The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in Science. The lowest is 33% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Franklin Sch
Franklin School is a public elementary school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in Vanderbilt, a very small residential borough in northern Fayette County along the Youghiogheny River valley, historically tied to the coal and coke industry. The school enrollment is small, drawn from a community experiencing gradual population decline with no major new development activity underway. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the families the school serves. The student body is predominantly white, with a small share of Hispanic students and students of mixed race; data on students with IEPs or English learners was not available.
On state testing, Franklin's performance is mixed. In English language arts, proficiency among third through eighth graders sits near the midpoint. Math proficiency is notably lower, showing that fewer than a third of students tested reached proficiency levels. Science proficiency, from an earlier test year, was substantially higher. When comparing these results against the six other districts in Fayette County with available data, Franklin's overall proficiency index places the school in the top quartile countywide, reflecting strength relative to peers despite the softer math numbers. A parent may want to look into the school's approach to math instruction and support to understand how the school is working to lift those results.
The school sits at a consequential moment. The Uniontown Area School District, which operates Franklin, approved a major grade reconfiguration in May 2026 moving to K-5 elementary, 6-8 middle, and 9-12 high school structures, set to take effect in fall 2027. More immediately, the district board voted unanimously to hold a public hearing on closing both Franklin Elementary and Marclay Middle School in response to decades of declining enrollment across the district. If the board votes to proceed in September 2026, Franklin would close for the 2027-2028 school year, and current students would be reassigned to another elementary building. Families considering this school should be aware this closure process is underway.
The district also raised property tax rates for the 2026-27 budget year to address a significant deficit, increasing homeowners' tax bills directly. Housing in the Vanderbilt zip code is valued well below the state and national benchmarks, reflecting the economically distressed nature of this region, though median home values have shown modest recent appreciation.
The school itself operates as a regular public school with no magnet or charter designation. Beyond enrollment and test data, little additional information about program offerings, staffing, or specific student supports was available in the public record. Title I status was not reported. A parent considering Franklin should factor in both the school's relative strength compared to the county and the very real uncertainty introduced by the pending closure decision.
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