Austin High School (Austin, Pennsylvania)

2015 School Performance Profile

Austin Area Junior Senior High School achieved 64.4 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. The Pennsylvania Department of Education withheld the percentage of successful students for each exam due to less than 10 pupils taking each test: Reading Literature, Biology, Algebra I. Statewide, 53 percent of schools with an eleventh grade achieved an academic score of 70 or better. Five percent of the 2,033 schools with 11th grade were scored at 90 and above; 20 percent were scored between 80 and 89; 28 percent between 70 and 79; 25 percent between 60 and 69 and 22 percent below 60. The Keystone Exam results showed: 73 percent of students statewide scored at grade-level in English, 64 percent in Algebra I and 59 percent in biology.

2014 School Performance Profile

Austin Area Junior Senior High School achieved 77.8 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 77% of pupils were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 97% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, only 56% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course. Statewide, the percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in Algebra I increased to  39.7% to 40.1%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in reading/literature declined to 52.5%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in biology improved from 39.7% to 41.4%.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,134 of 2,947 Pennsylvania public schools (72 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher. Fifty-three percent of schools statewide received lower SPP scores compared with last year's, while 46 percent improved. A handful were unchanged.

2013 School Performance Profile

Austin Area Junior Senior High School achieved 70.9 out of 100. The score reflects on grade level reading, writing, mathematics and science student achievement. In reading, 76.92% of the students were on grade level. In Mathematics, 79.49% of the students showed on grade level skills. In Science, 27.59% of the students demonstrated on grade level understanding. In writing, 83% of the 8th grade students showed on grade level skills through a writing sample which was evaluated by the state.

Graduation requirements

Among Pennsylvania's 500 public school districts, graduation requirements widely vary. The Austin Area School Board has determined the type and number of credits a student must earn 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. Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania Board of Education eliminated the state mandate that students complete a culminating project in order to graduate.
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating class of 2018, 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. 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. Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students identified as having special needs and qualifying for an Individual Educational Program (IEP) may graduate by meeting the requirements of their IEP.

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 13% of the Austin Area Junior-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. 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. 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.

SAT Scores

In 2014, 15 Austin Area Junior Senior High School students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 472. The Math average score was 493. The Writing average score was 441. Statewide in Pennsylvania, Verbal Average Score was 497. The Math average score was 504. The Writing average score was 480. The College Board also reported that nationwide scores were: 497 in reading, 513 in math and 487 in writing.
In 2013, 12 Austin Area School District students' average Verbal Average Score was 462.5. The Math average score was 489.17. The Writing average score was 440.83. The College Board reported that statewide scores were: 494 in reading, 504 in math and 482 in writing. The nationwide SAT results were the same as in 2012.
In 2012, 12 Austin Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 473. The Math average score was 458. The Writing average score was 460. The statewide Verbal SAT exams results were: Verbal 491, Math 501, Writing 480. In the USA, 1.65 million students took the exams achieving scores: Verbal 496, Math 514, Writing 488. According to the College Board the maximum score on each section was 800, and 360 students nationwide scored a perfect 2,400.
In 2011, 11 Austin Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 443. The Math average score was 460. The Writing average score was 419. Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479. 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.

Extracurriculars

Austin Area School District offers a limited variety of clubs, activities and a publicly funded sports program. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA). The District is noncompliant with state law, due to failing to post its Interscholastic Athletic Opportunities Disclosure Form on its website.
By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing in the school district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school,  a Pennsylvania public cyber charter school, charter school and those who are homeschooled, are all 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.
According to PA Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Act 126 of 2014, all volunteer coaches and all those who assist in student activities, must have criminal background checks. Like all school district employees, they must also attend an anti child abuse training once every three years.

Athletics

Austin Area participates in District IX of the PIAA. Cooperative sports for those who wish to participate in a sport not held at the school is offered by the Coudersport Area School District. Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid. According to Pennsylvania’s Safety in Youth Sports Act, all sports coaches, paid and volunteer, are required to annually complete the Concussion Management Certification Training and present the certification before coaching.