The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in Science. The lowest is 35% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Samuel K Faust El Sch
Samuel K Faust Elementary School serves grades kindergarten through sixth in Bensalem, a heavily built-out suburban township in Bucks County anchored by commercial corridors and mid-twentieth-century residential developments spreading across major highway routes. The school enrolls a diverse student body with substantial shares of Hispanic, white, Black, and Asian students. All students in the school qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
Academically, the school is below the midpoint among Bucks County districts when proficiency results across tested subjects are averaged. In math, about one-third of third through eighth graders met state proficiency standards in the most recent test year. English language arts results were similar, with about one-third of tested students proficient. Science performance was stronger, with roughly two-thirds of sixth graders proficient. State data on special education enrollment and English learner enrollment was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the availability of those supports.
Bensalem Township School District, the parent district, has announced a new elementary math curriculum and seven additional teachers for the 2025-26 school year, signaling a shift in how early math instruction is delivered. The district is also implementing Structured Literacy, a required state-mandated approach to reading instruction emphasizing phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and explicit, systematic teaching across all elementary grades. Both changes take effect in the coming year.
The district funds free breakfast and lunch for all students regardless of household income, a budget benefit for families of every income level. School property taxes in Bensalem have risen annually and now represent roughly 60-70 percent of a household's total property tax bill. The district is pursuing a significant tax increase for 2025-26 using state exceptions that bypass voter referendum, which will further raise the cost of homeownership for district residents.
The Bensalem housing market is mature and largely built-out. Home values are moderate by county standards, and rentals are available, but the property tax load makes homeownership more expensive than the purchase price or mortgage alone suggests. New construction is scarce. Civic anchors include the Bensalem Branch Library, SEPTA regional rail service linking to Philadelphia, Neshaminy State Park along the Delaware River, and community recreation parks. The township is auto-oriented and not pedestrian-focused; daily life is dispersed across highway corridors rather than a town center.
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