The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in Science. The lowest is 23% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Aldan El Sch
Aldan Elementary serves kindergarten through sixth grade in Aldan, a small, densely settled residential borough about eight miles west of Philadelphia in Delaware County. The school sits at the civic heart of town, adjacent to Veterans Memorial Park and within walking distance of the borough hall and community center.
The student body reflects the school's neighborhood and broader enrollment across the William Penn School District, which serves multiple boroughs. A clear majority of the student population identifies as Black, with smaller shares of white, Asian, and Hispanic students and very small numbers from other groups. Importantly, all students at Aldan Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is the income threshold for Title I eligibility and indicates the school serves a economically under-resourced population despite sitting in a stable, owner-occupied residential borough.
State testing data for grades three through six show modest proficiency in mathematics and English language arts. In the most recent year, roughly one in five students met proficiency in math, and roughly one in three in language arts. Science results from two years prior were notably stronger, with about half the students tested meeting proficiency. These numbers place Aldan Elementary below the midpoint of proficiency among Delaware County's schools. For families considering this school, a parent may want to look into further with the school what interventions or supports are in place to address those gaps, particularly given that the district recently removed academic interventionists from elementary buildings as part of budget cuts.
The broader district context shapes what families should know. William Penn School District was the lead plaintiff in a landmark 2023 ruling that found Pennsylvania's school funding system unconstitutional, triggering a multibillion-dollar state funding overhaul. The district is receiving substantial new state dollars over time to close long-standing resource gaps. However, in the near term the district faces acute fiscal pressure. For 2025-26, it enacted a significant property tax increase and cut central office staff, mental health positions, and removed academic interventionists from elementary schools. The district also suspended most non-athletic after-school programs and faced a temporary threat to operations during the state budget impasse. State funds account for a substantial share of the district's operating budget, making it vulnerable to state-level delays. These are material facts for homeowners in Aldan, where the tax increase directly raises annual property costs, and for any family weighing stability of school supports.
On a curriculum level, the state has mandated that all public school districts, including William Penn, adopt evidence-based (structured literacy) reading programs by a specified timeline and implement three-times-yearly reading screens for K-3 students. This is a concrete, research-backed pedagogical shift that will affect how early literacy is taught across elementary grades.
Aldan itself is a built-out, stable residential community dominated by older Victorian and Cape Cod homes on a walkable grid of borough streets. The town has no traditional commercial downtown; civic life and civic infrastructure cluster near the geographic center. The housing market is older and relatively affordable compared to the surrounding county. Population has been flat for decades; there is no significant new residential development. Most working residents commute out of the borough, primarily to Philadelphia job centers. The borough is served by SEPTA trolley and rail lines plus bus routes, making it accessible for families who work outside Aldan.
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