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Northwest Area High School

Q: Is Northwest Area High School a good school?

Northwest Area High School ranks 287 th of 681 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 7-12

287^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 681 Pennsylvania High Schools

Better than 58% of Pennsylvania high schools

Summary

Northwest Area High School is a public high school located in Shickshinny, Pennsylvania, serving grades 7-12 with a total enrollment of 420 students. The school is part of the Northwest Area School District, which is ranked 403 out of 606 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Northwest Area High School has consistently ranked in the middle to lower range of Pennsylvania high schools, with a ranking between 167 and 352 over the past 10 years. The school's performance on standardized tests, such as the PSSA and Keystone Exams, is generally below the state average, with proficiency rates in Math (14.3%) and English Language Arts (36.9%) significantly lower than the state averages (41.7% and 48.5%, respectively) in the 2024-2025 school year. The school's four-year graduation rate has ranged from 87.5% to 98.6% in recent years, which is generally in line with or slightly below the state average.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Crestwood Secondary Campus, Central Columbia Senior High School, and Lake-Lehman Junior/Senior High School, Northwest Area High School generally performs below the academic standards of these higher-ranked schools in the region. These nearby schools have higher proficiency rates on standardized tests, better graduation rates, and lower percentages of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, which may be a contributing factor to Northwest Area High School's lower academic performance.

406

Students ?

11.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,406

Per pupil spending ?

48.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

243 Thorne Hill Rd
Shickshinny, PA 18655-9201

(570) 542-4126

District: Northwest Area School District

Feeder schools for Northwest Area High School:

Elementary:	Northwest Area Intermediate School
	Northwest Area Primary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.8%

Two or more races:

3.7%

Hispanic:

1.7%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare Northwest Area High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 36th percentile in 2021 → 58th in 2025

Strengths

✓93% graduate in 4 years — above the Pennsylvania average (89%)

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 58th (2025) from a 36th-percentile low (2021)

✓Above the Pennsylvania median (58th percentile)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Pennsylvania average (37% vs 46% meeting standards)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!Math scores 27 pts below the Pennsylvania average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school37%

District avg36%

Pennsylvania avg46%

Middle school

591^st of 873

Pennsylvania public middle schools ?

Bottom 32%▼ down 11 pts since 2015

From bottom 43% (2015) to bottom 32% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Pennsylvania Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

287^th of 681

Pennsylvania public high schools ?

Top 42%▼ down 18 pts since 2015

From top 25% (2015) to top 42% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Pennsylvania High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

403^rd of 606Northwest Area School District among Pennsylvania districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	30.5	591 of 873	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	56.8	396 of 891	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.4	489 of 893	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	51.7	449 of 883	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	30.1	576 of 797	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	60.0	390 of 891	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	43.7	527 of 861	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	44.3	520 of 877	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2016	49.6	487 of 870	44.0%	★★☆☆☆
2015	47.7	474 of 835	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2014	39.9	512 of 728	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	49.1	483 of 758	36.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	71.7	253 of 834	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2011	65.1	342 of 825	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2010	49.2	519 of 805	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2009	52.2	456 of 770	40.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	62.4	318 of 753	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2007	72.0	201 of 749	73.2%	★★★★☆
2006	67.6	249 of 736	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2005	70.9	220 of 687	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2004	57.3	349 of 663	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2003	68.5	232 of 643	63.9%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	46.4	271 of 643	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.5	153 of 672	77.2%	★★★★☆
2023	45.5	307 of 660	53.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	37.7	530 of 835	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	61.7	312 of 860	63.7%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	40.7	505 of 843	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	67.4	242 of 877	72.4%	★★★★☆
2023	43.4	504 of 874	42.3%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	19.8	660 of 839	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	46.9	472 of 870	45.7%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	13.4	597 of 649	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	37.7	426 of 673	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.7	500 of 681	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	60.8	287 of 681	57.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	55.3	341 of 686	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.7	256 of 674	62.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.4	344 of 634	45.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	51.0	341 of 537	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	70.5	232 of 693	66.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.1	329 of 673	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2017	59.0	352 of 663	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	63.8	318 of 677	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2015	74.5	167 of 680	75.4%	★★★★☆
2014	45.8	387 of 580	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2013	49.5	364 of 591	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2012	64.7	262 of 664	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	63.2	287 of 660	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2010	49.2	402 of 649	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2009	45.7	429 of 632	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2008	41.3	444 of 621	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	41.1	457 of 615	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	63.6	251 of 604	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2005	66.1	210 of 593	64.6%	★★★☆☆
2004	42.3	398 of 590	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2003	52.3	336 of 583	42.4%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	38.5	294 of 524	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	36.9	293 of 513	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	29.9	348 of 502	30.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	69.3	212 of 657	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.1	275 of 665	58.6%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	61.5	244 of 651	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.0	241 of 664	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.6	300 of 652	54.0%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	47.8	374 of 660	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	47.7	381 of 662	42.4%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Pennsylvania percentile	Rating
2025	41.1	359 of 583	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.7	376 of 595	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2023	53.0	279 of 577	51.6%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Middle school

Disabled (2025)58th percentile+26 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)40th percentile+8 vs school

Female (2025)37th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2025)21st percentile-11 vs school

White (2025)8th percentile-24 vs school

High school

Female (2025)68th percentile+10 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)63rd percentile+5 vs school

Disabled (2025)44th percentile-14 vs school

Male (2025)43rd percentile-15 vs school

White (2025)38th percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs Pennsylvania (2024-2025) ?

Literature63%~ state avg

Biology54%+5 vs state

Algebra I47%~ state avg

English Language Arts37%-12 vs state

Math14%-27 vs state

1.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The school board and many of the local residents are very vocal concerning their dislike of teachers. Recently, the board voted to close one of their elementary schools as a cost saving measure.
With the exception of athletics and band, the high school does not encourage or allow parental involvement.
At present, the district is under investigation by the FBI. Close Quote

Schools Near Northwest Area High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2025)	Keystone Exams Biology (2025)	Keystone Exams Literature (2025)	PSSA Math (2025)			PSSA English Language Arts (2025)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Northwest Area High School	Public	7-12	243 Thorne Hill Rd	Shickshinny	18655	Luzerne County	Northwest Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 542-4126	406	36	11.2	48.8%	381 (93.8%)	2 (0.5%)	7 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.7%)	60.8	287^th of 681 public high schools	57.9%		55.3	341^st of 686 public high schools	50.3%	54	46.7	54.3	63.3	14.5	14.1	14.3	27.4	45.1	36.9	$22,406	$573	$21,833
Berwick Area High School	Public	9-12	1100 Fowler Ave	Berwick	18603	Columbia County	Berwick Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 759-6400	692	53	13.1	103.9%	539 (77.9%)	20 (2.9%)	120 (17.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.6%)	67.7	234^th of 681 public high schools	65.6%		53.7	359^th of 686 public high schools	47.7%	125	55.8	53.7	66.3							$20,752	$2,149	$18,603
Benton Area High School	Public	9-12	400 Park St	Benton	17814	Columbia County	Benton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 925-6651	200	19	10.5	98.5%	191 (95.5%)	3 (1.5%)	5 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	70.6	205^th of 681 public high schools	69.9%		47.6	404^th of 686 public high schools	41.1%	199	51.0	68.1	63.8							$23,041	$1,652	$21,389
Greater Nanticoke Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	425 Kosciuszko St	Nanticoke	18634	Luzerne County	Greater Nanticoke Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 735-7781	698	39	17.9	103.3%	464 (66.5%)	54 (7.7%)	140 (20.1%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	34 (4.9%)	28.5	506^th of 681 public high schools	25.7%		26.3	525^th of 686 public high schools	23.5%	19	27.5	33.3	51.6							$16,962	$1,662	$15,299
Lake-Lehman Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	1128 Old Route 115	Lehman	18627	Luzerne County	Lake-Lehman School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 675-7458	745	52	14.3	37.4%	705 (94.6%)	3 (0.4%)	24 (3.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.5%)	73.6	174^th of 681 public high schools	74.4%		87.2	62^nd of 686 public high schools	91.0%	112	50.8	58.6	76.7	26.1	27.5	26.8	38.0	50.0	43.9	$17,313	$436	$16,877
Hanover Area Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	1600 Sans Souci Pkwy	Hanover Township	18706	Luzerne County	Hanover Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 831-2300	977	59	16.4	97.9%	519 (53.1%)	136 (13.9%)	272 (27.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (4.9%)	15.3	573^rd of 681 public high schools	15.9%		20.6	554^th of 686 public high schools	19.2%	19	17.9	28.0	39.2	8.2	9.7	9.0	23.4	21.7	22.5	$18,452	$2,690	$15,762
Wyoming Valley West Senior High School	Public	9-12	150 Wadham Street	Plymouth	18651	Luzerne County	Wyoming Valley West School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 779-5361	1,362	88	15.3	101.4%	729 (53.5%)	195 (14.3%)	316 (23.2%)	10 (0.7%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	108 (7.9%)	27.6	511^th of 681 public high schools	25.0%		38.8	469^th of 686 public high schools	31.6%	42	25.8	34.4	50.9							$15,161	$2,529	$12,631
Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School	Public	9-12	5050 Sweppenheiser Drive	Bloomsburg	17815	Columbia County	Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School	No	No	No	No	(570) 784-8040	609	48	12.7	53.0%	539 (88.5%)	11 (1.8%)	26 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (4.8%)	15.8	570^th of 681 public high schools	16.3%		15.8	575^th of 686 public high schools	16.2%	5	27.1	24.2	33.8
Central Columbia Senior High School	Public	9-12	4777 Old Berwick Rd	Bloomsburg	17815	Columbia County	Central Columbia School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 784-2833	601	44	13.6	29.0%	541 (90.0%)	6 (1.0%)	27 (4.5%)	12 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.3%)	77.2	147^th of 681 public high schools	78.4%		86.6	66^th of 686 public high schools	90.4%	81	59.1	63.6	70.5							$22,014	$330	$21,684
Crestwood Secondary Campus	Public	7-12	281 S Mountain Blvd	Mountain Top	18707	Luzerne County	Crestwood School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 474-6782	1,379	66	20.7	26.8%	1,214 (88.0%)	28 (2.0%)	65 (4.7%)	57 (4.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (1.0%)	63.8	260^th of 681 public high schools	61.8%		67.1	229^th of 686 public high schools	66.6%	31	54.1	61.9	55.7	46.6	43.8	45.2	63.1	49.8	56.4	$12,847	$850	$11,998

Frequently Asked Questions about Northwest Area High School

What schools feed into Northwest Area High School?

Northwest Area High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Northwest Area Intermediate School
Elementary : Northwest Area Primary School

What is the racial makeup of Northwest Area High School?

Students at Northwest Area High School are 94% White, 4% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

How many students attend Northwest Area High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 406 students attended Northwest Area High School.

Is Northwest Area High School a good school?

Northwest Area High School ranks 287^th of 681 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Northwest Area High School in?

Northwest Area School District

Rate Northwest Area High School!

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Schools in Shickshinny, PA

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.