Lancaster County, Pennsylvania schools

Map of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts.

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania schools include 16 school districts and 1 charter school.

The public school districts include the following: Cocalico, Columbia Borough, Conestoga Valley, Donegal, Eastern Lancaster County, Elizabethtown Area, Ephrata Area, Hempfield, Lampeter-Strasburg, Lancaster, Manheim Central, Manheim Township, Penn Manor, Pequea Valley, Solanco, and Warwick.

There is also one charter school, the La Academia Charter School.

SAT scores

2012 SAT: average scores
Lancaster County schools
School District Verbal Math Writing Total
Cocalico 498 515 491 1504
Columbia Borough 463 471 431 1365
Conestoga Valley 508 523 492 1523
Donegal 501 488 476 1465
Eastern Lancaster County 490 506 468 1464
Elizabethtown Area 510 522 486 1518
Ephrata Area 508 523 477 1508
Hempfield 519 547 499 1565
Lampeter-Strasburg 526 542 512 1580
Lancaster 415 426 402 1243
Manheim Central 510 514 496 1520
Manheim Township 537 557 524 1618
Penn Manor 497 516 479 1492
Pequea Valley 479 494 466 1439
Solanco 487 489 460 1436
Warwick 522 532 499 1553
County average 498 510 479 1487
Pennsylvania average 473 481 450 1404
U.S. average 497 514 489 1500
Possible on each test: 800 points
Source: Public School SAT Scores, PA Department of Education
U.S. Average Source: 2011 SAT Report, CollegeBoard

The Scholastic Aptitude Test is a college admissions test administered by the College Board. Taking the test requires both planning (registration weeks or months before the test is administered) and payment of a fee.

High scores do not necessarily mean better schools. In blue-collar communities, fewer students will plan for and pay to take the SAT, but those students will tend to be the best students in the school, while in white-collar communities, more average students will take the SAT. In 2003, North Dakota, tied for last place in participation (4%), yet had the highest SAT scores in the nation (602 verbal, 613 math). That same year, 73% of all Pennsylvania students took the SAT, scoring 500 verbal and 502 math.[1]

The SAT has recently been changed to have three sections - reading, math, and writing - instead of two sections - verbal and math. The highest score possible on a section is 800. Students accepted for admission to the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania in 2000 averaged over 700 points on each of the sections (verbal and math) used then.[2] On the other hand, Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania offers an honors program to 25-30 incoming freshmen each year, who average 600 on each section of the SAT.[3]

PSSA scores

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment refers to standardized tests that grade the school, rather than individual students. Every Pennsylvania student is tested annually in grades 3 through 8, and in grade 11 for both math and reading proficiency; those in grades 5, 8 and 11 are tested for writing proficiency as well.

Target goals are for 80% graduation rate (for high schools) and 90% attendance, 45% mathematics proficiency and 54% reading proficiency, and 95% participation in taking the PSSA tests. Schools are considered to meet the goal with substandard scores if they show improvement over the prior year.

These goals exist for not only the entire school, but for certain subgroups. In theory, a school could have as many as 41 goals to meet, but since schools are exempt from a subgroup goal if the subgroup has fewer than 40 students in that subgroup, no Lancaster County school has anywhere near 41 goals to meet.

Explaining the scores and levels

Scores show (passing/all) AYP goals.

Schools progress from Warning to School Improvement I, School Improvement II, School Corrective Action I, and to School Corrective Action II for missing the same AYP goal in repeated years. If different AYP targets are missed each year, a school can fail to meet AYP goals forever, yet remain in the “Warning” category.

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment
2011-2012 PSSA proficiency levels for Lancaster County schools
School District 3-5 Reading 3-5 Math 6-8 Reading 6-8 Math 11 Reading 11 Math
Cocalico 82.7% 86.1% 85.8% 89.5% 68.1% 61.4%
Columbia Borough 60.9% 72.4% 53.2% 67.3% 46.8% 45.3%
Conestoga Valley 76.3% 84.9% 83.9% 90.0% 82.7% 75.0%
Donegal 73.1% 82.5% 71.5% 82.9% 62.3% 51.8%
Eastern Lancaster County 72.5% 81.7% 79.9% 84.0% 74.4% 68.1%
Elizabethtown Area 70.8% 80.3% 76.6% 85.4% 72.2% 67.3%
Ephrata Area 77.4% 87.7% 79.1% 85.4% 72.3% 75.7%
Hempfield 85.5% 89.8% 86.5% 88.8% 76.6% 73.8%
Lampeter-Strasburg 89.0% 91.0% 86.9% 90.7% 86.1% 81.0%
Lancaster 50.5% 63.5% 46.4% 55.4% 43.9% 32.6%
Manheim Central 76.6% 83.7% 84.3% 90.1% 64.6% 64.5%
Manheim Township 80.1% 90.2% 85.9% 88.0% 77.7% 72.1%
Penn Manor 75.5% 86.4% 80.7% 85.6% 76.3% 69.7%
Pequea Valley 77.7% 86.4% 68.9% 74.4% 72.2% 52.0%
Solanco 82.9% 88.5% 85.6% 87.9% 69.6% 56.5%
Warwick 79.5% 83.7% 86.6% 87.1% 77.8% 72.8%
Source: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/school_assessments/7442

AYP (adequate yearly progress) status)

Scores show (Satisfactory goals/Total Goals)

Met AYP goals

Satisfactory results in meeting all goals

Making Progress

Substandard performances, but showing improvement

Warning

Missed AYP goals, but not same goal in consecutive years

School Improvement I

Missed same AYP goal two consecutive years

School Improvement II

Missed same AYP goal three consecutive years

Corrective Action I

Missed same AYP goal four consecutive years

Corrective Action II

Missed same AYP goal five consecutive years

Corrective Action III

Missed same AYP goal six or more consecutive years

References

  1. ↑ Mean SAT scores by state
  2. ↑ The State of the University, 2000-2001
  3. ↑ Major Implementing Objectives
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