Summary:
The Austin Area School District in Pennsylvania operates two schools: Austin Area Elementary School and Austin Area Junior/Senior High School. While the junior/senior high school is a standout performer, ranking in the top 25% of Pennsylvania high schools, the elementary school has seen a decline in its statewide ranking in recent years.
The junior/senior high school boasts strong test scores, with 75% of 11th graders proficient or better in Algebra I and Biology Keystone Exams. It also has an impressive 87.9% four-year graduation rate and a low 1.4% dropout rate. In contrast, the elementary school's math proficiency rates are strong, but its English Language Arts proficiency lags behind the state average. The elementary school's statewide ranking has dropped from 617th out of 1,433 in 2020-2021 to 1,086th out of 1,534 in 2022-2023.
Both schools have relatively small enrollments of 77 students each and very high free/reduced lunch rates of 96.1%, indicating a high-poverty student population. The elementary school spends $27,336 per student, while the junior/senior high school spends $24,481 per student. The elementary school has a 9.7 student-teacher ratio, while the junior/senior high school has a 10.0 ratio. The stark contrast in performance between the two schools within the same district suggests that the district may need to examine the factors contributing to the differences and implement targeted interventions to address the needs of the lower-performing elementary school.
Thank you for your feedback!