Ephrata High School (Pennsylvania)

Ephrata High School is a sub-urban/urban, public secondary school in the Ephrata Area School District located in Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Ephrata Senior High School
USGS image of Ephrata High School
Address
803 Oak Boulevard

Ephrata
,
Lancaster County
,
Pennsylvania
,
17522

United States
Coordinates40.180°N 76.191°W / 40.180; -76.191
Information
School typePublic, secondary
School districtEphrata Area School District
SuperintendentDr. Brian Troop [1]
PrincipalDr. Scott Galen [2]
Staff73.95 (FTE)[3]
Enrollment1,249 (2017–18)[3]
Student to teacher ratio16.89[3]
Color(s)Purple and gold
   
MascotMountaineer
YearbookThe Cloisterette[4]
WebsiteEphrata High School

Ephrata Mount athletic logo

Graduation rate

In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, four-year cohort graduation rate. Ephrata Area School District's rate was 86% for 2010.[5]

  • 2010 - 95% [6]
  • 2009 - 94%
  • 2008 - 94% [7]
  • 2007 - 94% [8]
  • 2006 - 98% [9]

Academic achievement

In 2010, the senior high school was in "Making Progress: in School Improvement I" status due to lagging student achievement. In 2009, the school was in "School Improvement I" AYP status due to chronic low student achievement.[10]

11th grade reading

  • 2010 - 74% on grade level (9% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders were on grade level.[11]
  • 2009 - 66% (19% below basic), state - 65% [12]
  • 2008 - 66% (14% below basic), state - 65% [13]
  • 2007 - 71% (12% below basic), state - 65% [14]
  • 2006 - 65% (19% below basic), state - 65%
  • 2007 - 62% (25% below basic), state - 65%

11th grade math:

  • 2010 - 77%, on grade level (11% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders were on grade level.[15]
  • 2009 - 66% (18% below basic), state - 56%.
  • 2008 - 70% (17% below basic), state - 56%
  • 2007 - 64% (17% below basic), state - 53%
  • 2006 - 62% (22% below basic), state - 52%
  • 2005 - 55% (25% below basic), state - 51%

11th grade science:

  • 2010 - 55% on grade level (10% below basic). State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
  • 2009 - 54% (11% below basic), state - 40% [16]
  • 2008 - 36%, state - 39%

College remediation rate

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 31% of Ephrata Area School District 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.[17] 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.[18] 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.

Dual enrollment

The school has offered a dual enrollment program to seniors since 2007. Up to six credits a semester may be taken.[19] 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. Ephrata Area School District has concurrent agreements for dual enrollment with Franklin and Marshall College, Pennsylvania State University - Berks Campus, Millersville University and Harrisburg Area Community College - Lancaster Campus. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books.[20] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[21]

For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $6,484 for the program.[22] For the 2010-11 school year, $5,608.00 was received from the PDE.[23] For 2011-12, there were no state grants available, but the program continued. Parents and students were responsible for paying all costs associated with the courses.

Graduation requirements

The Ephrata Area school Board has determined that students must earn 21 credits to graduate, including English - 4 credits, Social Studies - 3 credits, Mathematics - 4 credits, Science - 3 credits, Physical Education and Health - 1.5 credits, Computer - 0.5 credits, Consumer Skills - 0.5 credits, and electives - 3.5 credits.[24][25]

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.[26] At Ephrata Area School District the graduation project must be completed in order to attend prom and participate in senior activity day and the graduation ceremony.

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. Keystone Exam scores count for at least one-third of the final course grade.[27]

Washington Education Center

Washington Educational Center is on Marshall Street in Ephrata Borough. It opened in October 1999, in the vacant former Washington Elementary School, as an alternative for students who could not complete the requirements of a traditional brick-and-mortar education. In 2011, the school board changed the classification of the school to a second high school in the school district. The new status means that, upon successful completion or requirements, students receive an Ephrata High School diploma.

In January 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of Education identified the Washington Education Center as being in the bottom 5% of the state's public schools, for student academic achievement. According to the report, just 7.69% of the pupils were on grade level in both math and reading.[28] For a time, this alternative school permitted students from other school districts to attend, but it terminated that policy in 2010. Washington Education Center graduated 70 students in 2009. It serves as an alternative education senior high school. The school was required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to revise its programming to comply with the state-mandated 990 hours of attendance for students at public schools in 2010.[29] In 2010, 24 of the school's teachers had emergency teacher certifications.[30]

2010 PSSA results
  • 11th grade Reading - 14% on grade level, 50% below basic. State - 66% 11th graders in PA on grade level.[30]
  • 11th grade Mathematics - 0 students on grade level, 100% below basic. State - 59%.
  • 11th grade Science - 0 students on grade level, 45% below basic. State - 39%.

Extracurriculars

The district offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility for participation is determined by the school board.[31]

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, or charter school, and those who are homeschooled, are 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.[32][33]

The school's marching band was ranked in the top 10 best schools in the nation in 2014.

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Central Office". Ephrata Area School District. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  2. "EHS Faculty". Ephrata Area School District. Retrieved December 18, 2008.
  3. "Ephrata SHS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  4. "The Cloisterette". Ephrata Area School District. Retrieved December 1, 2008.
  5. Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 15, 2011). "New 4-year Cohort Graduation Rate Calculation Now Being Implemented". Archived from the original on September 14, 2010.
  6. Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 2011). "Ephrata Area School District Report Card 2010". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
  7. The Times Tribune (2009). "2008 Lancaster County School Districts Graduation rates 2008".
  8. Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. "High School Graduation rate 2007". Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  9. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2006). "Ephrata Area Senior High School Report Card 2006".
  10. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "EPHRATA Senior High School - School Adequate Yearly Progress Overview". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
  11. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results".
  12. The Times-Tribune. (September 2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 PSSA results".
  13. Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 2008). "2007-2008 PSSA and AYP Results".
  14. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2007). "PSSA Math and Reading results".
  15. Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 2011). "Ephrata Senior High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010".
  16. The Times-Tribune. (2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 Science PSSA results".
  17. Pennsylvania Department of Education (January 2009). "Pennsylvania College Remediation Report".
  18. National Center for Education statistics
  19. Ephrata Area School District Administration (2011). "Dual Enrollment Opportunities: Ephrata High School Seniors". Archived from the original on September 14, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
  20. 2010-2011 Pennsylvania Department of Education - Dual Enrollment Guidelines.
  21. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. "Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Center".
  22. Pennsylvania Department of Education Dual Enrollment Fall Grants 2009-10. August 2009
  23. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Dual Enrollment Fall Grants 2010-11. August 2010
  24. Ephrata Area School Administration. "Ephrata Area School District Strategic Plan Academic Standards and Assessment Report". Missing or empty |url= (help)
  25. Ephrata High School Student Handbook 2011, Ephrata Senior High School Administration, 2011
  26. "Pennsylvania Code §4.24 (a) High school graduation requirements".
  27. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 2011). "Pennsylvania Keystone Exams Overview". Archived from the original on February 23, 2014.
  28. Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee (January 25, 2011). "Pennsylvania Bottom 5% Persistently Low Achieving Schools January 11, 2011".
  29. Taylor Bundy (August 13, 2010). "Changes for Ephrata's Washington school". Lancaster New Era.
  30. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "Washington Education Center Academic Achievement Report Card 2010".
  31. Ephrata Area School Board. "Ephrata Area School District Policy Manual - Extracurricular Activities Policy 122, Club Sports Policy 122.1 and Interscholastic Athletics Policy 123".
  32. Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Press Release (November 10, 2005). "Home-Schooled, Charter School Children Can Participate in School District Extracurricular Activities". Archived from the original on October 23, 2014.
  33. Ephrata Area School Board. "Ephrata Area School District Policy Manual - Extracurricular Participation by Home Education Students 137.1, Extracurricular Participation by Charter - Cyber Charter Students Policy 140.1".
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