Reading Senior High School

Summary:

Reading Senior High School is a large public high school serving 5,213 students in grades 9-12 in Reading, Pennsylvania, which is part of the Reading School District. The school consistently underperforms on academic measures compared to the state average and nearby high schools like Schuylkill Valley High School, Wilson High School, and Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School.

Reading Senior High School's academic performance is consistently below the state average on Keystone Exams, with only 12% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in Algebra I, compared to the state average of 41.6%. The school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated in recent years, ranging from 69.4% to 87.5%, and the dropout rate has been relatively high, ranging from 1.6% to 6.8%. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 85.75% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

The significant disparities in performance between different student subgroups at Reading Senior High School suggest that the school may need to implement targeted interventions and support programs to address the unique needs of its diverse student population. While the school faces significant challenges, the data indicates that there may be opportunities for improvement with the right strategies and support in place.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 801 N 13th St
       Reading, PA  19604-2449


(610) 371-5705

District: Reading School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
597th of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools


Student/teacher ratio:  18.8 Help
Number of students:  4,779

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
87.1%
African American:
7.2%
White:
3.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100.4% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Reading Senior High School ranks worse than 87% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.35. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Reading Senior High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (87.1%), African American (7.2%), White (3.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Reading Senior High School is 18.8. (See more...)
Help
Compare Reading Senior High School employs 253.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Reading Senior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Reading Senior High School 597th of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Reading Senior High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Reading School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Reading School District 558th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Reading Senior High School?

Rank History for Reading Senior High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Reading Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 4.69 538th 583 7.7%
2004 4.94 546th 590 7.5%
2005 13.63 527th 593 11.1%
2006 10.99 555th 604 8.1%
2007 10.58 566th 615 8.0%
2008 7.60 578th 621 6.9%
2009 11.25 577th 632 8.7%
2011 13.58 595th 660 9.8%
2012 12.80 596th 664 10.2%
2013 10.21 532nd 591 10.0%
2014 18.74 507th 580 12.6%
2015 30.34 532nd 680 21.8%
2016 24.61 546th 677 19.4%
2017 22.62 536th 663 19.2%
2018 19.51 552nd 673 18.0%
2019 14.29 584th 693 15.7%
2021 9.72 498th 537 7.3%
2022 21.84 519th 634 18.1%
2023 11.63 592nd 674 12.2%
2024 10.35 597th 686 13.0%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Reading Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 14.27 114th 129 11.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Reading Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 30.57 65th 85 23.5%
2024 29.17 65th 84 22.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Reading Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 15.78 569th 652 12.7%
2024 15.32 571st 664 14.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Reading Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 9.48 587th 665 11.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Reading Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 18.62 448th 502 10.8%
2024 24.22 400th 513 22.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Reading Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 10.91 588th 662 11.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Reading Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 23.42 205th 260 21.2%
2024 34.45 187th 284 34.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Reading Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 22.24 206th 252 18.3%
2024 20.90 226th 274 17.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Reading Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 31.77 426th 577 26.2%
2024 6.29 570th 595 4.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Reading Senior High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.3)
50%

0%

0%

25%

25%

  

Reviews:
Facebook Profile Picture by a parent on FaceBook
Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Open Quote As a 2006 graduate of RHS I could say many negative and positive things of this school. One that I will take responsibility for is not becoming academically involved in RHS and the programs they offered. While I eventually went to college and recently graduated R.A.C.C., it did take me about 7 years to achieve that. Had I became more involved in academic opportunities that were offered I may have been more prepared for college. My advice to parents, if you have to send your kids here, is to talk to them about their options after high school, get them as involved as possible, encourage them to strive for success and support them in every and anything that they want to do and keep them. Most of all inform them of how important their G.P.A. is and passing their SAT's with high scores! As long as you support them and push them and believe in them, the district which they attend will not take control or determine their future, their hard work and perseverance will determine all of that!!! Close Quote


by a student
Saturday, January 12, 2013

Open Quote This school might have a bad reputation because all the city really hears about are the bad experiences that go on inside the school walls but there are many exceptional opportunities that can be found at Reading High School. There is the German American Exchange Program (GAEP) that is not found in any other neighboring schools, examples: Exeter High School, Muhlenburg High School, Holy Name, etc. There are the exceptional art classes that prepare students that are looking to major in art, for example the advanced portfolio and art IV. These students have to opportunity to go to the Goggle Works Center for the Arts that is well known in Reading and a tourist attraction. It is a community art and cultural resource center with the mission in life is to nurture the arts, foster creativity, promote education and enrich the community. There are even great opportunities that deal with Reading Area Community College (R.A.C.C.). This program allows elected students to attend R.A.C.C. and take college courses for free. There are plenty of other educational opportunities that are offered at RHS that are not offered at other high schools in the area. You can find them if you know how to look. These opportunities are offered year round but many students decide not to take advantage of these opportunities. I know because I am a former graduate from Reading Senior High School. I had a choice to leave and transfer to another school district and i chose to stay. I would do it again if I could. Close Quote


by a student
Thursday, March 17, 2011

Open Quote i moved to exeter and it was the worse mistake of my life. i really appreciate it and wish i could go back Close Quote


by a citizen
Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Open Quote This school has shootings killings,so many bullying and picking on I do not prefer this as a safe school in the sate. They should make more schools for kids in grades 9-12 because its not rite for kids to risk their lives to go to some huge school where you might end up getting jumped or maybe death because their are a few students over the years who died from their because of gangs and being picked on....Its not righ,society should come together and find a way to figure thos out. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Reading Senior High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1388 338 31 515 0 n/a n/a 0 2272
1989 1322 352 40 605 0 n/a n/a 0 2319
1990 1219 315 46 606 1 n/a n/a 0 2187
1991 1098 319 45 639 1 n/a n/a 0 2102
1992 1348 443 51 988 2 n/a n/a 0 2832
1993 1262 470 72 1055 2 n/a n/a 0 2861
1994 1355 510 52 1206 0 n/a n/a 0 3123
1995 1398 531 62 1407 0 n/a n/a 0 3398
1996 1398 531 62 1407 0 n/a n/a 0 3398
1997 1417 557 66 1506 2 n/a n/a 0 3548
1998 1282 537 58 1551 2 n/a n/a 0 3430
1999 1233 570 57 1723 2 n/a n/a 0 3585
2000 1199 600 53 1678 3 n/a n/a 0 3533
2001 1147 557 46 1772 1 n/a n/a 0 3523
2002 1014 624 53 2091 3 n/a n/a 0 3785
2003 1014 624 53 2091 3 n/a n/a 0 3785
2004 959 605 63 2363 3 n/a n/a 0 3993
2005 896 653 62 2658 3 n/a n/a 0 4272
2006 802 696 46 2854 1 n/a n/a 0 4399
2007 765 738 38 3189 3 n/a n/a 0 4733
2008 677 711 31 3301 2 n/a n/a 0 4722
2009 605 702 32 3486 0 n/a n/a 0 4825
2010 549 677 36 3606 0 n/a n/a 0 4868
2011 321 414 21 2147 0 0 0 0 2903
2012 262 333 23 2021 1 0 36 0 2676
2013 306 406 24 2571 1 0 56 0 3364
2014 239 361 17 2466 0 0 58 0 3141
2015 210 354 13 2405 0 0 62 0 3044
2016 168 344 16 2556 1 0 56 0 3141
2017 167 360 9 2620 1 1 58 0 3216
2018 175 309 22 2779 1 2 64 0 3352
2019 228 370 30 3804 0 1 109 0 4542
2020 230 370 31 3981 2 3 107 0 4724
2021 230 393 17 4461 3 3 116 0 5223
2022 241 401 14 4718 4 4 116 0 5498
2023 215 386 7 4504 2 2 97 0 5213
2024 179 346 9 4163 2 1 79 0 4779

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Reading Senior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2272 134.0 16.9 n/a
1989 2319 141.0 16.4 n/a
1990 2187 141.0 15.5 0
1991 2102 139.0 15.1 n/a
1992 2832 156.0 18.1 n/a
1993 2861 125.0 22.9 n/a
1994 3123 136.0 23.0 n/a
1995 3398 154.0 22.1 n/a
1996 3398 154.0 22.1 n/a
1997 3548 152.0 23.3 n/a
1998 3430 157.0 21.8 n/a
1999 3585 156.0 23.0 n/a
2000 3533 155.0 22.8 45.3
2001 3523 161.0 21.9 40.4
2002 3785 189.3 20.0 44.4
2003 3785 189.3 20.0 44.4
2004 3993 210.3 19.0 45.6
2005 4272 214.3 19.9 39.3
2006 4399 218.3 20.2 61.9
2007 4733 223.3 21.2 58.9
2008 4722 278.3 17.0 65.6
2009 4825 271.0 17.8 69.6
2010 4868 277.5 17.5 88.9
2011 2903 156.8 18.5 88.3
2012 2676 129.5 20.6 88.6
2013 3364 172.0 19.5 86.3
2014 3141 162.3 19.3 90.9
2015 3044 157.0 19.3 100
2016 3141 154.0 20.3 100
2017 3216 158.5 20.2 76.9
2018 3352 168.0 19.9 78.4
2019 4542 233.5 19.4 83.5
2020 4724 246.0 19.2 83.6
2021 5223 253.0 20.6 83.6
2022 5498 251.0 21.9 85.6
2023 5213 239.0 21.8 85.7
2024 4779 253.5 18.8 100.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Reading Senior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2272 134.0 16.9 n/a
1989 2319 141.0 16.4 n/a
1990 2187 141.0 15.5 0
1991 2102 139.0 15.1 n/a
1992 2832 156.0 18.1 n/a
1993 2861 125.0 22.9 n/a
1994 3123 136.0 23.0 n/a
1995 3398 154.0 22.1 n/a
1996 3398 154.0 22.1 n/a
1997 3548 152.0 23.3 n/a
1998 3430 157.0 21.8 n/a
1999 3585 156.0 23.0 n/a
2000 3533 155.0 22.8 45.3
2001 3523 161.0 21.9 40.4
2002 3785 189.3 20.0 44.4
2003 3785 189.3 20.0 44.4
2004 3993 210.3 19.0 45.6
2005 4272 214.3 19.9 39.3
2006 4399 218.3 20.2 61.9
2007 4733 223.3 21.2 58.9
2008 4722 278.3 17.0 65.6
2009 4825 271.0 17.8 69.6
2010 4868 277.5 17.5 88.9
2011 2903 156.8 18.5 88.3
2012 2676 129.5 20.6 88.6
2013 3364 172.0 19.5 86.3
2014 3141 162.3 19.3 90.9
2015 3044 157.0 19.3 100
2016 3141 154.0 20.3 100
2017 3216 158.5 20.2 76.9
2018 3352 168.0 19.9 78.4
2019 4542 233.5 19.4 83.5
2020 4724 246.0 19.2 83.6
2021 5223 253.0 20.6 83.6
2022 5498 251.0 21.9 85.6
2023 5213 239.0 21.8 85.7
2024 4779 253.5 18.8 100.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Reading Senior High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,246 (11.4%) $9,708 (88.6%) $10,954
2020 $00 (NaN) $00 (NaN) $00
2021 $00 (NaN) $00 (NaN) $00
2022 $00 (NaN) $00 (NaN) $00

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Reading Senior High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 584th of 693 High schoolsRanks 592nd of 674 High schools
 3.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Reading Senior High School)34.913
 21.9%
   11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)63.334.1
 29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Reading Senior High School)31.418.2
 13.2%
   11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)63.250.7
 12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Reading Senior High School)45.633
 12.6%
   11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)71.565.3
 6.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students45425213
 14.8%
African American370386
 4.3%
American Indian02
Asian307
 76.7%
Hispanic38044504
 18.4%
Pacific Islander12
 100%
White228215
 5.7%
Two or More Races10997
 11%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients83.5%85.7%
 2.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Reading Senior High School

Reading Senior High School ranks in the bottom 13.0% of Pennsylvania high schools.

In the 2023-24 school year, 4,779 students attended Reading Senior High School.

Students at Reading Senior High School are 87% Hispanic, 7% African American, 4% White, 2% Two or more races.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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