The top reported proficiency rate is 27% in Science. The lowest is 7% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mckinley El Sch
McKinley Elementary School serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in Erie, a mid-sized lakefront city anchored by downtown civic and cultural institutions, older residential neighborhoods of close-set 19th-century houses, and a diversified economy centered on insurance, manufacturing, healthcare, and higher education. The school sits within Erie City School District, which has raised property taxes in three consecutive years due to the expiration of pandemic relief funds and a state-funding gap; families entering the district should expect this trajectory to continue unless state support shifts. The board is also reviewing the district's current grade configuration, including the possibility of restructuring high schools.
McKinley's enrollment is small, concentrated in the early grades. Almost all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a student body facing economic hardship. The school's racial and ethnic composition is diverse, with the largest share Black students, alongside substantial representation of white and multiracial students, and smaller populations of Asian and Hispanic students.
State assessment results show serious academic challenges. On the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment in math and English language arts in the most recent year, fewer than one in ten students in grades three through five reached proficiency. The school performed stronger in science, where just over one-quarter of tested students met the bar. Across the proficiency index that blends these results, McKinley sits in the bottom quartile relative to other schools in Erie County.
A parent considering McKinley should understand that this is a school where the vast majority of students come from low-income households and where current proficiency in core academic skills is quite low. The school may benefit from asking what targeted support, intervention programming, and instructional approach the school has put in place to address the needs reflected in these numbers, and what progress the school tracks over time. The school's small size and early-grade focus can support relationships between staff and families, and early intervention is often more responsive than later catch-up. A parent may want to look into this further with the school itself to understand its current plans and to assess fit against their family's needs.
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