Sto-Rox High School

Sto-Rox High School is a high school located in the West Park neighborhood of Stowe Township, Pennsylvania. It is the only high school of the Sto-Rox School District, which educates the children of Stowe Township and the borough of McKees Rocks. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 409 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 316 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch. The school employed 35 teachers yielding a student teacher ratio of 11.79:1.[2] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2 teachers were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.[3]

Sto-Rox High School
Location
1105 Valley Street

McKees Rocks
,
Allegheny County
,
Pennsylvania
15136

United States
Coordinates40.470874°N 80.074249°W / 40.470874; -80.074249
Information
TypePublic
Established1966
School districtSto-Rox School District
PrincipalTimothy Beck
Staff36.10 (FTE)[1]
Grades7–12
Enrollment512 (2018–19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio14.18[1]
Color(s)Kelly Green and White
MascotViking
WebsiteHigh School

The building

The current building of the Sto-Rox High School was erected in 1926. At that time, it was only the Stowe Township High School, until it merged with the McKees Rocks School District in 1966, thus forming Sto-Rox.

It is a three-story, yellow brick building, housing grades 9-12. Formerly, it was the Sto-Rox Junior/Senior High School, until, in 2002, the Sto-Rox Middle School was erected in Kennedy Township. Since it was built, numerous additions have been added to the building, though none in recent years. A few years ago, the high school underwent a partial renovation.

Academic achievement

In 2011, Sto-Rox High School declined to "School Improvement I" level due to continuing low student achievement.[4] The high school is in "Warning" status due to chronic poor student achievement in 2010.[5] The school met 1 of 8 academic performance goals in 2010. Under No Child Left Behind, the school administration was required to notify parents of their right to transfer their child to a successful school in the District.[6] Additionally, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) required the administration to write a School Improvement Plan to raise student achievement in reading and math, as well as improve the graduation rate. The administration submitted the plan to the PDE for approval.

Sto-Rox High School's 11th grade was ranked 111th out of 123 Western Pennsylvania high schools in 2009 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on three years of student academic performance on the PSSAs for: math, reading, writing and 1 year of science.[7] In 2008, the school ranked 490th out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts.

Graduation Rate

In 2011, the graduation rate at Sto-Rox High School was 79%.[8] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Sto-Rox High School's rate was 66% for 2010.[9]

Under former calculation formula
PSSA Results:
11th Grade Reading:
  • 2011 - 43% on grade level, (33% below basic). 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.[14]
  • 2010 - 37% (44% below basic). State - 67% [15]
  • 2009 - 46% (37% below basic). State - 65% [16]
  • 2008 - 44% (38% below basic). State - 65%
  • 2007 - 44%, State - 65%
  • 2006 - 33%, State - 65% [17]
  • 2005 - 39%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
  • 2011 - 34%, on grade level (44% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.
  • 2010 - 39% (45% below basic). State - 59%
  • 2009 - 41% (38% below basic). State - 56% [18]
  • 2008 - 30%, State - 56%
  • 2007 - 34%, State - 53%
  • 2006 - 21%, State - 52%
  • 2005 - 15%, State - 51%
11th Grade Science:
  • 2011 - 11% on grade level (53% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
  • 2010 - 12% (40% below basic). State - 39%
  • 2009 - 24% (33% below basic). State - 40%
  • 2008 - 22% [19]

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, "53% of the Sto-Rox 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.[20] 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.[21] 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 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 offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books.[22] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[23] For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $1,898 for the program.

SAT Scores

From January to June 2011, 54 Sto-Rox School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 380. The Math average score was 395. The Writing average score was 349.[24] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.[25] 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.[26]

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Sto-Rox JSHS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  2. National Center for Education Statistics, Common Care Data - Sto-Rox High School, 2010
  3. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Professional Qualifications of Teachers Sto-Rox High School, September 29, 2011
  4. Pennsylvania Department of Education D (2011). "STO-ROX High School AYP Overview 2011". Archived from the original on 2012-04-01.
  5. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "Sto-Rox School District AYP Status 2010". Archived from the original on 2012-04-01.
  6. Sto-Rox School Administration (2012). "Parental Notices 2012". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
  7. Western Pennsylvania School District Rankings, Pittsburgh Business Times, May 15, 2009.
  8. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "STO-ROX School District AYP Data Table". Archived from the original on 2012-03-04.
  9. Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 15, 2011). "New 4-year Cohort Graduation Rate Calculation Now Being Implemented".
  10. Pennsylvania Department of Education (March 2011). "Sto-Rox School District Academic Achievement Report Card 2010 data table". Archived from the original on 2012-03-04.
  11. Pennsylvania Department of Education. "Sto-Rox School District Report Card 2009". Archived from the original on 2012-03-04.
  12. Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. "High School Graduation Rate 2007". Archived from the original on 2012-11-05.
  13. Pennsylvania Department of Education. "Sto-Rox School District Report Card 2006". Archived from the original on 2012-11-07.
  14. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "2010-2011 PSSA and AYP Results".
  15. Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 2010). "Sto-Rox High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2010". Archived from the original on 2012-11-09.
  16. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2009). "Sto-Rox High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009". Archived from the original on 2012-11-05.
  17. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2006). "Sto-Rox High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2006".
  18. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2009). "PSSA Mathematics Results by School and Grade".
  19. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Report on 2008 Science PSSA Results by School and Grade, August 2008.
  20. Pennsylvania College Remediation Report
  21. National Center for Education Statistics
  22. 2010-2011 Pennsylvania Department of Education - Dual Enrollment Guidelines. Archived 2014-10-17 at the Wayback Machine
  23. Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement. site accessed March 2010.
  24. Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "Public School SAT Scores 2011". Archived from the original on 2011-10-15.
  25. College Board (September 2011). "SAT Scores State By State - Pennsylvania".
  26. "While U.S. SAT scores dip across the board, N.J. test-takers hold steady". NJ.com. September 2011.
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