The top reported proficiency rate is 58% in Science. The lowest is 36% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Bellwood Antis Ms
Bellwood-Antis Middle School serves a small, tightly-knit community in a rural corner of Blair County where the school building sits just blocks from Main Street in a town where almost everyone knows each other. The school serves grades five through eight and sits at a point in the district's grade span where students are moving out of elementary and beginning to track toward high school choices. The peer environment is overwhelmingly white and quite homogeneous; students of color make up a small fraction of the enrollment. Around four in ten students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting modest family incomes across the catchment area.
The academic picture is mixed. In the most recent testing data, the school's English language arts proficiency sits at a level slightly above the midpoint for its county peers, which is a strength relative to comparable schools in Blair County. Math proficiency is notably below the county median; less than two in five students are meeting state standards in math. Science proficiency, measured most recently in the prior year, was roughly at the county's midpoint. Overall, the school's proficiency index sits above the midpoint across tested subjects and grades when viewed against other Blair County schools, but the math gap signals a particular area where academic support or instructional attention may be worth understanding more closely if you are considering this school. The school does not have graduating students, so graduation data do not apply.
The district itself is in financial transition. After holding property taxes stable for many years, the district raised taxes for the first time in over a decade for the 2024-25 school year and has continued increases. The most recent budget cycle brought what the district reports as its first balanced budget in several years, though the increases have been steady. For families considering a move to the area, property tax trajectory is shifting upward after a long pause.
The district made two notable program changes recently. It closed its long-running agricultural education program after enrollment dropped, redirecting some savings toward a new librarian position. For families drawn to vocational and land-based learning pathways at the high school level, that closure removes an option that had been a district signature. On the positive side, the district added a state-funded Pre-K Counts preschool program at no cost to families, expanding the grade span for younger children.
Beyond the school building, Bellwood is a compact borough where the school sits within walking distance of civic and commercial life, and the community maintains strong local pride tied to youth sports, the school mascot, and parades down Main Street. The housing market has tightened in recent years; homes now tend to sell quickly, and property values are well below the state and national benchmarks, making the area affordable compared to much of Pennsylvania. The immediate area offers modest walkability and small-town commerce on Main Street, along with a community park with athletics and a seasonal pool. Transit to the larger Altoona metro area, about eight miles away, is accessible via a public bus route added in 2023.
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