Belle Vernon Area High School

Summary:

Belle Vernon Area High School is a public high school located in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 752 students. The school is part of the Belle Vernon Area School District, which is ranked 190 out of 610 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Belle Vernon Area High School has shown a mixed academic performance, with strengths in Literature but challenges in Algebra I and Biology. The school's proficiency rates on Keystone Exams range from 33.8% to 71.7% across different subjects and years, with the school performing better than the state average in Literature (71.7% vs. 63.2%) but lagging behind in Algebra I (33.8% vs. 41.6%) and Biology (56.2% vs. 50.5%). The school's performance on Keystone Exams has also fluctuated, with a notable decline in Algebra I proficiency from 69.2% in 2021-2022 to 33.8% in 2023-2024. Compared to nearby schools, Thomas Jefferson High School consistently outperforms Belle Vernon Area High School, while South Allegheny High School and Clairton Middle School/High School have lower proficiency rates.

The school's performance is influenced by socioeconomic factors, as evidenced by the slightly lower performance of low-income students compared to the overall school performance. Belle Vernon Area High School has a significant population of low socioeconomic status students, with 35.9% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023. This trend is also observed in nearby schools, where those with higher percentages of low-income students tend to have lower proficiency rates on standardized tests. Overall, Belle Vernon Area High School demonstrates a mixed academic performance, with room for improvement in certain subject areas and a need to address the impact of socioeconomic factors on student achievement.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 425 Crest Ave
       Belle Vernon, PA  15012-9660


(724) 808-2500

District: Belle Vernon Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
280th of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,381 Help


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 Help
Number of students:  752

Racial breakdown:

White:
87.0%
Two or more races:
4.7%
Hispanic:
3.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  35.9% Help


 See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

 Compare Belle Vernon Area High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Belle Vernon Area High School ranks better than 59.2% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.25. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Belle Vernon Area High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (87%), two or more races (4.7%), Hispanic (3.7%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 35.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Belle Vernon Area High School is 17.3. (See more...)
Help
Compare Belle Vernon Area High School employs 43.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Belle Vernon Area High School is $15,381.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Belle Vernon Area High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Belle Vernon Area High School 280th of 686 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:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
White students:


Belle Vernon Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Belle Vernon Area School District 190th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Belle Vernon Area High School?

Rank History for Belle Vernon Area High School

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at Belle Vernon Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 51.26 348th 583 40.3%
2004 62.03 255th 590 56.8%
2005 67.24 203rd 593 65.8%
2006 70.47 176th 604 70.9%
2007 61.43 278th 615 54.8%
2008 58.19 308th 621 50.4%
2009 58.95 284th 632 55.1%
2010 57.87 320th 649 50.7%
2011 63.69 281st 660 57.4%
2012 73.20 164th 664 75.3%
2013 67.15 181st 591 69.4%
2014 79.19 82nd 580 85.9%
2015 70.22 225th 680 66.9%
2016 64.10 315th 677 53.5%
2017 73.39 190th 663 71.3%
2018 72.79 209th 673 68.9%
2019 65.73 292nd 693 57.9%
2021 52.62 323rd 537 39.9%
2022 64.47 247th 634 61.0%
2023 73.32 171st 674 74.6%
2024 61.25 280th 686 59.2%
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 239th 652 63.3%
2024 63.79 222nd 664 66.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Belle Vernon Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 66.85 236th 665 64.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Belle Vernon Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 45.03 236th 513 54.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Belle Vernon Area High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 56.27 308th 662 53.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Male 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 178th 577 69.2%
2024 55.47 268th 595 55.0%
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.

Belle Vernon Area High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Belle Vernon Area High School.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Belle Vernon Area High School, submit a rating!


Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Belle Vernon Area High School

Help
Compare
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

Help
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

Help
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

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal 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 292nd of 693 High schoolsRanks 171st 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)69.734.1
 35.6%
   11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)63.334.1
 29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Belle Vernon Area High School)63.266.2
 3%
   11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)63.250.7
 12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Belle Vernon Area High School)79.368.9
 10.4%
   11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)71.535.1
 36.4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students777752
 3.2%
African American1320
 53.8%
American Indian01
Asian1014
 40%
Hispanic1728
 64.7%
Pacific Islander00
White719654
 9%
Two or More Races1835
 94.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients33.3%35.9%
 2.6%


Schools Near Belle Vernon Area High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Belle Vernon Area High School

Belle Vernon Area High School ranks 280th of 686 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

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

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

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


Rate Belle Vernon Area High School!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Belle Vernon Area High School!




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.





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 109 milliseconds.