Penn Hills El Sch

Set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Penn Hills El Sch is a big primary school, one of the schools within Penn Hills SD. It caters to 1,228 students across grades K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 443 students per school, that is 177% larger than typical.

Across the 3 schools in Penn Hills SD (2,903 students total), Penn Hills El Sch accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

In terms of who attends, Penn Hills El Sch reports that the largest single group is Black, at 57% of enrollment; the rest reads as 23% White, 11% multiracial, 7% Hispanic. The wider county runs roughly 13% Black, putting the school's mix visibly more Black than the area baseline.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Penn Hills El Sch has 88 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 14.0:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 13.1:1, putting Penn Hills El Sch higher than the state norm the norm. Around 101% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Allegheny County runs at roughly 54%, so the school's eligibility rate is above the surrounding baseline.

After controlling for student poverty, Penn Hills El Sch sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 34.4%; this one delivers 33.2%.

In the surrounding community, Allegheny County reports that median household income runs about $78,548, roughly 46% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 7%. Penn Hills El Sch is one of 277 public schools in Allegheny County (combined enrollment of about 141,392 students).

The closest other public school is Penn Hills SHS, roughly 1.2 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Penn Hills El Sch at 4th of 8; the average score across the group is 34.5%.

The school occupies a suburban site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count showed little movement: 1,229 students in 2018 compared to 1,228 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share shrank from 29% to 23%. Class-load math has fell: from 15.1:1 in 2018 to 14.0:1 in 2025.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.