Ringgold High School (Pennsylvania)

Ringgold High School, part of the Ringgold School District, is in Carroll Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, which is about thirty miles south of Pittsburgh. The Ringgold School District was formed as a result of the merger of the Donora and Monongahela School Districts.

Graduation rate

In 2011, the graduation rate was 92%.[1] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Ringgold School District's rate was 91% for 2010.[2]

Former calculation graduation rate
  • 2010 - 87%
  • 2009 - 95%[3]
  • 2008 - 92%
  • 2007 - 92%[4]

Academic achievement

In 2011, Ringgold Senior High School achieved AYP status.[5] In 2010 and 2009, the senior high school was in School Improvement II due to chronically low academic achievement of its students.

In 2010 the school ranked 76th. In 2009, Ringgold High School ranked 73rd out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools for academic achievement based on three years of the PSSAs on: reading, writing, math and one year of science.[6]

PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
  • 2011 - 82% on grade level, (4% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.[7]
  • 2010 - 78% (10% below basic). State - 66%[8]
  • 2009 - 68%, State - 65%[3]
  • 2008 - 66%, State - 64%
  • 2007 - 62%, State - 65%[9]
11th Grade Math:
  • 2011 - 80%, on grade level (12% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.
  • 2010 - 69%, (20% below basic). State - 59%
  • 2009 - 54%, State - 56%[10]
  • 2008 - 65%, State - 56%
  • 2007 - 35%, State - 53%
11th Grade Science:
  • 2011 - 38% on grade level (10% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.[11]
  • 2010 - 42% (13% below basic). State - 39%
  • 2009 - 38%, State - 40%
  • 2008 - 35%, State - 39%

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 50% of Ringgold School District 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.[12] 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.[13] 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.

Dual enrollment

The 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, including the graduation ceremony. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[14]

For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $12,529 for the program.

Challenge Program

The Challenge Program, Inc. offers $250.00 cash incentives to Ringgold High School sophomores, juniors, and seniors who excel in the categories of: Academic Improvement, Attendance, Community Service and Academic Excellence. The program partners with businesses to motivate students both in and out of the classroom by encouraging good habits in students that will last throughout their education and into their future careers. For the 2010–2011 school year, the top 10% of students in each of the categories will be eligible to win $250.00.[15] The program is sponsored by the Mon Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce at Ringgold School District.

Graduation requirements

The Ringgold School Board has determined that a students must earn 23 credits to graduate including: English 4 credits, Math 3 credits, Science 3 credits, Social Studies 3 credits, Physical Education 1.75 credits, Health 0.5 credits, Arts/Humanities 2 credits, Graduation Projects .75 credits and 6 credits in Electives.[16] Students must also score at the proficient or advanced level on all of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests taken their junior year or one of the districts four alternative options.

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.[17]

By Pennsylvania State School Board regulations, beginning with the graduating class in 2016, 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.[18]

Extracurriculars

The district offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility to participate is determined by school board policy.

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students 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.[19]

Notable alumni
  • Ken Griffey Sr. (born 1950), former MLB outfielder and coach, (attended Donora High School before merger)
  • Joe Montana (born 1956), NFL football Hall of Famer
  • Fred Cox (1938-2019), former NFL kicker, (attended Monongahela High School before merger)
  • Stan Musial (1920-2013), former MLB outfielder and pitcher, (attended Donora High School before merger)
  • Scott Zolak (born 1967), broadcaster and former NFL quarterback
  • Jim Renacci (born 1958), (Member of the US House of Representatives)
gollark: Actually, "weed" can cause schizophrenia in younger people.
gollark: You have said this before.
gollark: And yet you have not even made Macron?
gollark: Anyone with access to the global exam desk database could easily find you.
gollark: You really shouldn't just post pictures of exam desks on the internet like that.

References
  1. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "Ringgold School District AYP Data Table". Archived from the original on 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  2. Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 15, 2011). "New 4-year Cohort Graduation Rate Calculation Now Being Implemented".
  3. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2009). "Ringgold Senior High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009".
  4. Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (2008). "Graduation Rate by School District 2007". Archived from the original on 2012-11-05.
  5. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "RINGGOLD Senior High School AYP Overview". Archived from the original on 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  6. The Rankings: 11th Grade, Guide to Western Pennsylvania Schools, Pittsburgh Business Times. May 15, 2009
  7. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "2010-2011 PSSA and AYP Results".
  8. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results".
  9. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2007). "Report PSSA Math and Reading by school and grade 2007".
  10. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2009). "2009 PSSAs: Reading, Math, Writing and Science Results".
  11. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "2010-2011 PSSA results in Science".
  12. Pennsylvania College Remediation Report https://www.scribd.com/doc/23970364/Pennsylvania-College-Remediation-Report%5B%5D
  13. National Center for Education Statistics
  14. Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement. site accessed March 2010. http://www.patrac.org/
  15. The Challenge Program, Inc. (2011). "The Challenge Program 2010". Archived from the original on 2011-10-06.
  16. Ringgold High School Student Handbook, Ringgold School District Administration, 2011
  17. "Pennsylvania Code §4.24 (a) High school graduation requirements".
  18. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 2011). "Pennsylvania Keystone Exams Overview". Archived from the original on 2014-02-23.
  19. Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Press Release (November 10, 2005). "Home-Schooled, Charter School Children Can Participate in School District Extracurricular Activities,". Archived from the original on October 23, 2014.

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