Reading Senior High School


Reading Senior High School is a 9–12 public high school in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States. It was established in 1927 and is part of the Reading School District.

Performance

The Pennsylvania Department of Education lists Reading High School and most other schools in the Reading School District as among the lowest 15% achieving schools for reading and mathematics 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.

Graduation Rate

In 2012, Reading School District's graduation rate was 61%. In 2011, the graduation rate was 56%. In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. High School's rate was 53.7% for 2010.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
Reading Senior High School administration reports annual dropout rates.
In 2012, Reading Senior High School declined School Improvement II AYP status due to missing 12 of 14 academic metrics measured. In 2011, Reading Senior High School was in School Improvement Level 1 AYP status due to missing 13 out of 14 metrics measured. 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 must pay for additional tutoring for struggling students. The High School is eligible for special, extra funding under School Improvement Grants which the school must apply for each year.

PSSA results

11th Grade Reading:
11th Grade Math:
11th Grade Science:
According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 68% of the Reading Senior 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.

SAT Scores

In 2012, 410 Reading Senior High School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 397. The Math average score was 395. The Writing average score was 375. The statewide Verbal SAT exams results were: Verbal 491, Math 501, Writing 480. In the US, 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.
In 2011, 446 Reading Senior School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 402. The Math average score was 398. The Writing average score was 357. 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.

Graduation requirements

Among Pennsylvania's 500 public school districts, graduation requirements widely vary. The Reading School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 23 credits to graduate, including: English 4.00 credits, Mathematics - 4.00 credits, Science - 3.00 credits, Social Studies 3.00 credits, Physical Education 1.32 credits, Wellness.50 credits, Safety/First Aid.18 credits, Computer/Career Awareness.50 credits, and Electives - 6.50 credits.
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. Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania Board of Education eliminated the state mandate that students complete a culminating project in order to graduate.
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating class of 2017, 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. 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 Reading Senior 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 their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offered 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 $79,544 for the program.

AP Courses

Reading High School offers an AP course program which permits successful students to earn college credits when they achieve score of 3 or better on the final examination offered by the College Board.

TV Studio

The school has received broadcasting and recording equipment from Bob Seidel, Vice President of CBS Engineering and Advanced Technology, who is an alumnus of Reading High School. Students who are members of Knight Life, the school's television club, produce live morning announcements and a live, twice-a-month, two-hour-long television show on a local Public-access television channel. They also participate, along with several other county schools, in a show called Bridging the Generation Gap, co-produced with Berks County Television. Besides the Monday night Knight Life shows, Knight Life members also take part in recording the spring and winter music concerts, the school show and live coverage of boys and girls basketball, wrestling, volleyball and soccer.

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. The Reading School District received $407,573 in 2006–07. In 2007–08, the High School received $558,533. The district received another $328,391 in 2008–09. In Berks County the highest award was given to Reading School District - $1,294,497. The highest funding statewide was awarded to Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. In 2010, Classrooms for the Future funding was curtailed statewide by then Governor Edward Rendell, due to a massive state financial crisis.

Extracurriculars

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing 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 athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.

Sports

The District funds:
;Boys:
;Girls:
According to PIAA directory.

Notable alumni