Is California Area Senior High School a good school?

California Area Senior High School ranks in the bottom 20.3% of Pennsylvania high schools.

How many students attend California Area Senior High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 292 students attended California Area Senior High School.

What is the racial makeup of California Area Senior High School?

Students at California Area Senior High School are 85% White, 6% Two or more races, 6% African American, 3% Hispanic.

What schools feed into California Area Senior High School?

California Area Senior High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : California Area Elementary School Middle : California Area Middle School

California Area Senior High School

Summary:

California Area Senior High School is a public high school located in Coal Center, Pennsylvania, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 286 students. The school is part of the California Area School District, which is ranked 462 out of 610 school districts in Pennsylvania and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Over the past decade, California Area Senior High School has seen a significant decline in its statewide ranking, dropping from a high of 127 out of 677 Pennsylvania high schools in 2015-2016 (4-star rating) to a low of 547 out of 686 in 2023-2024 (1-star rating). This decline is in contrast to the nearby Carmichaels Area High School and Belle Vernon Area High School, which have maintained higher rankings and ratings over the same period. The school's performance is particularly poor for female students, male students, white students, and low socioeconomic status students, with its ranking for disabled students being especially concerning, as it ranks 502 out of 502 Pennsylvania high schools.

Academically, California Area Senior High School is significantly below the state averages in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature proficiency rates. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's Algebra I proficiency rate was 23.9%, compared to the state average of 41.6%. Additionally, the school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated between 87.0% and 92.1% over the past few years, remaining below the state average, and its dropout rate has been higher than the state average, ranging from 0.2% to 1.6% in recent years. Addressing these systemic challenges and equity concerns should be a priority for the school and district to improve the overall quality of education at California Area Senior High School.

Detail:

Public 9-12

11 Trojan Way
Coal Center, PA 15423-1013

(724) 785-5800

District: California Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
547^th of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,341

Feeder schools for California Area Senior High School:

Elementary:	California Area Elementary School
Middle:	California Area Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.5

Number of students: 292

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.9%

Two or more races:

6.2%

African American:

5.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare California Area Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details California Area Senior High School ranks worse than 79.7% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.23. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at California Area Senior High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 (84.9%), two or more races (6.2%), African American (5.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at California Area Senior High School is 15.5. (See more...)

Compare California Area Senior High School employs 18.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at California Area Senior High School is $19,341.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

California Area Senior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks California Area Senior High School 547^th of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See California Area Senior High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

California Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks California Area School District 462^nd of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for California Area Senior High School?

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Rank History for California Area Senior High School

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Rank History for all students at California Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	60.56	251^st	583	56.9%
2004	48.51	350^th	590	40.7%
2005	41.27	431^st	593	27.3%
2006	26.95	511^th	604	15.4%
2007	52.33	373^rd	615	39.3%
2008	72.04	153^rd	621	75.4%
2009	62.81	245^th	632	61.2%
2010	85.19	40^th	649	93.8%
2011	71.13	197^th	660	70.2%
2012	69.03	223^rd	664	66.4%
2013	56.00	293^rd	591	50.4%
2014	33.39	445^th	580	23.3%
2015	42.27	477^th	680	29.9%
2016	77.26	127^th	677	81.2%
2017	66.99	267^th	663	59.7%
2018	40.82	481^st	673	28.5%
2019	55.45	385^th	693	44.4%
2021	70.67	176^th	537	67.2%
2022	62.34	270^th	634	57.4%
2023	26.88	520^th	674	22.8%
2024	22.23	547^th	686	20.3%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at California Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	27.25	503^rd	652	22.9%
2024	17.40	560^th	664	15.7%

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

Rank History for Female students at California Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	24.98	516^th	665	22.4%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at California Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	10.03	502^nd	502	0.0%

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

Rank History for Male students at California Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	18.50	550^th	662	16.9%

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

Rank History for White students at California Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	12.10	538^th	577	6.8%
2024	15.53	526^th	595	11.6%

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 California Area Senior High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	509	20	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	532
1989	386	16	2	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	406
1990	402	9	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	413
1991	407	10	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	420
1992	413	12	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	426
1993	380	11	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	392
1994	381	5	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	389
1995	404	8	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	418
1996	404	8	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	418
1997	414	9	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	424
1998	389	12	2	1	7	n/a	n/a	0	411
1999	362	14	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	376
2000	326	12	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	345
2001	313	8	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	325
2002	317	11	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	332
2003	317	11	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	332
2004	337	10	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	351
2005	340	16	5	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	364
2006	323	15	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	344
2007	309	16	5	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	334
2008	315	11	7	0	0	n/a	n/a	5	338
2009	299	13	5	0	1	n/a	n/a	5	323
2010	286	13	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	7	310
2011	294	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	294
2012	279	17	2	0	0	0	0	0	298
2013	274	16	1	0	1	0	0	0	292
2014	271	14	0	0	1	1	0	0	287
2015	289	17	0	1	3	0	1	0	311
2016	252	11	0	1	3	0	0	0	267
2017	277	15	1	1	3	0	0	0	297
2018	263	17	1	0	2	0	2	0	285
2019	238	15	2	2	3	1	3	0	264
2020	238	17	2	2	2	1	14	0	276
2021	232	14	1	4	1	1	11	0	264
2022	247	19	1	2	2	1	5	0	277
2023	249	23	0	4	1	0	9	0	286
2024	248	17	0	8	1	0	18	0	292

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 California Area Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	532	34.1	15.6	n/a
1989	406	27.6	14.7	n/a
1990	413	29.0	14.2	0
1991	420	25.2	16.6	n/a
1992	426	25.8	16.5	n/a
1993	392	24.0	16.3	n/a
1994	389	21.0	18.5	n/a
1995	418	23.0	18.2	n/a
1996	418	23.0	18.2	n/a
1997	424	23.5	18.0	n/a
1998	411	23.8	17.3	n/a
1999	376	23.8	15.8	n/a
2000	345	23.8	14.5	18.3
2001	325	23.8	13.7	25.5
2002	332	20.6	16.1	21.1
2003	332	20.6	16.1	21.1
2004	351	21.1	16.6	18.2
2005	364	21.3	17.1	19.2
2006	344	21.5	16.0	33.1
2007	334	21.4	15.6	n/a
2008	338	26.6	12.7	34.2
2009	323	18.9	17.1	38.4
2010	310	20.8	14.9	33.3
2011	294	20.8	14.1	39.1
2012	298	21.8	13.6	33.9
2013	292	15.5	18.8	33.6
2014	287	19.8	14.4	30
2015	311	21.0	14.8	35.7
2016	267	21.0	12.7	33.7
2017	297	20.0	14.8	32.3
2018	285	19.9	14.3	31.6
2019	264	20.8	12.6	34.8
2020	276	18.9	14.5	31.2
2021	264	19.2	13.7	29.5
2022	277	19.5	14.1	28.2
2023	286	19.3	14.8	36
2024	292	18.7	15.5	99

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 California Area Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	532	34.1	15.6	n/a
1989	406	27.6	14.7	n/a
1990	413	29.0	14.2	0
1991	420	25.2	16.6	n/a
1992	426	25.8	16.5	n/a
1993	392	24.0	16.3	n/a
1994	389	21.0	18.5	n/a
1995	418	23.0	18.2	n/a
1996	418	23.0	18.2	n/a
1997	424	23.5	18.0	n/a
1998	411	23.8	17.3	n/a
1999	376	23.8	15.8	n/a
2000	345	23.8	14.5	18.3
2001	325	23.8	13.7	25.5
2002	332	20.6	16.1	21.1
2003	332	20.6	16.1	21.1
2004	351	21.1	16.6	18.2
2005	364	21.3	17.1	19.2
2006	344	21.5	16.0	33.1
2007	334	21.4	15.6	n/a
2008	338	26.6	12.7	34.2
2009	323	18.9	17.1	38.4
2010	310	20.8	14.9	33.3
2011	294	20.8	14.1	39.1
2012	298	21.8	13.6	33.9
2013	292	15.5	18.8	33.6
2014	287	19.8	14.4	30
2015	311	21.0	14.8	35.7
2016	267	21.0	12.7	33.7
2017	297	20.0	14.8	32.3
2018	285	19.9	14.3	31.6
2019	264	20.8	12.6	34.8
2020	276	18.9	14.5	31.2
2021	264	19.2	13.7	29.5
2022	277	19.5	14.1	28.2
2023	286	19.3	14.8	36
2024	292	18.7	15.5	99

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 California Area Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$342 (2.0%)	$16,755 (98.0%)	$17,097
2020	$322 (2.0%)	$15,753 (98.0%)	$16,075
2021	$327 (2.0%)	$16,034 (98.0%)	$16,362
2022	$1,924 (9.9%)	$17,418 (90.1%)	$19,341

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on California Area Senior 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 385^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 520^th of 674 High schools	21.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (California Area Senior High School)	61.4	8.8	52.6%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (California Area Senior High School)	52.1	37.7	14.4%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (California Area Senior High School)	80	50	30%
11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)	71.5	65.3	6.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	264	286	8.3%
African American	15	23	53.3%
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	2	0	100%
Hispanic	2	4	100%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	238	249	4.6%
Two or More Races	3	9	200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	34.8%	36%	1.2%

Schools Near California Area Senior High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2024)	Keystone Exams Biology (2024)	Keystone Exams Literature (2024)	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	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th 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 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
California Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	11 Trojan Way	Coal Center	15423	Washington County	California Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 785-5800	292	19	15.5	99.0%	248 (84.9%)	17 (5.8%)	8 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.2%)	22.2	547^th of 686 public high schools	20.3%		26.9	520^th of 674 public high schools	22.8%	27	23.9	28.4	47.0									$19,341	$1,924	$17,418
Brownsville Area High School	Public	9-12	One Falcon Drive	Brownsville	15417	Fayette County	Brownsville Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 785-8200	425	31	13.5	100.0%	334 (78.6%)	27 (6.4%)	8 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (12.7%)	24.7	539^th of 686 public high schools	21.4%		17.9	563^rd of 674 public high schools	16.5%	24	26.2	36.7	41.1									$19,252	$2,204	$17,047
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	3	15	.2		3 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)			33.3
Bethlehem-Center Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	179 Crawford Rd	Fredericktown	15333	Washington County	Bethlehem-Center School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 267-4910	455	32	14.4	96.3%	432 (94.9%)	10 (2.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.6%)	44.6	434^th of 686 public high schools	36.7%		26.8	523^rd of 674 public high schools	22.4%	89	25.0	47.6	63.6	21.2	11.5	16.3	63.7	63.7	43.9	49.2	46.6	$12,994	$00	$12,994
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	179	15	11.8	83.8%	69 (38.5%)	73 (40.8%)	7 (3.9%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (16.2%)	3.9	652^nd of 686 public high schools	5.0%		5.3	637^th of 674 public high schools	5.5%	15	3.1	9.7	25.8									$105	$11	$93
Bentworth Senior High School	Public	9-12	75 Bearcat Dr	Bentleyville	15314	Washington County	Bentworth School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 239-5911	354	63	5.5	100.0%	334 (94.4%)	5 (1.4%)	3 (0.8%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.5%)	67.9	225^th of 686 public high schools	67.2%		56.8	325^th of 674 public high schools	51.8%	100	47.3	55.4	72.0									$19,376	$1,172	$18,204
Charleroi Area High School	Public	9-12	100 Fecsen Dr	Charleroi	15022	Washington County	Charleroi School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 483-3600	462	31	14.8	46.5%	353 (76.4%)	36 (7.8%)	17 (3.7%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (11.3%)	33.9	489^th of 686 public high schools	28.7%		51.5	367^th of 674 public high schools	45.5%	122	28.6	34.4	57.0									$20,866	$1,780	$19,086
Frazier High School	Public	9-12	142 Constitution St	Perryopolis	15473	Fayette County	Frazier School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 736-9507	316	23	13.5	48.4%	299 (94.6%)	2 (0.6%)	6 (1.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	24	543^rd of 686 public high schools	20.8%		8.6	610^th of 674 public high schools	9.5%	67	22.3	39.7	39.7									$18,100	$856	$17,244
Carmichaels Area High School	Public	9-12	215 North Vine Street	Carmichaels	15320	Greene County	Carmichaels Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 966-5045	283	28	10.2	98.9%	270 (95.4%)	4 (1.4%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.8%)	34.5	487^th of 686 public high schools	29.0%		75	151^st of 674 public high schools	77.6%	336	34.4	45.4	40.6									$15,840	$1,234	$14,606
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	749	43	17.2	99.6%	650 (86.8%)	20 (2.7%)	30 (4.0%)	18 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.1%)	61.3	280^th of 686 public high schools	59.2%		73.3	171^st of 674 public high schools	74.6%	109	33.8	56.2	71.7									$15,381	$854	$14,527

California Area Senior High School

California Area Senior High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

California Area School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for California Area Senior High School

Rank History for all students at California Area Senior High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at California Area Senior High School

Rank History for Female students at California Area Senior High School

Rank History for Disabled students at California Area Senior High School

Rank History for Male students at California Area Senior High School

Rank History for White students at California Area Senior High School

Enrollment information for California Area Senior High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at California Area Senior High School

Student/Teacher Ratio California Area Senior High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for California Area Senior High School

Impact of COVID-19 on California Area Senior High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near California Area Senior High School