The top reported proficiency rate is 96% in Science. The lowest is 75% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Trafford El Sch
Trafford Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in a small borough community east of Pittsburgh with a deep industrial past and a contemporary character shaped by stability and incremental renewal. The school sits downtown on Brinton Avenue, within walking distance of the borough library and municipal offices, anchoring a compact civic core in a neighborhood of early-20th-century homes.
The school's academic profile reflects strength in reading and language arts. Students in grades three through five scored in the proficient-or-above range at a notably higher rate in English language arts than in mathematics, and science results from the most recent year tested were exceptionally high. When compared against other districts in Westmoreland County, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, a clear differentiation. No state testing results were available for science at the most recent year, so the most current picture comes from English language arts and math, which together show solid grounding in literacy paired with math performance that, while creditable, lags somewhat behind the reading gains.
The school serves about 190 students across its six grades. Nearly half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting modest income levels among families in the community. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller populations of students who identify as multiracial, Black, or Hispanic. Data on the prevalence of special education and English learner students were not available.
The community itself is one of modest means with a Westinghouse manufacturing legacy. The borough population is essentially flat and housing stock skews older, concentrated in single-family homes from before mid-century. Most working residents commute outward toward Monroeville or Pittsburgh; in-borough employment is small-scale retail, food service, and municipal roles. Median home values in the zip code are modest relative to state and national benchmarks, and ownership remains the norm. The Westmoreland Heritage Trail has brought some new energy, drawing visitors and attracting small businesses like breweries and creameries to the downtown.
The parent district, Penn-Trafford School District, is navigating significant budget pressures. Consecutive property tax increases over three budget cycles, beginning with a hike in 2024-25 and followed by a larger one in 2025-26, signal structural strain from cyber charter tuition costs, special education expenses, and state funding that has not kept pace. The district is implementing a multi-tiered system of supports with universal screening and curriculum leaders to standardize intervention and instruction across grade levels. For families already in the community, the elementary school offers a rooted downtown location and demonstrable reading strength; parents evaluating a move to Trafford should weigh rising property taxes against the school's academic position and the borough's slower-growth, older-housing character.
See more original research from School Decision →