Is Southmoreland Senior High School a good school?

Southmoreland Senior High School ranks 508 th of 686 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Southmoreland Senior High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 555 students attended Southmoreland Senior High School.

What is the racial makeup of Southmoreland Senior High School?

Students at Southmoreland Senior High School are 95% White, 3% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Southmoreland Senior High School?

Southmoreland Senior High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Southmoreland Elementary School Elementary : Southmoreland Primary Center Middle : Southmoreland Middle School

Southmoreland Senior High School

Summary:

Southmoreland Senior High School is a public high school located in Alverton, Pennsylvania, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 584 students. The school is part of the Southmoreland School District, which is ranked 362 out of 610 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southmoreland Senior High School has seen a decline in its statewide ranking over the past few years, dropping from a high of 173 out of 634 Pennsylvania high schools in 2021-2022 to 508 out of 686 in 2023-2024. Its SchoolDigger rating has also decreased from 4 stars in 2021-2022 to 1 star in 2023-2024. The school's performance across different student subgroups is concerning, as it ranks in the bottom 25% of Pennsylvania high schools for female, male, and white students, as well as for students with low socioeconomic status and students with disabilities. The school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated between 87.0% and 89.6% over the past few years, which is slightly below the state average, and the dropout rate has been relatively high, ranging from 0.9% to 1.8% during the same period.

Southmoreland Senior High School's academic performance, as measured by Keystone Exam proficiency rates, is significantly below the state averages in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature. For example, in 2023-2024, only 19.5% of 11th-grade students were proficient or better in Algebra I, compared to the state average of 41.6%. When compared to nearby high schools, such as Hempfield Area Senior High School, Southmoreland generally performs worse across various metrics, including statewide ranking, graduation rates, and academic proficiency. This may be due in part to the school's relatively high percentage of students (around 40%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which is a proxy for low socioeconomic status.

Detail:

Public 9-12

2351 Route 981
Alverton, PA 15612-0230

(724) 887-2010

District: Southmoreland School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
508^th of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,475

Feeder schools for Southmoreland Senior High School:

Elementary:	Southmoreland Elementary School
	Southmoreland Primary Center
Middle:	Southmoreland Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.4

Number of students: 555

Racial breakdown:

White:

95.5%

Two or more races:

2.5%

African American:

0.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 54.1%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare Southmoreland Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Southmoreland Senior High School ranks worse than 74.1% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.65. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Southmoreland Senior High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 (95.5%), two or more races (2.5%), African American (0.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 54.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southmoreland Senior High School is 14.4. (See more...)

Compare Southmoreland Senior High School employs 38.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southmoreland Senior High School is $12,475.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southmoreland Senior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Southmoreland Senior High School 508^th of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Southmoreland Senior High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

White students:

Southmoreland School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Southmoreland School District 362^nd of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Southmoreland Senior High School?

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Rank History for Southmoreland Senior High School

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Rank History for all students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	67.41	194^th	583	66.7%
2004	63.54	243^rd	590	58.8%
2005	62.99	242^nd	593	59.2%
2006	44.55	413^th	604	31.6%
2007	59.80	296^th	615	51.9%
2009	62.94	244^th	632	61.4%
2010	69.96	189^th	649	70.9%
2011	64.53	269^th	660	59.2%
2012	63.87	268^th	664	59.6%
2013	55.64	295^th	591	50.1%
2014	65.14	215^th	580	62.9%
2015	62.96	306^th	680	55.0%
2016	72.14	208^th	677	69.3%
2017	74.29	178^th	663	73.2%
2018	76.26	162^nd	673	75.9%
2019	65.43	293^rd	693	57.7%
2021	65.12	232^nd	537	56.8%
2022	74.37	173^rd	634	72.7%
2023	42.35	446^th	674	33.8%
2024	30.65	508^th	686	25.9%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	47.62	370^th	652	43.3%
2024	38.33	429^th	664	35.4%

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

Rank History for Female students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	34.44	476^th	665	28.4%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	37.30	291^st	502	42.0%
2024	14.43	485^th	513	5.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	24.64	520^th	662	21.5%

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

Rank History for White students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	26.94	470^th	577	18.5%
2024	17.02	520^th	595	12.6%

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 Southmoreland Senior High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	867	6	3	1	2	n/a	n/a	879
1989	884	6	3	1	2	n/a	n/a	896
1990	803	7	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	813
1991	794	6	5	0	3	n/a	n/a	808
1992	781	6	2	2	7	n/a	n/a	798
1993	773	6	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	783
1994	750	6	0	2	4	n/a	n/a	762
1995	708	12	1	2	2	n/a	n/a	725
1996	708	12	1	2	2	n/a	n/a	725
1997	716	15	2	2	2	n/a	n/a	737
1998	728	20	3	1	3	n/a	n/a	755
1999	712	15	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	731
2000	752	14	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	770
2001	730	12	4	1	1	n/a	n/a	748
2002	724	8	5	5	1	n/a	n/a	743
2003	724	8	5	5	1	n/a	n/a	743
2004	697	10	5	4	1	n/a	n/a	717
2005	697	11	3	1	1	n/a	n/a	713
2006	739	1	1	0	4	n/a	n/a	745
2007	749	8	6	2	3	n/a	n/a	768
2008	746	11	5	3	2	n/a	n/a	767
2009	720	16	3	4	1	n/a	n/a	744
2010	669	17	3	4	2	n/a	n/a	695
2011	616	13	2	2	3	0	1	637
2012	624	15	4	6	3	0	2	654
2013	598	14	6	7	3	0	1	629
2014	599	15	5	6	4	2	1	632
2015	569	14	7	5	3	2	2	602
2016	541	11	4	7	3	1	1	568
2017	532	9	3	5	1	1	1	552
2018	516	7	4	7	0	0	2	536
2019	522	5	2	7	0	0	2	538
2020	536	8	4	6	1	0	6	561
2021	530	7	4	4	0	1	8	554
2022	547	7	2	2	0	0	14	572
2023	554	7	2	5	0	0	16	584
2024	530	5	1	5	0	0	14	555

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 Southmoreland Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	879	59.0	14.8	n/a
1989	896	56.0	16.0	n/a
1990	813	52.0	15.6	0
1991	808	48.5	16.6	n/a
1992	798	56.0	14.2	n/a
1993	783	44.0	17.8	n/a
1994	762	46.0	16.6	n/a
1995	725	47.0	15.4	n/a
1996	725	47.0	15.4	n/a
1997	737	47.0	15.7	n/a
1998	755	44.0	17.2	n/a
1999	731	45.0	16.2	n/a
2000	770	47.0	16.4	24.9
2001	748	47.0	15.9	26.3
2002	743	45.0	16.5	26.2
2003	743	45.0	16.5	26.2
2004	717	45.0	15.9	28
2005	713	46.0	15.5	27.3
2006	745	46.0	16.2	31.8
2007	768	45.5	16.9	n/a
2008	767	48.0	16.0	31.8
2009	744	51.8	14.4	34.5
2010	695	47.6	14.5	37.6
2011	637	47.0	13.5	37
2012	654	46.0	14.2	41.1
2013	629	42.0	14.9	43.7
2014	632	40.0	15.8	43.4
2015	602	40.0	15.0	46.8
2016	568	40.0	14.2	45.6
2017	552	39.5	13.9	43.5
2018	536	40.0	13.4	43.5
2019	538	40.0	13.4	42.4
2020	561	37.0	15.1	43.1
2021	554	37.0	14.9	39.7
2022	572	37.0	15.4	40.9
2023	584	38.3	15.2	41.8
2024	555	38.5	14.4	54.1

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 Southmoreland Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	879	59.0	14.8	n/a
1989	896	56.0	16.0	n/a
1990	813	52.0	15.6	0
1991	808	48.5	16.6	n/a
1992	798	56.0	14.2	n/a
1993	783	44.0	17.8	n/a
1994	762	46.0	16.6	n/a
1995	725	47.0	15.4	n/a
1996	725	47.0	15.4	n/a
1997	737	47.0	15.7	n/a
1998	755	44.0	17.2	n/a
1999	731	45.0	16.2	n/a
2000	770	47.0	16.4	24.9
2001	748	47.0	15.9	26.3
2002	743	45.0	16.5	26.2
2003	743	45.0	16.5	26.2
2004	717	45.0	15.9	28
2005	713	46.0	15.5	27.3
2006	745	46.0	16.2	31.8
2007	768	45.5	16.9	n/a
2008	767	48.0	16.0	31.8
2009	744	51.8	14.4	34.5
2010	695	47.6	14.5	37.6
2011	637	47.0	13.5	37
2012	654	46.0	14.2	41.1
2013	629	42.0	14.9	43.7
2014	632	40.0	15.8	43.4
2015	602	40.0	15.0	46.8
2016	568	40.0	14.2	45.6
2017	552	39.5	13.9	43.5
2018	536	40.0	13.4	43.5
2019	538	40.0	13.4	42.4
2020	561	37.0	15.1	43.1
2021	554	37.0	14.9	39.7
2022	572	37.0	15.4	40.9
2023	584	38.3	15.2	41.8
2024	555	38.5	14.4	54.1

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 Southmoreland Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$136 (1.1%)	$12,720 (98.9%)	$12,857
2020	$00 (0.0%)	$11,675 (100.0%)	$11,675
2021	$06 (0.0%)	$12,590 (100.0%)	$12,596
2022	$289 (2.3%)	$12,186 (97.7%)	$12,475

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southmoreland Senior 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 293^rd of 693 High schools	Ranks 446^th of 674 High schools	23.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Southmoreland Senior High School)	75.6	4.8	70.8%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Southmoreland Senior High School)	55.7	48.4	7.3%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Southmoreland Senior High School)	81.2	59.5	21.7%
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	538	584	8.6%
African American	5	7	40%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	2
Hispanic	7	5	28.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	522	554	6.1%
Two or More Races	2	16	700%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	42.4%	41.8%	0.6%

Schools Near Southmoreland Senior High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2024)	Keystone Exams Biology (2024)	Keystone Exams Literature (2024)	PSSA Math (2024)			PSSA Science (2024)		PSSA English Language Arts (2024)			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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	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
Southmoreland Senior High School	Public	9-12	2351 Route 981	Alverton	15612	Westmoreland County	Southmoreland School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 887-2010	555	39	14.4	54.1%	530 (95.5%)	5 (0.9%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.5%)	30.6	508^th of 686 public high schools	25.9%		42.4	446^th of 674 public high schools	33.8%	62	19.5	40.5	53.7									$12,475	$289	$12,186
Mount Pleasant Area High School	Public	9-12	265 State Street	Mount Pleasant	15666	Westmoreland County	Mount Pleasant Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 547-4100	606	40	15.1	44.1%	587 (96.9%)	3 (0.5%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.0%)	52	373^rd of 686 public high schools	45.6%		53.8	348^th of 674 public high schools	48.4%	25	46.2	43.3	60.0									$19,153	$1,017	$18,136
Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	240 Arona Road	New Stanton	15672	Westmoreland County	Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center	No	No	No	No	(724) 925-3532	5	40	.1		5 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Connellsville Area Career & Technical Center	Public	9-12	720 Locust Street	Connellsville	15425	Fayette County	Connellsville Area Career & Technical Center	No	No	No	No	(724) 626-0236	585	22	27.2	100.0%	549 (93.8%)	15 (2.6%)	8 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.2%)	8.6	610^th of 686 public high schools	11.1%		6.4	620^th of 674 public high schools	8.0%	10	14.7	17.6	29.3
Connellsville Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	201 Falcon Drive	Connellsville	15425	Fayette County	Connellsville Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 628-1350	721	66	10.9	154.9%	668 (92.6%)	11 (1.5%)	8 (1.1%)	3 (0.4%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.7%)	55.2	342^nd of 686 public high schools	50.1%		33.6	491^st of 674 public high schools	27.2%	149	47.0	48.0	59.8									$19,782	$3,385	$16,397
Frazier High School	Public	9-12	142 Constitution St	Perryopolis	15473	Fayette County	Frazier School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 736-9507	316	23	13.5	48.4%	299 (94.6%)	2 (0.6%)	6 (1.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	24	543^rd of 686 public high schools	20.8%		8.6	610^th of 674 public high schools	9.5%	67	22.3	39.7	39.7									$18,100	$856	$17,244
Hempfield Area Senior High School	Public	10-12	4345 State Route 136	Greensburg	15601	Westmoreland County	Hempfield Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 834-9000	1,226	68	17.9	35.5%	1,136 (92.7%)	8 (0.7%)	26 (2.1%)	17 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	36 (2.9%)	81.2	105^th of 686 public high schools	84.7%		67.5	234^th of 674 public high schools	65.3%	129	61.2	58.4	82.5									$15,932	$585	$15,347
Yough Senior High School	Public	9-12	919 Lowber Rd	Herminie	15642	Westmoreland County	Yough School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 446-5520	571	37	15.3	42.7%	525 (91.9%)	12 (2.1%)	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.6%)	37.1	477^th of 686 public high schools	30.5%		42.1	447^th of 674 public high schools	33.7%	30	40.9	33.1	51.8									$17,101	$289	$16,812
Belle Vernon Area High School	Public	9-12	425 Crest Ave	Belle Vernon	15012	Fayette County	Belle Vernon Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 808-2500	749	43	17.2	99.6%	650 (86.8%)	20 (2.7%)	30 (4.0%)	18 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.1%)	61.3	280^th of 686 public high schools	59.2%		73.3	171^st of 674 public high schools	74.6%	109	33.8	56.2	71.7									$15,381	$854	$14,527
Jeannette High School	Public	7-12	800 Florida Ave	Jeannette	15644	Westmoreland County	Jeannette City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 523-5591	412	32	12.7	86.9%	265 (64.3%)	59 (14.3%)	13 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	74 (18.0%)	44.1	438^th of 686 public high schools	36.2%		36.4	473^rd of 674 public high schools	29.8%	35	49.0	26.5	59.6	21.6	30.5	26.0	38.4	38.4	56.7	52.5	54.6	$20,316	$1,973	$18,343

Southmoreland Senior High School

Southmoreland Senior High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Southmoreland School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Southmoreland Senior High School

Rank History for all students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Rank History for Female students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Rank History for Disabled students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Rank History for Male students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Rank History for White students at Southmoreland Senior High School

Enrollment information for Southmoreland Senior High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Southmoreland Senior High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Southmoreland Senior High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Southmoreland Senior High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Southmoreland Senior High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Southmoreland Senior High School