Albert Gallatin High School

Albert Gallatin High School was originally created in 1951,[3] consolidating the Masontown and Point Marion high schools at the present-day AG Middle School South campus, near Point Marion. It was not until 1986 that the present building (the former Fairchance-Georges High School) was used as the sole High School for the district, combining all three (at that time) district's High Schools and creating two Middle Schools. The name was briefly changed to Tri-Valley High School, representing the changes. Finally, in 1993, the school board renamed the school to its present name, to reflect the founding father of the area, Albert Gallatin. Within 1993 and now, the school had a complete renovation and addition process, as well as technology improvements, and a new Athletic Complex,[4] including a new fieldhouse.

In 2012, Albert Gallatin High School declined to Corrective Action Level I due to ongoing low student achievement.[5] 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 parent the opportunity to transfer to a successful school within the District. 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.[6] In 2011, High School remained in School Improvement level II status.[7] The Albert Gallatin Area High School declined to School Improvement II status in 2010 due to continuing low student academic achievement. The school achieved one of 8 academic achievement assessment criteria.[7] The high school was in School Improvement I in 2009.

In 2011, the high school's 11th grade ranked 105th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools based on five years of results in PSSAs on: reading, math writing and three years of science.[8]

• 2010 – 97th [9]
• 2009 – 104th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools [10]

In 2012, Albert Gallatin High School's graduation rate declined to 80% [11] In 2011, the graduation rate was 86%.[12] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Albert Gallatin Area school District's graduation rate was 79% for 2010.[13]

Former AYP graduation rate

• 2010 - 85%[14]
• 2009 - 82%[15]
• 2008 - 82% [16]
• 2007 – 85%[17]

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, "23% of the school district's 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 schools 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.

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. 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.[33] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[34] For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $16,103 for the program.

From January to June 2011, 134 Albert Gallatin students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 454. The Math average score was 471. The Writing average score was 442.[35] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.[36] 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.[37]

The Albert Gallatin High School was awarded the School Improvement Grant, or SIG grant. The grant included some new equipment for educational purposes. It was eligible for funding due to the chronic, low achievement at the high school.[38]

In 2010, Pennsylvania received $141 million from the federal –US Department of Education, to turn around its worst-performing schools. The funds were disbursed via a competitive grant program.[39] The Pennsylvania Department of Education has identified 200 Pennsylvania schools as "persistently lowest achieving," making them eligible for this special funding.[40] Pennsylvania required low performing schools to apply or provide documentation about why they had not applied. The funds must be used, by the district, to turn around schools in one of four ways: school closure, restart - close the school and reopen it as a charter school. The other two options involve firing the principal. One would require at least half the faculty in a chronically poor performing school be dismissed. The second involves intensive teacher training coupled with strong curriculum revision or a longer school day.[41]

A plethora of athletic sports programs and extracurricular activities are available at AG.