Freedom Area Senior High School

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 33% of the Freedom Area Senior High School 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.[16] 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.[17] 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.

From January to June 2011, 91 Freedom Area School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 475. The Math average score was 469. The Writing average score was 460.[18] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.[19] 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.[20]

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 offered a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books.[21] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[22] For the 2009-10 funding year, Freedom Area School District received a state grant of $4,796 for the program.[23] Dual enrollment grants were discontinued in 2011 due to the state's economic crisis, but the program continues to be available to students at their own expense.

Freedom Area School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 28 credits to graduate, including: Mathematics 3 credits, Science 3 credits, English 4 credits, social studies 4 credits, Arts/Humanities 2 credits, Communications 1 credit, Health/career ed 1 credit, Senior seminar 1 credit, Computer technology 1 credit, Practical applications 1 credit, Physical Education 1 credit and electives 5.5 credits.[24]

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.[25] Completion of the Graduation Project earns 0.5 credit towards graduation.

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. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade.[26][27][28] 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.[29] Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Using state funding dollars, the district implemented a One-to-One laptop program providing high school students a laptop computer after mandatory training for the student and the parent. Students must be enrolled in a course that requires a laptop. Students using laptops are bound by the Freedom Area School District’s Acceptable Use Policy which describes and limits how they may use the district's technology. The computer must be returned to the district at the end of the course.

Freedom Area High School offers on-line course options for credit recovery to remain on track to graduate. Credit Recovery courses yields a pass/fail final grade on the student's transcript. Students enrolled full-time in the Cyber Service program must be actively engaged in their on-line course work for a minimum of 2.5 hours daily in order to participate in extracurricular activities or practices. All Freedom Area School District cyber courses are considered in athletic eligibility standard.