Founders Hall Middle School

Summary:

Founders Hall Middle School is a public middle school located in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, serving 695 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the West Mifflin Area School District, which is ranked 538 out of 606 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Founders Hall Middle School faces significant challenges, with a student population that is 47.19% African American, significantly higher than the surrounding schools. The school consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of Pennsylvania middle schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger and proficiency rates in PSSA Math, Science, and English Language Arts that are significantly lower than the state and district averages. Additionally, the school has a 100% free and reduced-price lunch rate, indicating a high concentration of students from low-income families.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 10.1, Founders Hall Middle School has struggled to improve student outcomes over the past 10 years. This suggests a need for targeted interventions and support to address the underlying causes of the school's persistent low performance, including racial disparities and socioeconomic challenges. Collaboration with the community, families, and educational stakeholders will be crucial in driving meaningful improvements and ensuring that all students at Founders Hall Middle School have the opportunity to succeed.

Detail:

Public 6-8

3600 O'Neil Boulevard
McKeesport, PA 15132

(412) 664-3690

District: McKeesport Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
731^st of 893 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,522

Students who attend Founders Hall Middle School usually attend:

High:

McKeesport Area Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.1

Number of students: 695

Racial breakdown:

African American:

47.2%

White:

35.5%

Two or more races:

13.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Founders Hall Middle School ranks worse than 81.9% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.36. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Founders Hall Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (47.2%), White (35.5%), two or more races (13.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Founders Hall Middle School is 10.1. (See more...)

Compare Founders Hall Middle School employs 68.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Founders Hall Middle School is $15,522.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Founders Hall Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Founders Hall Middle School 731^st of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Founders Hall Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

African American students:

White students:

McKeesport Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks McKeesport Area School District 538^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Founders Hall Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Founders Hall Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	2.68	610^th	643	5.1%
2004	2.69	633^rd	663	4.5%
2005	6.04	637^th	687	7.3%
2006	22.45	612^th	736	16.8%
2007	15.64	654^th	749	12.7%
2008	22.03	632^nd	753	16.1%
2009	18.14	661^st	770	14.2%
2010	26.33	658^th	805	18.3%
2011	30.10	660^th	825	20.0%
2012	15.91	721^st	834	13.5%
2013	16.63	636^th	758	16.1%
2014	11.37	634^th	728	12.9%
2015	21.60	640^th	835	23.4%
2016	13.83	721^st	870	17.1%
2017	14.22	725^th	877	17.3%
2018	16.81	696^th	861	19.2%
2019	16.03	711^th	891	20.2%
2021	11.20	706^th	797	11.4%
2022	13.57	742^nd	883	16.0%
2023	15.36	731^st	893	18.1%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Founders Hall Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	13.37	171^st	187	8.6%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Founders Hall Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	14.94	757^th	874	13.4%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Founders Hall Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	25.80	512^th	660	22.4%

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

Rank History for African American students at Founders Hall Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	28.51	310^th	421	26.4%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Founders Hall Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	11.87	636^th	681	6.6%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept 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 Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Founders Hall Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2001	295	222	1	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	524
2002	284	250	0	10	3	n/a	n/a	0	547
2003	284	250	0	10	3	n/a	n/a	0	547
2004	273	263	0	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	546
2005	434	340	1	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	784
2006	381	343	1	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	732
2007	390	313	0	1	6	n/a	n/a	0	710
2008	373	298	1	6	7	n/a	n/a	2	687
2009	317	286	1	7	4	n/a	n/a	4	619
2010	292	285	0	10	2	n/a	n/a	8	597
2011	314	265	0	5	1	0	12	0	597
2012	308	288	0	3	0	0	16	0	615
2013	283	252	3	6	1	0	32	0	577
2014	373	330	6	6	1	0	69	0	785
2015	381	336	2	8	0	0	73	0	800
2016	380	319	1	6	0	0	88	0	794
2017	368	316	3	7	0	0	81	0	775
2018	350	321	2	5	3	0	70	0	751
2019	338	355	0	10	0	0	60	0	763
2020	324	369	0	13	0	0	87	0	793
2021	300	371	0	14	0	0	99	0	784
2022	264	341	0	23	1	0	100	0	729
2023	247	328	1	25	2	0	92	0	695

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 Founders Hall Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	524	25.0	21.0	0
2002	547	28.5	19.2	0
2003	547	28.5	19.2	0
2004	546	32.0	17.1	0
2005	784	33.0	23.8	0
2006	732	31.5	23.2	0
2007	710	47.0	15.1	0
2008	687	46.7	14.7	n/a
2009	619	47.1	13.1	n/a
2010	597	59.9	9.9	71
2011	597	62.4	9.5	61.1
2012	615	55.0	11.1	69.6
2013	577	54.7	10.5	72.4
2014	785	65.7	11.9	71.7
2015	800	69.0	11.5	99.6
2016	794	66.0	12.0	100
2017	775	62.1	12.4	99.7
2018	751	60.6	12.3	99.7
2019	763	61.3	12.4	100
2020	793	63.5	12.4	99.9
2021	784	63.0	12.4	99.6
2022	729	67.4	10.8	99.6
2023	695	68.4	10.1	100

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 Founders Hall Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	524	25.0	21.0	0
2002	547	28.5	19.2	0
2003	547	28.5	19.2	0
2004	546	32.0	17.1	0
2005	784	33.0	23.8	0
2006	732	31.5	23.2	0
2007	710	47.0	15.1	0
2008	687	46.7	14.7	n/a
2009	619	47.1	13.1	n/a
2010	597	59.9	9.9	71
2011	597	62.4	9.5	61.1
2012	615	55.0	11.1	69.6
2013	577	54.7	10.5	72.4
2014	785	65.7	11.9	71.7
2015	800	69.0	11.5	99.6
2016	794	66.0	12.0	100
2017	775	62.1	12.4	99.7
2018	751	60.6	12.3	99.7
2019	763	61.3	12.4	100
2020	793	63.5	12.4	99.9
2021	784	63.0	12.4	99.6
2022	729	67.4	10.8	99.6
2023	695	68.4	10.1	100

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 Founders Hall Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,025 (7.7%)	$12,282 (92.3%)	$13,307
2020	$962 (7.3%)	$12,177 (92.7%)	$13,140
2021	$1,683 (12.5%)	$11,806 (87.5%)	$13,489
2022	$3,262 (21.0%)	$12,259 (79.0%)	$15,522

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Founders Hall Middle 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 711^th of 891 Middle schools	Ranks 731^st of 893 Middle schools	2.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Founders Hall Middle School)	12.5	7	5.5%
6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	39	36.4	2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Founders Hall Middle School)	36.8	30	6.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63	55.6	7.4%
7th Grade Math (Founders Hall Middle School)	16.5	8.3	8.2%
7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	38.2	33.2	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Founders Hall Middle School)	41.4	35.5	5.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.5	54.5	6%
8th Grade Math (Founders Hall Middle School)	7.3	5	2.3%
8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	32.2	26	6.2%
8th Grade Science (Founders Hall Middle School)	29	28.7	0.3%
8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	58.2	57	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Founders Hall Middle School)	30.3	29.1	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	57.9	52.8	5.1%
All Grades Math (Founders Hall Middle School)	12.1	6.6	5.5%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Founders Hall Middle School)	29	28.7	0.3%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Founders Hall Middle School)	36.2	31.3	4.9%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	763	695	8.9%
African American	355	328	7.6%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	10	25	150%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	338	247	26.9%
Two or More Races	60	92	53.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Founders Hall Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				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	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	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
Founders Hall Middle School	Public	6-8	3600 O'Neil Boulevard	McKeesport	15132	Allegheny County	McKeesport Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 664-3690	695	68	10.1	100.0%	247 (35.5%)	328 (47.2%)	25 (3.6%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (13.2%)	15.4	731^st of 893 public middle schools	18.1%		13.6	742^nd of 883 public middle schools	16.0%	11			7.0	8.3	5.0	6.6		28.7	28.7			30.0	35.5	29.1	31.3	$15,522	$3,262	$12,259
South Allegheny Middle School	Public	6-8	2743 Washington Blvd	McKeesport	15133	Allegheny County	South Allegheny School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 675-3070	313	24	13.0	99.7%	236 (75.4%)	32 (10.2%)	13 (4.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (9.9%)	26.3	645^th of 893 public middle schools	27.8%		28.9	615^th of 883 public middle schools	30.4%	30			19.2	19.8	6.5	15.3		43.4	43.4			38.4	40.7	28.2	35.9	$21,143	$1,083	$20,060
West Mifflin Area Middle School	Public	4-8	81 Commonwealth Ave	West Mifflin	15122	Allegheny County	West Mifflin Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 466-9131	803	58	13.7	100.0%	486 (60.5%)	179 (22.3%)	34 (4.2%)	14 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	89 (11.1%)	38.8	563^rd of 893 public middle schools	37.0%		42.4	539^th of 883 public middle schools	39.0%	24	22.9	24.6	41.6	30.0	5.4	24.3	72.8	46.4	57.6	52.8	45.9	39.6	43.2	41.9	44.3	$12,059	$266	$11,793
Trafford Middle School	Public	6-8	100 E Brinton Ave	Trafford	15085	Westmoreland County	Penn-Trafford School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 372-6600	334	22	15.5	21.0%	309 (92.5%)	8 (2.4%)	5 (1.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.3%)	91.2	50^th of 893 public middle schools	94.4%		93.7	33^rd of 883 public middle schools	96.3%	17			65.6	53.2	35.1	52.6		80.3	80.3			85.6	87.1	74.3	82.8	$15,948	$439	$15,509
Steel Valley Middle School	Public	5-8	3114 Main St	Munhall	15120	Allegheny County	Steel Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 464-3600	404	32	12.5	100.0%	199 (49.3%)	150 (37.1%)	6 (1.5%)	5 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (10.6%)	39.7	554^th of 893 public middle schools	38.0%		37.6	573^rd of 883 public middle schools	35.1%	19		29.1	17.2	27.1	21.5	23.7		55.2	55.2		45.4	32.3	46.9	46.9	42.7	$17,510	$928	$16,581
Elizabeth Forward Middle School	Public	6-8	401 Rock Run Road	Elizabeth	15037	Allegheny County	Elizabeth Forward School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 896-2335	550	43	12.9	43.8%	508 (92.4%)	14 (2.5%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.0%)	78.6	161^st of 893 public middle schools	82.0%		73.6	201^st of 883 public middle schools	77.2%	40			51.5	52.7	27.1	43.9		66.5	66.5			76.4	68.3	59.7	68.0	$16,804	$614	$16,191
Life Male STEAM Academy Charter School	Public, Charter	6-9	777 Penn Center Blvd	Pittsburgh	15235	Allegheny County	Life Male STEAM Academy Charter School	Yes	No	No	No	(412) 867-6209	93	9	10.3	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	79 (84.9%)	4 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (7.5%)	7.2	845^th of 893 public middle schools	5.4%					(n/a)			0.0	4.3	0.0	1.3		17.2	17.2			7.1	30.4	13.7	16.3	$22,301	$489	$21,812
Hillcrest Intermediate School	Public	5-6	11091 Mockingbird Drive	North Huntingdon	15642	Westmoreland County	Norwin School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 861-3015	807	46	17.5	29.9%	735 (91.1%)	5 (0.6%)	22 (2.7%)	9 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (4.5%)								(n/a)		69.8	72.0			70.9					79.6	81.6			80.6	$13,479	$326	$13,154
Norwin Middle School	Public	7-8	10870 Mockingbird Dr	North Huntingdon	15642	Westmoreland County	Norwin School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 861-3010	820	52	15.6	29.9%	748 (91.2%)	13 (1.6%)	16 (2.0%)	15 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (3.4%)	96.5	20^th of 893 public middle schools	97.8%		92.3	43^rd of 883 public middle schools	95.1%	23				68.7	57.2	62.8		85.8	85.8				86.1	81.0	83.5	$13,294	$325	$12,968
Dickson Prep STEAM Academy	Public	6-8	7301 Schoyer Avenue	Swissvale	15218	Allegheny County	Woodland Hills School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 731-5816	642	57	11.2	100.0%	153 (23.8%)	400 (62.3%)	29 (4.5%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (8.7%)	16.5	717^th of 893 public middle schools	19.7%		18.8	688^th of 883 public middle schools	22.1%	29			10.5	17.3	5.4	11.4		22.1	22.1			30.0	36.8	17.0	28.1	$19,929	$1,762	$18,168

Frequently Asked Questions about Founders Hall Middle School

Is Founders Hall Middle School a good school?

Founders Hall Middle School ranks in the bottom 18.1% of Pennsylvania middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Founders Hall Middle School?

Students at Founders Hall Middle School are 47% African American, 36% White, 13% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

What high school do graduates of Founders Hall Middle School attend?

Students who attend Founders Hall Middle School usually go on to attend McKeesport Area Senior High School

How many students attend Founders Hall Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 695 students attended Founders Hall Middle School.

What district is Founders Hall Middle School in?

McKeesport 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.