The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in Science. The lowest is 42% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Belmont Hills El Sch
Belmont Hills Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Bensalem, a sprawling township of subdivisions, commercial corridors, and riverfront areas in Bucks County. The school enrolls a diverse student body of mixed race and ethnicity, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. All students at the school qualify, indicating the school serves a population with lower household incomes on average.
The school's test results show weaker proficiency in mathematics and English language arts. In the most recent year, fewer than half the students tested met Pennsylvania's proficiency standard in math or ELA. Science proficiency, from the prior year's data available, was stronger and closer to meeting the proficiency mark. A parent may want to look into the school's support structures for literacy and numeracy with staff, particularly given the district's recent adoption of Structured Literacy instruction for reading and a new elementary math curriculum that will roll out across the district. These shifts suggest the district has identified room for improvement in these core areas and is moving to address it.
Compared to other districts in Bucks County, Belmont Hills' overall proficiency index sits below the midpoint, reflecting the gap between its test performance and stronger-performing schools in the county.
The town of Bensalem itself is a mature, auto-oriented suburb where life revolves around highways and shopping corridors rather than a walkable center. The township is largely built out; new housing inventory is sparse, and growth is incremental. A median home price is in the mid-to-high range for the region. The school district has implemented a series of property tax increases, and school taxes make up a large share of total property taxes. For the 2025-26 school year, the district is pursuing a substantial tax increase through state exceptions that bypass voter referendum, a meaningful cost consideration for families buying or renting in Bensalem.
On the positive side, no-cost breakfast and lunch for all students will continue, removing that expense from family budgets. The district is also adding teaching staff and has invested in updated elementary math instruction and reading pedagogy, suggesting attention to the academic foundation for early grades.
Belmont Hills is a regular public elementary school serving an economically diverse community in a suburban setting. Its academic performance is below the county average, and families considering the school should have a direct conversation with the principal about intervention supports, classroom instruction, and the rollout of the new math curriculum to understand how these investments will affect their child's learning experience.
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