The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in Science. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Broad Street El Sch
Broad Street Elementary is a small public elementary school in the city of Butler, Pennsylvania, serving kindergarten through fifth grade. The school sits in a working-class residential area of a mid-sized county seat with a manufacturing heritage and modest downtown revitalization efforts. It is part of the Butler Area School District, which underwent significant structural change when Butler Middle School closed at the end of the 2021-22 school year, returning fifth grade to elementary buildings and reconfiguring the grade span across the district's schools.
The school's enrollment is modest for its grade band, and nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the neighborhoods it serves. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students who identify as multiracial, Black, or Hispanic. The school building itself was brought back into use in 2021 after a closure, restoring an elementary option for families in that attendance area.
State assessment results show a school below the proficiency benchmark within its county. In the most recent testing cycle, approximately one-third of students in grades three through five demonstrated proficiency in mathematics, and roughly two-fifths met proficiency standards in English language arts. Science performance was closer to the middle of the range. When proficiency rates across these subjects and grades are averaged, Broad Street falls in the bottom quartile among the ten districts in Butler County. The school has no high school grades and thus no graduation rate. Attendance and chronic absenteeism data were not available. Special education enrollment and English learner counts were not reported.
The district has recently shifted its financial posture after roughly a decade of stable property tax rates, enacting back-to-back increases in 2023-24 and 2024-25 to fund capital improvements including roof replacements, HVAC systems, security upgrades, and paving. This transition affects the housing costs families in the district face. The 2025-26 budget held tax rates flat.
Butler itself is a small city about thirty-five miles north of Pittsburgh with a mixed present-day character. Its historic downtown has a Main Street corridor with shops, galleries, a brewery, and civic anchors including the county courthouse and a Carnegie library. The city draws some tourism around its manufacturing heritage, notably the annual Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival, and has developed a modest arts presence. Much of the county's residential growth, however, is concentrated farther south toward the Pittsburgh suburbs rather than in the city of Butler proper. Public transit connects Butler to Pittsburgh via commuter bus routes, and regional recreation centers on nearby Moraine State Park.
A parent considering Broad Street should understand that the school serves a high-poverty neighborhood, reflects the economic and demographic profile of that area, and currently produces test results below the county median across tested grade levels. The school is appropriate for families in its attendance zone seeking an elementary option within walking or short driving distance in the city; it is not a choice school or magnet. Families interested in understanding the school's specific instructional approaches, classroom sizes, or how it supports students below proficiency would benefit from reaching out directly to the school.
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