Location
The Penn-Trafford School District is located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The location offers families close proximity to nearby cities of Greensburg, Irwin, Jeannette and Murrysville. Approximately twenty miles west is the City of Pittsburgh, which offers many cultural activities in an urban setting. To the east, the Laurel Highlands offers outdoors and recreational opportunities such as camping, skiing, sightseeing, fishing, hunting, bike riding and hiking.
The district's boundaries have remained consistent over the years. On the western edge of Westmoreland County, the Penn-Trafford School District begins approximately 18 miles to the southeast of Pittsburgh. The district is wedged-shaped and is approximately twenty (20) miles long and eleven (11) miles wide at its broadest point covering 32 square miles. The Penn-Trafford School District encompasses the communities of Trafford, Penn, and the Township of Penn.
Enrollment
Housed within the boundaries of the school district are five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. Our enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year is 3,806 students. The numbers by school buildings are:
- High School - 1,174 students
- Penn Middle School - 528 students
- Trafford Middle School - 353 students
- Harrison Park Elementary School - 407 students
- Level Green Elementary School – 269 students
- McCullough Elementary School - 450 students
- Sunrise Elementary School - 406 students
- Trafford Elementary School - 196 students
Academic Performance
Pennsylvania public school district rankings show that the Penn-Trafford School District is one of the preeminent K-12 districts based on academic performance on the PA State assessment exams (2023 Keystone / PSSA). The Penn-Trafford School District continues to do exceedingly well when compared to all school districts in the state.
SchoolDigger.com is an independent website that ranks schools based on test scores supplied by the PA Department of Education. The site is one tool that can be helpful for parents to evaluate school performance and quality. Based on 2023 assessment scores, SchoolDigger gave Penn-Trafford the top rank in Westmoreland County, and 21st in the state out of a total of 606 school districts (which is in the top 3.5 percent in Pennsylvania).
Mission Statement
The mission statement of the district has always been:
"Effective, Efficient, Quality Education".
The district delivers quality education at a low cost per student ratio.
Comprehensive Plan
The District Level Comprehensive Planning process is critical in assuring our focus on student success and District-wide systems that support student achievement. The Comprehensive Planning journey within the Penn-Trafford School District is part of an ongoing process in which data is analyzed to assess the needs and systemic challenges within the District. Data will be reviewed annually to monitor progress. Principals and District level administrators provided leadership for the development of the District Level Comprehensive Plan. The Assistant Superintendent facilitated the process. Principals will provide oversight for school-level development, implementation, and review processes. The Director of Student Services led the development of the Special Education and other student service-related components of the Comprehensive Plan. The District Level Comprehensive Plan will provide direction for the development and improvement of priority goals. To sustain momentum and assure focus on priority items, District Level Comprehensive Plan reviews will also be ongoing through the end of the three-year District Plan.
The Penn-Trafford School District Comprehensive Plan for the timeframe of 07/01/2023 through 06/30/2026 is available below for public inspection and comment for 28 days, after which it will be submitted to PDE.
Prospectus
The Prospectus is a publication for the residents of the Penn-Trafford School District. Published annually, it provides an overview of the coming school year.