Palmerton Area High School

Q: Is Palmerton Area High School a good school?

Palmerton Area High School ranks 231 st of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Palmerton Area High School is a public high school serving 482 students in grades 9-12 in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, which is part of the Palmerton Area School District. The school has consistently strong academic performance, high graduation rates, and a relatively homogeneous student population compared to nearby schools.

Palmerton Area High School stands out for its academic achievements, with proficiency rates on Keystone Exams exceeding the state averages in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature. The school has maintained high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 85.4% to 94.3% over the past five years, outperforming the state average. However, the school's racial diversity is lower than the surrounding schools, with 89.21% of students identifying as white in the 2022-2023 school year. Palmerton Area High School also has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 24.41% to 30.91% over the past three years, which is lower than the nearby Jim Thorpe Area School District and Lehighton Area School District.

Compared to other local high schools, Palmerton Area High School's academic performance and graduation rates are generally stronger than Whitehall High School, Catasauqua Senior High School, and Jim Thorpe Area High School. However, schools like Parkland High School and Northwestern Lehigh High School outperform Palmerton in several key metrics. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, suggesting variable performance, and the slight decline in racial diversity is a trend worth monitoring.

Detail:

Public 9-12

3525 Fireline Rd
Palmerton, PA 18071-9312

(610) 826-3155

District: Palmerton Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
231^st of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,441

Feeder schools for Palmerton Area High School:

Elementary:	Parkside Education Center
	S S Palmer Elementary School
	Towamensing Elementary School
Middle:	Palmerton Area Junior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.9

Number of students: 482

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.2%

Hispanic:

8.5%

Two or more races:

1.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 30.9%

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Compare Palmerton Area High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Palmerton Area High School ranks better than 65.7% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.67. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Palmerton 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 (89.2%), Hispanic (8.5%), two or more races (1.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 30.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Palmerton Area High School is 11.9. (See more...)

Compare Palmerton Area High School employs 40.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Palmerton Area High School is $15,441.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Palmerton Area High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Palmerton Area High School 231^st of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Palmerton Area High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Palmerton Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Palmerton Area School District 273^rd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Palmerton Area High School

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Rank History for all students at Palmerton Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	51.45	346^th	583	40.7%
2004	31.19	465^th	590	21.2%
2005	43.09	414^th	593	30.2%
2006	61.00	272^nd	604	55.0%
2007	75.21	119^th	615	80.7%
2008	62.92	258^th	621	58.5%
2009	56.52	314^th	632	50.3%
2010	46.36	426^th	649	34.4%
2011	68.82	221^st	660	66.5%
2012	58.54	339^th	664	48.9%
2013	43.60	408^th	591	31.0%
2014	29.27	472^nd	580	18.6%
2015	53.91	399^th	680	41.3%
2016	72.95	196^th	677	71.0%
2017	80.02	112^th	663	83.1%
2018	71.29	228^th	673	66.1%
2019	55.31	386^th	693	44.3%
2022	77.66	136^th	634	78.5%
2023	67.67	231^st	674	65.7%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	59.92	265^th	652	59.4%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Palmerton Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	57.62	171^st	502	65.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Palmerton Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	54.20	272^nd	577	52.9%

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

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Enrollment information for Palmerton 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	602	2	5	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	629
1989	577	1	8	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	603
1990	566	1	12	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
1991	551	0	12	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	573
1992	555	0	9	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	575
1993	564	1	6	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	580
1994	634	1	5	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	653
1995	530	3	5	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	543
1996	530	3	5	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	543
1997	524	0	4	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	536
1998	541	1	5	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	555
1999	530	1	3	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	541
2000	548	0	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	554
2001	570	0	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	575
2002	580	0	6	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	592
2003	580	0	6	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	592
2004	557	1	5	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	571
2005	568	0	7	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	583
2006	535	3	6	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	555
2007	584	3	4	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	605
2008	523	0	4	9	0	n/a	n/a	2	538
2009	574	2	5	12	0	n/a	n/a	2	595
2010	536	1	4	10	1	n/a	n/a	5	557
2011	530	4	5	13	0	0	0	0	552
2012	532	2	4	10	0	1	1	0	550
2013	505	6	5	13	0	0	2	0	531
2014	479	4	4	13	0	0	1	0	501
2015	484	3	3	15	0	0	1	0	506
2016	424	3	4	15	0	0	5	0	451
2017	407	4	3	15	0	0	3	0	432
2018	441	4	3	16	0	0	3	0	467
2019	446	7	3	23	0	0	3	0	482
2020	432	4	2	24	0	0	7	0	469
2021	433	1	1	29	0	0	3	0	467
2022	434	3	1	37	0	0	5	0	480
2023	430	1	1	41	0	0	9	0	482

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 Palmerton Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	629	40.0	15.7	n/a
1989	603	36.0	16.7	n/a
1990	599	31.5	19.0	0
1991	573	31.4	18.2	n/a
1992	575	39.0	14.7	n/a
1993	580	37.0	15.7	n/a
1994	653	34.0	19.2	n/a
1995	543	31.5	17.2	n/a
1996	543	31.5	17.2	n/a
1997	536	33.5	16.0	n/a
1998	555	37.0	15.0	n/a
1999	541	35.0	15.5	n/a
2000	554	32.9	16.8	19.3
2001	575	32.2	17.9	21
2002	592	34.5	17.2	24
2003	592	34.5	17.2	24
2004	571	34.9	16.4	24.9
2005	583	34.3	17.0	24.4
2006	555	33.7	16.5	15.1
2007	605	32.1	18.8	16.5
2008	538	37.8	14.2	19.4
2009	595	39.2	15.2	20.4
2010	557	38.3	14.5	18.5
2011	552	35.8	15.4	19.9
2012	550	31.9	17.1	18.9
2013	531	32.6	16.2	25.8
2014	501	32.9	15.2	21.8
2015	506	33.0	15.3	25.1
2016	451	34.0	13.2	29.3
2017	432	33.9	12.7	27.3
2018	467	34.4	13.5	26.6
2019	482	33.9	14.2	25.5
2020	469	35.9	13.0	24.9
2021	467	39.6	11.7	24.4
2022	480	49.5	9.6	26.5
2023	482	40.3	11.9	30.9

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 Palmerton Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	629	40.0	15.7	n/a
1989	603	36.0	16.7	n/a
1990	599	31.5	19.0	0
1991	573	31.4	18.2	n/a
1992	575	39.0	14.7	n/a
1993	580	37.0	15.7	n/a
1994	653	34.0	19.2	n/a
1995	543	31.5	17.2	n/a
1996	543	31.5	17.2	n/a
1997	536	33.5	16.0	n/a
1998	555	37.0	15.0	n/a
1999	541	35.0	15.5	n/a
2000	554	32.9	16.8	19.3
2001	575	32.2	17.9	21
2002	592	34.5	17.2	24
2003	592	34.5	17.2	24
2004	571	34.9	16.4	24.9
2005	583	34.3	17.0	24.4
2006	555	33.7	16.5	15.1
2007	605	32.1	18.8	16.5
2008	538	37.8	14.2	19.4
2009	595	39.2	15.2	20.4
2010	557	38.3	14.5	18.5
2011	552	35.8	15.4	19.9
2012	550	31.9	17.1	18.9
2013	531	32.6	16.2	25.8
2014	501	32.9	15.2	21.8
2015	506	33.0	15.3	25.1
2016	451	34.0	13.2	29.3
2017	432	33.9	12.7	27.3
2018	467	34.4	13.5	26.6
2019	482	33.9	14.2	25.5
2020	469	35.9	13.0	24.9
2021	467	39.6	11.7	24.4
2022	480	49.5	9.6	26.5
2023	482	40.3	11.9	30.9

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 Palmerton Area High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$448 (2.3%)	$18,991 (97.7%)	$19,438
2020	$470 (2.8%)	$16,241 (97.2%)	$16,711
2021	$859 (5.8%)	$14,021 (94.2%)	$14,880
2022	$319 (2.1%)	$15,121 (97.9%)	$15,441

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Palmerton 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 386^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 231^st of 674 High schools	21.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Palmerton Area High School)	76.3	43	33.3%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Palmerton Area High School)	54.3	60.4	6.1%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Palmerton Area High School)	65.5	65.2	0.3%
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	482	482
African American	7	1	85.7%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	3	1	66.7%
Hispanic	23	41	78.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	446	430	3.6%
Two or More Races	3	9	200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	25.5%	30.9%	5.4%

Schools Near Palmerton 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)	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
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
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
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
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
Northampton Area High School	Public	9-12	1619 Laubach Ave	Northampton	18067	Northampton County	Northampton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 262-7812	1,862	118	15.7	31.4%	1,483 (79.6%)	67 (3.6%)	251 (13.5%)	12 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	48 (2.6%)	67	240^th of 674 public high schools	64.4%		58.3	314^th of 634 public high schools	50.5%	74	42.6	54.7	69.3	$17,471	$534	$16,937
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
Catasauqua Senior High School	Public	9-12	2500 W Bullshead Rd	Northampton	18067	Northampton County	Catasauqua Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 697-0111	473	43	10.9	81.0%	250 (52.9%)	26 (5.5%)	160 (33.8%)	5 (1.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.3%)	34.7	483^rd of 674 public high schools	28.3%		43.9	428^th of 634 public high schools	32.5%	55	12.2	39.2	59.4	$21,046	$2,394	$18,653
Parkland High School	Public	9-12	2700 N Cedar Crest Blvd	Allentown	18104	Lehigh County	Parkland School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 351-5600	3,220	217	14.8	25.4%	1,931 (60.0%)	188 (5.8%)	581 (18.0%)	387 (12.0%)	3 (0.1%)	3 (0.1%)	127 (3.9%)	83.4	90^th of 674 public high schools	86.6%		77.9	131^st of 634 public high schools	79.3%	41	55.0	64.0	80.9	$19,830	$641	$19,189

Frequently Asked Questions about Palmerton Area High School

How many students attend Palmerton Area High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 482 students attended Palmerton Area High School.

What district is Palmerton Area High School in?

Palmerton Area School District

What schools feed into Palmerton Area High School?

Palmerton Area High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Parkside Education Center
Elementary : S S Palmer Elementary School
Elementary : Towamensing Elementary School
Middle : Palmerton Area Junior High School

Is Palmerton Area High School a good school?

Palmerton Area High School ranks 231^st of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Palmerton Area High School?

Students at Palmerton Area High School are 89% White, 9% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

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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.