Moon Area Upper Middle School

Summary:

Moon Area Upper Middle School is a highly-ranked public middle school serving grades 7-8 in the Moon Area School District in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. With 581 students, the school consistently performs well on standardized tests and maintains a diverse student population.

Moon Area Upper Middle School stands out for its strong academic performance, with proficiency rates in PSSA Math, Science, and English Language Arts that significantly exceed state averages. For example, in 2022-2023, the school had 50.9% proficiency in PSSA Math, 75.6% in PSSA Science, and 75.3% in PSSA English Language Arts, all well above the state averages. The school also has a relatively diverse student population, with 74.18% White, 4.82% African American, 6.37% Hispanic, and 4.82% Asian students, which is higher than many nearby schools like South Fayette Middle School and Ingomar Middle School. Additionally, Moon Area Upper Middle School maintains an extremely low dropout rate of just 0.1%.

Compared to nearby middle schools, Moon Area Upper Middle School stands out for its consistently high rankings, placing 61st out of 893 Pennsylvania middle schools in the 2022-2023 school year and receiving a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance is strong across different student subgroups, with high rankings for White students, multi-racial students, English Language Learners, and low socioeconomic status students. This consistent improvement and positive reputation within the state suggest that Moon Area Upper Middle School is providing a quality education and meeting the needs of its diverse student population.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 904 Beaver Grade Road
       Moon Township, PA  15108


(412) 264-9440

District: Moon Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
61st of 893 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,507 Help


Students who attend Moon Area Upper Middle School usually attend:

High:    Moon Area Senior High School

Feeder schools for Moon Area Upper Middle School:

Elementary:    Bon Meade Elementary School
    J H Brooks Elementary School
    McCormick Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  10.7 Help
Number of students:  581

Racial breakdown:

White:
74.2%
Two or more races:
9.5%
Hispanic:
6.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  30.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Moon Area Upper Middle School ranks better than 93.2% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 90.22. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (74.2%), two or more races (9.5%), Hispanic (6.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 30.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Moon Area Upper Middle School is 10.7. (See more...)
Help
Compare Moon Area Upper Middle School employs 54.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Moon Area Upper Middle School is $17,507.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Moon Area Upper Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Moon Area Upper Middle School 61st of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Moon Area Upper Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Disabled students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Moon Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Moon Area School District 38th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Moon Area Upper Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Moon Area Upper Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 81.81 113th 835 86.5%
2016 88.59 65th 870 92.5%
2017 90.56 48th 877 94.5%
2018 88.75 58th 861 93.3%
2019 87.86 74th 891 91.7%
2021 84.62 81st 797 89.8%
2022 88.11 74th 883 91.6%
2023 90.22 61st 893 93.2%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Moon Area Upper Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 83.93 28th 187 85.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Moon Area Upper Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 61.31 30th 143 79.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Moon Area Upper Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 76.90 127th 874 85.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Moon Area Upper Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 63.65 169th 660 74.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Moon Area Upper Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 42.14 96th 144 33.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Moon Area Upper Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 47.98 177th 362 51.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Moon Area Upper Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 89.85 47th 681 93.1%
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.

Moon Area Upper Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Moon Area Upper Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2013 530 50 20 9 1 0 9 0 619
2014 535 40 24 12 1 0 9 0 621
2015 510 29 28 17 0 0 13 0 597
2016 485 30 20 20 0 0 15 0 570
2017 489 29 21 23 0 0 29 0 591
2018 473 35 19 19 0 0 22 0 568
2019 464 29 22 28 1 0 31 0 575
2020 473 36 30 42 0 0 45 0 626
2021 443 45 30 51 1 0 42 0 612
2022 441 40 30 52 1 0 45 0 609
2023 431 28 28 37 2 0 55 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 Moon Area Upper Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 619 51.7 11.9 15.3
2014 621 52.2 11.8 18.4
2015 597 52.0 11.4 19.1
2016 570 57.0 10.0 22.1
2017 591 57.2 10.3 21.5
2018 568 57.7 9.8 20.2
2019 575 56.7 10.1 20.9
2020 626 56.8 11.0 23.6
2021 612 57.4 10.6 25.2
2022 609 56.4 10.7 24.1
2023 581 54.1 10.7 30.1

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 Moon Area Upper Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 619 51.7 11.9 15.3
2014 621 52.2 11.8 18.4
2015 597 52.0 11.4 19.1
2016 570 57.0 10.0 22.1
2017 591 57.2 10.3 21.5
2018 568 57.7 9.8 20.2
2019 575 56.7 10.1 20.9
2020 626 56.8 11.0 23.6
2021 612 57.4 10.6 25.2
2022 609 56.4 10.7 24.1
2023 581 54.1 10.7 30.1

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 Moon Area Upper Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $261 (1.6%) $16,297 (98.4%) $16,558
2020 $274 (1.7%) $15,699 (98.3%) $15,973
2021 $145 (0.9%) $16,874 (99.1%) $17,019
2022 $355 (2.0%) $17,152 (98.0%) $17,507

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Moon Area Upper 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 74th of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 61st of 893 Middle schools
 1.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade Math (Moon Area Upper Middle School)58.849.6
 9.2%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Moon Area Upper Middle School)78.674.5
 4.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Moon Area Upper Middle School)51.752.2
 0.5%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Moon Area Upper Middle School)74.375.6
 1.3%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Moon Area Upper Middle School)75.376.1
 0.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Moon Area Upper Middle School)55.450.9
 4.5%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Moon Area Upper Middle School)74.375.6
 1.3%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Moon Area Upper Middle School)77.175.3
 1.8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students575581
 1%
African American2928
 3.4%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian2228
 27.3%
Hispanic2837
 32.1%
Pacific Islander00
White464431
 7.1%
Two or More Races3155
 77.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients20.9%30.1%
 9.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Moon Area Upper Middle School

Yes. Moon Area Upper Middle School ranks in the top 6.8% of Pennsylvania middle schools.

Students at Moon Area Upper Middle School are 74% White, 9% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 5% African American, 5% Asian.

Students who attend Moon Area Upper Middle School usually go on to attend Moon Area Senior High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 581 students attended Moon Area Upper Middle 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.





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