Wilkinsburg High School


Wilkinsburg High School is a public school in the Wilkinsburg borough of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, US. It is part of the Wilkinsburg School District. The school is the sole high school operated by the district in the Pittsburgh suburb of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. The district encompasses approximately. According to 2000 federal census data, it served a resident population of 19,196. By 2010, the district's population declined to 15,933 people. The educational attainment levels for the Wilkinsburg Borough School District population were 90% high school graduates and 28.5% college graduates. The district has a mandated school uniform policy which stipulates both colors and styles of clothes.
Wilkinsburg Senior High School is located at 747 Wallace Avenue, Pittsburgh. In 2014, enrollment was reported as 172 pupils in 9th through 12th grades, with 75% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to family poverty. Additionally, 16.8% of pupils received special education services, while less than 1% of pupils were identified as gifted. The school employed 37 teachers. Per the PA Department of Education, 93% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The school is not a federally designated Title I school.
In 2010, Wilkinsburg Senior High School's enrollment was 345 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 342 receiving a federal free lunch due to family poverty. The school employed 39 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 8:1. By 2012, the enrollment had declined to 290 pupils. The school is not a Title I school. The school employed 44.5 teachers, yielding a student teacher ratio of 6.5 to 1.
In January 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of Education identified the Wilkinsburg Senior High School as in the bottom 5% of the state's schools, for student academic achievement. According to the report, just 16% of the pupils were on grade level in both math and reading. The students have access to several local charter school and Pennsylvania Opportunity Scholarships to attend local private schools or neighboring school districts.

Student body

As of 2009.
SubsetNumber of studentsPercent
All1000100%
White22.7%
Black99696.6%
Asian20.5%
Hispanic00.2%
Multiracial00.0%
American Indian00.0%
Male40046.7%
Female60053.3%

Academic achievement

In April 2014, the Pennsylvania Department of Education released a report identifying all four Wilkinsburg Borough School District schools, including the high school, as remaining among the lowest achieving schools for reading and mathematics in the state.
In July 2012, the Pennsylvania Department of Education released a report identifying Wilkinsburg School District schools as among the lowest achieving schools for reading and mathematics in 2011. The High School was among the 15% lowest achieving schools in the Commonwealth. Parents and students may be eligible for scholarships to transfer to another public or nonpublic school through the state's Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program passed in June 2012. The scholarships are limited to those students whose family's income is less than $60,000 annually, with another $12,000 allowed per dependent. Maximum scholarship award is $8,500, with special education students receiving up to $15,000 for a year's tuition. Parents pay any difference between the scholarship amount and the receiving school's tuition rate. Students may seek admission to neighboring public school districts. Each year the PDE publishes the tuition rate for each individual public school district. Fifty-three public schools in Allegheny County are among the lowest-achieving schools in 2011. According to the report, parents in 414 public schools were offered access to these scholarships. For the 2012-13 school year, eight public school districts in Pennsylvania had all of their schools placed on the list including: Sto-Rox School District, Chester Upland School District, Clairton City School District, Duquesne City School District, Farrell Area School District, William Penn School District and Steelton-Highspire School District. Funding for the scholarships comes from donations by businesses which receive a state tax credit for donating. In 2014, Monessen City School District had all three of its schools added to the list. Funding for the scholarships comes from donations by businesses which receive a state tax credit for donating.

Western region ranking

In 2014, the Pittsburgh Business Times ranked Wilkinsburg Senior High School’s eleventh grade 103rd out of 105 western Pennsylvania high schools, based on the last three years of student academic achievement in Pennsylvania System of School Assessments in: reading, math, writing and science.
In 2011, Wilkinsburg High School ranked 121st of 123 high schools in western Pennsylvania for academic achievement based on three years of PSSA results on: math, reading, writing and 3 year of science, by Pittsburgh Business Times in April 2011.
In 2009, Wilkinsburg High School ranked 621st out of 666 Pennsylvania high schools for the reading and mathematics achievement of its students.

Graduation rate

In 2014, Wilkinsburg School District graduation rate was 62.5%.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
Wilkinsburg Senior High School achieved 34.6 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 13% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, just 8.5% showed on grade level math skills. In Biology, none demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course. Statewide, the percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in Algebra I increased to 39.7% to 40.1%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in reading/literature declined to 52.5%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in biology improved from 39.7% to 41.4%.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,134 of 2,947 Pennsylvania public schools, achieved an academic score of 70 or higher. Fifty-three percent of schools statewide received lower SPP scores compared with last year's, while 46 percent improved. A handful were unchanged.
Compared with last year, the percentage of schools that earned below 60 declined by nearly 1 percent per Secretayr of Education Carolyn Dumaresq. She reported that this is an indication that student achievement is improving as school resources are being used better.

2013 School Performance Profile

Wilkinsburg Senior High School achieved 36.3 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 18% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 12.8% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 2.6% showed on grade level science understanding. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,181 public schools, achieved an academic score of 70 or higher. Pennsylvania 11th grade students no longer take the PSSAs. Instead, beginning in 2012, they take the Keystone Exams at the end of the associated course.

AYP status

In 2012, Wilkinsburg Senior High School declined to Corrective Action II 5th Year status due to chronic, low student achievement in both Reading and Mathematics and a very low graduation rate. In 2008, the school's administration was required to develop a School Improvement Plan and submit it to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for approval. 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. Additionally the school administration was required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, to develop a School Improvement Plan to address the school's low student achievement. Under the Pennsylvania Accountability System, the school district must pay for additional tutoring for struggling students. The High School was eligible for special, extra funding under School Improvement Grants which the school must apply for each year.
Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, commonly called PSSAs are No Child Left Behind Act related examinations which were administered from 2003 through 2012, in all Pennsylvania public high schools. The exams were administered in the Spring of each school year. The goal was for 100% of students to be on grade level or better in reading and mathematics, by the Spring of 2014. The tests focused on the state's Academic Standards for reading, writing, mathematics and science. The Science exam included content in science, technology, ecology and the environmental studies. The mathematics exam included: algebra I, algebra II, geometry and trigonometry. The standards were first published in 1998 and are mandated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education. In 2013, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania changed its high school assessments to the Keystone Exams in Algebra 1, Reading/literature and Biology1. The exams are given at the end of the course, rather than all in the spring of the student's 11th grade year.
;11th Grade Reading
;11th Grade Math
;11th Grade Science
Science in Motion The High School did not take advantage of a state program called Science in Motion which brought college professors and sophisticated science equipment to the school to raise science awareness and to provide inquiry-based experiences for the students. The Science in Motion program was funded by a state appropriation and cost the school nothing to participate. Westminster College provided the science enrichment experiences to schools in the region.

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 67% of the Wilkinsburg High School 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. Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school graduates, who enroll in a four-year college in Pennsylvania, will earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduate in three years. 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.
In 2010 PSSA Results Wilkinsburg has Been Awarded AYP

Graduation requirements

Among Pennsylvania's 500 public school districts, graduation requirements widely vary. The graduation policy is determined by the Wilkinsburg Borough School Board and the administration.
By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students were required to 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. Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education eliminated the state mandate that students complete a culminating project in order to graduate.
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, beginning with the class of 2017, public school students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, and English Literature by passing the Keystone Exams. The exam is given at the end of the course. Keystone Exams replace the PSSAs for 11th grade.
Students have several opportunities to pass the exam. Schools are mandated to provide targeted assistance to help the student be successful. Those who do not pass after several attempts can perform a project in order to graduate. For the class of 2019, a Composition exam will be added. For the class of 2020, passing a civics and government exam will be added to the graduation requirements. In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Lit exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level. Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students identified as having special needs and qualifying for an Individual Educational Program may graduate by meeting the requirements of their IEP.

Dual enrollment

The high school offers a Dual Enrollment program. 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 and programs at the high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.
For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $14,834 for the program.

Challenge Program

The Challenge Program offers $250.00 cash incentives to Wilkinsburg Senior High School students who excel in the categories of: Academic Improvement, Attendance, Community Service and Academic Excellence. The program partners with businesses to motivate students both in and out of the classroom by encouraging good habits in students that will last throughout their education and into their future careers. For the 2010-2011 school year, the top 10% of students in each of the categories will be eligible to win $250.00.

SAT scores

In 2014, Wilkinsburg School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 370. The Math average score was 398. The Writing average score was 330. Statewide in Pennsylvania, Verbal Average Score was 497. The Math average score was 504. The Writing average score was 480. The College Board also reported that nationwide scores were: 497 in reading, 513 in math and 487 in writing.
In 2012, 28 Wilkinsburg School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 398. The Math average score was 400. The Writing average score was 359. 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.
In 2011, 13 Wilkinsburg School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 393. The Math average score was 395. The Writing average score was 347. Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479. In the United States 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.
The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a research arm of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, compared the SAT data of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania to students in urban areas. From 2003 to 2005, the average total SAT score for students in rural Pennsylvania was 992, while urban students averaged 1,006. During the same period, 28 percent of 11th and 12th graders in rural school districts took the exam, compared to 32 percent of urban students in the same grades. The average math and verbal scores were 495 and 497, respectively, for rural students, while urban test-takers averaged 499 and 507, respectively. Pennsylvania’s SAT composite score ranked low on the national scale in 2004. The composite SAT score of 1,003 left Pennsylvania ranking 44 out of the 50 states and Washington, DC.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education reported that 71 percent of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania chose to continue their education after high school in 2003, whereas 79 percent of urban high school graduates opted to continue their education.

AP Courses

In 2014, Wilkinsburg High School offered no Advanced Placement courses.

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 and paid for teacher training to optimize the computers use. The program was funded from 2006 to 2009. Wilkinsburg Borough School District received $193,898 in funding in 2006–07. In 2007–08 the district received $250,000. For the 2008–09, school year the district did not apply for funding. Total funding was $443,898. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future grant awards.

Project 720

Project 720 was a high school reform program implemented for three years under the Rendell administration. The intent was to increase academic rigor and improve the instruction of teachers in the Commonwealth’s high schools. Teachers were expected to use data driven instructional practices and to meet the needs of diverse learners. The 720 in the name referred to the number of days a student was in high school in ninth through 12th grades. High school’s applied for funding and were required to agree to report to the PDE their plans, their actions and the outcomes. In 2007-08 budget year, the Commonwealth provided $11 million in funding. Wilkinsburg Borough School District was one of 161 PA public school district to apply, receiving $62,000 funding over three years. For 2010-11, Project 720 funding was decreased to $1.7 million by Governor Rendell. The grant program was discontinued effective with the 2011-12 state budget.

Building History

The building was constructed in 1910. and its design has been credited to architect Thomas H. Scott. In 1985, due to declining enrollment, grades 7-9 were transferred to Wilkinsburg High School. Grades 7 & 8 are now considered Wilkinsburg Middle School. In 2009, the district's Academy program was transferred to the building's third floor.

Extracurriculars

The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports.
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.

Athletics

Football
Wilkinsburg is a Class A school that competes in District 7 of the WPIAL
The football team won the conference seven times. In the 2009 season the Wilkinsburg Tigers Varsity football squad did not win a game.
Basketball
Wilkinsburg is a Class AA school that competes in District 7 of the WPIAL
The Wilkinsburg Tigers Boys Basketball team had a perfect regular season in 2002 with a record of 24-0.
In 2011, the Wilkinsburg Tigers finished the season with a Pennsylvania ranking of 9th in the state. They lost in the 2nd round of the WPIAL playoffs to their previous conference rival Jeanette High School in 2012.
The Wilkinsburg Lady Tigers basketball team WPIAL Champs Section Champs in the following years 1913,1922,1947,1948,1955,1961,1963,1976,1977,1999,2002,2003.
Volleyball
Wilkinsburg is a Class AA school that competes in District 7 of the WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League. In the 2008-2009 season the Wilkinsburg Girls Volleyball team did not win a game.
Track and Field
Wilkinsburg is a Class AA school that competes in District 7 of the WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic league

Notable alumni