The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in Math. The lowest is 54% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Bon Air El Sch
Bon Air Elementary is a small public school serving kindergarten through third grade in Lower Burrell, a residential and commercial area northeast of Pittsburgh. The school sits in a mixed landscape of suburban trappings—strip malls and commercial corridors along Leechburg Road—layered over what was once farmland. Families here live in homes with garages, driveways, and substantial yards; the area is car-dependent, with bus stops along the main commercial stretch and major routes cutting through town.
Lower Burrell's economy is dispersed and service-oriented. No single employer dominates; residents work retail, service, and small business, with many commuting to Pittsburgh or nearby employers like Sheetz, Dollar General, AAA, and Penn State New Kensington. The city faced heavy-industry collapse in the 1980s but has seen modest, steady growth since the early 1990s. Housing demand has ticked up in recent years, and new single-family construction is active at various price points. The median home value in the area has climbed year over year, though the affordability landscape is shifting as property taxes in Burrell School District have risen steeply.
Bon Air's student body is predominantly white, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a working-class to middle-class enrollment with economic diversity. The school's enrollment is about average for its grade span, with roughly equal cohorts across kindergarten through third grade.
On academics, the school's performance is mixed. In math proficiency on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment, students in grades three (the tested grade) and above performed solidly. In English language arts, proficiency was notably lower, with about half the tested students meeting the standard. The school ranks in the top quartile among Westmoreland County districts on an overall proficiency index, though that composite reflects stronger math performance pulling up weaker reading results. State testing data for science in the tested grade was suppressed, so a complete picture of that subject is unavailable. Data on students with IEPs and English learners was not available.
The district just closed Stewart Elementary at the end of the 2024-25 school year and reconfigured its grade structure. Fourth graders now attend Bon Air, so the school is shifting from K-3 to K-4 as of the 2025-26 school year. This is a permanent change to the building's mission and composition, ending the K-3 split families have known for years. The district has planned cafeteria and kitchen expansion at Bon Air to support the larger enrollment.
Burrell School District has the highest property tax millage rate in Westmoreland County and has raised it sharply in consecutive years, with further increases planned. For a median-value home, those recent hikes have added a material amount to annual school tax bills. The district is also undertaking multi-million-dollar facilities work—HVAC and heating projects at the high school and infrastructure improvements across buildings—financed by bond debt, with more borrowing planned in 2026. These fiscal pressures are relevant for families weighing housing costs in the area.
The district has also introduced a career-pathway model at its middle school, replacing traditional electives with project-based "studios" connected to five career pathways. That pedagogy shift will affect what middle school feels like for Bon Air graduates moving up.
A parent considering Bon Air should expect a small elementary school in a car-dependent suburban-residential setting, with solid math instruction and a stronger economic and racial makeup of working and middle-class white students. The school's English language arts results lag and deserve a closer look with administrators. The district is in transition—reconfigured grade spans, significant tax increases, substantial capital projects—which creates both renovation-driven improvements and near-term fiscal tightness worth understanding before moving to the area.
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