Northern High School

Q: Is Northern High School a good school?

Northern High School ranks 159 th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Northern High School is a public high school located in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, serving 1,051 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Northern York County School District, which is ranked 212 out of 606 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Northern High School has shown strong academic performance, ranking 159 out of 674 Pennsylvania high schools in the 2022-2023 school year and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance on Keystone Exams is particularly noteworthy, with 83.8% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in Literature, significantly higher than the state average of 65.3%. Northern High School has also maintained a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 90.7% to 94.0% over the past five years, and a low dropout rate, ranging from 1.0% to 2.0% during the same period.

When compared to nearby high schools, Northern High School stands out in several areas. It has a higher percentage of white students than many of its neighbors, such as Carlisle Area High School and Cedar Cliff High School. Additionally, Northern High School has a lower percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 19.68% to 21.12% over the past three years, compared to schools like Dover Area High School (49.41%) and Carlisle Area High School (39.16%). However, some nearby schools, such as Camp Hill Senior High School and Cumberland Valley High School, have outperformed Northern High School in terms of statewide rankings and academic proficiency on Keystone Exams.

Detail:

Public 9-12

653 S Baltimore St
Dillsburg, PA 17019-9690

(717) 432-8691

District: Northern York County School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
159^th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,189

Feeder schools for Northern High School:

Elementary:	Dillsburg Elementary School
	Northern Elementary School
	South Mountain Elementary School
	Wellsville Campus
Middle:	Northern Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.8

Number of students: 1,051

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.6%

Hispanic:

4.2%

African American:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 21.1%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare Northern High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Northern High School ranks better than 76.4% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.01. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Northern 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 (89.6%), Hispanic (4.2%), African American (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 21.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northern High School is 16.8. (See more...)

Compare Northern High School employs 62.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northern High School is $14,189.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Northern High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Northern High School 159^th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Northern High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Northern York County School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Northern York County School District 212^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Northern High School

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Rank History for all students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	68.21	185^th	583	68.3%
2004	64.68	235^th	590	60.2%
2005	47.45	385^th	593	35.1%
2006	45.16	406^th	604	32.8%
2007	62.71	269^th	615	56.3%
2008	42.09	434^th	621	30.1%
2009	51.75	372^nd	632	41.1%
2010	64.40	251^st	649	61.3%
2011	55.33	367^th	660	44.4%
2012	57.28	346^th	664	47.9%
2013	43.94	406^th	591	31.3%
2014	47.77	371^st	580	36.0%
2015	57.00	376^th	680	44.7%
2016	70.09	238^th	677	64.8%
2017	66.93	268^th	663	59.6%
2018	74.74	185^th	673	72.5%
2019	68.40	267^th	693	61.5%
2021	55.70	305^th	537	43.2%
2022	67.66	221^st	634	65.1%
2023	74.01	159^th	674	76.4%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	78.19	116^th	652	82.2%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	71.08	105^th	502	79.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	64.30	200^th	577	65.3%

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:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Northern High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	904	3	5	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	914
1989	853	5	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	864
1990	791	5	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	802
1991	730	7	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	744
1992	762	5	4	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	779
1993	768	6	6	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	790
1994	783	3	7	9	2	n/a	n/a	0	804
1995	864	1	14	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	885
1996	864	1	14	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	885
1997	877	1	10	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	893
1998	883	3	7	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	894
1999	915	1	9	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	926
2000	914	2	11	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	929
2001	924	2	12	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	942
2002	1008	5	17	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1032
2003	1008	5	17	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1032
2004	1037	6	17	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	1063
2005	1061	7	15	13	3	n/a	n/a	0	1099
2006	1023	10	14	16	5	n/a	n/a	0	1068
2007	1021	9	11	19	8	n/a	n/a	0	1068
2008	1034	12	10	21	9	n/a	n/a	0	1086
2009	1008	15	12	14	7	n/a	n/a	1	1057
2010	994	13	13	13	8	n/a	n/a	3	1044
2011	988	14	19	15	4	0	7	0	1047
2012	920	13	19	16	4	1	2	0	975
2013	926	11	23	19	5	1	4	0	989
2014	914	11	23	26	4	1	8	0	987
2015	897	12	20	28	2	1	14	0	974
2016	925	12	22	26	4	0	6	0	995
2017	909	8	19	24	2	0	7	0	969
2018	932	11	20	26	3	0	12	0	1004
2019	940	11	17	20	1	0	12	0	1001
2020	968	12	15	26	2	0	11	0	1034
2021	979	17	15	35	1	1	11	0	1059
2022	969	18	19	38	2	3	13	0	1062
2023	942	23	15	44	2	3	22	0	1051

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 Northern High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	914	59.2	15.4	n/a
1989	864	59.6	14.4	n/a
1990	802	57.2	14.0	0
1991	744	57.6	12.9	n/a
1992	779	57.0	13.6	n/a
1993	790	54.0	14.6	n/a
1994	804	55.3	14.5	n/a
1995	885	58.1	15.2	n/a
1996	885	58.1	15.2	n/a
1997	893	59.5	15.0	n/a
1998	894	61.0	14.7	n/a
1999	926	60.0	15.4	n/a
2000	929	60.5	15.4	3.6
2001	942	61.0	15.4	4
2002	1032	70.7	14.6	4.8
2003	1032	70.7	14.6	4.8
2004	1063	71.2	14.9	3.9
2005	1099	70.7	15.5	4.5
2006	1068	67.8	15.8	9
2007	1068	67.8	15.8	8.8
2008	1086	70.6	15.4	9.9
2009	1057	73.2	14.4	9.9
2010	1044	73.2	14.2	10
2011	1047	71.7	14.6	11.8
2012	975	67.2	14.4	11.3
2013	989	66.0	14.9	13.3
2014	987	65.8	14.9	17.4
2015	974	66.0	14.7	19.6
2016	995	67.0	14.8	20.4
2017	969	68.0	14.2	18.9
2018	1004	67.8	14.8	18.3
2019	1001	68.8	14.5	18.2
2020	1034	67.8	15.2	20
2021	1059	64.7	16.3	19.9
2022	1062	62.7	16.9	19.7
2023	1051	62.4	16.8	21.1

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 Northern High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	914	59.2	15.4	n/a
1989	864	59.6	14.4	n/a
1990	802	57.2	14.0	0
1991	744	57.6	12.9	n/a
1992	779	57.0	13.6	n/a
1993	790	54.0	14.6	n/a
1994	804	55.3	14.5	n/a
1995	885	58.1	15.2	n/a
1996	885	58.1	15.2	n/a
1997	893	59.5	15.0	n/a
1998	894	61.0	14.7	n/a
1999	926	60.0	15.4	n/a
2000	929	60.5	15.4	3.6
2001	942	61.0	15.4	4
2002	1032	70.7	14.6	4.8
2003	1032	70.7	14.6	4.8
2004	1063	71.2	14.9	3.9
2005	1099	70.7	15.5	4.5
2006	1068	67.8	15.8	9
2007	1068	67.8	15.8	8.8
2008	1086	70.6	15.4	9.9
2009	1057	73.2	14.4	9.9
2010	1044	73.2	14.2	10
2011	1047	71.7	14.6	11.8
2012	975	67.2	14.4	11.3
2013	989	66.0	14.9	13.3
2014	987	65.8	14.9	17.4
2015	974	66.0	14.7	19.6
2016	995	67.0	14.8	20.4
2017	969	68.0	14.2	18.9
2018	1004	67.8	14.8	18.3
2019	1001	68.8	14.5	18.2
2020	1034	67.8	15.2	20
2021	1059	64.7	16.3	19.9
2022	1062	62.7	16.9	19.7
2023	1051	62.4	16.8	21.1

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 Northern High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$370 (2.6%)	$13,873 (97.4%)	$14,243
2020	$127 (0.9%)	$13,732 (99.1%)	$13,860
2021	$432 (3.2%)	$13,203 (96.8%)	$13,635
2022	$331 (2.3%)	$13,858 (97.7%)	$14,189

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northern 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 267^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 159^th of 674 High schools	14.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Northern High School)	70.3	29.3	41%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Northern High School)	69.4	63	6.4%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Northern High School)	77.7	83.8	6.1%
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	1001	1051	5%
African American	11	23	109.1%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	17	15	11.8%
Hispanic	20	44	120%
Pacific Islander	0	3
White	940	942	0.2%
Two or More Races	12	22	83.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	18.2%	21.1%	2.9%

Schools Near Northern 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)	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Northern High School	Public	9-12	653 S Baltimore St	Dillsburg	17019	York County	Northern York County School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 432-8691	1,051	62	16.8	21.1%	942 (89.6%)	23 (2.2%)	44 (4.2%)	15 (1.4%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	22 (2.1%)	74	159^th of 674 public high schools	76.4%		67.7	221^st of 634 public high schools	65.1%	62	29.3	63.0	83.8	$14,189	$331	$13,858
Boiling Springs High School	Public	9-12	21 Academy Street	Boiling Springs	17007	Cumberland County	South Middleton School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 258-6484	777	51	15.1	21.6%	669 (86.1%)	13 (1.7%)	16 (2.1%)	38 (4.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	39 (5.0%)	67.9	228^th of 674 public high schools	66.2%		86.7	49^th of 634 public high schools	92.3%	179	32.5	57.3	75.7	$17,738	$114	$17,625
Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	500 S Broad St	Mechanicsburg	17055	Cumberland County	Mechanicsburg Area School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 691-4530	1,377	84	16.4	33.0%	1,009 (73.3%)	122 (8.9%)	113 (8.2%)	53 (3.8%)	5 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	75 (5.4%)	74.5	155^th of 674 public high schools	77.0%		82.5	89^th of 634 public high schools	86.0%	66	41.8	59.7	76.5	$16,496	$498	$15,998
Bermudian Springs High School	Public	9-12	7335 Carlisle Pike	York Springs	17372	Adams County	Bermudian Springs School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 528-4113	591	42	14.1	28.8%	481 (81.4%)	3 (0.5%)	93 (15.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.4%)	47.1	404^th of 674 public high schools	40.1%		55.9	337^th of 634 public high schools	46.8%	67	11.4	50.0	63.5	$14,501	$55	$14,447
Cumberland Valley High School	Public	9-12	6746 Carlisle Pike	Mechanicsburg	17050	Cumberland County	Cumberland Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 766-0217	3,035	177	17.1	24.7%	2,027 (66.8%)	135 (4.4%)	185 (6.1%)	556 (18.3%)	9 (0.3%)	1 (0.0%)	122 (4.0%)	91	34^th of 674 public high schools	95.0%		87.2	43^rd of 634 public high schools	93.2%	9	60.7	75.4	85.1	$13,700	$00	$13,700
Red Land Senior High School	Public	9-12	560 Fishing Creek Rd	Lewisberry	17339	York County	West Shore School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 938-6561	1,101	74	14.9	26.8%	973 (88.4%)	14 (1.3%)	67 (6.1%)	18 (1.6%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (2.5%)	80.9	107^th of 674 public high schools	84.1%		60.9	283^rd of 634 public high schools	55.4%	176	55.6	62.0	76.2	$19,934	$1,193	$18,741
Cumberland Perry Area Career & Technical Center	Public	9-12	110 Old Willow Mill Road	Mechanicsburg	17050	Cumberland County	Cumberland Perry Area Career & Technical Center	No	No	No	No	(717) 697-0354	16	37	.4		12 (75.0%)	1 (6.3%)	2 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (6.3%)								(n/a)
Camp Hill Senior High School	Public	9-12	100 S 24th St	Camp Hill	17011	Cumberland County	Camp Hill School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 901-2500	416	28	14.6	14.4%	326 (78.4%)	10 (2.4%)	45 (10.8%)	11 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.5%)	87.1	63^rd of 674 public high schools	90.7%		87.2	42^nd of 634 public high schools	93.4%	21	39.1	78.7	86.3	$18,332	$602	$17,730
Dover Area High School	Public	9-12	4500 Intermediate Ave	Dover	17315	York County	Dover Area School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 292-8066	1,016	63	16.1	49.4%	770 (75.8%)	49 (4.8%)	137 (13.5%)	9 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (4.8%)	65.5	251^st of 674 public high schools	62.8%		60.3	289^th of 634 public high schools	54.4%	38	48.4	53.9	63.6	$14,528	$439	$14,089
Cedar Cliff High School	Public	9-12	1301 Carlisle Road	Camp Hill	17011	Cumberland County	West Shore School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 737-8654	1,353	86	15.7	38.8%	919 (67.9%)	110 (8.1%)	196 (14.5%)	41 (3.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	85 (6.3%)	47.2	402^nd of 674 public high schools	40.4%		64.2	254^th of 634 public high schools	59.9%	148	32.1	44.5	58.6	$19,307	$1,156	$18,152

Frequently Asked Questions about Northern High School

What is the racial makeup of Northern High School?

Students at Northern High School are 90% White, 4% Hispanic, 2% African American, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Northern High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,051 students attended Northern High School.

What district is Northern High School in?

Northern York County School District

What schools feed into Northern High School?

Northern High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Dillsburg Elementary School
Elementary : Northern Elementary School
Elementary : South Mountain Elementary School
Elementary : Wellsville Campus
Middle : Northern Middle School

Is Northern High School a good school?

Northern High School ranks 159^th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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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.