Lehighton Area High School

Q: Is Lehighton Area High School a good school?

Lehighton Area High School ranks 450 th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Lehighton Area High School is a public high school serving around 660 students in grades 9-12 in Lehighton, Pennsylvania, which is part of the Northern Lehigh School District. The school has a predominantly white student population, but faces challenges with academic performance, high dropout rates, and a large percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

Lehighton Area High School has struggled academically, with proficiency rates on the Keystone Exams significantly lower than the state averages in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature. The school's academic performance has declined over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 129 out of 680 high schools in 2014-2015 to 450 out of 674 high schools in 2022-2023. This trend is particularly concerning for the school's white students and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, who rank in the bottom 20% of Pennsylvania high schools on these exams.

In comparison to nearby schools, such as Northampton Area High School, Northwestern Lehigh High School, and Palmerton Area High School, Lehighton Area High School's academic performance is generally lower, with these schools having higher proficiency rates on the Keystone Exams and better overall statewide rankings. Despite increased spending per student at Lehighton Area High School, these improvements have not translated into better academic outcomes, suggesting a need for the school and district to examine the allocation and effectiveness of their resources.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1 Indian Lane
Lehighton, PA 18235-1137

(610) 377-6180

District: Lehighton Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
450^th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,217

Feeder schools for Lehighton Area High School:

Elementary:	Lehighton Area Elementary Center
Middle:	Lehighton Area Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.2

Number of students: 660

Racial breakdown:

White:

88.0%

Hispanic:

7.1%

Two or more races:

2.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 52.3%

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Compare Lehighton Area High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Lehighton Area High School ranks worse than 66.8% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.16. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Lehighton Area 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 (88%), Hispanic (7.1%), two or more races (2.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 52.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lehighton Area High School is 10.2. (See more...)

Compare Lehighton Area High School employs 64.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lehighton Area High School is $14,217.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Lehighton Area High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Lehighton Area High School 450^th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Lehighton Area High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Lehighton Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Lehighton Area School District 420^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Lehighton Area High School

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Rank History for all students at Lehighton Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	48.55	367^th	583	37.0%
2004	50.31	341^st	590	42.2%
2005	56.83	300^th	593	49.4%
2006	40.14	446^th	604	26.2%
2007	57.95	317^th	615	48.5%
2008	49.90	375^th	621	39.6%
2009	71.74	170^th	632	73.1%
2010	31.21	523^rd	649	19.4%
2011	70.89	199^th	660	69.8%
2012	68.90	226^th	664	66.0%
2013	67.43	176^th	591	70.2%
2014	59.92	265^th	580	54.3%
2015	77.42	129^th	680	81.0%
2016	50.57	427^th	677	36.9%
2017	63.42	301^st	663	54.6%
2018	58.69	364^th	673	45.9%
2019	63.82	312^th	693	55.0%
2021	67.25	210^th	537	60.9%
2022	45.73	415^th	634	34.5%
2023	41.16	450^th	674	33.2%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	25.85	511^th	652	21.6%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Lehighton Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	32.60	318^th	502	36.7%

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

Rank History for White students at Lehighton Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	27.62	462^nd	577	19.9%

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: 3)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Lehighton Area High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	912	2	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	920
1989	880	1	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	884
1990	875	1	3	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	885
1991	823	1	1	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	832
1992	749	0	4	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	758
1993	727	0	3	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	736
1994	744	1	2	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	751
1995	732	4	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	743
1996	732	4	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	743
1997	727	3	3	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	739
1998	723	5	6	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	741
1999	712	4	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	723
2000	719	4	11	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	738
2001	728	3	8	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	744
2002	781	2	9	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	799
2003	781	2	9	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	799
2004	758	4	8	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	778
2005	794	4	8	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	815
2006	810	5	5	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	828
2007	807	7	4	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	826
2008	849	10	3	18	0	n/a	n/a	2	882
2009	790	13	0	15	2	n/a	n/a	3	823
2010	755	11	0	16	0	n/a	n/a	1	783
2011	710	15	0	16	1	2	0	0	744
2012	672	24	0	27	1	2	0	0	726
2013	620	16	1	27	2	2	4	0	672
2014	644	18	1	32	1	2	3	0	701
2015	644	16	2	33	1	1	1	0	698
2016	596	14	1	26	1	0	7	0	645
2017	620	13	2	29	2	1	11	0	678
2018	640	13	5	31	1	2	13	0	705
2019	631	14	4	34	1	2	16	0	702
2020	653	13	7	45	1	2	22	0	743
2021	622	12	7	39	0	1	12	0	693
2022	577	10	6	49	1	2	9	0	654
2023	581	8	5	47	1	3	15	0	660

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 Lehighton Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	920	53.0	17.3	n/a
1989	884	51.0	17.3	n/a
1990	885	51.0	17.3	0
1991	832	51.0	16.3	n/a
1992	758	50.6	14.9	n/a
1993	736	46.5	15.8	n/a
1994	751	49.0	15.3	n/a
1995	743	50.0	14.9	n/a
1996	743	50.0	14.9	n/a
1997	739	52.0	14.2	n/a
1998	741	52.0	14.3	n/a
1999	723	52.0	13.9	n/a
2000	738	52.0	14.2	17.5
2001	744	52.0	14.3	13.6
2002	799	52.0	15.4	11.1
2003	799	52.0	15.4	11.1
2004	778	53.0	14.7	12.2
2005	815	53.0	15.4	10.9
2006	828	54.0	15.3	20
2007	826	54.0	15.3	17.9
2008	882	53.4	16.5	17.4
2009	823	54.9	15.0	22.6
2010	783	51.9	15.0	25.8
2011	744	50.7	14.6	29.7
2012	726	50.2	14.4	33.5
2013	672	50.2	13.3	34.4
2014	701	48.4	14.4	36.5
2015	698	50.0	13.9	36.8
2016	645	50.0	12.9	40.3
2017	678	50.1	13.5	36.3
2018	705	50.3	14.0	41.3
2019	702	50.4	13.9	44.3
2020	743	47.5	15.6	46.2
2021	693	44.6	15.5	43.9
2022	654	58.2	11.2	43.7
2023	660	64.3	10.2	52.3

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 Lehighton Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	920	53.0	17.3	n/a
1989	884	51.0	17.3	n/a
1990	885	51.0	17.3	0
1991	832	51.0	16.3	n/a
1992	758	50.6	14.9	n/a
1993	736	46.5	15.8	n/a
1994	751	49.0	15.3	n/a
1995	743	50.0	14.9	n/a
1996	743	50.0	14.9	n/a
1997	739	52.0	14.2	n/a
1998	741	52.0	14.3	n/a
1999	723	52.0	13.9	n/a
2000	738	52.0	14.2	17.5
2001	744	52.0	14.3	13.6
2002	799	52.0	15.4	11.1
2003	799	52.0	15.4	11.1
2004	778	53.0	14.7	12.2
2005	815	53.0	15.4	10.9
2006	828	54.0	15.3	20
2007	826	54.0	15.3	17.9
2008	882	53.4	16.5	17.4
2009	823	54.9	15.0	22.6
2010	783	51.9	15.0	25.8
2011	744	50.7	14.6	29.7
2012	726	50.2	14.4	33.5
2013	672	50.2	13.3	34.4
2014	701	48.4	14.4	36.5
2015	698	50.0	13.9	36.8
2016	645	50.0	12.9	40.3
2017	678	50.1	13.5	36.3
2018	705	50.3	14.0	41.3
2019	702	50.4	13.9	44.3
2020	743	47.5	15.6	46.2
2021	693	44.6	15.5	43.9
2022	654	58.2	11.2	43.7
2023	660	64.3	10.2	52.3

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 Lehighton Area High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$59 (0.4%)	$13,810 (99.6%)	$13,869
2020	$19 (0.2%)	$12,556 (99.8%)	$12,575
2021	$227 (1.8%)	$12,695 (98.2%)	$12,922
2022	$1,327 (9.3%)	$12,890 (90.7%)	$14,217

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lehighton Area 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 312^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 450^th of 674 High schools	21.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Lehighton Area High School)	66.9	18.5	48.4%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Lehighton Area High School)	69	50	19%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Lehighton Area High School)	73.3	55.4	17.9%
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	702	660	6%
African American	14	8	42.9%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	4	5	25%
Hispanic	34	47	38.2%
Pacific Islander	2	3	50%
White	631	581	7.9%
Two or More Races	16	15	6.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	44.3%	52.3%	8%

Schools Near Lehighton Area 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
Lehighton Area High School	Public	9-12	1 Indian Lane	Lehighton	18235	Carbon County	Lehighton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 377-6180	660	64	10.2	52.3%	581 (88.0%)	8 (1.2%)	47 (7.1%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	15 (2.3%)	41.2	450^th of 674 public high schools	33.2%		45.7	415^th of 634 public high schools	34.5%	35	18.5	50.0	55.4									$14,217	$1,327	$12,890
Jim Thorpe Area High School	Public	9-12	1 Olympian Way	Jim Thorpe	18229	Carbon County	Jim Thorpe Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 325-3663	565	41	13.8	45.0%	426 (75.4%)	39 (6.9%)	73 (12.9%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.1%)	43.4	435^th of 674 public high schools	35.5%		43.7	431^st of 634 public high schools	32.0%	4	22.0	45.7	59.2									$19,591	$2,494	$17,097
Carbon Career & Technical Institute	Public	9-12	150 West 13th Street	Jim Thorpe	18229	Carbon County	Carbon Career & Technical Institute	No	No	No	No	(570) 325-3682	394	31	12.9	37.8%	369 (93.7%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	46.4	410^th of 674 public high schools	39.2%		50.6	385^th of 634 public high schools	39.3%	25	27.3	50.5	55.9
Palmerton Area High School	Public	9-12	3525 Fireline Rd	Palmerton	18071	Carbon County	Palmerton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 826-3155	482	40	11.9	30.9%	430 (89.2%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (8.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.9%)	67.7	231^st of 674 public high schools	65.7%		77.7	136^th of 634 public high schools	78.5%	95	43.0	60.4	65.2									$15,441	$319	$15,121
Panther Valley Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	912 Coal Region Way	Lansford	18232	Carbon County	Panther Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 645-2171	771	42	18.3	99.9%	568 (73.7%)	51 (6.6%)	109 (14.1%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (5.1%)	40.3	457^th of 674 public high schools	32.2%		32.9	487^th of 634 public high schools	23.2%	30	11.1	36.9	67.4	15.3	5.7	9.6	44.3	44.3	37.2	39.0	38.3	$10,321	$2,633	$7,688
Northern Lehigh Senior High School	Public	9-12	1 Bulldog Ln	Slatington	18080	Lehigh County	Northern Lehigh School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 767-9832	487	36	13.4	68.4%	383 (78.6%)	3 (0.6%)	79 (16.2%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (3.1%)	44.9	423^rd of 674 public high schools	37.2%		45.4	419^th of 634 public high schools	33.9%	4	25.3	53.4	52.2									$20,661	$1,327	$19,334
Weatherly Area High School	Public	9-12	601 6th St	Weatherly	18255	Carbon County	Weatherly Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 427-8521	159	14	11.1	57.2%	136 (85.5%)	2 (1.3%)	16 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)	69.9	207^th of 674 public high schools	69.3%					(n/a)	7.1	74.3	71.8									$22,090	$233	$21,857
Northwestern Lehigh High School	Public	9-12	6493 Route 309	New Tripoli	18066	Lehigh County	Northwestern Lehigh School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 298-8661	695	55	12.6	14.4%	612 (88.1%)	11 (1.6%)	45 (6.5%)	8 (1.2%)	5 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.0%)	73.8	165^th of 674 public high schools	75.5%		71.3	200^th of 634 public high schools	68.5%	35	44.5	56.4	77.1									$22,019	$932	$21,087
Lehigh Career and Technical Institute	Public	9-12	4500 Education Park Drive	Schnecksville	18078	Lehigh County	Lehigh Career and Technical Institute	No	No	No	No	(610) 799-1323	33	93	.3	97.0%	27 (81.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (6.1%)	1 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (9.1%)	35.6	477^th of 674 public high schools	29.2%		34	481^st of 634 public high schools	24.1%	4	13.3	42.2	57.9
Tamaqua Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	500 Penn St	Tamaqua	18252	Schuylkill County	Tamaqua Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 668-1901	691	44	15.7	50.5%	580 (83.9%)	17 (2.5%)	85 (12.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.9%)	47.4	399^th of 674 public high schools	40.8%		84.1	73^rd of 634 public high schools	88.5%	326	25.0	17.9	66.7									$13,456	$426	$13,030

Frequently Asked Questions about Lehighton Area High School

Is Lehighton Area High School a good school?

Lehighton Area High School ranks 450^th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Lehighton Area High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 660 students attended Lehighton Area High School.

What is the racial makeup of Lehighton Area High School?

Students at Lehighton Area High School are 88% White, 7% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American.

What schools feed into Lehighton Area High School?

Lehighton Area High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Lehighton Area Elementary Center
Middle : Lehighton Area Middle School

What district is Lehighton Area High School in?

Lehighton 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.