Deer Lakes High School

Q: Is Deer Lakes High School a good school?

Deer Lakes High School ranks 328 th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Deer Lakes High School is a public high school located in Cheswick, Pennsylvania, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 583. The school is part of the Deer Lakes School District, which is ranked 224 out of 606 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Deer Lakes High School stands out for its consistently high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 93.4% to 96.5% over the past 5 years, outperforming the state average. The school also has relatively low dropout rates, ranging from 0.3% to 1.0% over the same period, lower than the surrounding schools. Academically, Deer Lakes High School students perform well on the Keystone Exams, particularly in Literature, where they have consistently outperformed the state average by a significant margin (72.3% vs. 65.3% in 2022-2023). However, the school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (95.54%) compared to the more diverse student populations of nearby schools like Mars Area Senior High School and Fox Chapel Area High School.

While Deer Lakes High School has maintained a relatively consistent performance over the years, with its statewide ranking fluctuating between 126 and 408 out of Pennsylvania high schools, its lower rankings in 2020-2021 and 2022-2023 suggest potential areas for improvement. The school's spending per student has also varied significantly over the past 4 years, ranging from $12,123 to $23,612, which may indicate changes in funding or resource allocation. Overall, Deer Lakes High School is a well-performing school with strong academic achievements, but it faces challenges in maintaining its overall statewide ranking and addressing the needs of its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

163 East Union Rd
Cheswick, PA 15024

(724) 265-5320

District: Deer Lakes School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
328^th of 674 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: 15.0

Number of students: 583

Racial breakdown:

White:

95.5%

Two or more races:

1.9%

Hispanic:

1.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 27.8%

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 51.3% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.29. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Deer Lakes 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 (95.5%), two or more races (1.9%), Hispanic (1.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 27.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Deer Lakes High School is 15. (See more...)

Compare Deer Lakes High School employs 38.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

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

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Deer Lakes High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Deer Lakes High School 328^th of 674 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:

Disabled students:

White students:

Deer Lakes School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Deer Lakes School District 224^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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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%

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%

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

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled 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%

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

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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

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

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

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 (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
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	583	39	15.0	27.8%	557 (95.5%)	3 (0.5%)	8 (1.4%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (1.9%)	56.3	328^th of 674 public high schools	51.3%		78.2	126^th of 634 public high schools	80.1%	202	35.8	40.6	72.3									$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	900	61	14.6	12.9%	819 (91.0%)	8 (0.9%)	14 (1.6%)	27 (3.0%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (3.3%)	89.3	43^rd of 674 public high schools	93.6%		83.5	78^th of 634 public high schools	87.7%	35	40.7	79.4	89.0									$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	15	.4		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	869	58	14.9	90.0%	397 (45.7%)	290 (33.4%)	23 (2.6%)	4 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	153 (17.6%)	8	614^th of 674 public high schools	8.9%		42.9	435^th of 634 public high schools	31.4%	179	4.0	14.1	35.7	8.2	12.4	10.2	39.5	39.5	33.3	43.6	38.4	$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	387	49	7.9	93.8%	351 (90.7%)	16 (4.1%)	7 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.1%)	61.5	278^th of 674 public high schools	58.8%		58.5	312^th of 634 public high schools	50.8%	34	23.4	50.0	78.2	39.3	17.2	28.6	62.1	62.1	67.2	62.0	64.7	$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	713	40	18.0	90.3%	577 (80.9%)	64 (9.0%)	17 (2.4%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (7.0%)	49	387^th of 674 public high schools	42.6%		41.1	447^th of 634 public high schools	29.5%	60	25.2	44.5	66.4									$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	396	39	10.2	26.5%	327 (82.6%)	29 (7.3%)	5 (1.3%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	30 (7.6%)	61.4	280^th of 674 public high schools	58.5%		68.3	215^th of 634 public high schools	66.1%	65	35.1	55.4	66.0	60.0	26.5	39.8	73.8	73.8	69.1	60.7	64.0	$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	1,283	95	13.5	24.7%	1,015 (79.1%)	50 (3.9%)	50 (3.9%)	114 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (4.2%)	94.7	15^th of 674 public high schools	97.8%		90	24^th of 634 public high schools	96.2%	9	69.9	83.1	88.8									$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	1,054	70	15.1	11.8%	997 (94.6%)	10 (0.9%)	20 (1.9%)	22 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	80.6	109^th of 674 public high schools	83.8%					(n/a)	15.6	75.8	84.3									$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	579	39	14.9	28.2%	529 (91.4%)	11 (1.9%)	6 (1.0%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.0%)	51.8	364^th of 674 public high schools	46.0%		66.9	233^rd of 634 public high schools	63.2%	131	42.2	41.4	62.7									$17,824	$516	$17,308

Frequently Asked Questions about Deer Lakes High School

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

What is the racial makeup of Deer Lakes High School?

Students at Deer Lakes High School are 96% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic.

Is Deer Lakes High School a good school?

Deer Lakes High School ranks 328^th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Deer Lakes High School in?

Deer Lakes School District

How many students attend Deer Lakes High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 583 students attended Deer Lakes High School.

Rate Deer Lakes 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.