Summary:
Arts Academy Charter School is the sole middle school serving grades 5-8 in the Arts Academy Charter School district. While the school benefits from a relatively low student-teacher ratio, it has struggled academically, with declining statewide rankings and significantly below-average math proficiency rates compared to the state. Additionally, over 57% of students at Arts Academy Charter School receive free or reduced-price lunch, indicating the school likely faces challenges related to serving a high-needs student population.
Arts Academy Charter School has seen its statewide ranking among Pennsylvania middle schools decline from 579 out of 883 in 2021-2022 to 661 out of 891 in 2023-2024, suggesting the school is struggling to keep pace with its peers. The school's math proficiency rates are particularly concerning, ranging from just 1.2% in 8th grade to 28.5% in 5th grade, compared to the state averages of 28.6% to 42.8%. While the school's ELA proficiency is more mixed, with 5th-grade students performing above the state average, the overall academic performance indicates a need for significant improvement in instructional practices and student support.
Despite the school's low student-teacher ratio of 10.7, which could be an advantage in providing more individualized attention, the data suggests this has not translated into stronger academic outcomes. The high percentage of economically disadvantaged students at Arts Academy Charter School may be a contributing factor to the school's challenges, and the district and school leadership should explore ways to better support this population and improve the overall academic performance of the school.
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