The top reported proficiency rate is 96% in Science. The lowest is 73% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Kerr El Sch
Kerr Elementary is a small school of traditional public K-5 students in Pittsburgh, part of the Fox Chapel Area School District. The building sits in the northeastern part of the city in a residential neighborhood with moderate housing values and rents typical for the broader county area.
The school enrolls a school-sized student body representing moderate economic diversity. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the racial composition skews toward white students with a smaller percentage of Black, Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial students. Data on students with IEPs and English learners was not available.
In tested subjects, Kerr's performance is strong. On the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment across grades 3-5, students achieve proficiency in math at a rate substantially above the midpoint among Allegheny County's districts, and proficiency in English language arts at a comparable level. Science proficiency, measured in a less recent year, was exceptionally high. Across all tested subjects combined, the school ranks in the top quartile when measured against the county's other districts.
The school feeds into the district's middle and high school pathway. Parents should be aware that Fox Chapel Area is in the midst of curriculum changes. The district has adopted the myWorld social studies program for elementary grades and is becoming one of the first districts nationally to implement the OpenSciEd science standards in K-5, a transition that means classroom instruction and materials will shift from what was in place previously. These are substantive pedagogical changes worth understanding if you are choosing this school or new to it.
The broader housing context matters for families in this area. The Pittsburgh housing market has modest upward pressure, with rents rising more steeply than sales prices. The district itself has enacted consecutive property tax increases tied to a multi-phase capital improvements plan. While Kerr is not listed for major upgrades in the current phase, the district is investing heavily in aging facilities across the system, and the tax burden is a material cost consideration for homeowners. The district has capped future increases at the state-allowed maximum, signaling an expectation of continued pressure.
Kerr is a neighborhood elementary school with solid academic standing and room for growth in English language arts. It is a regular public school without special programming or magnet designation, offering the core elementary experience within a district that is actively reshaping its approach to social studies and science instruction.
See more original research from School Decision →