Franklin Area School District

The Franklin Area School District in Pennsylvania consists of 4 schools: 3 elementary schools (Central Elementary, Sandycreek Elementary, and Victory Elementary) and 1 junior/senior high school (Franklin Area Junior/Senior High School). The data reveals stark differences in performance between the elementary and high school, with the elementary schools generally outperforming the high school on standardized test scores.

Franklin Area Junior/Senior High School stands out as the highest-performing school in the district, ranking 197 out of 686 Pennsylvania high schools and receiving a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school has a strong 4-year graduation rate of 87.5% and low dropout rate of 1.6%, and its Keystone Exam proficiency rates in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature exceed the district and state averages. In contrast, the elementary schools, particularly Central Elementary and Sandycreek Elementary, demonstrate relatively strong PSSA proficiency rates in Math, Science, and ELA, outperforming the district and state.

A notable characteristic of the Franklin Area School District is the high poverty level, with all three elementary schools and the high school having extremely high free/reduced lunch rates, ranging from 84.29% to 100%. This suggests the district serves a predominantly low-income student population, which may contribute to the performance gap between the elementary and high school levels. The district's resource allocation strategy, with higher per-student spending at the elementary schools compared to the high school, may also be a factor worth examining further.