The top reported proficiency rate is 86% in Science. The lowest is 51% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on East Union Intrmd Sch
East Union Intermediate School sits in Cheswick, a small residential borough along the Allegheny River northeast of Pittsburgh, and serves students in grades three through five. The school is part of Deer Lakes School District, which covers East Deer, Frazer, and West Deer townships and functions as a typical suburban district serving a multi-town attendance area.
The school enrolled a modest population across its three grades. About 44 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, marking a substantial share of economically disadvantaged enrollment. The student body is predominantly white, with very small representation from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Specific counts for students with individualized education programs or English learners were not available in the data.
On Pennsylvania's System of School Assessment, East Union's proficiency results were mixed. In mathematics, about half of tested students met or exceeded proficiency. English language arts proficiency stood at roughly the same level. Science performance was notably stronger, with about 86 percent of students proficient or above. When averaged across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index placed it above the midpoint among the forty-three schools across Allegheny County that report comparable data, though the breadth of that performance — strong in science, moderate in core literacy and math — merits attention from families who care about where a child sits on the literacy and numeracy spectrum.
Deer Lakes, the parent district, has made deliberate investments in technology and student support. The district deployed a one-to-one device program so each student from kindergarten through twelfth grade carries a personal learning device, and it is one of the first Google Certified districts in Pennsylvania. Mental health staffing was expanded by adding a Behavioral Specialist and a Mental Health Therapist, changes that reflect district-level attention to social-emotional needs beyond academics.
A caution for families considering the area: the district approved a meaningful property tax increase for the 2024-25 budget after roughly nine years without one, ending a long freeze driven by rising charter school costs, pension obligations, and healthcare expenses. For a home valued at median assessed levels, that increase translates into a noticeable rise in the annual school tax bill. This is a hard constraint on the decision for families making a move into the district.
Cheswick itself is a quiet, tree-lined residential borough with a compact, walkable layout along Pittsburgh Street and local streets. The town has no major corporate presence; the once-dominant Cheswick Generating Station coal plant shut down in 2022 and is undergoing redevelopment into a proposed large-scale data center campus. Population has been flat to slightly declining. The area is about 15 to 17 miles northeast of downtown Pittsburgh, with fast car commutes via Route 28 but slower bus service. River access and parks are draws for outdoor recreation.
Housing in the Cheswick zip code sits around median values for the region and has seen modest appreciation. Market activity in Allegheny County has picked up in recent months, with more active listings and a growing supply of homes for sale.
For families weighing an enrollment decision, East Union is a neighborhood school in a suburban district that has invested in learning technology and mental health infrastructure. The science results stand out; the literacy and math results sit squarely at mid-range and warrant direct conversation with the school about how it supports students at varying levels of proficiency. The property tax increase is a real financial consequence of choosing the district.
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