Summary:
The city of Canton, Pennsylvania is home to two schools - Canton Area Elementary School and Canton Junior/Senior High School, both part of the Canton Area School District. While the elementary school is a relatively strong performer, ranking in the top half of Pennsylvania elementary schools, the junior/senior high school struggles, ranking in the bottom half of high schools statewide.
The data reveals a stark contrast in academic performance between the two schools. Canton Area Elementary School outperforms state and district averages in PSSA Math, Science, and English Language Arts proficiency, while Canton Junior/Senior High School struggles with math proficiency, with only 18-41% of students scoring proficient or better on the Keystone Algebra I exam. However, the high school performs better on English Language Arts and Science assessments.
Both schools serve a high-need student population, with over 87% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The higher per-student spending at the junior/senior high school compared to the elementary school is noteworthy and warrants further investigation into how these funds are being allocated. The stark contrast in performance between the two schools may also indicate issues with the feeder pattern or curriculum alignment, suggesting the need for a more holistic evaluation of the school system's quality and support for student success.
Thank you for your feedback!