Belle Vernon Area High School

Q: Is Belle Vernon Area High School a good school?

Belle Vernon Area High School ranks 171 st of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Belle Vernon Area High School is a public high school serving 752 students in grades 9-12 in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, which is part of the Charleroi School District. The school has a predominantly white student population, with 86.97% of students identifying as white, and a mix of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

Academically, Belle Vernon Area High School has shown a mixed performance, with its statewide ranking fluctuating over the years. While the school currently ranks 171 out of 674 Pennsylvania high schools and has a 4-star rating, its performance on Keystone Exams has been variable, with proficiency rates ranging from 34.1% in Algebra I to 66.2% in Biology. In comparison, nearby schools like Thomas Jefferson High School have outperformed Belle Vernon Area High School in certain metrics, such as Keystone Exam proficiency rates and overall statewide ranking.

Despite these challenges, Belle Vernon Area High School has maintained a relatively high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 88.8% to 92.8% over the past five years, and a low dropout rate, ranging from 1.0% to 2.4% during the same period. However, the school's statewide ranking has declined over the years, suggesting that it may be facing challenges in maintaining its academic excellence. Additionally, the high percentage of white students at Belle Vernon Area High School, compared to the racial diversity seen in some nearby schools, may be an area of interest for further investigation.

Detail:

Public 9-12

425 Crest Ave
Belle Vernon, PA 15012-9660

(724) 808-2500

District: Belle Vernon Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
171^st of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,381

Feeder schools for Belle Vernon Area High School:

Elementary:	Marion Elementary School
	Rostraver Elementary School
Middle:	Belle Vernon Area Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.3

Number of students: 752

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.0%

Two or more races:

4.7%

Hispanic:

3.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 35.9%

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Compare Belle Vernon Area High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Belle Vernon Area High School ranks better than 74.6% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.32. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Belle Vernon Area High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

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

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (87%), two or more races (4.7%), Hispanic (3.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 35.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Belle Vernon Area High School is 17.3. (See more...)

Compare Belle Vernon Area High School employs 43.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Belle Vernon Area High School is $15,381.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Belle Vernon Area High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Belle Vernon Area High School 171^st of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Belle Vernon Area High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Belle Vernon Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Belle Vernon Area School District 177^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Belle Vernon Area High School

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Rank History for all students at Belle Vernon Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	51.26	348^th	583	40.3%
2004	62.03	255^th	590	56.8%
2005	67.24	203^rd	593	65.8%
2006	70.47	176^th	604	70.9%
2007	61.43	278^th	615	54.8%
2008	58.19	308^th	621	50.4%
2009	58.95	284^th	632	55.1%
2010	57.87	320^th	649	50.7%
2011	63.69	281^st	660	57.4%
2012	73.20	164^th	664	75.3%
2013	67.15	181^st	591	69.4%
2014	79.19	82^nd	580	85.9%
2015	70.22	225^th	680	66.9%
2016	64.10	315^th	677	53.5%
2017	73.39	190^th	663	71.3%
2018	72.79	209^th	673	68.9%
2019	65.73	292^nd	693	57.9%
2021	52.62	323^rd	537	39.9%
2022	64.47	247^th	634	61.0%
2023	73.32	171^st	674	74.6%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Belle Vernon Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	62.30	239^th	652	63.3%

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

Rank History for White students at Belle Vernon Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	67.95	178^th	577	69.2%

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.

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Belle Vernon Area High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1069	37	3	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	1117
1989	1019	40	5	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	1070
1990	955	32	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	995
1991	862	17	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	887
1992	865	19	2	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	895
1993	864	15	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	885
1994	878	19	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	902
1995	895	21	5	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	925
1996	895	21	5	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	925
1997	901	21	7	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	932
1998	900	15	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	920
1999	920	11	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	936
2000	900	15	3	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	922
2001	875	15	3	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	897
2002	869	22	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	896
2003	869	22	1	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	896
2004	880	17	2	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	902
2005	938	18	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	959
2006	958	16	4	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	982
2007	994	22	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	1023
2008	983	29	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	8	1026
2009	952	25	7	2	0	n/a	n/a	8	994
2010	876	30	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	4	915
2011	829	25	7	1	0	0	3	0	865
2012	828	28	10	2	0	0	8	0	876
2013	838	18	9	2	0	0	13	0	880
2014	809	16	11	11	1	0	13	0	861
2015	790	16	9	10	1	0	17	0	843
2016	756	22	10	13	1	0	18	0	820
2017	712	19	10	12	1	0	16	0	770
2018	716	18	11	15	1	0	15	0	776
2019	719	13	10	17	0	0	18	0	777
2020	691	12	9	24	1	0	30	0	767
2021	705	9	8	26	0	0	36	0	784
2022	687	14	7	22	1	0	33	0	764
2023	654	20	14	28	1	0	35	0	752

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 Belle Vernon Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1117	65.0	17.1	n/a
1989	1070	60.0	17.8	n/a
1990	995	61.2	16.2	0
1991	887	58.8	15.0	n/a
1992	895	58.0	15.4	n/a
1993	885	48.0	18.4	n/a
1994	902	46.0	19.6	n/a
1995	925	48.0	19.3	n/a
1996	925	48.0	19.3	n/a
1997	932	49.0	19.0	n/a
1998	920	52.0	17.7	n/a
1999	936	52.0	18.0	n/a
2000	922	51.0	18.1	21.3
2001	897	53.0	16.9	19.6
2002	896	50.0	17.9	20.1
2003	896	50.0	17.9	20.1
2004	902	49.0	18.4	19.6
2005	959	49.0	19.6	18.8
2006	982	53.5	18.4	22.9
2007	1023	55.0	18.6	22
2008	1026	55.8	18.4	24.1
2009	994	59.4	16.7	24.1
2010	915	57.6	15.8	25
2011	865	51.0	16.9	24.3
2012	876	53.4	16.3	24.3
2013	880	56.6	15.5	27.6
2014	861	46.9	18.3	25.8
2015	843	45.0	18.7	29.9
2016	820	44.0	18.6	28.8
2017	770	46.8	16.4	29.1
2018	776	43.8	17.7	29.6
2019	777	41.1	18.8	33.3
2020	767	42.1	18.2	33
2021	784	42.7	18.3	32.5
2022	764	43.7	17.4	25.1
2023	752	43.4	17.3	35.9

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 Belle Vernon Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1117	65.0	17.1	n/a
1989	1070	60.0	17.8	n/a
1990	995	61.2	16.2	0
1991	887	58.8	15.0	n/a
1992	895	58.0	15.4	n/a
1993	885	48.0	18.4	n/a
1994	902	46.0	19.6	n/a
1995	925	48.0	19.3	n/a
1996	925	48.0	19.3	n/a
1997	932	49.0	19.0	n/a
1998	920	52.0	17.7	n/a
1999	936	52.0	18.0	n/a
2000	922	51.0	18.1	21.3
2001	897	53.0	16.9	19.6
2002	896	50.0	17.9	20.1
2003	896	50.0	17.9	20.1
2004	902	49.0	18.4	19.6
2005	959	49.0	19.6	18.8
2006	982	53.5	18.4	22.9
2007	1023	55.0	18.6	22
2008	1026	55.8	18.4	24.1
2009	994	59.4	16.7	24.1
2010	915	57.6	15.8	25
2011	865	51.0	16.9	24.3
2012	876	53.4	16.3	24.3
2013	880	56.6	15.5	27.6
2014	861	46.9	18.3	25.8
2015	843	45.0	18.7	29.9
2016	820	44.0	18.6	28.8
2017	770	46.8	16.4	29.1
2018	776	43.8	17.7	29.6
2019	777	41.1	18.8	33.3
2020	767	42.1	18.2	33
2021	784	42.7	18.3	32.5
2022	764	43.7	17.4	25.1
2023	752	43.4	17.3	35.9

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 Belle Vernon Area High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$308 (2.1%)	$14,164 (97.9%)	$14,473
2020	$434 (2.5%)	$16,884 (97.5%)	$17,318
2021	$633 (3.9%)	$15,733 (96.1%)	$16,366
2022	$854 (5.6%)	$14,527 (94.4%)	$15,381

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Belle Vernon Area 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 292^nd of 693 High schools	Ranks 171^st of 674 High schools	16.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Belle Vernon Area High School)	69.7	34.1	35.6%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Belle Vernon Area High School)	63.2	66.2	3%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Belle Vernon Area High School)	79.3	68.9	10.4%
11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)	71.5	35.1	36.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	777	752	3.2%
African American	13	20	53.8%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	10	14	40%
Hispanic	17	28	64.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	719	654	9%
Two or More Races	18	35	94.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	33.3%	35.9%	2.6%

Schools Near Belle Vernon Area High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2023)	Keystone Exams Biology (2023)	Keystone Exams Literature (2023)	PSSA Math (2023)				PSSA Science (2023)		PSSA English Language Arts (2023)				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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	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
Belle Vernon Area High School	Public	9-12	425 Crest Ave	Belle Vernon	15012	Fayette County	Belle Vernon Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 808-2500	752	43	17.3	35.9%	654 (87.0%)	20 (2.7%)	28 (3.7%)	14 (1.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (4.7%)	73.3	171^st of 674 public high schools	74.6%		64.5	247^th of 634 public high schools	61.0%	76	34.1	66.2												$15,381	$854	$14,527
Monessen Senior High School	Public	9-12	1245 State Rd	Monessen	15062	Westmoreland County	Monessen City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 684-7100	193	15	12.4	60.1%	79 (40.9%)	72 (37.3%)	6 (3.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (18.1%)	5.3	637^th of 674 public high schools	5.5%					(n/a)	0.0	13.8	27.6											$105	$11	$93
Mon Valley Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	Five Guttman Avenue	Charleroi	15022	Washington County	Mon Valley Career and Technology Center	No	No	No	No	(724) 489-9581	2	15	.1		2 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Charleroi Area High School	Public	9-12	100 Fecsen Dr	Charleroi	15022	Washington County	Charleroi School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 483-3600	476	31	15.3	32.8%	371 (77.9%)	32 (6.7%)	18 (3.8%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (10.7%)	51.5	367^th of 674 public high schools	45.5%		44.7	422^nd of 634 public high schools	33.4%	55	26.3	50.5	63.3											$20,866	$1,780	$19,086
Elizabeth Forward Senior High School	Public	9-12	1000 Weigles Hill Road	Elizabeth	15037	Allegheny County	Elizabeth Forward School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 896-2349	749	52	14.5	32.6%	663 (88.5%)	31 (4.1%)	16 (2.1%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (4.7%)	69.6	210^th of 674 public high schools	68.8%		81.1	98^th of 634 public high schools	84.5%	112	35.1	57.7	74.5											$19,703	$506	$19,197
Frazier High School	Public	9-12	142 Constitution St	Perryopolis	15473	Fayette County	Frazier School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 736-9507	283	25	11.5	27.6%	269 (95.1%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (1.8%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)	8.6	610^th of 674 public high schools	9.5%					(n/a)	7.8	18.8	29.4											$18,100	$856	$17,244
Yough Senior High School	Public	9-12	919 Lowber Rd	Herminie	15637	Westmoreland County	Yough School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 446-5520	558	37	14.9	34.8%	521 (93.4%)	8 (1.4%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.3%)	42.1	447^th of 674 public high schools	33.7%		54.4	357^th of 634 public high schools	43.7%	90	24.7	39.7	61.6											$17,101	$289	$16,812
Ringgold Senior High School	Public	9-12	1 Ram Drive	Monongahela	15063	Washington County	Ringgold School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 258-2200	852	59	14.5	81.5%	735 (86.3%)	55 (6.5%)	21 (2.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (4.7%)	34.6	485^th of 674 public high schools	28.0%		42.1	442^nd of 634 public high schools	30.3%	43	23.0	43.4	48.6											$15,728	$643	$15,085
Clairton Middle School/High School	Public	6-12	501 Waddell Ave	Clairton	15025	Allegheny County	Clairton City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 233-9200	418	35	11.8	91.9%	65 (15.6%)	288 (68.9%)	11 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	46 (11.0%)	20	554^th of 674 public high schools	17.8%					(n/a)	12.7	11.7	54.9	8.5	5.4	3.2	5.4	32.8	32.8	23.9	10.7	30.2	21.8	$20,334	$3,791	$16,542
Thomas Jefferson High School	Public	9-12	830 Old Clairton Rd	Jefferson Hills	15025	Allegheny County	West Jefferson Hills School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 655-8610	949	67	14.2	18.7%	854 (90.0%)	28 (3.0%)	15 (1.6%)	33 (3.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (1.9%)	86.6	67^th of 674 public high schools	90.1%		90.8	16^th of 634 public high schools	97.5%	51	40.2	72.7	90.0											$18,113	$488	$17,625

Frequently Asked Questions about Belle Vernon Area High School

How many students attend Belle Vernon Area High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 752 students attended Belle Vernon Area High School.

What is the racial makeup of Belle Vernon Area High School?

Students at Belle Vernon Area High School are 87% White, 5% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 3% African American, 2% Asian.

What district is Belle Vernon Area High School in?

Belle Vernon Area School District

Is Belle Vernon Area High School a good school?

Belle Vernon Area High School ranks 171^st of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Belle Vernon Area High School?

Belle Vernon Area High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Marion Elementary School
Elementary : Rostraver Elementary School
Middle : Belle Vernon Area Middle 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.