Panther Valley High School

Panther Valley High School is a small public high school providing grades 7 to 12. It is the only high school for the Panther Valley School District. Panther Valley High School is located in the borough of Summit Hill with a mailing address of 912 Coal Region Way, Lansford, PA 18232. It serves students in both Carbon County and Schuylkill County. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 488 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 219 pupils eligible for a federal free lunch. Panther Valley High School is a federal Title I school. The school employed 33 teachers yielding a student teacher ratio of 14:1.[3] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 10 teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.[4]

Panther Valley High School
Address
912 Coal Region Way

Lansford
,
Pennsylvania
18232

United States
Information
School typePublic, High School
Established1973
School districtPanther Valley School District
SuperintendentRosemary Porembo, M. Ed.
PrincipalJoseph Gunnels
Faculty41 (FTE)[1]
Grades7-12
Enrollment698 (2017-18)[1]
Average class size~120
Student to teacher ratio17.02[1]
School color(s)Black, Gold and White
MascotPanther
Tuitionfor nonresident and charter school students High School - $8,779.98 [2]
WebsitePanther Valley High School Web Site

State lowest achieving school list

In July 2012, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) released a report identifying 2 Panther Valley School District schools as among the lowest achieving schools for reading and mathematics in 2011. Both Panther Valley Middle School and Panther Valley High School are among the 15% lowest achieving schools in the Commonwealth. Parents and students may be eligible for scholarships to transfer to another public or nonpublic school through the state's Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program passed in June 2012.[5] The scholarships are limited to those students whose family's income is less than $60,000 annually, with another $12,000 allowed per dependent. Maximum scholarship award is $8,500, with special education students receiving up to $15,000 for a year's tuition. Parents pay any difference between the scholarship amount and the receiving school's tuition rate. Students may seek admission to neighboring public school districts. Each year the PDE publishes the tuition rate for each individual public school district.[6] Fifty three public schools in Allegheny County are among the lowest achieving schools in 2011. According to the report, parents in 414 public schools (74 school districts) were offered access to these scholarships. For the 2012-13 school year, eight public school districts in Pennsylvania had all of their schools placed on the list including: Sto-Rox School District, Chester Upland School District, Clairton City School District, Duquesne City School District, Farrell Area School District, Wilkinsburg Borough School District, William Penn School District and Steelton-Highspire School District.[7] Funding for the scholarships comes from donations by businesses which receive a state tax credit for donating.

Graduation Rate

In 2011, the graduation rate at Panther Valley School District was 85%.[8] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Panther Valley Senior High School's rate was 75.97% for 2010.[9]

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

Adequate Yearly Progress history

In 2011, Panther Valley High School declined to Corrective Action II 1st Year status due to achieving just 1 of 6 academic metrics under the No Child Left Behind Act. Academic achievement remains below state standards in both reading and mathematics.[14] Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the school administration was required to notify parents of the school's poor achievement outcomes and to offer the opportunity to transfer to a successful school within the district. The district operates a single high school. Additionally, the school administration was required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, to develop a School Improvement Plan to address the school's low student achievement. Under the Pennsylvania Accountability System, the school must pay for additional tutoring for struggling students.[15]

  • 2010 - Making Progress: in Corrective Action I status.[16]
  • 2009 - declined to Corrective Action I status under No Child Left Behind.[17]
  • 2008 - School Improvement II status

PSSA Results

11th Grade Reading

  • 2011 - 60% on grade level, (28% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.[18]
  • 2010 - 64% (17% below basic). State - 66% [19]
  • 2009 - 53% (25% below basic). State - 65% [20]
  • 2008 - 46% (31% below basic). State - 65% [21]
  • 2007 - 43% (32% below basic). State - 65% [22]

11th Grade Math:

  • 2011 - 47% on grade level (37% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.[23]
  • 2010 - 51% (37% below basic). State - 59% [24]
  • 2009 - 39% (33% below basic). State - 56%.[25]
  • 2008 - 30% (45% below basic). State - 56% [26]
  • 2007 - 26% (56% below basic). State - 53% [27]

11th Grade Science:

  • 2011 - 19% on grade level (29% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.[28]
  • 2010 - 25% (18% below basic). State - 39%
  • 2009 - 19% (17% below basic). State - 40% [29]
  • 2008 - 14% (26% below basic). State - 39% [30]

College Remediation Rate

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 36% of the Panther Valley High School graduates required remediation in mathematics and or reading before they were prepared to take college level courses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education or community colleges.[31] Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school graduates, who enroll in a four-year college in Pennsylvania, will earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduate in three years.[32] Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, one in three recent high school graduates who attend Pennsylvania's public universities and community colleges takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.

SAT Scores

From January to June 2011, 47 Panther Valley students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 474. The Math average score was 461. The Writing average score was 448.[33] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.[34] In the United States, 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 (out of 800) verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.[35]

Dual enrollment

Panther Valley High School offers a Dual Enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offered a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books.[36] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[37] For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $8,595 for the program.[38]

Graduation requirements

Panther Valley School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 26 credits to graduate including: a required class every year in: math 4 credits, English 4 credits, Social Studies 3 credits, Science 3 credits, Physical Education 1 credit, Health .5 credit, Economics .5 credits, Personal Finance .5 credit, Computer Science 1 credit, Word .5 credit and electives.[39]

By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students must complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate from high school. The type of project, its rigor and its expectations are set by the individual school district.[40] At Panther Valley School District a student's project must demonstrate service to the community or demonstrate participation in career development and must be completed by March 1 of the senior year in order to receive a diploma.

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating class of 2017, students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, English Composition, and Literature for which the Keystone Exams serve as the final course exams. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade.[41][42][43] In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Lit exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level.[44] Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Classrooms for the Future grant

The Classroom for the Future state program provided districts with hundreds of thousands of extra state funding to buy laptop computers for each core curriculum high school class (English, Science, History, Math) and paid for teacher training to optimize the computers use. The program was funded from 2006 to 2009. Panther Valley School District was denied funding by the Pennsylvania Department of Education after applying in 2006-07 and in 2007-08. The high school received $105,138 in 2008-09.[45] In Carbon County the highest award was given to Jim Thorpe Area School District - $258,394. The highest funding statewide was awarded to Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. In 2010, Classrooms for the Future funding was curtailed statewide due to a massive state financial crisis.

Extracurriculars

The district offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and costly after school sports. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy.

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those homeschooled, are eligible to participate in the extracurricular programs including all athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.[46]

Athletics

Panther Valley is assigned to the Pennsylvania interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) District 11.

Panther Valley funds teams in the following high school sports:

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References
  1. "Panther Valley JSHS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  2. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pennsylvania Public School District Tuition Rates, May 2012
  3. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Care Data - Panther Valley High School, 2010
  4. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Professional Qualifications of Teachers Panther Valley High School, September 29, 2011
  5. Pennsylvania Department of Education (July 2012). "Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program".
  6. Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 2012). "Tuition rate Fiscal Year 2011-2012".
  7. Olsen, Laura, State list of failing schools has 53 in county, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, July 26, 2012
  8. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "Panther Valley School District AYP Data Table". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  9. Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 15, 2011). "New 4-year Cohort Graduation Rate Calculation Now Being Implemented".
  10. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "Panther Valley Senior High School District Academic Achievement Report Card Data table". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  11. The Times-Tribune (June 27, 2010). "PA School District Statistical Snapshot Database 2008-09".
  12. The Times-Tribune (June 25, 2009). "Carbon County School Districts Graduation Rates 2008".
  13. Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (2008). "High School Graduation rate 2007" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-05-07. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  14. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "Panther Valley High School Academic Report Card 2011". Archived from the original on February 21, 2013. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  15. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2012). "Pennsylvania Accountability System Frequently Asked Questions".
  16. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Panther Valley High School AYP Overview 2010, October 20, 2010
  17. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Panther Valley High School AYP Overview 2009, September 14, 2009
  18. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "2010-2011 PSSA and AYP Results".
  19. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results".
  20. The Times-Tribune (September 14, 2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 PSSA results".
  21. Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 15, 2008). "2007-2008 PSSA and AYP Results".
  22. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2007). "PSSA Math and Reading results".
  23. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2011". Missing or empty |url= (help)
  24. Pennsylvania Department of Education, High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010, October 20, 2010
  25. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Area High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009, September 14, 2009
  26. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Area High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2008, August 15, 2008
  27. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Area High School Academic Achievement Report Card, 2007
  28. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "2010-2011 PSSA results in Science".
  29. The Times-Tribune (2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 Science PSSA results".
  30. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2008). "Report on PSSA Science results by school and grade 2008".
  31. Pennsylvania Department of Education (January 20, 2009). "Pennsylvania College Remediation Report". Archived from the original on May 3, 2012.
  32. National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, 2008
  33. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "Public School SAT Scores 2011". Archived from the original on 2011-10-15.
  34. College Board (September 2011). "SAT Scores State By State - Pennsylvania". Archived from the original on 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  35. "While U.S. SAT scores dip across the board, N.J. test-takers hold steady". NJ.com. September 2011.
  36. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "Dual Enrollment Guidelines".
  37. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (March 2010). "Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement".
  38. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2009). "Dual Enrollment Grants 2009 10 Fall Grants by School District".
  39. Panther Valley School District Administration, Panther Valley High School Student Handbook, 2011
  40. Pennsylvania State Board of Education. "Pennsylvania Code §4.24 (a) High school graduation requirements".
  41. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "Keystone Exam Overview" (PDF).
  42. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 2011). "Pennsylvania Keystone Exams Overview". Archived from the original on 2012-03-17.
  43. Pennsylvania State Board of Education (2010). "Rules and Regulation Title 22 PA School Code CH. 4".
  44. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "Keystone Exams".
  45. Pennsylvania Auditor General (December 22, 2008). "Classrooms for the Future grants audit" (PDF).
  46. Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Press Release (November 10, 2005). "Home-Schooled, Charter School Children Can Participate in School District Extracurricular Activities".

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