Upper Darby Senior High School

Summary:

Upper Darby Senior High School is a public high school located in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, serving 4,191 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Upper Darby School District, which is ranked 482 out of 606 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school stands out for its diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 17.7% White, 52.23% African American, 12.86% Hispanic, and 14.15% Asian. While the school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated in recent years, ranging from 82.8% to 93.3%, it remains higher than nearby schools like Overbrook High School (77.6%) and Penn Wood High School (79.9%). However, the school's academic performance, as measured by Keystone Exam proficiency rates, lags behind the state averages, with only 10.1% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in Algebra I, 37.5% in Biology, and 45.7% in Literature.

One of the most striking characteristics of Upper Darby Senior High School is the high percentage of students (95.04%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a significant level of economic disadvantage among the student population. This is in stark contrast to nearby high-performing schools like Haverford Senior High School (21.35%) and Springfield High School (21.67%), which serve more affluent communities. This context is crucial in understanding the school's challenges and the need for targeted strategies to support student success.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 601 North Lansdowne Avenue
       Drexel Hill, PA  19026


(610) 622-7000

District: Upper Darby School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
541st of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,470 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  18.8 Help
Number of students:  4,191

Racial breakdown:

African American:
52.2%
White:
17.7%
Asian:
14.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  95% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Upper Darby Senior High School ranks worse than 80.3% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.54. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Upper Darby Senior High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Upper Darby Senior High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (52.2%), White (17.7%), Asian (14.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 95% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Upper Darby Senior High School is 18.8. (See more...)
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Compare Upper Darby Senior High School employs 222 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Upper Darby Senior High School is $13,470.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Upper Darby Senior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Upper Darby Senior High School 541st of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Upper Darby Senior High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Disabled students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Upper Darby School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Upper Darby School District 482nd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Upper Darby Senior High School?

Rank History for Upper Darby Senior High School

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Rank History for all students at Upper Darby Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 42.62 407th 583 30.2%
2004 30.00 470th 590 20.3%
2005 31.04 480th 593 19.1%
2006 24.75 519th 604 14.1%
2007 39.23 470th 615 23.6%
2008 29.76 507th 621 18.4%
2009 28.23 525th 632 16.9%
2010 28.17 535th 649 17.6%
2011 33.80 526th 660 20.3%
2012 29.95 530th 664 20.2%
2013 52.42 331st 591 44.0%
2014 35.88 433rd 580 25.3%
2015 39.12 494th 680 27.4%
2016 42.06 486th 677 28.2%
2017 37.32 483rd 663 27.1%
2018 38.97 491st 673 27.0%
2019 36.66 500th 693 27.8%
2021 38.68 391st 537 27.2%
2022 45.59 417th 634 34.2%
2023 23.54 541st 674 19.7%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Upper Darby Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 10.02 121st 129 6.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Upper Darby Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 33.99 57th 85 32.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 26.55 508th 652 22.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Upper Darby Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 18.69 446th 502 11.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Upper Darby Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 14.79 96th 112 14.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Upper Darby Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 39.06 147th 260 43.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Upper Darby Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 26.63 188th 252 25.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Upper Darby Senior High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 29.82 444th 577 23.1%
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.

Upper Darby Senior High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, March 21, 2011

Open Quote This school has approximately 4000 students from all socioeconomic backgrounds and over 70 countries. They have award winning music programs, sports programs, etc! A large pool, performing arts center, after school programs for every interest, and dedicated staff mean that if you want something positive and constructive to do, you'll find it here. Perhaps this would be one of the top schools in the country if all factors were considered. I don't know how many English speaking scholars would do well on a standardized test in say, Arabic! Yet those who know little, if any, English are required to take tests in English and these scores are factored in to the High School's "grade".

While we don't appreciate the behavior of some of our 'neighbors', our middle and high school age children beg us not to consider moving until they are out of school! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Upper Darby Senior High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 2244 44 201 11 3 n/a n/a 0 2503
1989 2105 60 216 10 5 n/a n/a 0 2396
1990 2047 66 237 7 5 n/a n/a 0 2362
1991 2026 56 256 10 4 n/a n/a 0 2352
1992 2219 66 221 15 4 n/a n/a 0 2525
1993 2270 78 241 14 1 n/a n/a 0 2604
1994 2435 123 244 7 0 n/a n/a 0 2809
1995 2473 208 295 24 0 n/a n/a 0 3000
1996 2473 208 295 24 0 n/a n/a 0 3000
1997 2514 266 338 24 0 n/a n/a 0 3142
1998 2511 343 364 24 0 n/a n/a 0 3242
1999 2423 405 399 19 0 n/a n/a 0 3246
2000 2445 519 437 24 0 n/a n/a 0 3425
2001 2433 633 470 40 0 n/a n/a 0 3576
2002 2301 950 471 52 0 n/a n/a 0 3774
2003 2301 950 471 52 0 n/a n/a 0 3774
2004 2289 1110 464 63 0 n/a n/a 0 3926
2005 2222 1227 463 81 0 n/a n/a 0 3993
2006 2066 1309 443 75 0 n/a n/a 0 3893
2007 2010 1470 445 78 0 n/a n/a 0 4003
2008 1941 1653 468 86 3 n/a n/a 0 4151
2009 1682 1554 461 94 1 n/a n/a 7 3799
2010 1585 1587 472 107 3 n/a n/a 8 3762
2011 1500 1645 503 127 2 0 14 0 3791
2012 1373 1676 519 132 1 0 4 0 3705
2013 1297 1770 508 135 1 0 9 0 3720
2014 1158 1827 491 150 0 0 12 0 3638
2015 1096 1879 504 177 3 1 27 0 3687
2016 1039 1823 524 196 4 0 39 0 3625
2017 1009 1821 522 207 5 0 57 0 3621
2018 957 1875 558 254 5 2 66 0 3717
2019 926 1932 605 282 4 0 70 0 3819
2020 849 1969 581 362 3 0 81 0 3845
2021 816 1922 615 399 6 0 97 0 3855
2022 785 2059 589 446 5 1 101 0 3986
2023 742 2189 593 539 8 3 117 0 4191

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 Upper Darby Senior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2503 145.8 17.1 n/a
1989 2396 157.0 15.2 n/a
1990 2362 155.0 15.2 0
1991 2352 154.7 15.2 n/a
1992 2525 161.5 15.6 n/a
1993 2604 158.8 16.4 n/a
1994 2809 166.0 16.9 n/a
1995 3000 174.5 17.2 n/a
1996 3000 174.5 17.2 n/a
1997 3142 182.5 17.2 n/a
1998 3242 194.0 16.7 n/a
1999 3246 202.0 16.1 n/a
2000 3425 203.0 16.9 0
2001 3576 206.5 17.3 0
2002 3774 215.8 17.5 14.3
2003 3774 215.8 17.5 14.3
2004 3926 222.7 17.6 0
2005 3993 231.2 17.3 13.5
2006 3893 229.0 17.0 29.5
2007 4003 235.2 17.0 25.9
2008 4151 252.5 16.4 30.2
2009 3799 261.3 14.5 36.4
2010 3762 256.8 14.6 37.5
2011 3791 259.8 14.5 36.1
2012 3705 237.5 15.5 38
2013 3720 236.8 15.7 n/a
2014 3638 227.4 15.9 54.5
2015 3687 232.0 15.8 60.6
2016 3625 236.0 15.3 65.9
2017 3621 236.9 15.2 63.5
2018 3717 239.9 15.4 63.8
2019 3819 235.5 16.2 96.3
2020 3845 233.2 16.4 95.7
2021 3855 236.0 16.3 94.7
2022 3986 236.9 16.8 94.1
2023 4191 222.0 18.8 95

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 Upper Darby Senior High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2503 145.8 17.1 n/a
1989 2396 157.0 15.2 n/a
1990 2362 155.0 15.2 0
1991 2352 154.7 15.2 n/a
1992 2525 161.5 15.6 n/a
1993 2604 158.8 16.4 n/a
1994 2809 166.0 16.9 n/a
1995 3000 174.5 17.2 n/a
1996 3000 174.5 17.2 n/a
1997 3142 182.5 17.2 n/a
1998 3242 194.0 16.7 n/a
1999 3246 202.0 16.1 n/a
2000 3425 203.0 16.9 0
2001 3576 206.5 17.3 0
2002 3774 215.8 17.5 14.3
2003 3774 215.8 17.5 14.3
2004 3926 222.7 17.6 0
2005 3993 231.2 17.3 13.5
2006 3893 229.0 17.0 29.5
2007 4003 235.2 17.0 25.9
2008 4151 252.5 16.4 30.2
2009 3799 261.3 14.5 36.4
2010 3762 256.8 14.6 37.5
2011 3791 259.8 14.5 36.1
2012 3705 237.5 15.5 38
2013 3720 236.8 15.7 n/a
2014 3638 227.4 15.9 54.5
2015 3687 232.0 15.8 60.6
2016 3625 236.0 15.3 65.9
2017 3621 236.9 15.2 63.5
2018 3717 239.9 15.4 63.8
2019 3819 235.5 16.2 96.3
2020 3845 233.2 16.4 95.7
2021 3855 236.0 16.3 94.7
2022 3986 236.9 16.8 94.1
2023 4191 222.0 18.8 95

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 Upper Darby Senior High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $05 (0.0%) $14,914 (100.0%) $14,919
2020 $422 (2.4%) $17,532 (97.6%) $17,954
2021 $1,074 (8.0%) $12,406 (92.0%) $13,481
2022 $1,077 (8.0%) $12,393 (92.0%) $13,470

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Upper Darby 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 500th of 693 High schoolsRanks 541st of 674 High schools
 8.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Upper Darby Senior High School)49.210.1
 39.1%
   11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)63.334.1
 29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Upper Darby Senior High School)52.737.5
 15.2%
   11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)63.250.7
 12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Upper Darby Senior High School)59.845.7
 14.1%
   11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)71.565.3
 6.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students38194191
 9.7%
African American19322189
 13.3%
American Indian48
 100%
Asian605593
 2%
Hispanic282539
 91.1%
Pacific Islander03
White926742
 19.9%
Two or More Races70117
 67.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients96.3%95%
 1.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Upper Darby Senior High School

Students at Upper Darby Senior High School are 52% African American, 18% White, 14% Asian, 13% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 4,191 students attended Upper Darby Senior High School.

Upper Darby Senior High School ranks in the bottom 19.7% of Pennsylvania high schools.


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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.





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