Chester High School

Summary:

Chester High School is a public high school serving 919 students in grades 9-12 in Chester, Pennsylvania, which is part of the Chester-Upland School District. The school has a predominantly African American student population (80.96%) and serves a community with a high percentage of low-income families, with 92.38% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

Chester High School consistently ranks among the lowest-performing high schools in Pennsylvania, ranking 673 out of 674 in 2022-2023. Its academic performance is significantly below the state average, with only 0% proficient or better in Algebra I, 1.5% in Biology, and 12.5% in Literature. The school also struggles with low graduation rates, with a 4-year graduation rate of only 66.1% in 2022-2023, and high dropout rates ranging from 0.7% to 10.5% over the past 5 years. In contrast, nearby schools like Springfield High School and Penncrest High School, which are in other districts, have significantly higher academic performance, graduation rates, and socioeconomic status, with 5-star ratings from SchoolDigger.

The stark disparities in performance between Chester High School and the higher-performing nearby schools raise concerns about educational equity and the ability of the Chester-Upland School District to provide a high-quality education to its predominantly minority and low-income student population. Despite the persistent challenges, the school's performance has remained consistently low over the past decade, suggesting that the district faces significant, long-standing issues that have not been adequately addressed.

Detail:

Public 9-12

232 West 9th St
Chester, PA 19013-4288

(610) 447-3700

District: Chester-Upland School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
673^rd of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $23,018

Student/teacher ratio: 16.4

Number of students: 919

Racial breakdown:

African American:

81.0%

Hispanic:

14.4%

Two or more races:

2.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 92.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Chester High School ranks worse than 99.9% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 2.15. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Chester 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: African American (81%), Hispanic (14.4%), two or more races (2.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 92.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Chester High School is 16.4. (See more...)

Compare Chester High School employs 56 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Chester High School is $23,018.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Chester High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Chester High School 673^rd of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Chester High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

African American students:

Chester-Upland School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Chester-Upland School District 585^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Chester High School

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Rank History for all students at Chester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	1.00	567^th	583	2.7%
2004	1.20	572^nd	590	3.1%
2005	1.21	578^th	593	2.5%
2006	3.66	578^th	604	4.3%
2007	0.25	614^th	615	0.2%
2008	1.08	617^th	621	0.6%
2009	1.68	613^th	632	3.0%
2010	7.32	611^th	649	5.9%
2011	2.57	636^th	660	3.6%
2012	2.02	638^th	664	3.9%
2013	0.84	571^st	591	3.4%
2014	0.20	576^th	580	0.7%
2015	0.83	669^th	680	1.6%
2016	0.41	672^nd	677	0.7%
2017	0.49	662^nd	663	0.2%
2018	0.69	668^th	673	0.7%
2019	1.06	680^th	693	1.9%
2021	3.36	521^st	537	3.0%
2022	3.04	620^th	634	2.2%
2023	2.15	673^rd	674	0.1%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Chester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	2.52	652^nd	652	0.0%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Chester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	12.41	499^th	502	0.6%

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

Rank History for African American students at Chester High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	8.88	258^th	260	0.8%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for African American 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 Chester High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	69	1582	2	41	3	n/a	n/a	-193	1504
1989	68	1369	2	41	0	n/a	n/a	0	1480
1990	46	1372	0	43	0	n/a	n/a	0	1461
1991	60	1361	3	58	3	n/a	n/a	0	1485
1992	63	1535	0	89	0	n/a	n/a	0	1687
1993	91	1942	0	124	0	n/a	n/a	0	2157
1994	69	1801	1	116	0	n/a	n/a	0	1987
1995	71	1741	2	95	0	n/a	n/a	0	1909
1996	71	1741	2	95	0	n/a	n/a	0	1909
1997	58	1622	1	80	0	n/a	n/a	0	1761
1998	64	1693	0	76	0	n/a	n/a	0	1833
1999	50	1484	0	67	0	n/a	n/a	0	1601
2000	50	1514	0	84	0	n/a	n/a	0	1648
2001	40	1487	0	92	2	n/a	n/a	0	1621
2002	33	1373	0	96	0	n/a	n/a	0	1502
2003	33	1373	0	96	0	n/a	n/a	0	1502
2004	30	1394	0	102	0	n/a	n/a	0	1526
2005	22	1497	1	89	0	n/a	n/a	0	1609
2006	25	1564	0	89	1	n/a	n/a	0	1679
2007	12	1516	0	87	0	n/a	n/a	0	1615
2008	18	1666	1	96	0	n/a	n/a	0	1781
2009	21	1580	1	115	0	n/a	n/a	0	1717
2010	12	1211	1	78	0	n/a	n/a	0	1302
2011	7	993	1	74	0	0	0	0	1075
2012	7	746	0	88	0	0	2	0	843
2013	9	852	0	97	0	0	2	0	960
2014	8	750	0	82	0	0	1	0	841
2015	9	835	0	92	0	0	1	0	937
2016	11	818	0	83	0	0	46	0	958
2017	14	907	0	118	0	0	56	0	1095
2018	15	870	0	98	0	0	44	0	1027
2019	15	827	0	106	0	1	45	0	994
2020	12	750	0	107	0	0	31	0	900
2021	10	724	0	104	0	0	23	0	861
2022	15	789	1	126	0	0	29	0	960
2023	18	744	1	132	0	0	24	0	919

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 Chester High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1504	130.0	11.5	n/a
1989	1480	100.0	14.8	n/a
1990	1461	101.0	14.4	0
1991	1485	103.0	14.4	n/a
1992	1687	109.0	15.4	n/a
1993	2157	105.0	20.5	n/a
1994	1987	106.0	18.7	n/a
1995	1909	106.3	18.0	n/a
1996	1909	106.3	18.0	n/a
1997	1761	101.8	17.3	n/a
1998	1833	108.8	16.8	n/a
1999	1601	107.8	14.9	n/a
2000	1648	108.8	15.1	30.2
2001	1621	112.8	14.4	35.9
2002	1502	97.0	15.5	40.3
2003	1502	97.0	15.5	40.3
2004	1526	92.0	16.6	41
2005	1609	85.0	18.9	37.7
2006	1679	98.0	17.1	64
2007	1615	73.2	22.1	46.6
2008	1781	105.3	16.9	55.4
2009	1717	74.0	23.2	53.4
2010	1302	78.0	16.6	59.8
2011	1075	74.3	14.4	65.5
2012	843	62.3	13.5	62.2
2013	960	50.3	19.0	63.3
2014	841	44.3	18.9	74.7
2015	937	42.0	22.3	77.8
2016	958	58.0	16.5	100
2017	1095	62.0	17.6	80.5
2018	1027	56.0	18.3	90.7
2019	994	58.0	17.1	98.4
2020	900	66.0	13.6	90.3
2021	861	65.0	13.2	99.7
2022	960	66.0	14.5	98
2023	919	56.0	16.4	92.4

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 Chester High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1504	130.0	11.5	n/a
1989	1480	100.0	14.8	n/a
1990	1461	101.0	14.4	0
1991	1485	103.0	14.4	n/a
1992	1687	109.0	15.4	n/a
1993	2157	105.0	20.5	n/a
1994	1987	106.0	18.7	n/a
1995	1909	106.3	18.0	n/a
1996	1909	106.3	18.0	n/a
1997	1761	101.8	17.3	n/a
1998	1833	108.8	16.8	n/a
1999	1601	107.8	14.9	n/a
2000	1648	108.8	15.1	30.2
2001	1621	112.8	14.4	35.9
2002	1502	97.0	15.5	40.3
2003	1502	97.0	15.5	40.3
2004	1526	92.0	16.6	41
2005	1609	85.0	18.9	37.7
2006	1679	98.0	17.1	64
2007	1615	73.2	22.1	46.6
2008	1781	105.3	16.9	55.4
2009	1717	74.0	23.2	53.4
2010	1302	78.0	16.6	59.8
2011	1075	74.3	14.4	65.5
2012	843	62.3	13.5	62.2
2013	960	50.3	19.0	63.3
2014	841	44.3	18.9	74.7
2015	937	42.0	22.3	77.8
2016	958	58.0	16.5	100
2017	1095	62.0	17.6	80.5
2018	1027	56.0	18.3	90.7
2019	994	58.0	17.1	98.4
2020	900	66.0	13.6	90.3
2021	861	65.0	13.2	99.7
2022	960	66.0	14.5	98
2023	919	56.0	16.4	92.4

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 Chester High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$984 (7.4%)	$12,322 (92.6%)	$13,305
2020	$1,491 (10.5%)	$12,675 (89.5%)	$14,166
2021	$1,517 (12.0%)	$11,126 (88.0%)	$12,643
2022	$2,496 (10.8%)	$20,521 (89.2%)	$23,018

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Chester 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 680^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 673^rd of 674 High schools	1.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Chester High School)	2.7	0	2.7%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Chester High School)	7	1.5	5.5%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Chester High School)	17.5	12.5	5%
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	994	919	7.5%
African American	827	744	10%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	106	132	24.5%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	15	18	20%
Two or More Races	45	24	46.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	98.4%	92.4%	6%

Schools Near Chester 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 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
Chester High School	Public	9-12	232 West 9th St	Chester	19013	Delaware County	Chester-Upland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 447-3700	919	56	16.4	92.4%	18 (2.0%)	744 (81.0%)	132 (14.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (2.6%)	2.2	673^rd of 674 public high schools	0.1%		3	620^th of 634 public high schools	2.2%	53	0.0	1.5	12.5									$23,018	$2,497	$20,521
STEM at Showalter	Public	7-12	1100 West 10th Street	Chester	19013	Delaware County	Chester-Upland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 447-3401	484	40	12.1	95.9%	4 (0.8%)	421 (87.0%)	48 (9.9%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.4%)	3.5	661^st of 674 public high schools	1.9%					(n/a)	0.0	3.8	23.3	16.7	5.4	9.1	22.3	22.3	61.1	29.4	40.3	$21,130	$2,292	$18,838
Sun Valley High School	Public	9-12	2881 Pancoast Ave	Aston	19014	Delaware County	Penn-Delco School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 497-6300	1,070	76	14.1	34.3%	862 (80.6%)	107 (10.0%)	41 (3.8%)	23 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (3.5%)	65.9	248^th of 674 public high schools	63.2%		46.3	412^th of 634 public high schools	35.0%	164	40.3	51.9	71.7									$16,351	$599	$15,752
Strath Haven High School	Public	9-12	205 S Providence Rd	Wallingford	19086	Delaware County	Wallingford-Swarthmore School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 892-3470	1,159	82	14.1	16.8%	819 (70.7%)	101 (8.7%)	59 (5.1%)	105 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	75 (6.5%)	91.5	30^th of 674 public high schools	95.5%		89	33^rd of 634 public high schools	94.8%	3	59.3	71.5	92.2									$19,317	$15	$19,302
Ridley High School	Public	9-12	901 Morton Avenue	Folsom	19033	Delaware County	Ridley School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 237-8034	1,869	129	14.4	48.6%	1,276 (68.3%)	311 (16.6%)	118 (6.3%)	65 (3.5%)	7 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (4.9%)	63.5	264^th of 674 public high schools	60.8%		49.7	391^st of 634 public high schools	38.3%	127	47.6	46.2	66.8									$20,536	$467	$20,069
Chichester Senior High School	Public	9-12	3333 Chichester Ave	Boothwyn	19061	Delaware County	Chichester School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 485-6881	996	66	15.0	89.9%	495 (49.7%)	299 (30.0%)	92 (9.2%)	28 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (8.2%)	51.5	368^th of 674 public high schools	45.4%		41.6	445^th of 634 public high schools	29.8%	77	38.9	33.5	67.6									$20,272	$711	$19,561
Interboro Senior High School	Public	9-12	16th & Amosland Road	Prospect Park	19076	Delaware County	Interboro School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 237-6410	1,028	83	12.4	54.8%	697 (67.8%)	155 (15.1%)	61 (5.9%)	54 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	58 (5.6%)	51.6	366^th of 674 public high schools	45.7%		77	144^th of 634 public high schools	77.3%	222	23.1	29.5	71.9									$18,605	$1,079	$17,526
Delaware County Technical High School - Aston	Public	9-12	100 Crozerville Road	Aston	19014	Delaware County	Delaware County Technical High School	No	No	No	No	(610) 459-3050	39	19	2.1	51.3%	18 (46.2%)	11 (28.2%)	3 (7.7%)	3 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (10.3%)								(n/a)
Delaware County Technical High School - Folcroft	Public	9-12	701 Henderson Boulevard	Folcroft	19032	Delaware County	Delaware County Technical High School	No	No	No	No	(610) 583-7620	48	20	2.4	68.8%	17 (35.4%)	25 (52.1%)	4 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.2%)								(n/a)
Springfield High School	Public	9-12	200 S Rolling Road	Springfield	19064	Delaware County	Springfield School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 938-6100	1,375	82	16.7	21.7%	1,093 (79.5%)	82 (6.0%)	53 (3.9%)	110 (8.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	35 (2.5%)	88.1	55^th of 674 public high schools	91.8%		70.5	206^th of 634 public high schools	67.5%	151	76.2	59.1	91.0									$16,709	$371	$16,338

Frequently Asked Questions about Chester High School

What is the racial makeup of Chester High School?

Students at Chester High School are 81% African American, 14% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% White.

What district is Chester High School in?

Chester-Upland School District

How many students attend Chester High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 919 students attended Chester High School.

Is Chester High School a good school?

Chester High School ranks in the bottom 0.1% of Pennsylvania high schools.

Rate Chester High 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.