Frazier High School


Frazier High School is a rural, public high school. It is the sole high school in the Frazier School District. It is in the northern Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in the town of Perryopolis. In 2015, enrollment was reported as 350 pupils in 9th through 12th grades, with 43% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. Additionally, 12% of pupils received special education services, while 3.7% of pupils were identified as gifted. The school employed 24 teachers. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2013, the school reported an enrollment of 342 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 110 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. In 2013, the school employed 24 teachers yielding a student-teacher ratio of 14:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 1 teacher was rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.
Frazier High School was established in 1966, and resulted in the consolidation of the Perry and Lower Tyrone School Districts. The school was last renovated in 1990, when space was reconfigured for the addition of the Frazier Middle School, the high school's sole feeder. The name comes from Mary Fuller Frazier, a wealthy resident that gave an endowment to the district for the improvement of the school system.
The Intermediate Unit IU1 provides the school and the district with a wide variety of services like specialized education for disabled students and hearing, background checks for employees, state mandated recognizing and reporting child abuse training, speech and visual disability services and criminal background check processing for prospective employees and professional development for staff and faculty.

Graduation rate

In 2015, Frazier School District’s graduation rate was just 84.7%.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
;Regional ranking
In 2010, Frazier High School's 11th grade ranked 37th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools based on three years of results in PSSAs on: reading, math writing and two years of science. In 2009, Frazier High School 11th grade ranked 42nd out of 123 high schools in the Pittsburgh region.

2015 School Performance Profile

Frazier High School achieved 86.8 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. The PDE reported that 86.6% of the High School’s students were on grade level in reading/literature. In Algebra 1, 82.5% of students showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology I, 72% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course. Statewide, 53 percent of schools with an eleventh grade achieved an academic score of 70 or better. Five percent of the 2,033 schools with 11th grade were scored at 90 and above; 20 percent were scored between 80 and 89; 28 percent between 70 and 79; 25 percent between 60 and 69 and 22 percent below 60. The Keystone Exam results showed: 73 percent of students statewide scored at grade-level in English, 64 percent in Algebra I and 59 percent in biology.

2014 School Performance Profile

Frazier High School achieved 82.6 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 80.49% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 79.27% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 49.4% 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.

2013 School Performance Profile

Frazier High School achieved 73.4 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 85.7% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 70% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 32.8% 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 2013, they take the Keystone Exams at the end of the associated course.

AYP History

In 2012, Frazier High School declined to Warning Adequate Yearly Progress status due to lagging mathematics achievement. In 2010 and 2011, Frazier High School achieved AYP status. From 2003 to 2009, Frazier High School achieved AYP status each school year.
;PSSA Results
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 applicable course, rather than all in the spring of the student's 11th grade year.
;11th Grade Reading
;11th Grade Math:
;11th Grade Science
All students wishing to graduate from Frazier must obtain 30 units of study, complete a graduation project, score proficient or above on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments and attain a Grade Point Average of at least 1.75 on a 4-point scale. The Frazier School Board has determined that a pupil must earn a variety of credits including: math 4 credits, English 4 credits, social studies 3 credits, science 4 credits, Wellness 2 credits, Arts and Humanities 2 credits and electives.
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. At Frazier High School the students must complete a career focused project under the supervision of the English teachers. 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 State School Board regulations, beginning with the class of 2019, public school students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, and English Literature by passing the respective Keystone Exams for each course. 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.

Unit planning

Frazier High School presently runs a block schedule, so students earn units instead of credits. The table describes the eighteen minimum required units that a student at Frazier must have:
Subject Area#/Units
English4.0
Mathematics4.0
Science4.0
Social Studies3.0
Wellness2.0
Arts/Humanities2.0
Computer1.0
TOTAL18.0

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 22% of Frazier School District's 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.

Dual enrollment

Frazier 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. Frazier School District has an agreement with Penn State Fayette to allow the students to attend. 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 $4,986 for the program.

AP courses

Frazier High School participates in the Advanced Placement courses offered by the College Board. All advanced placement courses are counted as a level 3 weighted course for the purposes of class rank only. All students taking an Advanced Placement course are required to take the associated AP exam. The cost of the advanced placement examination are covered by the district. The fee for each AP Exam is $91. The school normally retains $9 of that fee as a rebate to help with administrative costs. In 2012, the fee was $89 per test per pupil.
In 2015, Frazier High School just 21.60% of the students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam. In 2013, at Frazier High School only 29.57% of the students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam.

SAT scores

In 2014, 52 Frazier School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 463. The Math average score was 470. The Writing average score was 436. 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 2014, 1,672,395 students took the SATs in the United States.
In 2013, 56 Frazier School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 485. The Math average score was 501. The Writing average score was 456. The College Board reported that statewide scores were: 494 in reading, 504 in math and 482 in writing. The nationwide SAT results were the same as in 2012.
In 2012, 46 Frazier School District students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 477. The Math average score was 510. The Writing average score was 462. 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.
In 2011, 39 Frazier High School students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 474. The Math average score was 491. The Writing average score was 470. Pennsylvania ranked 40th among state 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.

Vocational education

Students in grades 10-12 may attend the Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center in New Stanton if they wish to pursue a trade that is available there.

Grants

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 2006-2009. Frazier School District did not apply to participate in 2006-07 nor 2007-08. Frazier School District applied and received $75,926 in 2008-09. Among the public school districts in Fayette County, the highest award was given to Albert Gallatin Area School District which received $487,912. The highest funding statewide was awarded to Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. The grant program was discontinued by Governor Edward Rendell as part of his 2009-10 state budget.

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 schools 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. Frazier School District was one of 161 PA public school districts to apply, receiving $201,000 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.

School safety and bullying

Frazier High School administration reported there were zero known incidents of bullying in the district in 2015. Additionally, there were 5 assaults on pupils and one sexual incident involving students. The local law enforcement was involved in zero incidents at the schools.
Each year the school safety data is reported by the district to the Safe School Center which then publishes the compiled reports online. Nationally, nearly 20% of pupils report being bullied at school.
Frazier School Board has provided the district's antibully policy online. All Pennsylvania schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy incorporated into their Code of Student Conduct. The policy must identify disciplinary actions for bullying and designate a school staff person to receive complaints of bullying. The policy must be available on the school's website and posted in every classroom. All Pennsylvania public schools must provide a copy of its anti-bullying policy to the Office for Safe Schools every year, and shall review their policy every three years. Additionally, the district must conduct an annual review of that policy with students. The Center for Schools and Communities works in with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist schools and communities as they research, select and implement bullying prevention programs and initiatives. According to the Center for Disease Control’s biannual national study of high school students in 2009, five percent of Pennsylvania students did not go to school for at least one day because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to or from school.
Education standards relating to student safety and anti harassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.
Frazier School District did not participate in state Safe School Grants in 2012 or in 2013, nor in the State School Resource Officers Grants.

Tuition

Students who live in the Frazier School District's attendance area may choose to attend one of Pennsylvania's 157 public charter schools. A student living in a neighboring public school district or a foreign exchange student may seek admission to Frazier School District. For these cases, the Pennsylvania Department of Education sets an annual tuition rate for each school district. It is the amount the public school district pays to a charter school for each resident student that attends the charter and it is the amount a nonresident student's parents must pay to attend the district's schools. The 2013 tuition rates was $9,735.08 for Frazier High School.

Highmark Healthy High 5 grant

In 2011, the Frazier School District received funding through a Highmark Healthy High 5 grant. Frazier High School received $9,990 which was used to fund Frazier Fitness For Life Program. Beginning in 2006, Highmark Foundation engaged in a 5-year, $100 million program to promote lifelong healthy behaviors in children and adolescents through local nonprofits and schools. The school also receive a Healthy High 5 grant in 2008.

Extracurriculars

Frazier School District offers a wide variety of: clubs, activities and an extensive sports program. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The PIAA mandates that student athletes must be passing at least four full-credit subjects to participate in 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.
The National Honor Society Chapter is active in the school.
According to PA Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Act 126 of 2014, all volunteer coaches and all those who assist in student activities, must have criminal background checks. Like all school district employees, they must also attend an anti child abuse training once every three years.

Athletics

Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid. The district is noncompliant with state law, due to failing to post its Interscholastic Athletic Opportunities Disclosure Form on its website. Article XVI-C of the Public School Code requires the disclosure of interscholastic athletic opportunities for all public secondary school entities in Pennsylvania. All school entities with grades 7-12 are required to annually collect data concerning team and financial information for all male and female athletes beginning with the 2012-13 school year and submit the information to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, all non-school contributions and purchases must also be reported to PDE.
According to Pennsylvania's Safety in Youth Sports Act, all sports coaches, paid and volunteer, at Frazier School District are required to annually complete the Concussion Management Certification Training and present the certification before coaching.
SportBoysGirls
BaseballClass AA
BasketballClass AAClass AA
Cross CountryClass AAClass AA
FootballClass AA
GolfClass AAAAClass AAAA
SoftballClass A
Track and FieldClass AAClass AA
Class A

The Frazier High School Football team has made the WPIAL playoffs for the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 seasons. Also the Frazier Boys' and Girls' Basketball teams made the WPIAL playoffs for the 2012 season. The Girls' Volleyball team have been section champions for the past 4 years, and the WPIAL champions in 2008. In addition, the Frazier Boys' Varsity Cross Country team won the section title for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The Cross Country team placed within the top 10 teams at the WPIAL championship in 2011, and sent 2 runners to the PIAA state championship the same year.