The top reported proficiency rate is 96% in Science. The lowest is 83% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Markham El Sch
Markham Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in the Mt Lebanon School District, part of Pittsburgh's inner southern suburbs. The school enrolls a small group of students, drawn from a neighborhood where the overwhelming majority of families are white and highly educated. About one in ten students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, well below the district average. The school population is relatively stable and homogeneous, with limited racial and ethnic diversity.
The school's academic results are notably strong. In the most recent state testing data available, students scored in the top tier across both math and English language arts, with proficiency rates in the low to mid-eighties. Science performance was particularly high. Placed against the 76 school districts in Allegheny County, Markham's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, a position that reflects consistent strength in the tested grades.
The neighborhood around the school, in Pittsburgh's 15228 zip code, sits in an affluent residential area. Home values are well above the state median and have been climbing steadily. Rental markets are tighter and costlier than the national average. The housing stock tends toward single-family properties on hillside lots, typical of Pittsburgh's residential neighborhoods. Families here are predominantly established homeowners; the area is not experiencing rapid turnover or new construction.
Mt Lebanon School District as a whole, however, faces significant financial headwinds that parents should understand. The district has operated under structural budget deficits since 2023, with the unreserved fund balance falling below its board-set threshold. As a result, the district has passed economic-furlough resolutions for three consecutive years, starting in 2024, creating real uncertainty around staffing and class offerings. For 2025-2026, Mt Lebanon was granted an exception to raise its property tax rate beyond the state's index cap, citing special education costs. This has pushed school tax bills higher for homeowners, a direct cost to families weighing whether to stay or move into the district. These pressures are not unique to Markham but color the entire district's outlook.
Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, the district is shifting its elementary science curriculum to align with Pennsylvania's new STEELS Standards, emphasizing science, technology, engineering, environmental literacy and sustainability. This represents a broader pedagogical change that will shape K-5 science learning going forward.
Markham is a solid elementary school in an affluent, stable neighborhood with strong academic results in state testing. Prospective families should weigh the school's academic profile and community character against the district's current fiscal strain and the property tax implications that strain is creating.
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