Union Area High School

Q: Is Union Area High School a good school?

Union Area High School ranks 287 th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Union Area High School is a public high school located in New Castle, Pennsylvania, serving 194 students in grades 9-12. As part of the New Castle Area School District, which is ranked 169 out of 606 districts in the state, Union Area High School stands out for its consistently high graduation rates, low dropout rates, and strong academic performance on standardized tests.

Compared to nearby schools, Union Area High School has a significantly higher percentage of white students at 86.08%, which is an interesting demographic difference. The school also boasts impressive four-year graduation rates ranging from 93.7% to 96.2% over the past 5 years, outperforming many of its neighbors, such as Riverside High School and West Middlesex Area Junior/Senior High School. Additionally, Union Area High School maintains very low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 0.9%, which are significantly lower than the surrounding schools.

Academically, Union Area High School students perform well on the Keystone Exams, with 65.2% proficient or better in Literature, 52.2% in Biology, and 39.4% in Algebra I for the 2022-2023 school year. These scores are generally higher than the district and state averages. However, the school does have a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 47.29% to 52.58% over the past 3 years, indicating a diverse socioeconomic population. Overall, Union Area High School appears to be a solid, well-performing school that is providing a quality education to its students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

2106 Camden Ave
New Castle, PA 16101-1173

(724) 658-4501

District: Union Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
287^th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $23,162

Feeder schools for Union Area High School:

Elementary:

Union Memorial Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.4

Number of students: 194

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.1%

African American:

9.3%

Two or more races:

3.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 52.6%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare Union Area High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Union Area High School ranks better than 57.4% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.95. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Union 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 (86.1%), African American (9.3%), two or more races (3.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 52.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Union Area High School is 10.4. (See more...)

Compare Union Area High School employs 18.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Union Area High School is $23,162.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Union Area High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Union Area High School 287^th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Union Area High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

White students:

Union Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Union Area School District 169^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Union Area High School?

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Rank History for Union Area High School

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Rank History for all students at Union Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	50.09	358^th	583	38.6%
2004	74.90	148^th	590	74.9%
2005	67.70	197^th	593	66.8%
2006	59.22	290^th	604	52.0%
2007	59.16	301^st	615	51.1%
2008	62.92	257^th	621	58.6%
2009	45.39	433^rd	632	31.5%
2010	55.19	345^th	649	46.8%
2011	75.10	135^th	660	79.5%
2012	62.83	284^th	664	57.2%
2013	41.49	421^st	591	28.8%
2014	44.85	390^th	580	32.8%
2015	70.27	224^th	680	67.1%
2016	68.28	255^th	677	62.3%
2017	68.65	258^th	663	61.1%
2018	63.51	326^th	673	51.6%
2019	70.80	226^th	693	67.4%
2021	64.11	249^th	537	53.6%
2022	62.82	264^th	634	58.4%
2023	60.95	287^th	674	57.4%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	64.89	216^th	652	66.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Union Area High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	54.48	270^th	577	53.2%

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 Union 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	263	23	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	290
1989	242	29	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	273
1990	226	23	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	251
1991	213	18	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	231
1992	211	22	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	233
1993	214	22	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	236
1994	204	29	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	233
1995	255	34	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	289
1996	255	34	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	289
1997	254	28	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	282
1998	270	23	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	293
1999	260	28	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	288
2000	245	22	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	269
2001	219	20	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	241
2002	193	16	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	214
2003	193	16	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	214
2004	211	16	3	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	233
2005	222	23	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	249
2006	248	22	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	274
2007	237	24	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	264
2008	223	37	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	263
2009	215	33	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	2	255
2010	210	35	2	2	1	n/a	n/a	4	254
2011	205	36	2	2	0	0	8	0	253
2012	193	34	2	2	0	0	5	0	236
2013	197	38	1	1	1	0	7	0	245
2014	207	45	0	1	1	0	0	0	254
2015	177	35	0	0	0	0	0	0	212
2016	162	33	0	2	0	0	0	0	197
2017	163	36	1	2	0	0	0	0	202
2018	158	34	0	4	0	0	0	0	196
2019	169	27	0	4	0	0	3	0	203
2020	157	27	0	3	0	0	3	0	190
2021	176	22	1	1	0	0	3	0	203
2022	164	18	1	1	0	0	5	0	189
2023	167	18	1	1	1	0	6	0	194

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 Union Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	290	24.0	12.0	n/a
1989	273	23.4	11.6	n/a
1990	251	21.9	11.4	0
1991	231	18.1	12.7	n/a
1992	233	18.7	12.4	n/a
1993	236	15.0	15.7	n/a
1994	233	17.0	13.7	n/a
1995	289	17.0	17.0	n/a
1996	289	17.0	17.0	n/a
1997	282	17.0	16.6	n/a
1998	293	17.0	17.2	n/a
1999	288	19.0	15.2	n/a
2000	269	20.0	13.5	61.3
2001	241	18.9	12.8	59.3
2002	214	20.0	10.7	77.6
2003	214	20.0	10.7	77.6
2004	233	20.0	11.7	64.4
2005	249	22.0	11.3	66.7
2006	274	23.3	11.8	79.6
2007	264	23.4	11.3	83.3
2008	263	18.5	14.2	68.1
2009	255	17.7	14.4	72.3
2010	254	17.0	14.9	34.8
2011	253	18.5	13.6	38.7
2012	236	16.7	14.0	41.9
2013	245	19.2	12.7	40.4
2014	254	21.2	11.9	28
2015	212	21.0	10.0	43.9
2016	197	25.0	7.8	46.7
2017	202	23.5	8.5	49
2018	196	24.5	7.9	50
2019	203	24.5	8.2	49.8
2020	190	21.5	8.8	49.5
2021	203	21.5	9.4	47.3
2022	189	20.5	9.1	48.1
2023	194	18.5	10.4	52.6

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 Union Area High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	290	24.0	12.0	n/a
1989	273	23.4	11.6	n/a
1990	251	21.9	11.4	0
1991	231	18.1	12.7	n/a
1992	233	18.7	12.4	n/a
1993	236	15.0	15.7	n/a
1994	233	17.0	13.7	n/a
1995	289	17.0	17.0	n/a
1996	289	17.0	17.0	n/a
1997	282	17.0	16.6	n/a
1998	293	17.0	17.2	n/a
1999	288	19.0	15.2	n/a
2000	269	20.0	13.5	61.3
2001	241	18.9	12.8	59.3
2002	214	20.0	10.7	77.6
2003	214	20.0	10.7	77.6
2004	233	20.0	11.7	64.4
2005	249	22.0	11.3	66.7
2006	274	23.3	11.8	79.6
2007	264	23.4	11.3	83.3
2008	263	18.5	14.2	68.1
2009	255	17.7	14.4	72.3
2010	254	17.0	14.9	34.8
2011	253	18.5	13.6	38.7
2012	236	16.7	14.0	41.9
2013	245	19.2	12.7	40.4
2014	254	21.2	11.9	28
2015	212	21.0	10.0	43.9
2016	197	25.0	7.8	46.7
2017	202	23.5	8.5	49
2018	196	24.5	7.9	50
2019	203	24.5	8.2	49.8
2020	190	21.5	8.8	49.5
2021	203	21.5	9.4	47.3
2022	189	20.5	9.1	48.1
2023	194	18.5	10.4	52.6

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 Union Area High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$00 (NaN)	$00 (NaN)	$00
2020	$282 (1.7%)	$15,848 (98.3%)	$16,130
2021	$2,050 (9.8%)	$18,780 (90.2%)	$20,830
2022	$1,621 (7.0%)	$21,541 (93.0%)	$23,162

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Union 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 226^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 287^th of 674 High schools	10%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Union Area High School)	66.6	39.4	27.2%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Union Area High School)	77.1	52.2	24.9%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Union Area High School)	79.1	65.2	13.9%
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	203	194	4.4%
African American	27	18	33.3%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	4	1	75%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	169	167	1.2%
Two or More Races	3	6	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	49.8%	52.6%	2.8%

Schools Near Union 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)	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
Union Area High School	Public	9-12	2106 Camden Ave	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Union Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-4501	194	19	10.4	52.6%	167 (86.1%)	18 (9.3%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	61	287^th of 674 public high schools	57.4%		62.8	264^th of 634 public high schools	58.4%	23	39.4	52.2	65.2									$23,162	$1,621	$21,541
New Castle Senior High School	Public	9-12	300 E Lincoln Ave	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	New Castle Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 656-4700	771	49	15.6	100.0%	450 (58.4%)	201 (26.1%)	31 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	87 (11.3%)	31.1	501^st of 674 public high schools	25.7%		33.7	483^rd of 634 public high schools	23.8%	18	13.9	42.5	50.0									$17,662	$2,771	$14,891
Lawrence County Career and Technical Center	Public	9-12	750 Phelps Way	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Lawrence County Career and Technical Center	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-3583	378	31	12.2	100.0%	320 (84.7%)	15 (4.0%)	11 (2.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	28 (7.4%)	13.3	580^th of 674 public high schools	13.9%		19.5	531^st of 634 public high schools	16.2%	49	12.2	23.0	36.2
Mohawk Senior High School	Public	9-12	385 Mohawk School Road	New Castle	16102	Lawrence County	Mohawk Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 667-7782	441	30	14.5	29.0%	424 (96.1%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.3%)	73.9	163^rd of 674 public high schools	75.8%		56.7	332^nd of 634 public high schools	47.6%	169	54.4	58.0	69.8									$17,425	$1,344	$16,080
Shenango High School	Public	7-12	2550 Ellwood Rd	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Shenango Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-5537	468	39	12.1	42.9%	439 (93.8%)	5 (1.1%)	5 (1.1%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.2%)	83.1	91^st of 674 public high schools	86.5%		84.4	70^th of 634 public high schools	89.0%	21	39.3	83.7	77.6	40.5	34.8	38.0	80.3	80.3	69.9	69.7	69.8	$28,923	$5,234	$23,689
Neshannock Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	3834 Mitchell Rd	New Castle	16105	Lawrence County	Neshannock Township School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-5513	537	33	16.1	25.7%	504 (93.9%)	3 (0.6%)	9 (1.7%)	8 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.4%)	95.6	11^th of 674 public high schools	98.4%		80	110^th of 634 public high schools	82.6%	99	79.6	84.0	89.3	54.3	39.4	48.1	89.4	89.4	64.1	77.3	69.6	$20,679	$579	$20,100
Laurel High School	Public	9-12	2497 Harlansburg Rd	New Castle	16101	Lawrence County	Laurel School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 658-9056	328	28	11.6	22.6%	317 (96.6%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.2%)	79.6	114^th of 674 public high schools	83.1%		89	32^nd of 634 public high schools	95.0%	82	42.8	72.7	74.3									$18,193	$460	$17,733
Wilmington Area High School	Public	9-12	350 Wood St	New Wilmington	16142	Lawrence County	Wilmington Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 656-8866	310	29	10.7	99.0%	293 (94.5%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.9%)	65.3	254^th of 674 public high schools	62.3%		59.8	294^th of 634 public high schools	53.6%	40	29.6	67.2	66.2									$16,173	$1,586	$14,588
Lincoln Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	501 Crescent Ave	Ellwood City	16117	Lawrence County	Ellwood City Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 752-1591	672	57	11.8	53.0%	591 (87.9%)	7 (1.0%)	19 (2.8%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (7.6%)	59	304^th of 674 public high schools	54.9%		73.8	181^st of 634 public high schools	71.5%	123	15.9	53.6	74.4	34.8	16.8	25.4	57.2	57.2	55.5	49.2	52.2	$19,967	$832	$19,135
West Middlesex Area Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	3591 Sharon Rd	West Middlesex	16159	Mercer County	West Middlesex Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 634-3030	346	31	11.2	41.0%	327 (94.5%)	3 (0.9%)	10 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	3 (0.9%)	37.3	469^th of 674 public high schools	30.4%		60.2	290^th of 634 public high schools	54.3%	179	13.5	51.6	49.3	40.8	9.1	24.0	60.0	60.0	65.3	38.2	50.9	$14,937	$163	$14,774

Frequently Asked Questions about Union Area High School

What is the racial makeup of Union Area High School?

Students at Union Area High School are 86% White, 9% African American, 3% Two or more races.

Is Union Area High School a good school?

Union Area High School ranks 287^th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Union Area High School?

Union Area High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Union Memorial Elementary School

What district is Union Area High School in?

Union Area School District

How many students attend Union Area High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 194 students attended Union Area High School.

Rate Union Area 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.