Freedom Area Senior High School

Freedom Area Senior High School is a public high school in Freedom, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the only high school in the Freedom Area School District. Athletic teams compete as the Freedom Bulldogs in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League.

Freedom Area Senior High School
Address
1190 Bulldog Drive

Freedom
,
Pennsylvania
15042

United States
Coordinates40.6781°N 80.2406°W / 40.6781; -80.2406
Information
TypePublic, Coeducational high school
Established1900
School districtFreedom Area School District
SuperintendentJeffrey Fuller
PrincipalWilliam Deal
Teaching staff32.30 (FTE)[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment434 (2017-18)[1]
Student to teacher ratio13.44[1]
Campus typeLarge Suburb[2]
Color(s)Red and White   
Athletics conferenceWestern Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League
Team nameBulldogs
NewspaperFHS Press
YearbookShawnee
Athletic DirectorJohn Rosa
Websitehttps://www.freedomareaschools.org/Domain/107

Academics

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 539 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 179 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced-price lunch. The school employed 37 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 29:2.[3] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.[4]

In 2012, Freedom Area Senior High School's 11th grade ranked 34th out of 105 high schools in the western Pennsylvania region. In 2011, Freedom Area High School's 11th grade ranked 32nd. In 2010, the High School ranked 28th. In 2009, the High School ranked 27th out of 105 western Pennsylvania high schools based on the last three years of results in PSSAs on: reading, math writing and science.[5]

In 2011 Freedom Area Senior High School achieved AYP status. In 2010 the school was in Warning status due to lagging student achievement.[6]

11th Grade Reading

  • 2011 - 70% on grade level, (7% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.[7]
  • 2010 - 68% (11% below basic). State - 66%[8]
  • 2009 - 73% (9% below basic). State - 65%[9]
  • 2008 - 81% (7% below basic). State - 65%[10]
  • 2007 - 80% (10% below basic). State - 65%[11]

11th Grade Math:

  • 2011 - 72% on grade level (15% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.[12]
  • 2010 - 55% (24% below basic). State - 59%
  • 2009 - 76% (7% below basic). State - 56%.
  • 2008 - 62% (18% below basic). State - 56%
  • 2007 - 79% (9% below basic). State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

  • 2011 - 38% on grade level (14% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.[13]
  • 2010 - 36% (16% below basic). State - 39%
  • 2009 - 41% (13% below basic). State - 40%[14]
  • 2008 - 30% (22% below basic). State - 39%[15]

College remediation rate

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 33% of the Freedom Area 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.[16] 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.[17] 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

From January to June 2011, 91 Freedom Area School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 475. The Math average score was 469. The Writing average score was 460.[18] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.[19] 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.[20]

Dual enrollment

The high school offers a dual enrollment program. 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. The state offered a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books.[21] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[22] For the 2009-10 funding year, Freedom Area School District received a state grant of $4,796 for the program.[23] Dual enrollment grants were discontinued in 2011 due to the state's economic crisis, but the program continues to be available to students at their own expense.

Graduation requirements

Freedom Area School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 28 credits to graduate, including: Mathematics 3 credits, Science 3 credits, English 4 credits, social studies 4 credits, Arts/Humanities 2 credits, Communications 1 credit, Health/career ed 1 credit, Senior seminar 1 credit, Computer technology 1 credit, Practical applications 1 credit, Physical Education 1 credit and electives 5.5 credits.[24]

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.[25] Completion of the Graduation Project earns 0.5 credit towards graduation.

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. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade.[26][27][28] 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.[29] Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Laptop program

Using state funding dollars, the district implemented a One-to-One laptop program providing high school students a laptop computer after mandatory training for the student and the parent. Students must be enrolled in a course that requires a laptop. Students using laptops are bound by the Freedom Area School District’s Acceptable Use Policy which describes and limits how they may use the district's technology. The computer must be returned to the district at the end of the course.

Online courses

Freedom Area High School offers on-line course options for credit recovery to remain on track to graduate. Credit Recovery courses yields a pass/fail final grade on the student's transcript. Students enrolled full-time in the Cyber Service program must be actively engaged in their on-line course work for a minimum of 2.5 hours daily in order to participate in extracurricular activities or practices. All Freedom Area School District cyber courses are considered in athletic eligibility standard.

Notes and references
  1. "Freedom Area SHS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  2. U.S. News & World Report. "Freedom Area Senior High School". Retrieved 2017-07-18.
  3. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Care Data - High School, 2010
  4. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Professional Qualifications of Teachers Freedom Area Senior High School, September 29, 2011
  5. The Rankings: 11th grade, Pittsburgh Business Times, April 4, 2011.
  6. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Freedom Area Senior High School AYP Overview, September 29, 2011
  7. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "2010-2011 PSSA and AYP Results".
  8. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results".
  9. The Times-Tribune (September 14, 2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 PSSA results".
  10. Pennsylvania Department of Education (August 15, 2008). "2007-2008 PSSA and AYP Results".
  11. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2007). "PSSA Math and Reading results".
  12. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "Freedom Area Senior High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2011" (PDF).
  13. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "2010-2011 PSSA results in Science".
  14. The Times-Tribune (2009). "Grading Our Schools database, 2009 Science PSSA results".
  15. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2008). "Report on PSSA Science results by school and grade 2008".
  16. Pennsylvania Department of Education (January 20, 2009). "Pennsylvania College Remediation Report,". Archived from the original on 2012-05-03.
  17. National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, 2008
  18. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "Public School SAT Scores 2011". Archived from the original on 2011-10-15.
  19. College Board (September 2011). "SAT Scores State By State - Pennsylvania". Archived from the original on 2011-10-08.
  20. "While U.S. SAT scores dip across the board, N.J. test-takers hold steady". September 2011.
  21. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "Dual Enrollment Guidelines".
  22. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (March 2010). "Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement".
  23. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2009). "Dual Enrollment Grants 2009 10 Fall Grants by School District".
  24. Freedom Area School Administration, Freedom Area Senior High School STudent Handbook 2012, 2012
  25. Pennsylvania State Board of Education. "Pennsylvania Code §4.24 (a) High school graduation requirements".
  26. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "Keystone Exam Overview" (PDF).
  27. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 2011). "Pennsylvania Keystone Exams Overview". Archived from the original on 2012-03-17.
  28. Pennsylvania State Board of Education (2010). "Rules and Regulation Title 22 PA School Code CH. 4".
  29. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "Keystone Exams".
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