DuBois Area Senior High School

Map of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Dubois Area School District in Jefferson County

DuBois Area Senior High School is a midsized, rural, public high school located in the city of DuBois, Pennsylvania. The high school serves students from most of north-western Clearfield County, and in Jefferson County, it covers the Boroughs of Falls Creek, Reynoldsville, Sykesville, and Winslow Township. The school is part of the DuBois Area School District. In 2010, DuBois Area Senior High School had 1,246 students enrolled in grades 9-12 with 417 pupils qualified for a federal free lunch due to family poverty. The student body makeup is 48 percent male and 52 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 1 percent. In 2010 there were 96 teachers.^[3] In 2011, staffing was 91 teachers. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.^[4]

In 2012, DuBois Area Senior High School declined to Warning AYP status due to low achievement in both reading and math.^[5] In 2011 and 2010, DuBois Area Senior High School achieved AYP status.^[6]

Graduation Rate

In 2012, DuBois Area Senior High School's graduation rate was 91%. In 2011, the graduation rate was 88%.^[7] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. DuBois Area Senior High School's rate was 84% for 2010.^[8]

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

• 2010 - 83% ^[9]
• 2009 - 89%^[10]
• 2008 - 89% ^[11]
• 2007 - 89%^[12]

Academic

11th Grade Reading:

• 2012 - 70% on grade level, (11% below basic). State - 68% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[13]
• 2011 - 78%, (11% below basic). State - 69.1% ^[14]
• 2010 - 69% (14% below basic). State - 66%^[15]
• 2009 - 63%. State - 65%^[16]
• 2008 - 69%, State - 65%^[17]
• 2007 - 75% (12% below basic). State - 65%^[18]

11th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 66% on grade level (18% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[19]
• 2011 - 73%, (12% below basic). State - 60.3% ^[20]
• 2010 - 66%, (17% below basic). State - 59% ^[21]
• 2009 - 58%, State - 56% ^[22]
• 2008 - 55%, State - 55% ^[23]
• 2007 - 64% (18% below basic), State - 53% ^[24]

11th Grade Science:

• 2012 - 43% on grade level (12% below basic). State - 42% of 11th graders were on grade level.^[25]
• 2011 - 51%, (13% below basic). State - 40% ^[26]
• 2010 - 47% (10% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 40%, State - 40%% ^[27]
• 2008 - 38%, State - 39%

College Remediation Rate

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 14% of the DuBois 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.^[28] 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.^[29] 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

In 2012, 196 DuBois Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 498. The Math average score was 514. The Writing average score was 468. The statewide Verbal SAT exams results were: Verbal 491, Math 501, Writing 480. In the USA, 1.65 million students took the exams achieving scores: Verbal 496, Math 514, Writing 488. According to the College Board, the maximum score on each section was 800, and 360 students nationwide scored a perfect 2,400.

From January to June 2011, 195 DuBois Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 483. The Math average score was 507. The Writing average score was 454.^[30] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among state with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.^[31] 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.^[32]

Dual enrollment

DuBois Area Senior 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, including the graduation ceremony. 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.^[33] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.^[34] For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $74,323 for the program.^[35]

Graduation requirements

The DuBois Area School Board has determined that a pupil must complete the following courses to graduate: Math 4 courses, English 4 courses, social studies 4 courses, science 4 courses, Physical Education 1 physical education, 1 swimming, 1 health and 3 wellness courses; 4 semesters of courses in a foreign language or arts and humanities; 1 course in Family and Consumer Sciences and electives. Students who score at a proficient or advanced level on the Keystone Exams for Algebra I, Biology, and Literature may be eligible to pursue alternative educational opportunities in their senior year.^[36] The District's graduation requirements may also be met through the completion of a special education program developed by an I.E.P. team or through the successful completion of a program of study at the Jefferson County-DuBois Area Vocational-Technical School.

DuBois Area Senior High School students must complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate. The project focuses on career development through the creation of an electronic portfolio and 25 hours total of community service completed throughout the 4 years of high school.^[37][38] Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania Board of Education has eliminated the requirement for students to complete a culminating project in order to graduate.^[39]

Beginning with the Class of 2017, students must successfully complete the Commonwealth's Keystone Exams in Algebra 1, Biology, and Literature in order to graduate. The exams are administered at the end of the respective course. The 11th grade PSSAs have been discontinued effective with the 2013-14 school year.^[40][41][42] 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.^[43] Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students identified as having special needs and qualifying for an Individual Educational Program (IEP) may graduate by meeting the requirements of their IEP.

Virtual Academy

Dubois Area Senior High School also offers a virtual academy. It combines technology with online courses that are available to District students to take during academic tutoring time, at the end of the school day, or at home. Students can make up courses they have failed through credit recovery. Additionally, students can schedule required courses to fulfill graduation requirements. The curriculum for these courses is aligned to courses offered at the DuBois Area High School through the use of PLATO Learning Systems. This program is provided as an alternative to local students enrolling in one of the 16 public cyber charter schools which are open to all Pennsylvania grade 1-12 students, at no cost to the family.

AP Courses

Dubois Area Senior High School offers a variety of Advance Placement courses where students have the potential to earn college credits through a score of 3 or better on the end of course exams administered by the College Board. DuBois Area School District reimburses the student for the cost of the exam when they earn a 3 or better on the AP exam.

Classrooms for the Future grant

The Classroom for the Future state program provided districts with hundreds of thousands of extra state funding to buy laptop computers for each core curriculum high school class (English, Science, History, Math) and paid for teacher training to optimize the computers use. The program was funded from 2006 to 2009. DuBois Area School District did not apply to participate in 2006-07. In 2007-08, the senior high school received $381,823. DuBois Area Senior High School received $68,379 in 2008-09 for a total funding of $450,202.^[44]

Extracurriculars

DuBois Area School District offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and a costly sports program. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy. The Senior High School has an extensive policy and process regarding parental communication with coaches and advisors.^[45]

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those 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.^[46]

Sports

The District funds:

According to PIAA directory July 2012 ^[47]

References

Coordinates: 41°07′40″N 78°44′55″W / 41.12789°N 78.74872°W / 41.12789; -78.74872