Clearfield Area Junior/Senior High School

Map of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Clearfield Area Junior/Senior High School is a public high school located near the village of Hyde, Pennsylvania. Clearfield Area Junior/Senior High School serves students from most of central and north central Clearfield County. The school's mascot is the bison, modeled after the American Bison. Clearfield Area High School is part of the Clearfield Area School District. In 2010, the Clearfield Area High School had 891 pupils enrolled in grades 9th through 12th, with 390 qualified for a federal free or reduce priced lunch due to family poverty. The school employed 64 teachers yielding a student teacher ratio of 13:1. The school is a federal Title 1 school. ^[1] As of the 2014-15 school season, the high school was made into a larger campus, now serving students from 7th through 12th grades.

Graduation rate

In 2012, Clearfield Area School District's graduation rate was 78%. ^[2] In 2011, Clearfield Area School District's graduation rate declined further to 80%.^[3] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Clearfield Area School District's rate was 74% for 2010.^[4]

• 2010 - 84% ^[5]
• 2009 - 85% ^[6]
• 2008 - 89% ^[7]
• 2007 - 87% ^[8]

Academic Achievement

In 2012, Clearfield Area High School declined further to Corrective Action II 2nd Year AYP status.

• 2011 - declined to Corrective Action II 1st Year status due to chronic low student academic achievement and a failure to meet the state's minimum graduation rate.^[9]
• 2010 - declined to Corrective Action I due to chronic, low student academic achievement.^[10]
• 2009 - Making Progress: in School Improvement II level. The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the school's administration to develop a plan to improve student achievement. The plan had to be submitted to the state for approval. Additionally, under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the school administration was required to notify parents of the school's poor achievement outcomes and to offer the parent the opportunity to transfer to a successful school within the District.

PSSA Results:

11th Grade Reading:

• 2012 - 76% on grade level (12% below basic). State - 67% of 11th graders are on grade level. ^[11]
• 2011 - 61% (21% below basic). State - 69.1% ^[12]
• 2010 - 64% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th were graders on grade level.
• 2009 - 65%. State - 65%.^[13]
• 2008 - 59%. State - 65%.
• 2007 - 61%. State - 65%.^[14]

11th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 56% on grade level (22% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level. ^[15]
• 2011 - 54% (26% below basic). State - 60.3% ^[16]
• 2010 - 49% (24% below basic). State - 59% ^[17]
• 2009 - 55% (23% below basic). State - 56%.
• 2008 - 48%. State - 56%.
• 2007 - 47%. State - 53%.

11th Grade Science::

• 2012 - 37% on grade level (16% below basic). State - 42% of 11th graders were on grade level. ^[18]
• 2011 - 35% (17% below basic). State - 40% ^[19]
• 2010 - 39% (19% below basic). State - 40%.
• 2009 - 32%. State - 40%.
• 2008 - 31%. State - 39%.

SAT scores

In 2012, 101 Clearfield Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 463. The Math average score was 481. The Writing average score was 453. The statewide Verbal SAT exams results were: Verbal 491, Math 501, Writing 480. In the USA, 1.65 million students took the exams achieving scores: Verbal 496, Math 514, Writing 488. According to the College Board the maximum score on each section was 800, and 360 students nationwide scored a perfect 2,400.

From January to June 2011, 103 Clearfield Area School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 457. The Math average score was 475. The Writing average score was 431.^[20] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among state with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.^[21] In the United States 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 (out of 800) verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.^[22]

College remediation rate

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 9% of Clearfield Area School District graduates required remediation in mathematics and or reading before they were prepared to take college level courses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education or community colleges.^[23] Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school graduates, who enroll in a four-year college in Pennsylvania, earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduates in three years.^[24] Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, one in three recent high school graduates who attend Pennsylvania's public universities and community colleges takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.

Dual enrollment

The high school offers a Dual Enrollment program.^[25] This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. Mount Aloysius College and Penn Highlands Community College are open to the students. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books.^[26] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.^[27] For the 2009-10 funding year, Clearfield Area School District received a state grant of $5,510 for the program.

Historical Enrollments

2006-2007 (1,021 students)

2007-2008 (969)

2008-2009 (983)

2009-2010 (891)

2010-2011 (864)

Graduation requirements

The Clearfield Area School Board has determined that a high school student must earn 24.50 credits in order to graduate, including: English 4 credits, Social Studies 3.5 credits, Mathematics 4 credits, Science 3 credits, Driver Ed. Theory 0.25 credits, Physical Education 2 credits, Life 101 0.25, Health 0.5 credit, Computer 0.50 credit and 6.5 elective credits.^[28]

By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students must complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate from high school. The type of project, its rigor and its expectations are set by the individual school district.^[29]

By Pennsylvania State School Board regulations, for the graduating classes of 2016, students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, English Composition, and Literature, for which the Keystone Exams serve as the final course exams. Students’ Keystone Exam scores count for at least one-third of the final course grade.^[30][31]

Alma mater

"Here's to the praise of Clearfield High.

Here's to its girls and boys.

Here's to the time that's passing by,

Here's to our student joys.

Here's to the school we hold so dear,

Here's to the friendly tie.

Here's to the days of song and cheer,

Here's to old Clearfield High!

Oh Clearfield High, Dear Clearfield High.

Thy praise we love to sing;

The songs and cheers as victory nears

Through field and hall will ring.

The time will come when songs will fade,

When cheers will die away,

But Clearfield High, we still will hail,

While memory holds her sway,

But Clearfield High, we still will hail,

While memory holds her sway.

Classrooms for the Future grant

The Classroom for the Future state program provided districts with hundreds of thousands of extra state funding to buy laptop computers for each core curriculum high school class (English, Science, History, Mathematics) and paid for teacher training to optimize the computers' use. The program was funded from 2006 to 2009. Clearfield Area School District was denied funding by the Pennsylvania Department of Education in 2006-07. In 2007-08, the district was again, denied funding. For the 2008-09 school year the district received $148,208. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future grant awards.^[32]

Extracurriculars

The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and an extensive, costly sports. Eligibility for participation is set through school board policy.^[33]

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those homeschooled, are eligible to participate in the extracurricular programs including all athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.^[34]

Sports

References

Coordinates: 40°59′34″N 78°28′57″W / 40.9929°N 78.4825°W / 40.9929; -78.4825