Tamaqua Area Senior High School

Q: Is Tamaqua Area Senior High School a good school?

Tamaqua Area Senior High School ranks 399 th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Tamaqua Area Senior High School is a public high school serving 691 students in grades 9-12 in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, which is part of the Tamaqua Area School District. While the school has maintained strong graduation rates, it faces challenges in academic performance and socioeconomic disparities compared to some of the higher-performing nearby schools.

Tamaqua Area Senior High School has a significantly higher percentage of white students (83.94%) compared to surrounding schools like Shenandoah Valley Junior/Senior High School and Hazleton Area High School, which have much higher Hispanic student populations. The school's academic performance has been mixed, with strong results on the Literature Keystone Exam but lower proficiency rates in Algebra I and Biology compared to state averages. Additionally, Tamaqua Area Senior High School's ranking and rating have fluctuated over the years, ranging from a 4-star rating in 2021-2022 to a 2-star rating in 2022-2023.

Tamaqua Area Senior High School also faces socioeconomic challenges, with a relatively high percentage of students (50.51%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, compared to schools like Blue Mountain High School, which has a much lower free/reduced lunch rate of 29.14%. While the school's spending per student is generally in line with the surrounding schools, its performance on key metrics suggests that the district may need to examine how these funds are being allocated to better support student outcomes. By learning from the strategies employed by higher-performing nearby schools, Tamaqua Area Senior High School may be able to identify opportunities for improvement and growth.

Detail:

Public 9-12

500 Penn St
Tamaqua, PA 18252-0090

(570) 668-1901

District: Tamaqua Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
399^th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,456

Feeder schools for Tamaqua Area Senior High School:

Elementary:	Tamaqua Elementary School
	West Penn Township Elementary School
Middle:	Tamaqua Area Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.7

Number of students: 691

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.9%

Hispanic:

12.3%

African American:

2.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.5%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare Tamaqua Area Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Tamaqua Area Senior High School ranks worse than 59.2% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 47.38. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Tamaqua Area Senior 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 (83.9%), Hispanic (12.3%), African American (2.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 50.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Tamaqua Area Senior High School is 15.7. (See more...)

Compare Tamaqua Area Senior High School employs 43.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Tamaqua Area Senior High School is $13,456.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Tamaqua Area Senior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Tamaqua Area Senior High School 399^th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Tamaqua Area Senior High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Tamaqua Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Tamaqua Area School District 416^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Tamaqua Area Senior High School

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Rank History for all students at Tamaqua Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	66.86	199^th	583	65.9%
2004	59.28	270^th	590	54.2%
2005	64.52	230^th	593	61.2%
2006	55.80	327^th	604	45.9%
2007	56.75	330^th	615	46.3%
2008	38.56	471^st	621	24.2%
2009	69.64	194^th	632	69.3%
2010	52.92	366^th	649	43.6%
2011	55.57	361^st	660	45.3%
2012	57.20	348^th	664	47.6%
2013	47.66	378^th	591	36.0%
2014	51.72	338^th	580	41.7%
2015	66.22	269^th	680	60.4%
2016	65.55	295^th	677	56.4%
2017	48.60	423^rd	663	36.2%
2018	61.31	343^rd	673	49.0%
2019	49.06	437^th	693	36.9%
2021	53.38	318^th	537	40.8%
2022	84.07	73^rd	634	88.5%
2023	47.38	399^th	674	40.8%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	49.14	356^th	652	45.4%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Tamaqua Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	33.42	311^th	502	38.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Tamaqua Area Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	33.26	414^th	577	28.2%

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 Tamaqua Area Senior High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	824	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	824
1989	789	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	789
1990	706	1	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	708
1991	680	2	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	683
1992	682	2	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	686
1993	728	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	729
1994	659	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	661
1995	667	1	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	672
1996	667	1	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	672
1997	688	1	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	693
1998	704	3	3	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	716
1999	684	2	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	695
2000	671	7	8	10	1	n/a	n/a	0	697
2001	651	6	3	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	670
2002	684	2	8	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	700
2003	684	2	8	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	700
2004	709	5	6	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	731
2005	690	3	3	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	710
2006	695	1	1	7	2	n/a	n/a	0	706
2007	717	5	0	11	2	n/a	n/a	0	735
2008	640	9	3	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	665
2009	644	5	6	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	669
2010	642	5	5	8	0	n/a	n/a	1	661
2011	636	2	0	19	0	0	2	0	659
2012	639	4	1	21	0	0	5	0	670
2013	635	5	1	18	0	1	2	0	662
2014	611	4	0	18	0	1	5	0	639
2015	637	4	0	25	0	0	7	0	673
2016	610	9	2	26	0	0	4	0	651
2017	603	14	1	24	0	0	1	0	643
2018	612	15	4	23	0	0	8	0	662
2019	592	13	5	41	0	0	7	0	658
2020	623	8	6	41	0	0	12	0	690
2021	628	7	4	57	0	0	4	0	700
2022	602	7	1	65	0	0	5	0	680
2023	580	17	2	85	0	1	6	0	691

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 Tamaqua Area Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	824	54.0	15.2	n/a
1989	789	52.0	15.1	n/a
1990	708	52.6	13.4	0
1991	683	50.6	13.4	n/a
1992	686	50.6	13.5	n/a
1993	729	42.5	17.2	n/a
1994	661	42.0	15.7	n/a
1995	672	37.5	17.9	n/a
1996	672	37.5	17.9	n/a
1997	693	38.0	18.2	n/a
1998	716	40.0	17.9	n/a
1999	695	40.0	17.4	n/a
2000	697	38.0	18.3	17.4
2001	670	40.0	16.8	14.8
2002	700	40.0	17.5	19.7
2003	700	40.0	17.5	19.7
2004	731	41.3	17.7	14.8
2005	710	40.4	17.6	19.4
2006	706	48.9	14.4	21.2
2007	735	48.3	15.2	20.7
2008	665	38.0	17.5	19.8
2009	669	37.3	17.9	22.3
2010	661	35.1	18.8	23.9
2011	659	36.7	17.9	28.1
2012	670	45.0	14.8	25.2
2013	662	44.7	14.8	29.5
2014	639	45.2	14.1	33.8
2015	673	47.0	14.3	31.8
2016	651	47.0	13.8	34.6
2017	643	47.5	13.5	37.8
2018	662	43.7	15.1	45
2019	658	43.4	15.1	44.2
2020	690	41.4	16.6	21.6
2021	700	42.2	16.5	36.1
2022	680	42.4	16.0	43.1
2023	691	43.9	15.7	50.5

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 Tamaqua Area Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	824	54.0	15.2	n/a
1989	789	52.0	15.1	n/a
1990	708	52.6	13.4	0
1991	683	50.6	13.4	n/a
1992	686	50.6	13.5	n/a
1993	729	42.5	17.2	n/a
1994	661	42.0	15.7	n/a
1995	672	37.5	17.9	n/a
1996	672	37.5	17.9	n/a
1997	693	38.0	18.2	n/a
1998	716	40.0	17.9	n/a
1999	695	40.0	17.4	n/a
2000	697	38.0	18.3	17.4
2001	670	40.0	16.8	14.8
2002	700	40.0	17.5	19.7
2003	700	40.0	17.5	19.7
2004	731	41.3	17.7	14.8
2005	710	40.4	17.6	19.4
2006	706	48.9	14.4	21.2
2007	735	48.3	15.2	20.7
2008	665	38.0	17.5	19.8
2009	669	37.3	17.9	22.3
2010	661	35.1	18.8	23.9
2011	659	36.7	17.9	28.1
2012	670	45.0	14.8	25.2
2013	662	44.7	14.8	29.5
2014	639	45.2	14.1	33.8
2015	673	47.0	14.3	31.8
2016	651	47.0	13.8	34.6
2017	643	47.5	13.5	37.8
2018	662	43.7	15.1	45
2019	658	43.4	15.1	44.2
2020	690	41.4	16.6	21.6
2021	700	42.2	16.5	36.1
2022	680	42.4	16.0	43.1
2023	691	43.9	15.7	50.5

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 Tamaqua Area Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$438 (3.1%)	$13,521 (96.9%)	$13,960
2020	$407 (3.1%)	$12,531 (96.9%)	$12,938
2021	$434 (3.1%)	$13,357 (96.9%)	$13,791
2022	$426 (3.2%)	$13,030 (96.8%)	$13,456

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Tamaqua Area 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 437^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 399^th of 674 High schools	3.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Tamaqua Area Senior High School)	60.9	25	35.9%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Tamaqua Area Senior High School)	55.4	17.9	37.5%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Tamaqua Area Senior High School)	66.9	66.7	0.2%
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	658	691	5%
African American	13	17	30.8%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	5	2	60%
Hispanic	41	85	107.3%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	592	580	2%
Two or More Races	7	6	14.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	44.2%	50.5%	6.3%

Schools Near Tamaqua Area Senior 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
Tamaqua Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	500 Penn St	Tamaqua	18252	Schuylkill County	Tamaqua Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 668-1901	691	44	15.7	50.5%	580 (83.9%)	17 (2.5%)	85 (12.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.9%)	47.4	399^th of 674 public high schools	40.8%		84.1	73^rd of 634 public high schools	88.5%	326	25.0	17.9	66.7									$13,456	$426	$13,030
Panther Valley Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	912 Coal Region Way	Lansford	18232	Carbon County	Panther Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 645-2171	771	42	18.3	99.9%	568 (73.7%)	51 (6.6%)	109 (14.1%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (5.1%)	40.3	457^th of 674 public high schools	32.2%		32.9	487^th of 634 public high schools	23.2%	30	11.1	36.9	67.4	15.3	5.7	9.6	44.3	44.3	37.2	39.0	38.3	$10,321	$2,633	$7,688
Mahanoy Area Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	1 Golden Bear Dr	Mahanoy City	17948	Schuylkill County	Mahanoy Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 773-3443	485	38	12.9	96.5%	302 (62.3%)	12 (2.5%)	158 (32.6%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.9%)	28.9	512^th of 674 public high schools	24.0%		21.3	523^rd of 634 public high schools	17.5%	11	33.3	30.1	36.1	9.4	8.4	8.9	35.6	35.6	30.8	27.4	28.9	$16,598	$986	$15,612
Shenandoah Valley Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	805 West Centre Street	Shenandoah	17976	Schuylkill County	Shenandoah Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 462-1957	539	39	13.9	95.5%	179 (33.2%)	10 (1.9%)	340 (63.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.7%)	21	550^th of 674 public high schools	18.4%		18.9	533^rd of 634 public high schools	15.9%	17	17.0	28.0	45.6	7.6	4.0	6.0	28.0	28.0	23.3	25.4	24.2	$16,491	$2,311	$14,180
Hazleton Area Career Center	Public	9-12	1451 W 23rd St	Hazleton	18202	Luzerne County	Hazleton Area Career Center	No	No	No	No	(570) 459-3221	0	29	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Hazleton Area High School	Public	9-12	1601 W 23rd St	Hazle Township	18202	Luzerne County	Hazleton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 459-3221	3,795	198	19.1	82.8%	1,281 (33.8%)	61 (1.6%)	2,389 (63.0%)	27 (0.7%)	9 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (0.7%)	26.3	528^th of 674 public high schools	21.7%		26	507^th of 634 public high schools	20.0%	21	15.4	33.4	51.1									$11,014	$4,479	$6,535
Blue Mountain High School	Public	9-12	1076 W Market St	Schuylkill Haven	17972	Schuylkill County	Blue Mountain School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 366-0511	803	73	11.0	29.1%	742 (92.4%)	5 (0.6%)	31 (3.9%)	8 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.1%)	73.9	162^nd of 674 public high schools	76.0%		67.9	218^th of 634 public high schools	65.6%	56	43.9	59.7	74.1									$15,414	$295	$15,119
Weatherly Area High School	Public	9-12	601 6th St	Weatherly	18255	Carbon County	Weatherly Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 427-8521	159	14	11.1	57.2%	136 (85.5%)	2 (1.3%)	16 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)	69.9	207^th of 674 public high schools	69.3%					(n/a)	7.1	74.3	71.8									$22,090	$233	$21,857
Schuylkill Technology Centers-North Campus	Public	9-12	101 Technology Drive	Frackville	17931	Schuylkill County	Schuylkill Technology Centers	No	No	No	No	(570) 874-1034	16	16	1.0	68.8%	14 (87.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Tamaqua Area Senior High School

Is Tamaqua Area Senior High School a good school?

Tamaqua Area Senior High School ranks 399^th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Tamaqua Area Senior High School in?

Tamaqua Area School District

How many students attend Tamaqua Area Senior High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 691 students attended Tamaqua Area Senior High School.

What schools feed into Tamaqua Area Senior High School?

Tamaqua Area Senior High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Tamaqua Elementary School
Elementary : West Penn Township Elementary School
Middle : Tamaqua Area Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Tamaqua Area Senior High School?

Students at Tamaqua Area Senior High School are 84% White, 12% Hispanic, 2% African American.

Rate Tamaqua Area Senior 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.