Lancaster County, Pennsylvania schools

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

Map of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts.

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

2016 SAT: average scores
Lancaster County schools
School district Reading Math Writing Total
Cocalico 514 524 495 1534
Columbia Borough 460 448 427 1335
Conestoga Valley 515 511 479 1505
Donegal 515 508 492 1515
Eastern Lancaster County 526 524 493 1544
Elizabethtown Area 529 532 495 1556
Ephrata Area 525 526 496 1546
Hempfield 535 556 505 1595
Lampeter-Strasburg 524 533 511 1567
Lancaster 425 436 407 1268
Manheim Central 507 510 483 1501
Manheim Township 539 553 515 1608
Penn Manor 516 523 483 1521
Pequea Valley 531 526 492 1549
Solanco 509 512 471 1492
Warwick 537 539 507 1584
County average 513 516 484 1514
Pennsylvania average 481 485 458 1424
U.S. average 494 508 482 1484
Each test section is out of a score of 800 points.
Source: Public School SAT Scores, PA Department of Education
U.S. Average Source: 2016 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
2016-2017 Average PSSA exam scores for Lancaster County schools
School district Elementary Reading Elementary Math Elementary Science Intermediate Math Intermediate Reading Intermediate Science
Cocalico 78% 53% 91% 74% 38% 62%
Columbia Borough 50% 35% 80% 41% 15% 29%
Conestoga Valley 72% 52% 81% 71% 46% 60%
Donegal 69% 51% 79% 60% 41% 66%
Eastern Lancaster County 67% 49% 87% 69% 49% 60%
Elizabethtown Area 72% 62% 86% 66% 48% 63%
Ephrata Area 73% 60% 85% 61% 46% 51%
Hempfield 76% 62% 88% 73% 48% 70%
Lampeter-Strasburg 82% 67% 86% 74% 56% 61%
Lancaster 55% 44% 70% 36% 16% 31%
Manheim Central 73% 57% 88% 63% 51% 72%
Manheim Township 83% 75% 91% 79% 57% 71%
Penn Manor 73% 65% 86% 68% 46% 64%
Pequea Valley 71% 57% 89% 57% 27% 50%
Solanco 57% 50% 86% 62% 35% 56%
Warwick 74% 44% 82% 73% 44% 71%
Source:

AYP (adequate yearly progress) status)

Scores show (Satisfactory goals/Total Goals)

Met AYP goals

Satisfactory results in meeting all goals

  • 104 of the county's 117 schools fit in this category.

Making Progress

Substandard performances, but showing improvement

  • Columbia Junior/Senior High School (17/17)
  • Fulton Elementary School (13/13)
  • George Washington Elementary (21/21)
  • Hand Middle School (22/22)
  • Reynolds Middle School (16/16)
  • Ross Elementary School (11/11)

Warning

Missed AYP goals, but not same goal in consecutive years

  • Burrowes School (10/13)
  • Ephrata Senior High School (12/13)
  • Hempfield Senior High School (16/17)
  • Warwick Middle School (11/13)

School Improvement I

Missed same AYP goal two consecutive years

  • (no schools in this category)

School Improvement II

Missed same AYP goal three consecutive years

  • (no schools in this category)

Corrective Action I

Missed same AYP goal four consecutive years

  • Buehrle Alternative School (3/9)
  • Elizabethtown Area Middle School (11/13)
  • King Elementary School (12/17)
  • McCaskey Campuses (26/29)
  • Price Elementary School (12/13)
  • Warwick Senior High School (11/13)

Corrective Action II

Missed same AYP goal five consecutive years

  • Wheatland Middle School (21/23)

Corrective Action III

Missed same AYP goal six or more consecutive years

  • (no schools in this category)

References

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