Arts Academy Charter School

Q: Is Arts Academy Charter School a good school?

Arts Academy Charter School ranks 661 st of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Arts Academy Charter School is a public charter middle school located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 312 students. The school is part of the Arts Academy Charter School District, which is ranked 480 out of 610 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Arts Academy Charter School consistently ranks in the bottom half of Pennsylvania middle schools, with PSSA test scores significantly below the state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 5.2% of students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to the state average of 40.4%. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as White students and students with low socioeconomic status, who rank in the bottom 25% of Pennsylvania middle schools. Additionally, Arts Academy Charter School has experienced relatively high dropout rates, ranging from 0% to 1.6% over the past few years, which is higher than the state average.

In comparison, the nearby public schools, such as Saucon Valley Middle School, Southern Lehigh Middle School, and Nitschmann Middle School, consistently outperform Arts Academy Charter School on academic measures, with significantly higher PSSA proficiency rates and overall rankings. These nearby public schools also have lower percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher socioeconomic status of their student populations.

Detail:

Public, Charter 5-8

1610 East Emmaus Avenue
Allentown, PA 18103

(610) 351-0234

District: Arts Academy Charter School

SchoolDigger Rank:
661^st of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $1,082

Student/teacher ratio: 10.4

Number of students: 276

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

49.3%

White:

25.0%

African American:

16.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Arts Academy Charter School ranks worse than 74.2% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.77. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Arts Academy Charter School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (49.3%), White (25%), African American (16.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Arts Academy Charter School is 10.4. (See more...)

Compare Arts Academy Charter School employs 26.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Arts Academy Charter School is $1,082.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Arts Academy Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Arts Academy Charter School 661^st of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Arts Academy Charter School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Arts Academy Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Arts Academy Charter School 480^th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Arts Academy Charter School

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Rank History for all students at Arts Academy Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2015	39.35	536^th	835	35.8%
2016	51.19	470^th	870	46.0%
2017	55.10	420^th	877	52.1%
2018	48.71	485^th	861	43.7%
2019	48.63	499^th	891	44.0%
2021	35.81	533^rd	797	33.1%
2022	35.89	579^th	883	34.4%
2023	27.10	637^th	893	28.7%
2024	23.77	661^st	891	25.8%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Arts Academy Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	37.08	564^th	874	35.5%
2024	27.91	646^th	877	26.3%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Arts Academy Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	24.15	644^th	860	25.1%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Arts Academy Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	54.64	232^nd	660	64.8%
2024	24.56	539^th	672	19.8%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Arts Academy Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	17.04	704^th	870	19.1%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Arts Academy Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	33.61	274^th	421	34.9%
2024	40.90	220^th	408	46.1%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Arts Academy Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	38.55	217^th	362	40.1%
2024	36.39	225^th	362	37.8%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Arts Academy Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	32.31	483^rd	681	29.1%
2024	28.14	515^th	673	23.5%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept 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.

Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

40%

20%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, April 28, 2017

My child loves this school. She is getting a better education than she was at public school and has her art everyday. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, February 13, 2017

Children would be better off at a normal public school than at this school! Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, February 13, 2017

Teachers and staff have proven that they do not have students best interest in mind. This will be the last year my child is there. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Arts Academy Charter School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2013	224	41	9	76	1	18	369
2014	232	38	4	87	1	20	382
2015	216	39	5	72	2	39	373
2016	210	0	3	87	40	55	395
2017	209	43	2	74	2	51	381
2018	176	51	4	83	4	45	363
2019	149	49	3	105	4	48	358
2020	147	46	3	124	2	39	361
2021	118	49	3	152	1	11	334
2022	102	60	5	154	1	19	341
2023	92	46	3	141	1	29	312
2024	69	45	1	136	2	23	276

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 Arts Academy Charter School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	369	27.8	13.2	32.8
2014	382	26.2	14.5	34
2015	373	28.0	13.3	34
2016	395	32.0	12.3	40.3
2017	381	31.0	12.2	n/a
2018	363	31.0	11.7	46
2019	358	31.0	11.5	49.4
2020	361	33.5	10.7	n/a
2021	334	32.5	10.2	52.4
2022	341	31.5	10.8	52.2
2023	312	29.0	10.7	57.1
2024	276	26.5	10.4	100

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 Arts Academy Charter School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	369	27.8	13.2	32.8
2014	382	26.2	14.5	34
2015	373	28.0	13.3	34
2016	395	32.0	12.3	40.3
2017	381	31.0	12.2	n/a
2018	363	31.0	11.7	46
2019	358	31.0	11.5	49.4
2020	361	33.5	10.7	n/a
2021	334	32.5	10.2	52.4
2022	341	31.5	10.8	52.2
2023	312	29.0	10.7	57.1
2024	276	26.5	10.4	100

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 Arts Academy Charter School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$570 (3.7%)	$14,688 (96.3%)	$15,258
2020	$04 (100.0%)	$00 (0.0%)	$04
2021	$343 (55.7%)	$273 (44.3%)	$616
2022	$1,082 (100.0%)	$00 (0.0%)	$1,082

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Arts Academy Charter 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 499^th of 891 Middle schools	Ranks 637^th of 893 Middle schools	15.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade Math (Arts Academy Charter School)	12.5	12.5
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Arts Academy Charter School)	56.3	43.8	12.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
6th Grade Math (Arts Academy Charter School)	12.3	8.2	4.1%
6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	39	36.4	2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Arts Academy Charter School)	66.7	40	26.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63	55.6	7.4%
7th Grade Math (Arts Academy Charter School)	15.6	5.9	9.7%
7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	38.2	33.2	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Arts Academy Charter School)	53.2	40.9	12.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.5	54.5	6%
8th Grade Math (Arts Academy Charter School)	19.8	2.4	17.4%
8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	32.2	26	6.2%
8th Grade Science (Arts Academy Charter School)	69.1	45.2	23.9%
8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	58.2	57	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Arts Academy Charter School)	76.3	50.6	25.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	57.9	52.8	5.1%
All Grades Math (Arts Academy Charter School)	15.8	5.8	10%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Arts Academy Charter School)	69.1	45.2	23.9%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Arts Academy Charter School)	63.9	44	19.9%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	358	312	12.8%
African American	49	46	6.1%
American Indian	4	1	75%
Asian	3	3
Hispanic	105	141	34.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	149	92	38.3%
Two or More Races	48	29	39.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	49.4%	57.1%	7.6%

Schools Near Arts Academy Charter School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSSA Math (2024)						PSSA Science (2024)			PSSA English Language Arts (2024)						Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Arts Academy Charter School	Public, Charter	5-8	1610 East Emmaus Avenue	Allentown	18103	Lehigh County	Arts Academy Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(610) 351-0234	276	27	10.4	100.0%	69 (25.0%)	45 (16.3%)	136 (49.3%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (8.3%)	23.8	661^st of 891 public middle schools	25.8%		27.1	637^th of 893 public middle schools	28.7%	24		28.5	6.5	4.0	1.2	5.2		46.5	46.5		71.4	37.7	40.0	37.7	40.3	$1,082	$1,082	$00
Broughal Middle School	Public	6-8	114 West Morton Street	Bethlehem	18015	Northampton County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 866-5041	496	47	10.5	89.5%	58 (11.7%)	67 (13.5%)	353 (71.2%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.4%)	10.5	787^th of 891 public middle schools	11.7%		14	742^nd of 893 public middle schools	16.9%	45			8.3	5.3	3.1	5.7		24.2	24.2			21.1	17.4	26.5	21.5	$20,954	$2,478	$18,476
South Mountain Middle School	Public	6-8	709 W Emaus Ave	Allentown	18103	Lehigh County	Allentown City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(484) 765-4301	966	64	15.0	100.0%	65 (6.7%)	118 (12.2%)	719 (74.4%)	11 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	52 (5.4%)	14.3	744^th of 891 public middle schools	16.5%		10.4	790^th of 893 public middle schools	11.5%	46			14.3	8.7	3.3	8.8		22.7	22.7			28.5	25.2	28.8	27.6	$16,628	$2,774	$13,855
Harrison-Morton Middle School	Public	6-8	137 N 2nd St	Allentown	18101	Lehigh County	Allentown City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(484) 765-5701	667	53	12.5	100.0%	55 (8.2%)	67 (10.0%)	512 (76.8%)	6 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	25 (3.7%)	9.2	809^th of 891 public middle schools	9.2%		11.3	778^th of 893 public middle schools	12.9%	31			5.9	7.5	1.0	4.8		20.0	20.0			19.1	21.7	18.4	19.7	$17,298	$2,885	$14,413
Nitschmann Middle School	Public	6-8	1002 W. Union Blvd	Bethlehem	18018	Northampton County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 866-5781	735	55	13.4	48.6%	359 (48.8%)	78 (10.6%)	246 (33.5%)	27 (3.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (3.3%)	58.1	386^th of 891 public middle schools	56.7%		51	457^th of 893 public middle schools	48.8%	71			36.1	35.3	27.2	32.6		56.5	56.5			44.4	54.0	56.1	51.7	$16,616	$740	$15,876
Southern Lehigh Intermediate School	Public	4-6	5438 Route 378	Bethlehem	18034	Northampton County	Southern Lehigh School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 861-4040	689	45	15.2	18.3%	549 (79.7%)	10 (1.5%)	63 (9.1%)	54 (7.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.6%)								(n/a)	80.9	73.1	67.3			74.0	93.4		93.4	76.1	78.9	80.1			78.2	$19,195	$365	$18,830
Southern Lehigh Middle School	Public	7-8	3715 Preston Lane	Center Valley	18034	Lehigh County	Southern Lehigh School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 282-3700	483	34	14.1	18.0%	413 (85.5%)	4 (0.8%)	27 (5.6%)	32 (6.6%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	91.6	53^rd of 891 public middle schools	94.1%		91.1	52^nd of 893 public middle schools	94.2%	1				54.4	48.3	51.6		79.1	79.1				80.4	72.6	76.8	$20,964	$399	$20,565
Francis D Raub Middle School	Public	6-8	102 S Saint Cloud St	Allentown	18104	Lehigh County	Allentown City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(484) 765-5301	877	57	15.3	100.1%	39 (4.4%)	109 (12.4%)	680 (77.5%)	10 (1.1%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (4.2%)	8.2	820^th of 891 public middle schools	8.0%		7.2	849^th of 893 public middle schools	4.9%	29			12.4	4.0	1.5	5.8		12.8	12.8			19.3	16.5	15.6	17.1	$14,391	$2,400	$11,990
Northeast Middle School	Public	6-8	1170 Fernwood St	Bethlehem	18018	Northampton County	Bethlehem Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 868-8581	707	61	11.5	73.4%	179 (25.3%)	77 (10.9%)	419 (59.3%)	12 (1.7%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	17 (2.4%)	19	699^th of 891 public middle schools	21.5%		23	668^th of 893 public middle schools	25.2%	31			18.8	15.1	6.8	13.5		26.6	26.6			37.9	29.7	21.1	29.4	$18,098	$1,420	$16,679
Trexler Middle School	Public	6-8	851 N 15th St	Allentown	18102	Lehigh County	Allentown City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(484) 765-4601	814	58	14.0	100.0%	42 (5.2%)	100 (12.3%)	635 (78.0%)	8 (1.0%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.3%)	8.1	822^nd of 891 public middle schools	7.7%		11.4	777^th of 893 public middle schools	13.0%	45			6.0	4.8	2.6	4.3		14.1	14.1			22.1	18.6	15.8	18.7	$17,097	$2,852	$14,245

Frequently Asked Questions about Arts Academy Charter School

What district is Arts Academy Charter School in?

Arts Academy Charter School

Is Arts Academy Charter School a good school?

Arts Academy Charter School ranks 661^st of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Arts Academy Charter School?

Students at Arts Academy Charter School are 49% Hispanic, 25% White, 16% African American, 8% Two or more races.

How many students attend Arts Academy Charter School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 276 students attended Arts Academy Charter School.

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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.