Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Questions about the 144 failing schools list

The complete list of 2010 PSSA results from PDE’s website had 3051 schools.  2009-10 School Level Math and Reading PSSA Results - School Totals

I took that spreadsheet and identified the bottom 200 schools based upon their combined advanced and proficient 2010 PSSA Math and Reading Scores (see that list below).

Reviewing that list of the bottom 200, it is safe to say that “choicey” is not necessarily better.

According to PDE, there are presently 146 charter schools in the state (less than 5% of the total of 3051).  There are 30 charter schools on the bottom 200 list (15%).  I have highlighted them in grey on the chart.

If, in fact, as school choice proponents suggest, parents know best and vote with their feet why are these schools still open?  Since the charter school law passed in 1997 only one charter school in Pennsylvania has been closed due to academic reasons.

Why aren’t there any charter schools listed on the Senate Bill 1 list of 144 persistently failing schools?  Shouldn’t the students in these failing charter schools also be eligible for vouchers?

Apparently, religious schools may optionally administer and report PSSA scores.  There are 7 religious schools on the bottom 200 list.  I have highlighted them in light blue on the chart.

If there are religious schools that are failing why would we let students use a voucher to attend them?  Since most of the religious schools do not administer and report PSSA scores how do we know that they are in fact any better than the failing schools that voucher candidates are already attending?

Under NCLB, schools must be “failing” for multiple consecutive years before sanctions kick in; it appears that the 144 list is based upon only one or two years of PSSA scores.

If the justification for vouchers is that poor students are trapped in failing schools, in year three of SB 1 why would we also grant vouchers to any poor student regardless of whether they are in a failing school or failing school district?


Bottom 200 schools based upon 2010 PSSA Math and Reading scores

District
School
% Prof Adv Combined Reading and Math
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
LEARNING ACAD NORTH
0.0
ARISE ACADEMY CHARTER HS
ARISE ACADEMY CHARTER HS
9.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
UNIVERSITY CITY HS
9.6
HOPE CS
HOPE CS
10.4
HOPE CHURCH SCHOOL
HOPE CHURCH SCHOOL
10.7
GREATER HOPE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
GREATER HOPE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
14.0
EPHRATA AREA SD
WASHINGTON ED CENTER
15.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
WEST PHILADELPHIA HS
18.3
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
GRATZ SIMON HS
19.8
TODAY INC
TODAY INC
20.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
GERMANTOWN HS
21.8
HARRISBURG CITY SD
CAREER TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY
22.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
VAUX ROBERTS HS
24.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
ROXBOROUGH HS
24.4
LANCASTER SD
PHOENIX ACADEMY
24.9
COMMUNITY COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
COMMUNITY COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
25.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
DOUGLAS STEPHEN A SCH
27.9
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
OLNEY HS WEST-704
29.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
SOUTH PHILADELPHIA HS
29.0
BOYS LATIN OF PHILADELPHIA CS
BOYS LATIN OF PHILADELPHIA CS
29.2
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
JOHN BARTRAM HS
30.1
CHESTER-UPLAND SD
CHESTER HS
31.3
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
KENSINGTON INTL BUSINESS FINANCE
31.8
WILKINSBURG BOROUGH SD
WILKINSBURG SHS
32.8
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
SAYRE WILLIAM L MS
34.0
PITTSBURGH SD
WESTINGHOUSE HS
35.4
LAWRENCE CO AVTS
LAWRENCE CO AVTS
36.3
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
FELS SAMUEL HS
37.2
CONNELLSVILLE AREA CTC
CONNELLSVILLE AREA CTC
37.3
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
ALCORN JAMES SCH
38.5
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
KING MARTIN LUTHER HS
38.5
KEYSTONE ED CTR CS
KEYSTONE ED CTR CS
38.7
SUSQ-CYBER CS
SUSQ-CYBER CS
38.7
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
OVERBROOK HS
39.1
WEST SIDE AVTS
WEST SIDE AVTS
39.6
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
JONES JOHN PAUL MS
40.9
PITTSBURGH SD
PEABODY HS
41.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
FITZSIMONS THOMAS ACADEMY
41.4
PITTSBURGH SD
OLIVER HS
41.6
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
BLUFORD GUION EL SCH
42.2
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
OLNEY HS EAST-705
42.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
KENSINGTON CREATIVE & PERF ARTS
43.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
HILL LESLIE P SCH
43.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
LAMBERTON ROBERT HS
44.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
DUNBAR PAUL L SCH
44.1
HARRISBURG CITY SD
HAMILTON  SCH
44.7
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
SCHOOL OF THE FUTURE
44.9
SAINTS TABERNACLE DAY SCHOOL
SAINTS TABERNACLE DAY SCHOOL
45.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
FRANKFORD HS
46.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
FRANKLIN BENJAMIN HS
46.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
KENSINGTON CULINARY ARTS
48.2
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
LINCOLN ABRAHAM HS
48.7
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
RANDOLPH A PHILIP AVT HS
49.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
EDISON HS - FAREIRA SKILLS
49.2
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
DAROFF SAMUEL SCH
50.1
DUQUESNE CITY SD
DUQUESNE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL
50.1
ACHIEVEMENT HOUSE CS
ACHIEVEMENT HOUSE CS
50.6
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
STETSON JOHN B MS
51.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
DOUGLASS FREDERICK SCH
51.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
SMEDLEY FRANKLIN SCH
52.1
COMM ACAD OF PHILA CS
COMM ACAD OF PHILA CS
52.8
HARRISBURG CITY SD
HARRISBURG HS
53.0
SANKOFA ACADEMY CS
SANKOFA ACADEMY CS
53.0
CHESTER-UPLAND SD
COLUMBUS EL SCH
53.8
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
CLEMENTE ROBERTO MS
54.3
HARRISBURG CITY SD
ROWLAND SCHOOL
54.8
DR ROBERT KETTERER CS
DR ROBERT KETTERER CS
56.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
ALLEN  ETHEL DR.
56.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
BARRY COMM JOHN SCH
56.5
HARRISBURG CITY SD
STEELE SCHOOL
57.6
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
PASTORIUS FRANCIS P
57.8
HARRISBURG CITY SD
MELROSE  SCH
58.2
CTR STUDENT LEARNING CS - PENNSB
CTR STUDENT LEARNING CS - PENNSB
59.0
HARRISBURG CITY SD
CAMP CURTIN  SCH
59.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
CLYMER GEORGE SCH
59.2
CORNERSTONE CHRIST ACAD
CORNERSTONE CHRIST ACAD
59.3
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
GILLESPIE ELIZ D MS
59.7
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
STANTON M HALL SCH
59.9
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
KELLEY WILLIAM D SCH
59.9
YORK CITY SD
WILLIAM PENN SHS
60.2
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
HARRISON WILLIAM SCH
60.5
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
SWENSON ARTS & TECHNOLOGY HS
61.7
CHESTER-UPLAND SD
THE VILLAGE AT CHESTER UPLAND
61.9
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
WALTER G SMITH SCH
62.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
HARRITY WILLIAM F SCH
62.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
BARRATT NORRIS S MS
62.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
POTTER-THOMAS SCH
62.8
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
DOBBINS MURRELL AVT HS
63.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
HARDING WARREN G MS
63.8
NEW HOPE ACADEMY CS
NEW HOPE ACADEMY CS
64.0
PHILADELPHIA MONTESSORI CS
PHILADELPHIA MONTESSORI CS
64.0
WILLIAM PENN SD
PENN WOOD SHS
64.5
EASTERN UNIVERSITY ACAD CS
EASTERN UNIVERSITY ACAD CS
64.9
ALIQUIPPA SD
ALIQUIPPA JSHS
65.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
CLEVELAND GROVER SCH
65.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
VARE EDWIN H MS
67.6
READING SD
READING SHS
68.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
REYNOLDS GEN JOHN F
68.2
JEFFERSON CO-DUBOIS AVTS
JEFFERSON CO-DUBOIS AVTS
68.3
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
MCMICHAEL MORTON SCH
68.3
HARRISBURG CITY SD
LINCOLN  SCH
68.8
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
PRATT ANNA B SCH
69.4
HARRISBURG CITY SD
SCOTT SCHOOL
69.5
LA ACADEMIA CS
LA ACADEMIA CS
69.9
PITTSBURGH SD
NORTHVIEW EL
69.9
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
EDMUNDS HENRY R SCH
70.0
ALLIANCE FOR PROGRESS CS
ALLIANCE FOR PROGRESS CS
70.3
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
PENNELL JOSEPH SCH
70.3
PITTSBURGH SD
PERRY TRADITIONAL ACAD HS
70.4
WILKINSBURG BOROUGH SD
WILKINSBURG MS
70.7
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
WRIGHT RICHARD R SCH
72.0
CENTER FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY
CENTER FOR ARTS & TECHNOLOGY - P
72.8
PITTSBURGH SD
HELEN S FAISON ARTS ACADEMY
73.5
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
GEORGE WASHINGTON HS
73.7
PITTSBURGH SD
KING M L EL SCH
73.8
SOUTHWEST LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CS
SOUTHWEST LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CS
73.8
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
WHITTIER JOHN G
73.9
HARRISBURG CITY SD
DOWNEY  SCH
74.2
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
CREIGHTON THOMAS SCH
74.8
PITTSBURGH SD
ROONEY MIDDLE SCHL
74.9
LANCASTER SD
MCCASKEY CAMPUSES
74.9
PITTSBURGH SD
PITTSBURGH UNIVERSITY PREP
75.2
STO-ROX SD
STO-ROX HS
75.2
PA LEARNERS ONLINE CS
PA LEARNERS ONLINE CS
75.4
CALVARY TEMPLE CHRST ACADEMY
CALVARY TEMPLE CHRST ACADEMY
75.6
HARRISBURG CITY SD
FOOSE  SCH
75.7
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
MCKINLEY WILLIAM SCH
76.0
ERIE CITY SD
WAYNE MS
76.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
HARTRANFT JOHN F SCH
76.2
SOUTHEAST DELCO SD
ACADEMY PARK HS
76.3
NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGY CS
NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGY CS
76.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
MIFFLIN THOMAS SCH
76.5
YORK CITY SD
HANNAH PENN MS
76.7
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
ANDERSON ADD B SCH
77.2
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
BEEBER DIMNER MS
77.2
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
ELKIN LEWIS SCH
77.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
PEPPER GEORGE MS
77.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
STEARNE ALLEN M SCH
77.7
PERSEUS HOUSE CS OF EXCELLENCE
PERSEUS HOUSE CS OF EXCELLENCE
77.8
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
BIRNEY GEN DAVID B SCH
78.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
MORTON THOMAS G SCH
78.1
WAKISHA CS
WAKISHA CS
78.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
SHERIDAN PHILIP H SC
78.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
SHEPPARD ISAAC SCH
78.5
SANKOFA FREEDOM ACADEMY CS
SANKOFA FREEDOM ACADEMY CS
78.5
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
DREW CHARLES R SCH
79.1
NEWPORT SD
NEWPORT HS
79.3
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
SHERIDAN WEST
79.4
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
STEEL EDWARD SCH
79.7
PITTSBURGH SD
BRASHEAR HS
79.8
TUSCARORA BLENDED LEARNING CS
TUSCARORA BLENDED LEARNING CS
79.8
LIFE ACADEMY
LIFE ACADEMY
80.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
HOWE JULIA WARD SCH
80.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
DUCKREY TANNER SCH
80.4
AL-AQSA ISLAMIC SCHOOL
AL-AQSA ISLAMIC SCHOOL
80.6
WEST PHILA ACHIEVEMENT CS
WEST PHILA ACHIEVEMENT CS
80.7
ALLENTOWN CITY SD
CENTRAL EL SCH
80.7
WILLIAM PENN SD
PARK LANE EL SCH
81.0
CLAIRTON CITY SD
CLAIRTON MS/HS
81.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
FURNESS HORACE HS
81.2
MCKEESPORT AREA SD
MCKEESPORT AREA SHS
81.4
READING SD
GATEWAY SCH INTL BUISNESS & WORL
81.5
PINE FORGE ACADEMY
PINE FORGE ACADEMY
81.8
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
BRYANT WILLIAM C SCH
81.9
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
CARROLL CHARLES SCH
82.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
TAYLOR BAYARD SCH
82.0
ERIE CITY SD
EAST SHS
82.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
LEA HENRY C SCH
82.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
LEIDY JOSEPH SCH
82.2
YORK CO SCHOOL OF TECH
YORK CO SCHOOL OF TECH.
82.4
KEYSTONE CENTRAL SD
BUCKTAIL AREA HIGH SCHOOL
82.7
YORK CITY SD
MCKINLEY SCH
82.8
PITTSBURGH SD
LANGLEY HS
82.9
WILLIAM PENN SD
ALDAN SCH
82.9
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
KENDERTON SCH
83.1
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
KINSEY JOHN L SCH
83.3
HARRISBURG CITY SD
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SCHOOL
83.3
BEAVER AREA ACADEMIC CS
BEAVER AREA ACADEMIC CS
83.4
MARIANA BRACETTI ACAD CS
MARIANA BRACETTI ACAD CS
83.5
CARBON CAREER & TECH INSTITUTE
CARBON CAREER & TECH INSTITUTE
84.1
PITTSBURGH SD
MURRAY EL SCH
84.3
ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL
ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL
84.5
BLAIR CHRISTIAN ACAD & PRESCH
BLAIR CHRISTIAN ACAD & PRESCH
84.5
RICHARD ALLEN PREP CS
RICHARD ALLEN PREP CS
84.5
CRAWFORD CENTRAL SD
SECOND DISTRICT EL S
84.6
NORTH MONTCO TECH CAREER CTR
NORTH MONTCO TECH CAREER CTR
84.6
CHICHESTER SD
CHICHESTER SHS
84.7
ERIE CITY SD
TRANSITION SCH
84.7
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
MASTBAUM JULES E AVTS
84.8
PITTSBURGH SD
WEIL TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
85.0
SUGAR VALLEY RURAL CS
SUGAR VALLEY RURAL CS
85.0
PHILADELPHIA CITY SD
FELTONVILLE INTERMEDIATE SCH
85.1
WILKINSBURG BOROUGH SD
JOHNSTON EL SCH
85.1
LINCOLN LEADERSHIP ACAD CS
LINCOLN LEADERSHIP ACAD CS
85.5
STO-ROX SD
STO-ROX MS
85.7
LOGAN HOPE SCHOOL
LOGAN HOPE SCHOOL
85.7
ALLENTOWN CITY SD
WILLIAM ALLEN SHS
86.1
GRAYSTONE ACADEMY CS
GRAYSTONE ACADEMY CS
86.2
LANCASTER SD
HAND MS
86.2
LENAPE AVTS
LENAPE AVTS
86.6



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