Whitehall High School

Summary:

Whitehall High School is a public high school serving 1,459 students in grades 9-12 in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, which is part of the Bethlehem Area School District. The school has a diverse student population, with 47.84% White, 8.91% African American, 34% Hispanic, 4.87% Asian, and 4.32% two or more races.

Whitehall High School's academic performance has been inconsistent, with its statewide ranking fluctuating between 231 out of 634 Pennsylvania high schools in 2021-2022 to 379 out of 674 in 2022-2023. Its SchoolDigger rating has also varied between 2 and 3 stars out of 5. The school's performance varies across different student subgroups, with Asian students ranking 98 out of 112 PA high schools, African American students ranking 77 out of 260, and Hispanic students ranking 136 out of 252. The school's four-year graduation rate has declined from 94.9% in 2018-2019 to 91.5% in 2022-2023, while its dropout rate has remained relatively low, ranging from 0.4% to 0.8% over the past five years.

Compared to nearby schools, Whitehall High School generally performs better than some lower-performing schools in the area, such as Louis E Dieruff High School and Building 21 Allentown. However, it lags behind higher-performing schools like Parkland High School, which consistently ranks among the top high schools in the state. The school's significant increase in free and reduced lunch rate, from 35.37% to 84.65%, suggests growing socioeconomic challenges faced by the student population, which may require the school to allocate more resources and implement targeted programs to address the needs of economically disadvantaged students.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 3800 Mechanicsville Rd
       Whitehall, PA  18052-3348


(610) 437-5081

District: Whitehall-Coplay School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
379th of 674 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,343 Help


Feeder schools for Whitehall High School:

Elementary:    Clarence M Gockley Elementary School
    George D Steckel Elementary School
    Zephyr Elementary School
Middle:    Whitehall-Coplay Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.9 Help
Number of students:  1,459

Racial breakdown:

White:
47.8%
Hispanic:
34.0%
African American:
8.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  84.6% Help


 See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

 Compare Whitehall High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Whitehall High School ranks worse than 56.2% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 50.33. (See more...)
Help
The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Whitehall 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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (47.8%), Hispanic (34%), African American (8.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 84.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Whitehall High School is 15.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Whitehall High School employs 91.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Whitehall High School is $17,343.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Whitehall High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Whitehall High School 379th of 674 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Whitehall High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Whitehall-Coplay School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Whitehall-Coplay School District 340th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Whitehall High School.

What do you think?

Your rating for Whitehall High School?

Rank History for Whitehall High School

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at Whitehall High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 56.12 302nd 583 48.2%
2004 67.37 208th 590 64.7%
2005 51.48 351st 593 40.8%
2006 58.50 301st 604 50.2%
2007 54.41 358th 615 41.8%
2008 62.37 268th 621 56.8%
2009 58.49 293rd 632 53.6%
2010 64.19 255th 649 60.7%
2011 73.37 165th 660 75.0%
2012 62.15 296th 664 55.4%
2013 47.96 373rd 591 36.9%
2014 50.81 349th 580 39.8%
2015 60.64 337th 680 50.4%
2016 58.38 368th 677 45.6%
2017 58.37 363rd 663 45.2%
2018 58.84 362nd 673 46.2%
2019 49.74 434th 693 37.4%
2021 52.14 330th 537 38.5%
2022 67.10 231st 634 63.6%
2023 50.33 379th 674 43.8%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Whitehall High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 49.31 31st 85 63.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Whitehall High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 52.72 326th 652 50.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Whitehall High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 46.80 231st 502 54.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Whitehall High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 11.46 98th 112 12.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Whitehall High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 66.95 77th 260 70.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Whitehall High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 45.23 136th 252 46.0%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Whitehall High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 59.70 237th 577 58.9%
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.

Whitehall 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: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

by a parent
Monday, May 24, 2010

Open Quote I had other choices for my children in the Lehigh Valley but I'm really glad I chose Whitehall. Dedicated teachers that go out of their way to inspire, well-run administration, and loyal and active PTO and sports activities. Great school spirit and very extensive building and renovation programs over the last 3 years. Best feature is having all the students in the school district on one campus but broken up by just a few grades in each building - keeps costs low and servics high. Don't pay attention to som of the school performance stats because its not apples-to-apples. Some districts have inner-city schools that aren't doing as well and their suburban schools perform better. Whitehall is on par with the better schools and they do not break out their urban students. Yet they perform very well. I felt my children got the best education offered in the Lehigh Valley along with social skills that encompassed all walks of life. My son was challenged and was able to complete college courses in his Junior and Senior years. He was courted by 10 schools and receivd many scholarship offers. A parent can't ask for more. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Whitehall High School

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1110 10 11 9 2 n/a n/a 0 1142
1989 1022 7 8 13 2 n/a n/a 0 1052
1990 944 13 6 18 3 n/a n/a 0 984
1991 868 17 11 27 3 n/a n/a 0 926
1992 836 20 16 28 3 n/a n/a 0 903
1993 855 27 23 26 6 n/a n/a 0 937
1994 835 32 29 34 4 n/a n/a 0 934
1995 983 41 31 30 2 n/a n/a 0 1087
1996 983 41 31 30 2 n/a n/a 0 1087
1997 1007 44 32 32 8 n/a n/a 0 1123
1998 1029 48 40 40 9 n/a n/a 0 1166
1999 1072 39 34 34 5 n/a n/a 0 1184
2000 1094 29 43 36 2 n/a n/a 0 1204
2001 1082 55 43 49 1 n/a n/a 0 1230
2002 1110 78 42 61 3 n/a n/a 0 1294
2003 1110 78 42 61 3 n/a n/a 0 1294
2004 1093 83 38 74 1 n/a n/a 0 1289
2005 1116 111 53 111 2 n/a n/a 0 1393
2006 1154 112 50 150 1 n/a n/a 0 1467
2007 1139 131 49 176 2 n/a n/a 0 1497
2008 1108 120 59 219 2 n/a n/a 0 1508
2009 995 104 55 193 0 n/a n/a 82 1429
2010 987 111 60 199 5 n/a n/a 72 1434
2011 971 122 68 237 4 0 12 0 1414
2012 946 114 66 262 4 0 19 0 1411
2013 884 105 76 290 4 0 26 0 1385
2014 849 107 73 315 3 1 48 0 1396
2015 814 142 66 342 0 4 40 0 1408
2016 789 123 71 374 0 7 32 0 1396
2017 807 135 73 380 2 8 32 0 1437
2018 787 132 70 404 1 7 25 0 1426
2019 797 135 78 442 1 4 33 0 1490
2020 769 155 82 458 1 1 43 0 1509
2021 736 134 71 462 2 0 51 0 1456
2022 719 134 79 504 0 1 62 0 1499
2023 698 130 71 496 0 1 63 0 1459

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 Whitehall High School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1142 63.5 17.9 n/a
1989 1052 65.0 16.1 n/a
1990 984 66.0 14.9 0
1991 926 63.0 14.6 n/a
1992 903 59.0 15.3 n/a
1993 937 55.0 17.0 n/a
1994 934 52.0 18.0 n/a
1995 1087 56.5 19.2 n/a
1996 1087 56.5 19.2 n/a
1997 1123 60.0 18.7 n/a
1998 1166 61.0 19.1 n/a
1999 1184 65.0 18.2 n/a
2000 1204 65.0 18.5 10
2001 1230 70.0 17.6 13.3
2002 1294 73.0 17.7 16.6
2003 1294 73.0 17.7 16.6
2004 1289 73.0 17.7 13.9
2005 1393 73.6 18.9 15.4
2006 1467 82.0 17.9 15.7
2007 1497 80.1 18.7 19.4
2008 1508 92.5 16.3 22.7
2009 1429 84.8 16.8 27
2010 1434 84.3 17.0 28.7
2011 1414 85.2 16.5 34.4
2012 1411 84.1 16.7 36.6
2013 1385 85.6 16.1 42.3
2014 1396 88.9 15.6 40.5
2015 1408 87.0 16.1 46.4
2016 1396 87.0 16.0 48.1
2017 1437 87.2 16.4 40.1
2018 1426 88.3 16.1 40.1
2019 1490 88.5 16.8 42.6
2020 1509 89.0 16.9 43.8
2021 1456 101.3 14.3 35.4
2022 1499 98.6 15.1 41.5
2023 1459 91.2 15.9 84.6

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 Whitehall High School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1142 63.5 17.9 n/a
1989 1052 65.0 16.1 n/a
1990 984 66.0 14.9 0
1991 926 63.0 14.6 n/a
1992 903 59.0 15.3 n/a
1993 937 55.0 17.0 n/a
1994 934 52.0 18.0 n/a
1995 1087 56.5 19.2 n/a
1996 1087 56.5 19.2 n/a
1997 1123 60.0 18.7 n/a
1998 1166 61.0 19.1 n/a
1999 1184 65.0 18.2 n/a
2000 1204 65.0 18.5 10
2001 1230 70.0 17.6 13.3
2002 1294 73.0 17.7 16.6
2003 1294 73.0 17.7 16.6
2004 1289 73.0 17.7 13.9
2005 1393 73.6 18.9 15.4
2006 1467 82.0 17.9 15.7
2007 1497 80.1 18.7 19.4
2008 1508 92.5 16.3 22.7
2009 1429 84.8 16.8 27
2010 1434 84.3 17.0 28.7
2011 1414 85.2 16.5 34.4
2012 1411 84.1 16.7 36.6
2013 1385 85.6 16.1 42.3
2014 1396 88.9 15.6 40.5
2015 1408 87.0 16.1 46.4
2016 1396 87.0 16.0 48.1
2017 1437 87.2 16.4 40.1
2018 1426 88.3 16.1 40.1
2019 1490 88.5 16.8 42.6
2020 1509 89.0 16.9 43.8
2021 1456 101.3 14.3 35.4
2022 1499 98.6 15.1 41.5
2023 1459 91.2 15.9 84.6

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 Whitehall High School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $83 (0.6%) $14,308 (99.4%) $14,392
2020 $213 (1.5%) $13,609 (98.5%) $13,822
2021 $390 (2.8%) $13,760 (97.2%) $14,150
2022 $1,000 (5.8%) $16,343 (94.2%) $17,343

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Whitehall 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 434th of 693 High schoolsRanks 379th of 674 High schools
 6.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Whitehall High School)57.417.3
 40.1%
   11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)63.334.1
 29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Whitehall High School)57.446.8
 10.6%
   11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)63.250.7
 12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Whitehall High School)69.370.1
 0.8%
   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 Students14901459
 2.1%
African American135130
 3.7%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian7871
 9%
Hispanic442496
 12.2%
Pacific Islander41
 75%
White797698
 12.4%
Two or More Races3363
 90.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients42.6%84.6%
 42%


Schools Near Whitehall High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Whitehall High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,459 students attended Whitehall High School.

Whitehall High School ranks 379th of 674 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Whitehall High School are 48% White, 34% Hispanic, 9% African American, 5% Asian, 4% Two or more races.


Rate Whitehall High School!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Whitehall High School!




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.





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 39 milliseconds.