Derry Area Senior High School

Q: Is Derry Area Senior High School a good school?

Derry Area Senior High School ranks 295 th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Derry Area Senior High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Derry, Pennsylvania, with a student population of 581. The school is part of the Derry Area School District, which is ranked 203 out of 606 school districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

Derry Area Senior High School has several strengths, including consistently high four-year graduation rates ranging from 92.4% to 96.4% over the past five years, significantly higher than the state average. The school also maintains relatively low dropout rates, from 0.5% to 3.2% during the same period. However, the school's performance on state assessments is mixed, with stronger results in Literature but weaker performance in Algebra I and Biology compared to the state averages. Interestingly, the school performs better for low-socioeconomic and disabled students compared to White students.

When compared to nearby schools, Derry Area Senior High School generally outperforms Jeannette High School and Mount Pleasant Area High School in terms of graduation rates, dropout rates, and test scores. However, it lags behind higher-performing schools like Hempfield Area Senior High School and Homer-Center Junior/Senior High School. The school's spending per student has remained relatively consistent, ranging from $17,863 to $18,460 over the past four years, on par with the spending levels of the nearby schools.

Detail:

Public 9-12

988 North Chestnut St Ext
Derry, PA 15627-7604

(724) 694-2780

District: Derry Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
295^th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,927

Feeder schools for Derry Area Senior High School:

Elementary:	Grandview Elementary School
Middle:	Derry Area Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.7

Number of students: 581

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.8%

Two or more races:

2.8%

African American:

1.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 73.3%

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Compare Derry Area Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Derry Area Senior High School ranks better than 56.2% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.25. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Derry Area Senior 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 (94.8%), two or more races (2.8%), African American (1.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 73.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Derry Area Senior High School is 11.7. (See more...)

Compare Derry Area Senior High School employs 49.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Derry Area Senior High School is $17,927.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Derry Area Senior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Derry Area Senior High School 295^th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Derry Area Senior High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Derry Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Derry Area School District 203^rd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Derry Area Senior High School

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Rank History for all students at Derry Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	72.69	147^th	583	74.8%
2004	80.35	101^st	590	82.9%
2005	71.54	164^th	593	72.3%
2006	73.82	142^nd	604	76.5%
2007	68.20	206^th	615	66.5%
2008	67.37	202^nd	621	67.5%
2009	65.62	226^th	632	64.2%
2010	51.78	382^nd	649	41.1%
2011	71.91	183^rd	660	72.3%
2012	76.74	120^th	664	81.9%
2013	63.18	224^th	591	62.1%
2014	55.63	306^th	580	47.2%
2015	65.55	276^th	680	59.4%
2016	64.50	308^th	677	54.5%
2017	63.98	297^th	663	55.2%
2018	66.43	301^st	673	55.3%
2019	67.21	281^st	693	59.5%
2021	78.45	102^nd	537	81.0%
2022	55.15	346^th	634	45.4%
2023	60.25	295^th	674	56.2%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	66.11	208^th	652	68.1%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Derry Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	50.52	208^th	502	58.6%

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

Rank History for White students at Derry Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	48.43	305^th	577	47.1%

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 Derry 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	803	9	5	2	5	n/a	n/a	0	824
1989	746	8	2	1	3	n/a	n/a	0	760
1990	738	7	1	3	5	n/a	n/a	0	754
1991	708	8	4	0	9	n/a	n/a	0	729
1992	895	18	9	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	925
1993	891	19	3	1	19	n/a	n/a	0	933
1994	920	20	4	3	15	n/a	n/a	0	962
1995	930	11	2	5	16	n/a	n/a	0	964
1996	930	11	2	5	16	n/a	n/a	0	964
1997	966	13	2	2	10	n/a	n/a	0	993
1998	949	14	3	2	8	n/a	n/a	0	976
1999	929	7	2	1	7	n/a	n/a	0	946
2000	911	10	4	0	13	n/a	n/a	0	938
2001	876	11	1	4	16	n/a	n/a	0	908
2002	868	12	3	6	9	n/a	n/a	0	898
2003	868	12	3	6	9	n/a	n/a	0	898
2004	875	15	0	4	7	n/a	n/a	0	901
2005	879	20	1	3	8	n/a	n/a	0	911
2006	880	21	1	5	4	n/a	n/a	0	911
2007	904	22	7	8	7	n/a	n/a	0	948
2008	909	13	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	3	932
2009	874	10	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	2	893
2010	814	9	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	4	830
2011	775	6	1	1	0	0	6	0	789
2012	718	8	1	4	1	0	7	0	739
2013	723	10	0	2	0	0	15	0	750
2014	714	6	1	3	0	0	18	0	742
2015	675	6	1	1	0	0	16	0	699
2016	657	3	0	4	0	0	18	0	682
2017	611	6	0	3	0	0	11	0	631
2018	582	7	0	3	0	0	12	0	604
2019	578	5	0	4	0	0	8	0	595
2020	548	7	1	3	0	0	10	0	569
2021	547	7	4	2	0	0	13	0	573
2022	563	7	5	5	1	0	13	0	594
2023	551	8	3	2	1	0	16	0	581

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 Derry Area Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	824	43.0	19.1	n/a
1989	760	44.0	17.2	n/a
1990	754	40.0	18.8	0
1991	729	46.0	15.8	n/a
1992	925	49.5	18.6	n/a
1993	933	46.5	20.1	n/a
1994	962	47.8	20.1	n/a
1995	964	51.0	18.9	n/a
1996	964	51.0	18.9	n/a
1997	993	52.0	19.1	n/a
1998	976	51.2	19.1	n/a
1999	946	50.8	18.6	n/a
2000	938	50.8	18.5	60
2001	908	51.0	17.8	68.2
2002	898	52.2	17.2	59
2003	898	52.2	17.2	59
2004	901	51.8	17.4	58.8
2005	911	50.4	18.1	58.2
2006	911	52.5	17.4	55.1
2007	948	53.1	17.9	52.6
2008	932	44.1	21.1	52.9
2009	893	29.7	30.0	56.5
2010	830	52.8	15.7	36.8
2011	789	52.8	14.9	34.5
2012	739	52.3	14.1	33
2013	750	51.2	14.6	37.5
2014	742	45.7	16.2	38.1
2015	699	47.0	14.8	39.8
2016	682	49.0	13.9	38.7
2017	631	45.8	13.7	29.2
2018	604	41.9	14.4	28.8
2019	595	40.8	14.5	28.2
2020	569	39.8	14.2	26.9
2021	573	39.0	14.6	25.8
2022	594	38.5	15.4	29.3
2023	581	49.5	11.7	73.3

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 Derry Area Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	824	43.0	19.1	n/a
1989	760	44.0	17.2	n/a
1990	754	40.0	18.8	0
1991	729	46.0	15.8	n/a
1992	925	49.5	18.6	n/a
1993	933	46.5	20.1	n/a
1994	962	47.8	20.1	n/a
1995	964	51.0	18.9	n/a
1996	964	51.0	18.9	n/a
1997	993	52.0	19.1	n/a
1998	976	51.2	19.1	n/a
1999	946	50.8	18.6	n/a
2000	938	50.8	18.5	60
2001	908	51.0	17.8	68.2
2002	898	52.2	17.2	59
2003	898	52.2	17.2	59
2004	901	51.8	17.4	58.8
2005	911	50.4	18.1	58.2
2006	911	52.5	17.4	55.1
2007	948	53.1	17.9	52.6
2008	932	44.1	21.1	52.9
2009	893	29.7	30.0	56.5
2010	830	52.8	15.7	36.8
2011	789	52.8	14.9	34.5
2012	739	52.3	14.1	33
2013	750	51.2	14.6	37.5
2014	742	45.7	16.2	38.1
2015	699	47.0	14.8	39.8
2016	682	49.0	13.9	38.7
2017	631	45.8	13.7	29.2
2018	604	41.9	14.4	28.8
2019	595	40.8	14.5	28.2
2020	569	39.8	14.2	26.9
2021	573	39.0	14.6	25.8
2022	594	38.5	15.4	29.3
2023	581	49.5	11.7	73.3

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 Derry Area Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$666 (3.7%)	$17,196 (96.3%)	$17,863
2020	$548 (3.0%)	$17,912 (97.0%)	$18,460
2021	$635 (3.5%)	$17,347 (96.5%)	$17,982
2022	$898 (5.0%)	$17,030 (95.0%)	$17,927

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Derry 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 281^st of 693 High schools	Ranks 295^th of 674 High schools	3.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Derry Area Senior High School)	71.3	30.5	40.8%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Derry Area Senior High School)	65.6	45.4	20.2%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Derry Area Senior High School)	78.1	78.5	0.4%
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	595	581	2.4%
African American	5	8	60%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	3
Hispanic	4	2	50%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	578	551	4.7%
Two or More Races	8	16	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	28.2%	73.3%	45.1%

Schools Near Derry Area Senior 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
Derry Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	988 North Chestnut St Ext	Derry	15627	Westmoreland County	Derry Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 694-2780	581	50	11.7	73.3%	551 (94.8%)	8 (1.4%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.8%)	60.3	295^th of 674 public high schools	56.2%		55.1	346^th of 634 public high schools	45.4%	51	30.5	45.4	78.5									$17,927	$898	$17,030
Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	4904 Route 982	Latrobe	15650	Westmoreland County	Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center	No	No	No	No	(724) 539-9788	9	18	.5		6 (66.7%)	1 (11.1%)	1 (11.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (11.1%)								(n/a)
Dr Robert Ketterer Charter School Inc	Public, Charter	6-12	1133 Village Way	Latrobe	15650	Westmoreland County	Dr Robert Ketterer Charter School Inc	Yes	No	No	Yes	(724) 537-9110	146	28	5.2		107 (73.3%)	25 (17.1%)	5 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.2%)	24.1	539^th of 674 public high schools	20.0%					(n/a)	27.8	27.8	35.3									$157	$46	$111
Greater Latrobe Senior High School	Public	9-12	131 High School Rd	Latrobe	15650	Westmoreland County	Greater Latrobe School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 539-4225	1,157	67	17.3	25.9%	1,078 (93.2%)	8 (0.7%)	22 (1.9%)	13 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (3.0%)	66.6	243^rd of 674 public high schools	63.9%		84.6	68^th of 634 public high schools	89.3%	175	28.3	63.6	69.5									$19,716	$1,096	$18,620
Ligonier Valley High School	Public	9-12	40 Springer Rd	Ligonier	15658	Westmoreland County	Ligonier Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 238-9531	438	35	12.5	22.8%	420 (95.9%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.3%)	61.2	282^nd of 674 public high schools	58.2%		57.4	323^rd of 634 public high schools	49.1%	41	35.8	49.5	70.7									$20,924	$1,067	$19,857
River Valley High School	Public	9-12	100 School Lane	Blairsville	15717	Indiana County	River Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 459-8882	425	35	12.2	86.1%	390 (91.8%)	10 (2.4%)	11 (2.6%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.1%)	56.8	326^th of 674 public high schools	51.6%					(n/a)	47.1	52.1	54.8									$29,070	$3,001	$26,070
Greensburg-Salem High School	Public	9-12	65 Mennel Dr	Greensburg	15601	Westmoreland County	Greensburg Salem School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 832-2900	820	57	14.5	36.1%	678 (82.7%)	62 (7.6%)	17 (2.1%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	55 (6.7%)	44.5	427^th of 674 public high schools	36.6%		34.8	476^th of 634 public high schools	24.9%	49	32.0	44.2	55.4									$17,335	$2,102	$15,233
Homer-Center Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	70 Wildcat Ln	Homer City	15748	Indiana County	Homer-Center School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 479-8026	383	28	13.6	29.0%	365 (95.3%)	4 (1.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (2.6%)	69.3	213^th of 674 public high schools	68.4%		51	384^th of 634 public high schools	39.4%	171	11.2	67.9	72.4	48.4	53.5	50.5	79.1	79.1	65.6	72.1	68.2	$19,376	$384	$18,992
Hempfield Area Senior High School	Public	10-12	4345 State Route 136	Greensburg	15601	Westmoreland County	Hempfield Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 834-9000	1,661	101	16.4	24.3%	1,550 (93.3%)	13 (0.8%)	28 (1.7%)	24 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.2%)	41 (2.5%)	67.5	234^th of 674 public high schools	65.3%		81.9	94^th of 634 public high schools	85.2%	140	40.7	51.3	74.8									$15,932	$585	$15,347
Jeannette High School	Public	7-12	800 Florida Ave	Jeannette	15644	Westmoreland County	Jeannette City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 523-5591	422	31	13.5	84.6%	265 (62.8%)	65 (15.4%)	10 (2.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	81 (19.2%)	36.4	473^rd of 674 public high schools	29.8%		47.3	406^th of 634 public high schools	36.0%	67	11.8	45.3	55.5	27.1	25.0	26.0	56.1	56.1	59.3	48.3	53.8	$20,316	$1,973	$18,343

Frequently Asked Questions about Derry Area Senior High School

Is Derry Area Senior High School a good school?

Derry Area Senior High School ranks 295^th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Derry Area Senior High School?

Derry Area Senior High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Grandview Elementary School
Middle : Derry Area Middle School

How many students attend Derry Area Senior High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 581 students attended Derry Area Senior High School.

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

Students at Derry Area Senior High School are 95% White, 3% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What district is Derry Area Senior High School in?

Derry Area School District

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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.