James Buchanan High School

Q: Is James Buchanan High School a good school?

James Buchanan High School ranks 229 th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

James Buchanan High School is a public high school in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, serving 735 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Tuscarora School District. The school has seen steady improvements in its graduation rates, outperforming nearby schools like Waynesboro Area Senior High School and Fannett-Metal Senior High School. However, the school faces challenges, including a higher percentage of white students and students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to surrounding areas.

James Buchanan High School has seen its Keystone Exam proficiency rates improve, outperforming the state average in Biology and Literature, but underperforming in Algebra I. The school's per-student spending has decreased in recent years, falling below that of nearby schools like Southern Fulton Junior/Senior High School. While the school maintains a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger, its statewide ranking has declined, suggesting it may be facing challenges in maintaining its academic performance compared to other high schools in Pennsylvania.

One area of concern is the school's performance with disabled students, where it ranks 389 out of 502 Pennsylvania high schools and receives a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. This indicates the school may need to focus on improving educational outcomes for this student subgroup. Compared to other nearby schools, such as Greencastle-Antrim Senior High School, James Buchanan High School lags behind in areas like test scores and free and reduced-price lunch rates, suggesting the school may be serving a community with significant socioeconomic challenges that could impact its overall performance.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4773 Fort Loudon Rd
Mercersburg, PA 17236-9692

(717) 328-2146

District: Tuscarora School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
229^th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,278

Feeder schools for James Buchanan High School:

Elementary:	Mercersburg Elementary School
	Montgomery Elementary School
	Mountain View Elementary School
	St Thomas Elementary School
Middle:	James Buchanan Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.4

Number of students: 735

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.0%

Two or more races:

3.9%

Hispanic:

3.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 93.5%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare James Buchanan High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details James Buchanan High School ranks better than 66% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.85. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of James Buchanan 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 (91%), two or more races (3.9%), Hispanic (3.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 93.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Buchanan High School is 15.4. (See more...)

Compare James Buchanan High School employs 47.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Buchanan High School is $6,278.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

James Buchanan High School:

SchoolDigger ranks James Buchanan High School 229^th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See James Buchanan High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Tuscarora School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Tuscarora School District 290^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for James Buchanan High School

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Rank History for all students at James Buchanan High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	61.22	246^th	583	57.8%
2004	39.08	425^th	590	28.0%
2005	59.34	279^th	593	53.0%
2006	34.59	478^th	604	20.9%
2007	27.68	518^th	615	15.8%
2008	35.15	484^th	621	22.1%
2009	53.56	353^rd	632	44.1%
2010	48.90	407^th	649	37.3%
2011	57.47	340^th	660	48.5%
2012	60.63	313^th	664	52.9%
2013	43.31	409^th	591	30.8%
2014	68.43	175^th	580	69.8%
2015	77.90	127^th	680	81.3%
2016	61.26	345^th	677	49.0%
2017	68.63	259^th	663	60.9%
2018	73.82	197^th	673	70.7%
2019	70.11	241^st	693	65.2%
2021	72.12	166^th	537	69.1%
2022	52.29	374^th	634	41.0%
2023	67.85	229^th	674	66.0%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James Buchanan High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	65.54	214^th	652	67.2%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at James Buchanan High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	25.28	389^th	502	22.5%

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

Rank History for White students at James Buchanan High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	56.87	255^th	577	55.8%

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 James Buchanan High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	981	13	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	994
1989	943	9	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	953
1990	888	9	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	900
1991	845	9	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	856
1992	790	8	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	801
1993	793	7	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	802
1994	751	8	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	760
1995	753	9	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	763
1996	753	9	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	763
1997	728	13	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	747
1998	741	15	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	761
1999	743	13	1	5	2	n/a	n/a	0	764
2000	726	14	1	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	748
2001	733	15	1	4	3	n/a	n/a	0	756
2002	788	17	3	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	816
2003	788	17	3	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	816
2004	810	17	5	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	841
2005	803	24	6	9	3	n/a	n/a	0	845
2006	829	29	5	12	3	n/a	n/a	0	878
2007	801	36	6	12	2	n/a	n/a	0	857
2008	800	37	3	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	856
2009	744	37	5	19	1	n/a	n/a	0	806
2010	712	30	3	17	2	n/a	n/a	3	767
2011	742	19	2	22	1	0	2	0	788
2012	747	12	3	17	2	0	0	0	781
2013	739	16	5	21	2	0	2	0	785
2014	779	18	6	19	2	1	6	0	831
2015	756	18	5	14	2	1	2	0	798
2016	744	18	9	16	3	0	5	0	795
2017	710	13	5	16	0	0	9	0	753
2018	650	16	5	19	2	1	9	0	702
2019	620	12	7	23	3	2	12	0	679
2020	632	9	7	25	4	1	17	0	695
2021	652	9	6	23	3	1	19	0	713
2022	646	7	5	27	2	0	26	0	713
2023	669	6	4	24	1	2	29	0	735

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 James Buchanan High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	994	63.0	15.7	n/a
1989	953	63.0	15.1	n/a
1990	900	63.0	14.2	0
1991	856	59.0	14.5	n/a
1992	801	59.5	13.4	n/a
1993	802	55.0	14.6	n/a
1994	760	52.0	14.6	n/a
1995	763	51.0	15.0	n/a
1996	763	51.0	15.0	n/a
1997	747	51.0	14.6	n/a
1998	761	53.0	14.4	n/a
1999	764	53.0	14.4	n/a
2000	748	53.0	14.1	18.4
2001	756	54.5	13.9	16.1
2002	816	53.6	15.2	19.5
2003	816	53.6	15.2	19.5
2004	841	52.7	16.0	18.2
2005	845	52.7	16.0	18.8
2006	878	51.7	17.0	21.6
2007	857	50.7	16.9	21.2
2008	856	49.9	17.2	24.5
2009	806	52.2	15.4	22.8
2010	767	51.5	14.8	23.4
2011	788	53.1	14.8	27.3
2012	781	47.9	16.2	28.6
2013	785	47.6	16.4	27.3
2014	831	48.1	17.2	28.8
2015	798	46.0	17.3	28.7
2016	795	46.0	17.2	30.3
2017	753	46.6	16.1	30.7
2018	702	46.4	15.1	30.6
2019	679	45.4	14.9	33.3
2020	695	46.5	14.9	31.5
2021	713	45.9	15.5	33.4
2022	713	47.6	14.9	38.3
2023	735	47.6	15.4	93.5

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 James Buchanan High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	994	63.0	15.7	n/a
1989	953	63.0	15.1	n/a
1990	900	63.0	14.2	0
1991	856	59.0	14.5	n/a
1992	801	59.5	13.4	n/a
1993	802	55.0	14.6	n/a
1994	760	52.0	14.6	n/a
1995	763	51.0	15.0	n/a
1996	763	51.0	15.0	n/a
1997	747	51.0	14.6	n/a
1998	761	53.0	14.4	n/a
1999	764	53.0	14.4	n/a
2000	748	53.0	14.1	18.4
2001	756	54.5	13.9	16.1
2002	816	53.6	15.2	19.5
2003	816	53.6	15.2	19.5
2004	841	52.7	16.0	18.2
2005	845	52.7	16.0	18.8
2006	878	51.7	17.0	21.6
2007	857	50.7	16.9	21.2
2008	856	49.9	17.2	24.5
2009	806	52.2	15.4	22.8
2010	767	51.5	14.8	23.4
2011	788	53.1	14.8	27.3
2012	781	47.9	16.2	28.6
2013	785	47.6	16.4	27.3
2014	831	48.1	17.2	28.8
2015	798	46.0	17.3	28.7
2016	795	46.0	17.2	30.3
2017	753	46.6	16.1	30.7
2018	702	46.4	15.1	30.6
2019	679	45.4	14.9	33.3
2020	695	46.5	14.9	31.5
2021	713	45.9	15.5	33.4
2022	713	47.6	14.9	38.3
2023	735	47.6	15.4	93.5

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 James Buchanan High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$69 (0.4%)	$16,238 (99.6%)	$16,307
2020	$112 (0.7%)	$14,964 (99.3%)	$15,077
2021	$488 (3.3%)	$14,464 (96.7%)	$14,953
2022	$366 (5.8%)	$5,912 (94.2%)	$6,278

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James Buchanan 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 241^st of 693 High schools	Ranks 229^th of 674 High schools	0.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (James Buchanan High School)	65.4	41.1	24.3%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (James Buchanan High School)	78.6	65.6	13%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (James Buchanan High School)	77.9	62.8	15.1%
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	679	735	8.2%
African American	12	6	50%
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	7	4	42.9%
Hispanic	23	24	4.3%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	620	669	7.9%
Two or More Races	12	29	141.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	33.3%	93.5%	60.2%

Schools Near James Buchanan 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)	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	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
James Buchanan High School	Public	9-12	4773 Fort Loudon Rd	Mercersburg	17236	Franklin County	Tuscarora School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 328-2146	735	48	15.4	93.5%	669 (91.0%)	6 (0.8%)	24 (3.3%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	29 (3.9%)	67.8	229^th of 674 public high schools	66.0%		52.3	374^th of 634 public high schools	41.0%	145	41.1	65.6	62.8									$6,278	$366	$5,912
McConnellsburg High School	Public	9-12	151 E Cherry St	Mc Connellsburg	17233	Fulton County	Central Fulton School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 485-3195	291	16	17.7	25.4%	270 (92.8%)	6 (2.1%)	9 (3.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.7%)	63.9	263^rd of 674 public high schools	61.0%		63.3	262^nd of 634 public high schools	58.7%	1	37.5	46.5	76.7									$16,125	$1,187	$14,938
Fulton County Center for Career and Technology	Public	9-12	145 East Cherry Street	Mc Connellsburg	17233	Fulton County	Fulton County Center for Career and Technology	No	No	No	No	(717) 485-5813	0	8	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Greencastle-Antrim Senior High School	Public	9-12	300 S Ridge Ave	Greencastle	17225	Franklin County	Greencastle-Antrim School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 597-3226	1,047	52	20.0	32.3%	913 (87.2%)	22 (2.1%)	45 (4.3%)	18 (1.7%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (4.5%)	67.4	235^th of 674 public high schools	65.1%		70.4	207^th of 634 public high schools	67.4%	28	54.7	52.8	64.7									$11,523	$136	$11,387
Franklin County Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	2463 Loop Rd	Chambersburg	17202	Franklin County	Franklin County Career and Technology Center	No	No	No	No	(717) 263-9033	1	28	.0		1 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Chambersburg Area Career Magnet School	Public, Magnet	9-12	2459 Loop Road	Chambersburg	17202	Franklin County	Chambersburg Area School District	No	Yes	No	No	(717) 261-5656	719	31	22.8	34.4%	557 (77.5%)	21 (2.9%)	103 (14.3%)	6 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	31 (4.3%)	37.2	470^th of 674 public high schools	30.3%		58.1	316^th of 634 public high schools	50.2%	154	21.2	46.5	51.3									$11,073	$396	$10,677
Chambersburg Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	511 S 6th St	Chambersburg	17201	Franklin County	Chambersburg Area School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 261-3328	2,348	129	18.1	60.2%	1,275 (54.3%)	213 (9.1%)	663 (28.2%)	41 (1.7%)	5 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	150 (6.4%)	23.3	542^nd of 674 public high schools	19.6%		40.2	451^st of 634 public high schools	28.9%	91	14.6	32.4	47.7									$13,320	$670	$12,650
Southern Fulton Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	13083 Buck Valley Rd	Warfordsburg	17267	Fulton County	Southern Fulton School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 294-3251	325	23	14.4	39.4%	308 (94.8%)	3 (0.9%)	4 (1.2%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.8%)	49.6	385^th of 674 public high schools	42.9%		48.5	396^th of 634 public high schools	37.5%	11	26.7	51.0	59.6	33.9	28.6	31.2	71.4	71.4	48.2	51.8	50.0	$22,109	$1,430	$20,679
Forbes Road Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	159 Red Bird Drive	Waterfall	16689	Fulton County	Forbes Road School District	No	No	No	No	(814) 685-3866	141	12	11.7	35.5%	138 (97.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)	48.3	393^rd of 674 public high schools	41.7%		71.6	199^th of 634 public high schools	68.6%	194	38.5	50.0	52.1	29.1	5.6	20.4	66.7	66.7	58.1	55.6	57.2	$25,269	$889	$24,381
Waynesboro Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	550 E 2nd St	Waynesboro	17268	Franklin County	Waynesboro Area School District	No	No	No	No	(717) 762-1191	1,439	73	19.7	47.1%	1,186 (82.4%)	45 (3.1%)	99 (6.9%)	13 (0.9%)	6 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	90 (6.3%)	68.2	223^rd of 674 public high schools	66.9%		53.8	362^nd of 634 public high schools	42.9%	139	42.8	55.4	70.1									$12,504	$1,002	$11,502

Frequently Asked Questions about James Buchanan High School

What schools feed into James Buchanan High School?

James Buchanan High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Mercersburg Elementary School
Elementary : Montgomery Elementary School
Elementary : Mountain View Elementary School
Elementary : St Thomas Elementary School
Middle : James Buchanan Middle School

What is the racial makeup of James Buchanan High School?

Students at James Buchanan High School are 91% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

What district is James Buchanan High School in?

Tuscarora School District

Is James Buchanan High School a good school?

James Buchanan High School ranks 229^th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend James Buchanan High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 735 students attended James Buchanan High School.

Rate James Buchanan High 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.