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Chester County Press

State releases School Performance Profiles

12/26/2013 10:46AM ● By Acl

By John Chambless

Staff Writer

Concerns that the state's new School Performance Profiles would redraw the traditional ranks of the area's top schools proved accurate last week. 

The profiles weigh several factors – the new state Keystone Exams, student improvement and graduation rates among them – to come up with a number ranking that proponents say gives parents a more detailed view of school performance. The number replaces the former Adequate Yearly Progress measurement. Detractors, among them educators and school administrators,  have complained that the tests are inaccurate and expensive to administer. 

Topping the state rankings was Downingtown STEM High School, a charter school, with Keystone Exam results of 100 percent proficiency in algegra 1 and language arts, and a score of 97.8 percent in biology. The school's overall Performance Profile number was 101.4.

Statewide, just under 73 percent of public schools got a score of 70 or higher. The average score for traditional public schools in Pennsylvania was 77.1. Charter schools averaged 66.4, and cyber charter schools averaged 46.8.

Schools in the Unionville-Chadds Ford, Avon Grove, Kennett and Oxford school districts finished out of the top 10 rankings statewide. 

Among high schools, Unionville-Chadds Ford High School got an overall score of 97.9, with Keystone test results of 92.2 percent in algebra 1, 96.1 percent in language arts, and 66.7 in biology. The school hit the 100 percent benchmark for SAT/ACT college readiness.

Kennett High School got an overall score of 88.9, with Keystone test results of 76.4 percent in algebra 1, 83 percent in language arts, and 55.1 percent in biology. The school hit the 100 percent benchmark for SAT/ACT college readiness.

Avon Grove High School got an overall score of 83.5, with Keystone test results of 81.2 percent in algebra 1, 87.6 percent in language arts, and 65.9 percent in biology. The school hit the 100 percent benchmark for SAT/ACT college readiness.

Oxford Area High School got an overall score of 72.9, with Keystone test results of a 61.5 percent in algebra 1, 74.3 percent in language arts, and 43.8 in biology. The school got a 71.9 percent benchmark for SAT/ACT college readiness.

The region's top 10 scoring schools were:

Downingtown STEM Academy (101.4);

Central High, Philadelphia School District (101.3);

Merion Elementary, Lower Merion School District (100.6);

Ithan Elementary, Radnor School District (100.2);

Whitemarsh Elementary, Colonial School District (99.8);

Evergreen Elementary, Perkiomen Valley School District (99.3);

Radnor Middle School, Radnor School District (99.1);

Lenape Middle School, Central Bucks School District (98.9);

Central Bucks High East, Central Bucks School District (98.9);

Strath Haven High, Wallingford-Swarthmore School District (98.6).