Best Public Schools in Zip Code 15690

The 15690 zip code area is home to two schools - Kiski Area East Primary School, an elementary school, and Kiski Area IHS, a middle school. While both schools serve the Kiski Area School District, they exhibit stark differences in academic performance, with Kiski Area East Primary consistently outperforming the district and state averages, despite serving a high-need student population.

Kiski Area East Primary School stands out for its exceptional test scores, with 92.3% of 4th-grade students proficient or better in PSSA Science, compared to the 74.1% state average. Similarly, 64.8% of all grades were proficient or better in PSSA English Language Arts, well above the 53.8% state average. This strong academic performance is particularly noteworthy given the school's 100% free/reduced lunch rate, indicating it serves a high-need student population.

In contrast, Kiski Area IHS has lower test scores than the district and state averages across most subject areas and grade levels. For instance, only 17.5% of 8th-graders were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to 26% statewide. Despite spending more per student ($19,498) than Kiski Area East Primary ($14,883), Kiski Area IHS does not seem to translate this higher spending into better academic outcomes. The racial demographics of the two schools also differ, with Kiski Area IHS having a significantly higher percentage of white students (90.79%) compared to Kiski Area East Primary (80.61%).