Ephrata High School (Pennsylvania)

In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, four-year cohort graduation rate. Ephrata Area School District's rate was 86% for 2010.[5]

• 2010 - 95% [6]
• 2009 - 94%
• 2008 - 94% [7]
• 2007 - 94% [8]
• 2006 - 98% [9]

In 2010, the senior high school was in "Making Progress: in School Improvement I" status due to lagging student achievement. In 2009, the school was in "School Improvement I" AYP status due to chronic low student achievement.[10]

11th grade reading

• 2010 - 74% on grade level (9% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders were on grade level.[11]
• 2009 - 66% (19% below basic), state - 65% [12]
• 2008 - 66% (14% below basic), state - 65% [13]
• 2007 - 71% (12% below basic), state - 65% [14]
• 2006 - 65% (19% below basic), state - 65%
• 2007 - 62% (25% below basic), state - 65%

11th grade math:

• 2010 - 77%, on grade level (11% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders were on grade level.[15]
• 2009 - 66% (18% below basic), state - 56%.
• 2008 - 70% (17% below basic), state - 56%
• 2007 - 64% (17% below basic), state - 53%
• 2006 - 62% (22% below basic), state - 52%
• 2005 - 55% (25% below basic), state - 51%

11th grade science:

• 2010 - 55% on grade level (10% below basic). State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 54% (11% below basic), state - 40% [16]
• 2008 - 36%, state - 39%

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 31% of Ephrata 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.[17] 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.[18] 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 school has offered a dual enrollment program to seniors since 2007. Up to six credits a semester may be taken.[19] 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. Ephrata Area School District has concurrent agreements for dual enrollment with Franklin and Marshall College, Pennsylvania State University - Berks Campus, Millersville University and Harrisburg Area Community College - Lancaster Campus. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books.[20] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[21]

For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $6,484 for the program.[22] For the 2010-11 school year, $5,608.00 was received from the PDE.[23] For 2011-12, there were no state grants available, but the program continued. Parents and students were responsible for paying all costs associated with the courses.

The Ephrata Area school Board has determined that students must earn 21 credits to graduate, including English - 4 credits, Social Studies - 3 credits, Mathematics - 4 credits, Science - 3 credits, Physical Education and Health - 1.5 credits, Computer - 0.5 credits, Consumer Skills - 0.5 credits, and electives - 3.5 credits.[24][25]

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.[26] At Ephrata Area School District the graduation project must be completed in order to attend prom and participate in senior activity day and the graduation ceremony.

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for 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. Keystone Exam scores count for at least one-third of the final course grade.[27]

Washington Educational Center is on Marshall Street in Ephrata Borough. It opened in October 1999, in the vacant former Washington Elementary School, as an alternative for students who could not complete the requirements of a traditional brick-and-mortar education. In 2011, the school board changed the classification of the school to a second high school in the school district. The new status means that, upon successful completion or requirements, students receive an Ephrata High School diploma.

In January 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of Education identified the Washington Education Center as being in the bottom 5% of the state's public schools, for student academic achievement. According to the report, just 7.69% of the pupils were on grade level in both math and reading.[28] For a time, this alternative school permitted students from other school districts to attend, but it terminated that policy in 2010. Washington Education Center graduated 70 students in 2009. It serves as an alternative education senior high school. The school was required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to revise its programming to comply with the state-mandated 990 hours of attendance for students at public schools in 2010.[29] In 2010, 24 of the school's teachers had emergency teacher certifications.[30]

2010 PSSA results

• 11th grade Reading - 14% on grade level, 50% below basic. State - 66% 11th graders in PA on grade level.[30]
• 11th grade Mathematics - 0 students on grade level, 100% below basic. State - 59%.
• 11th grade Science - 0 students on grade level, 45% below basic. State - 39%.

The district offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility for participation is determined by the school board.[31]

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, or charter school, and those who are 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.[32][33]

The school's marching band was ranked in the top 10 best schools in the nation in 2014.

• Jackson Davis – actor best known for his role in Lonelygirl15
• Mike Mentzer – professional bodybuilder and 1979 Mr. Olympia heavyweight champion
• Ray Mentzer – 1979 AAU Mr. America
• Joanne Parrott – former member of Maryland House of Delegates
• Evelyn Ay Sempier – 1954 Miss America
• Stanley Von Nieda - Former NBA player

• Ephrata High School official website