Summary:
The city of Swissvale, Pennsylvania has only one middle school, Dickson Prep STEAM Academy, which serves grades 6-8. This school faces significant challenges, with a student population that is predominantly minority and economically disadvantaged. Dickson Prep STEAM Academy has consistently ranked in the bottom 20% of Pennsylvania middle schools over the past 3 years and struggles with very low proficiency rates on standardized tests, scoring well below state averages in math, science, and English language arts.
The school has a high percentage (62.31%) of African American students and a high percentage (100%) of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. This suggests that the school is serving a community facing significant socioeconomic challenges, which likely contribute to the academic struggles observed.
Despite the school's relatively high per-student spending of $19,929, this does not appear to be translating into improved academic outcomes. Further analysis would be needed to understand how resources are being utilized and what additional support or interventions may be necessary to address the root causes of Dickson Prep STEAM Academy's persistent low performance and help improve educational outcomes for the Swissvale community.
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