The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in Math. The lowest is 69% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on North Strabane Intrmd Sch
North Strabane Intermediate School serves grades five and six in Canonsburg, a small borough just southwest of Pittsburgh that has grown into a revitalization-focused community with new residential development clustering around the nearby Southpointe business park. The school operates within Canon-McMillan SD, a district that has invested heavily in new facilities and literacy instruction over the past few years.
The school enrolls roughly four hundred students in its two grade levels, with enrollment fairly evenly split between fifth and sixth graders. A bit less than a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the enrollment is predominantly white, with modest representation of students from Asian, Black, Hispanic, and multiracial backgrounds.
In the most recent state assessment, North Strabane students achieved proficiency in math at a rate in the low-to-mid range, with a somewhat lower proficiency rate in English language arts. When these results are positioned against other districts in Washington County, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among comparable schools, a meaningful strength. State assessment data for these intermediate grades is what the Pennsylvania System reports, so no trend information was available to show whether performance has moved year to year.
The school sits within a district that has undertaken significant structural changes. Canon-McMillan opened a new state-of-the-art middle school in January 2023, which houses seventh and eighth graders along with the district's central administration. That building replaced an older facility and offers modern learning spaces including two gyms, an auditorium, a turf field, and dedicated music and wrestling areas. The district has also rolled out a structured literacy program across grades K-6, emphasizing evidence-based reading instruction with universal screening for all students in grades K-4 and targeted intervention for students showing signs of dyslexia. A new elementary school is under construction and expected to open in mid-2026, with full-day kindergarten as a priority.
The property-tax environment deserves mention. In early 2023 the state auditor general named Canon-McMillan among a dozen districts accused of manipulating fund balances to qualify for tax increases above the state index, raising taxes multiple times in prior years. The district disputed the finding, noting that bond proceeds for construction projects are restricted and cannot be used for general operations, but families considering Canonsburg should be aware that the district has consistently raised taxes annually up to the state index.
Data on special populations, staffing levels, discipline, attendance, and course offerings were not available for this school. The absence reflects either that these metrics are not yet publicly reported for this building or that the data was not accessible through standard sources. A parent may want to inquire directly with North Strabane or the district about special education services, English learner support, and the specific intermediate-grade curriculum and programming.
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