Beaver Falls High School

In 2011, the graduation rate was 93%.[3] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Big Beaver Falls High School's rate was 82.71% for 2010.[4]

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

• 2010 - 90% [5]
• 2009 - 91% [6]
• 2008 - 87% [7]
• 2007 - 87% [8]

In 2012, Beaver Falls High School ranked 90th out of 123 high schools in the western Pennsylvania region by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on student academic achievement as demonstrated on five years of the PSSAs for: reading, writing math and three years of science.[9]

• 2011 - 97th
• 2010 - 95th [10]
• 2009 - 89th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools [11]

In 2012, Beaver Falls High School achieved AYP status. In 2011, the school was in Warning status due to lagging achievement in reading and math.[12]

PSSA Results

11th Grade Reading

• 2011 - 69% on grade level, (16% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.[13]
• 2010 - 57%, (23% below basic). State - 66% [14]
• 2009 - 60% (18% below basic). State - 65% [15]
• 2008 - 66%, State - 65% [16]
• 2007 - 52%, State - 65%[17]

11th Grade Math:

• 2011 - 52% on grade level (24% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.[18]
• 2010 - 46% (37% below basic). State - 59%
• 2009 - 52% (27%, State - 56% [19]
• 2008 - 51%, State - 56%
• 2007 - 55%, State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

• 2011 - 24% on grade level (28% below basic). Statewide - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.[20]
• 2010 - 22% (23% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 45% (23% below basic), State - 40%
• 2008 - 27%, State - 39%

In 2009, US News and World report ranked 21,000 public high schools, in the United States, based on three factors. First, the schools were analyzed for the number of students who achieved above the state average on the reading and math tests in 2008. Then they considered how the economically disadvantaged students performed against the state average. Finally, they considered the participation rate and the performance of students in college readiness by examining Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate test data. Seventy Pennsylvania high schools achieved ranking bronze, silver or gold rating. Fifty three Pennsylvania high schools achieved bronze.[21] Beaver Falls High School achieved Bronze ranking. Two high schools in Beaver County achieved inclusion in the ranking. After 2009, the school was not recognized by US News & World Report in the ranking in 2010, 2011, or 2012.[22]

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 33% of Big Beaver Falls Area 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.[23] 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.[24] 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.

Beaver Falls 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.[25] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[26] For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $19,577 for the program.[27]

From January to June 2011, 67 Beaver Falls High School students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 443. The Math average score was 449. The Writing average score was 419.[28] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.[29] 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.[30]

Big Beaver Falls Area School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 27 credits to graduate including: math 4 credits, English 4 credits, social studies 4 credits, science 3 credits, Physical Education 2 credits, Health 1/2 credit, Communications 1/2 credit, computers 1 credit and electives 5 credits.[31] Any student scoring Below Basic on the 11th grade PSSA Math and/or Reading Assessment is required to take a PSSA Math and/or Reading Class in order to graduate.

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.[32] Completion of the project earns the student one credit towards graduation.

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, beginning with the graduating class of 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.[33][34][35] 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.[36] Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

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 2006-2009. The Beaver Falls High School received $154,153 in 2006-07. In 2007-08 the district received an additional $250,000. The district did not apply for funding in 2008-09.[37] In Beaver County the highest Classrooms for the Future grant award was given to Freedom Area School District at $476,723. The highest funding statewide was awarded to the Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. In 2010, Classrooms for the Future program funding was curtailed statewide due to a massive state financial crisis, which was brought on by the US stock market crash in the Fall 2008.

The district offers a wide variety of after school clubs, activities and sports.

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.[38]

The Tigers' main athletic rivals are the New Brighton Lions, who they play each season in football for the Little Brown Jug, the trophy winner takes it home to their high school, and the Aliquippa quips which are played every season as well.

Beaver Falls High School athletics:

Men's Football

Men's Golf

Men's Cross Country

Men's Basketball - PIAA state champions in 1970, 1994, 2005, 2013 [28]

Men's Baseball

Men's Swimming and Diving

Men's and Women's Track and Field

Men's and Women's Bowling-(started in 2007)

Women's Volleyball

Women's Tennis

Women's Cross Country

Women's Basketball

Women's Softball

Women's Swimming and Diving

The school has a notable production of Little Women.

• Jake McCandless, class of 1947, football and basketball coach
• Jim Mutscheller, American football player
• Joe Lonnett, Major League Baseball player & coach
• Joe Namath, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback from 1965-1977.
• Candy Young, The national high school record holder in 100 metres hurdles.

• Official site