff. The strength in science proficiency suggests the school has capacity to teach and engage students effectively in at least one tested subject, an asset to build on.
The school's locale offers stable ground. Altoona has a functioning downtown with civic and cultural institutions, public transit through Amtran, walkable neighborhoods near the downtown core and Penn State Altoona, and employers that sustain the regional economy. Population has declined from historical peaks, but recent building permits and downtown investment projects indicate a city managing a transition rather than in free fall. For families with early elementary students, Baker offers proximity to this community fabric and performance in the top quartile of its county, balanced against the reality that a substantial share of students are not yet proficient in core academic subjects and that the school serves a economically stretched population.
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