Is Deer Lakes High School a good school?

Deer Lakes High School ranks 279 th of 686 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Deer Lakes High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 589 students attended Deer Lakes High School.

What is the racial makeup of Deer Lakes High School?

Students at Deer Lakes High School are 95% White, 2% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Deer Lakes High School?

Deer Lakes High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Curtisville Pri Center Elementary : East Union Intrmd School Middle : Deer Lakes Middle School

Deer Lakes High School

Summary:

Deer Lakes High School is a public high school located in Cheswick, Pennsylvania, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 583 students. It is part of the Deer Lakes School District, which is ranked 253 out of 610 school districts in Pennsylvania and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Deer Lakes High School has shown strong academic performance, particularly in Keystone Exams, with higher proficiency rates than the state average in Literature (74.4% vs. 63.2%) and Algebra I (48.2% vs. 41.6%). However, the school's proficiency rate in Biology (42%) was lower than the state average (50.5%). The school has also maintained a relatively high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 87.0% to 96.4% over the past few years, and a low dropout rate, ranging from 0.2% to 1.6%. Deer Lakes High School has performed well for certain student subgroups, ranking 152 out of 513 Pennsylvania high schools for its disabled student population and 278 out of 664 Pennsylvania high schools for its low socioeconomic status students.

When compared to nearby high schools, Deer Lakes High School generally performs better than some, such as Burrell High School and Highlands Senior High School, but lags behind higher-performing schools like Mars Area Senior High School and Fox Chapel Area High School. Additionally, Deer Lakes High School's statewide ranking and star rating have fluctuated over the years, with a notable decline from a 4-star rating in 2021-2022 to a 1-star rating in 2020-2021. The school's spending per student has also varied significantly, ranging from $12,123 to $23,612 per student, which may be an area of interest for further analysis.

Detail:

Public 9-12

163 East Union Rd
Cheswick, PA 15024

(724) 265-5320

District: Deer Lakes School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
279^th of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,375

Feeder schools for Deer Lakes High School:

Elementary:	Curtisville Pri Center
	East Union Intrmd School
Middle:	Deer Lakes Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.9

Number of students: 589

Racial breakdown:

White:

95.4%

Hispanic:

2.0%

Two or more races:

1.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 34.3%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare Deer Lakes High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Deer Lakes High School ranks better than 59.3% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.29. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Deer Lakes 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 (95.4%), Hispanic (2%), two or more races (1.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 34.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Deer Lakes High School is 14.9. (See more...)

Compare Deer Lakes High School employs 39.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Deer Lakes High School is $12,375.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Deer Lakes High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Deer Lakes High School 279^th of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Deer Lakes 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:

Deer Lakes School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Deer Lakes School District 253^rd of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Deer Lakes High School.

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Your rating for Deer Lakes High School?

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Rank History for Deer Lakes High School

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Rank History for all students at Deer Lakes High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	63.71	225^th	583	61.4%
2004	55.93	308^th	590	47.8%
2005	63.43	239^th	593	59.7%
2006	70.09	181^st	604	70.0%
2007	79.28	85^th	615	86.2%
2008	72.16	150^th	621	75.8%
2009	79.63	92^nd	632	85.4%
2010	65.06	241^st	649	62.9%
2011	69.93	211^th	660	68.0%
2012	52.69	395^th	664	40.5%
2013	45.27	395^th	591	33.2%
2014	31.57	459^th	580	20.9%
2015	54.29	397^th	680	41.6%
2016	56.64	377^th	677	44.3%
2017	55.78	379^th	663	42.8%
2018	58.46	367^th	673	45.5%
2019	71.33	213^th	693	69.3%
2021	35.29	408^th	537	24.0%
2022	78.22	126^th	634	80.1%
2023	56.29	328^th	674	51.3%
2024	61.29	279^th	686	59.3%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Deer Lakes High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	45.11	382^nd	652	41.4%
2024	57.60	278^th	664	58.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Deer Lakes High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	66.12	242^nd	665	63.6%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Deer Lakes High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	60.09	155^th	502	69.1%
2024	60.86	152^nd	513	70.4%

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

Rank History for Male students at Deer Lakes High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	51.04	359^th	662	45.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Deer Lakes High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	42.48	345^th	577	40.2%
2024	48.21	320^th	595	46.2%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Thursday, August 6, 2020

The worst teachers ever!Mediocrity is to say what this school is about. They cater to the slowest learners just to get federal money. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Deer Lakes High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	950	8	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	960
1989	908	4	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	914
1990	861	5	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	867
1991	859	5	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	865
1992	860	9	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	870
1993	919	8	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	927
1994	950	6	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	956
1995	1014	6	3	9	0	n/a	n/a	1032
1996	1014	6	3	9	0	n/a	n/a	1032
1997	1046	6	3	8	0	n/a	n/a	1063
1998	1067	5	4	8	4	n/a	n/a	1088
1999	1087	4	3	2	1	n/a	n/a	1097
2000	730	3	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	736
2001	710	4	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	716
2002	733	2	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	737
2003	733	2	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	737
2004	699	4	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	705
2005	689	2	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	692
2006	660	4	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	667
2007	624	7	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	637
2008	664	11	5	5	0	n/a	n/a	685
2009	616	5	5	6	0	n/a	n/a	632
2010	626	7	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	641
2011	608	7	3	2	1	0	0	621
2012	571	10	2	3	1	0	0	587
2013	604	6	4	3	0	0	0	617
2014	599	8	3	5	0	0	3	618
2015	614	8	3	6	0	0	3	634
2016	616	4	1	6	0	2	0	629
2017	569	3	3	8	0	0	0	583
2018	550	3	2	11	1	0	3	570
2019	543	3	3	9	2	0	5	565
2020	542	4	3	9	2	0	7	567
2021	582	3	3	6	2	1	7	604
2022	563	4	3	8	1	1	11	591
2023	557	3	2	8	1	1	11	583
2024	562	1	1	12	1	1	11	589

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 Deer Lakes High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	960	63.3	15.1	n/a
1989	914	61.8	14.7	n/a
1990	867	60.0	14.4	0
1991	865	162.5	5.3	n/a
1992	870	61.5	14.1	n/a
1993	927	56.5	16.4	n/a
1994	956	58.5	16.3	n/a
1995	1032	63.0	16.4	n/a
1996	1032	63.0	16.4	n/a
1997	1063	64.0	16.6	n/a
1998	1088	68.5	15.9	n/a
1999	1097	70.5	15.6	n/a
2000	736	49.5	14.9	9.9
2001	716	46.5	15.4	10.9
2002	737	50.8	14.5	13
2003	737	50.8	14.5	13
2004	705	51.8	13.6	12.2
2005	692	49.8	13.9	13.9
2006	667	50.4	13.2	16.5
2007	637	51.5	12.4	15.4
2008	685	53.4	12.8	14.9
2009	632	48.4	13.0	18.7
2010	641	49.9	12.8	23.9
2011	621	47.9	12.9	24
2012	587	39.1	15.0	28.1
2013	617	38.6	15.9	25.9
2014	618	38.6	16.0	26.4
2015	634	33.0	19.2	26.7
2016	629	38.0	16.5	25
2017	583	38.1	15.3	19.2
2018	570	37.8	15.0	22.6
2019	565	36.9	15.2	22.7
2020	567	38.6	14.6	18.7
2021	604	36.6	16.5	24.2
2022	591	37.6	15.7	21.5
2023	583	38.7	15.0	27.8
2024	589	39.4	14.9	34.3

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 Deer Lakes High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	960	63.3	15.1	n/a
1989	914	61.8	14.7	n/a
1990	867	60.0	14.4	0
1991	865	162.5	5.3	n/a
1992	870	61.5	14.1	n/a
1993	927	56.5	16.4	n/a
1994	956	58.5	16.3	n/a
1995	1032	63.0	16.4	n/a
1996	1032	63.0	16.4	n/a
1997	1063	64.0	16.6	n/a
1998	1088	68.5	15.9	n/a
1999	1097	70.5	15.6	n/a
2000	736	49.5	14.9	9.9
2001	716	46.5	15.4	10.9
2002	737	50.8	14.5	13
2003	737	50.8	14.5	13
2004	705	51.8	13.6	12.2
2005	692	49.8	13.9	13.9
2006	667	50.4	13.2	16.5
2007	637	51.5	12.4	15.4
2008	685	53.4	12.8	14.9
2009	632	48.4	13.0	18.7
2010	641	49.9	12.8	23.9
2011	621	47.9	12.9	24
2012	587	39.1	15.0	28.1
2013	617	38.6	15.9	25.9
2014	618	38.6	16.0	26.4
2015	634	33.0	19.2	26.7
2016	629	38.0	16.5	25
2017	583	38.1	15.3	19.2
2018	570	37.8	15.0	22.6
2019	565	36.9	15.2	22.7
2020	567	38.6	14.6	18.7
2021	604	36.6	16.5	24.2
2022	591	37.6	15.7	21.5
2023	583	38.7	15.0	27.8
2024	589	39.4	14.9	34.3

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 Deer Lakes High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$31 (0.1%)	$23,580 (99.9%)	$23,612
2020	$729 (6.0%)	$11,394 (94.0%)	$12,123
2021	$110 (0.6%)	$17,650 (99.4%)	$17,761
2022	$1,080 (8.7%)	$11,294 (91.3%)	$12,374

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Deer Lakes 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 213^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 328^th of 674 High schools	17.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Deer Lakes High School)	69.7	35.8	33.9%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Deer Lakes High School)	72	40.6	31.4%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Deer Lakes High School)	81.3	72.3	9%
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	565	583	3.2%
African American	3	3
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	3	2	33.3%
Hispanic	9	8	11.1%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	543	557	2.6%
Two or More Races	5	11	120%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	22.7%	27.8%	5.1%

Schools Near Deer Lakes 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
Deer Lakes High School	Public	9-12	163 East Union Rd	Cheswick	15024	Allegheny County	Deer Lakes School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 265-5320	589	39	14.9	34.3%	562 (95.4%)	1 (0.2%)	12 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (1.9%)	61.3	279^th of 686 public high schools	59.3%		56.3	328^th of 674 public high schools	51.3%	49	48.2	42.0	74.4									$12,375	$1,080	$11,294
Hampton High School	Public	9-12	2929 McCully Rd	Allison Park	15101	Allegheny County	Hampton Township School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 492-6376	895	61	14.6	18.8%	816 (91.2%)	6 (0.7%)	14 (1.6%)	34 (3.8%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.5%)	95.7	12^th of 686 public high schools	98.3%		89.3	43^rd of 674 public high schools	93.6%	31	75.6	83.4	92.8									$22	$00	$22
Northern Westmoreland Career & Technology Center	Public	9-12	705 Stevenson Boulevard	New Kensington	15068	Westmoreland County	Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center	No	No	No	No	(724) 335-9389	6	16	.3		5 (83.3%)	1 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Valley Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	703 Stevenson Blvd	New Kensington	15068	Westmoreland County	New Kensington-Arnold School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 337-4536	885	59	15.0	100.0%	380 (42.9%)	313 (35.4%)	27 (3.1%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	159 (18.0%)	8	619^th of 686 public high schools	9.8%		8	614^th of 674 public high schools	8.9%	5	9.7	19.4	31.2	4.9	4.5	4.7	25.2	25.2	31.1	31.8	31.5	$15,675	$1,470	$14,206
Springdale Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	501 Butler Rd	Springdale	15144	Allegheny County	Allegheny Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 274-8100	419	49	8.6	100.0%	376 (89.7%)	21 (5.0%)	8 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.9%)	60.7	285^th of 686 public high schools	58.5%		61.5	278^th of 674 public high schools	58.8%	7	32.6	58.7	69.4	14.4	27.1	20.4	74.6	74.6	50.7	70.5	59.9	$20,642	$836	$19,807
Highlands Senior High School	Public	9-12	1500 Pacific Ave	Natrona Heights	15065	Allegheny County	Highlands School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 226-1000	701	47	14.8	101.4%	547 (78.0%)	61 (8.7%)	16 (2.3%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (10.1%)	44.3	436^th of 686 public high schools	36.4%		49	387^th of 674 public high schools	42.6%	49	37.0	42.8	57.7									$18,101	$1,271	$16,830
Riverview Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	100 Hulton Rd	Oakmont	15139	Allegheny County	Riverview School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 828-1800	419	39	10.8	38.4%	338 (80.7%)	34 (8.1%)	10 (2.4%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (7.6%)	45	429^th of 686 public high schools	37.5%		61.4	280^th of 674 public high schools	58.5%	149	29.6	52.5	55.7	66.7	37.7	53.8	73.6	73.6	68.2	73.6	70.6	$32,797	$1,713	$31,084
Fox Chapel Area High School	Public	9-12	611 Field Club Rd	Pittsburgh	15238	Allegheny County	Fox Chapel Area School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 967-2430	1,280	95	13.5	24.1%	1,013 (79.1%)	48 (3.8%)	56 (4.4%)	106 (8.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (4.4%)	96.7	7^th of 686 public high schools	99.0%		94.7	15^th of 674 public high schools	97.8%	8	86.3	89.3	90.1									$24,514	$218	$24,296
Mars Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	520 Route 228	Mars	16046	Butler County	Mars Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 625-1581	1,048	96	10.9	12.1%	981 (93.6%)	9 (0.9%)	24 (2.3%)	30 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.4%)	84.1	88^th of 686 public high schools	87.2%		80.6	109^th of 674 public high schools	83.8%	21	59.5	71.6	77.0									$13,920	$236	$13,683
Burrell High School	Public	9-12	1021 Puckety Church Rd	Lower Burrell	15068	Westmoreland County	Burrell School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 334-1403	570	40	14.3	38.1%	526 (92.3%)	11 (1.9%)	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.4%)	25.8	528^th of 686 public high schools	23.0%		51.8	364^th of 674 public high schools	46.0%	164	18.6	34.6	51.1									$17,824	$516	$17,308

Deer Lakes High School

Deer Lakes High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Deer Lakes School District:

Average Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Deer Lakes High School

Rank History for all students at Deer Lakes High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Deer Lakes High School

Rank History for Female students at Deer Lakes High School

Rank History for Disabled students at Deer Lakes High School

Rank History for Male students at Deer Lakes High School

Rank History for White students at Deer Lakes High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Deer Lakes High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Deer Lakes High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Deer Lakes High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Deer Lakes High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Deer Lakes High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Deer Lakes High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Deer Lakes High School

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