Derry Area Middle School

Summary:

Derry Area Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 6-8 in the Derry Area School District in Derry, Pennsylvania, with 443 students and a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, the school consistently performs above the state average in English Language Arts (ELA) and Science, but lags slightly behind in Math. Compared to nearby schools like Franklin Regional Middle School and Greater Latrobe Junior High School, Derry Area Middle School's performance is mixed, outperforming some lower-performing schools but trailing the higher-performing ones. The school's performance has been relatively stable over the past few years, with a slight decline in Math scores but consistent ELA and Science scores.

One of the school's key challenges is its high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. However, the school's relatively low student-teacher ratio of 11.9 and higher spending per student of $15,160 suggest that the district is making efforts to support these students. The school's strong performance for male students, low-income students, and disabled students is also noteworthy, indicating that the school is effectively addressing the needs of these subgroups.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 994 North Chestnut St Ext
       Derry, PA  15627-7605


(724) 694-8231

District: Derry Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
289th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,160 Help


Students who attend Derry Area Middle School usually attend:

High:    Derry Area Senior High School

Feeder schools for Derry Area Middle School:

Elementary:    Grandview Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  10.9 Help
Number of students:  421

Racial breakdown:

White:
90.7%
Two or more races:
6.7%
African American:
1.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Derry Area Middle School ranks better than 67.6% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.86. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (90.7%), two or more races (6.7%), African American (1.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Derry Area Middle School is 10.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare Derry Area Middle School employs 38.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Derry Area Middle School is $15,160.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Derry Area Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Derry Area Middle School 289th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Derry Area Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
White students:


Derry Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Derry Area School District 295th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Derry Area Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Derry Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 64.90 261st 643 59.4%
2004 67.83 242nd 663 63.5%
2005 69.52 234th 687 65.9%
2006 66.02 272nd 736 63.0%
2007 66.63 272nd 749 63.7%
2008 62.74 315th 753 58.2%
2009 65.68 287th 770 62.7%
2010 69.69 248th 805 69.2%
2011 71.25 240th 825 70.9%
2012 72.75 241st 834 71.1%
2013 68.89 260th 758 65.7%
2014 69.34 244th 728 66.5%
2015 65.47 288th 835 65.5%
2016 68.29 278th 870 68.0%
2017 59.01 382nd 877 56.4%
2018 67.42 283rd 861 67.1%
2019 66.83 291st 891 67.3%
2021 67.70 236th 797 70.4%
2022 75.61 182nd 883 79.4%
2023 75.16 196th 893 78.1%
2024 66.86 289th 891 67.6%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Derry Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 78.74 114th 874 87.0%
2024 69.90 211th 877 75.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Derry Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 61.43 321st 860 62.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Derry Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 77.34 72nd 660 89.1%
2024 58.90 189th 672 71.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Derry Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 68.95 241st 870 72.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Derry Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 61.14 228th 681 66.5%
2024 49.75 326th 673 51.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Derry Area Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Derry Area Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 775 9 1 1 1 n/a n/a 0 787
1989 725 1 0 12 0 n/a n/a 0 738
1990 715 13 2 3 1 n/a n/a 0 734
1991 664 11 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 676
1992 478 7 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 485
1993 709 16 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 725
1994 690 8 5 0 0 n/a n/a 0 703
1995 700 13 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 716
1996 700 13 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 716
1997 680 9 1 2 3 n/a n/a 0 695
1998 655 8 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 668
1999 699 10 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 712
2000 675 12 0 0 2 n/a n/a 0 689
2001 663 15 1 0 1 n/a n/a 0 680
2002 699 12 1 4 0 n/a n/a 0 716
2003 699 12 1 4 0 n/a n/a 0 716
2004 712 13 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 729
2005 691 11 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 705
2006 631 13 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 648
2007 589 5 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 594
2008 568 3 0 0 0 n/a n/a 8 579
2009 553 5 0 0 0 n/a n/a 8 566
2010 551 4 1 1 0 n/a n/a 13 570
2011 532 3 0 1 0 0 14 0 550
2012 523 2 0 1 0 0 14 0 540
2013 496 2 0 2 0 0 10 0 510
2014 440 5 0 4 0 0 5 0 454
2015 452 7 0 4 0 0 9 0 472
2016 430 6 0 4 0 0 6 0 446
2017 421 5 1 2 0 0 8 0 437
2018 422 4 1 3 0 0 9 0 439
2019 449 7 2 4 0 0 10 0 472
2020 456 4 3 3 0 0 6 0 472
2021 442 6 3 3 1 0 12 0 467
2022 410 9 2 2 0 0 22 0 445
2023 412 5 1 2 0 0 23 0 443
2024 382 8 0 3 0 0 28 0 421

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Derry Area Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 787 45.0 17.4 n/a
1989 738 51.0 14.4 n/a
1990 734 48.2 15.2 0
1991 676 48.5 13.9 n/a
1992 485 35.0 13.8 n/a
1993 725 36.0 20.1 n/a
1994 703 39.5 17.8 n/a
1995 716 41.8 17.1 n/a
1996 716 41.8 17.1 n/a
1997 695 40.8 17.0 n/a
1998 668 43.5 15.4 n/a
1999 712 45.0 15.8 n/a
2000 689 47.0 14.7 0
2001 680 47.0 14.5 0
2002 716 45.0 15.9 0
2003 716 45.0 15.9 0
2004 729 47.0 15.5 0
2005 705 47.6 14.8 0
2006 648 46.3 14.0 0
2007 594 43.7 13.6 0
2008 579 31.4 18.4 n/a
2009 566 24.0 23.6 n/a
2010 570 47.1 12.0 45.4
2011 550 45.0 12.2 47.8
2012 540 42.2 12.7 40.2
2013 510 37.5 13.5 45.1
2014 454 35.3 12.8 48.7
2015 472 32.0 14.7 45.8
2016 446 34.0 13.1 42.2
2017 437 35.5 12.2 47.4
2018 439 33.3 13.1 44.9
2019 472 33.1 14.2 45.6
2020 472 31.9 14.7 46.6
2021 467 32.4 14.4 43
2022 445 32.2 13.8 49
2023 443 36.9 11.9 100
2024 421 38.5 10.9 100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Derry Area Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 787 45.0 17.4 n/a
1989 738 51.0 14.4 n/a
1990 734 48.2 15.2 0
1991 676 48.5 13.9 n/a
1992 485 35.0 13.8 n/a
1993 725 36.0 20.1 n/a
1994 703 39.5 17.8 n/a
1995 716 41.8 17.1 n/a
1996 716 41.8 17.1 n/a
1997 695 40.8 17.0 n/a
1998 668 43.5 15.4 n/a
1999 712 45.0 15.8 n/a
2000 689 47.0 14.7 0
2001 680 47.0 14.5 0
2002 716 45.0 15.9 0
2003 716 45.0 15.9 0
2004 729 47.0 15.5 0
2005 705 47.6 14.8 0
2006 648 46.3 14.0 0
2007 594 43.7 13.6 0
2008 579 31.4 18.4 n/a
2009 566 24.0 23.6 n/a
2010 570 47.1 12.0 45.4
2011 550 45.0 12.2 47.8
2012 540 42.2 12.7 40.2
2013 510 37.5 13.5 45.1
2014 454 35.3 12.8 48.7
2015 472 32.0 14.7 45.8
2016 446 34.0 13.1 42.2
2017 437 35.5 12.2 47.4
2018 439 33.3 13.1 44.9
2019 472 33.1 14.2 45.6
2020 472 31.9 14.7 46.6
2021 467 32.4 14.4 43
2022 445 32.2 13.8 49
2023 443 36.9 11.9 100
2024 421 38.5 10.9 100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Derry Area Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $212 (1.6%) $13,268 (98.4%) $13,481
2020 $488 (3.7%) $12,705 (96.3%) $13,193
2021 $635 (4.6%) $13,175 (95.4%) $13,810
2022 $947 (6.2%) $14,212 (93.7%) $15,160

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Derry Area Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 291st of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 196th of 893 Middle schools
 10.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Derry Area Middle School)39.245.1
 5.9%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Derry Area Middle School)56.261.3
 5.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Derry Area Middle School)48.636.3
 12.3%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Derry Area Middle School)76.251.2
 25%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Derry Area Middle School)33.137.7
 4.6%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Derry Area Middle School)61.475.3
 13.9%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Derry Area Middle School)69.676.8
 7.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Derry Area Middle School)40.739.8
 0.9%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Derry Area Middle School)61.475.3
 13.9%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Derry Area Middle School)67.163.8
 3.3%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students472443
 6.1%
African American75
 28.6%
American Indian00
Asian21
 50%
Hispanic42
 50%
Pacific Islander00
White449412
 8.2%
Two or More Races1023
 130%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients45.6%100%
 54.4%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Derry Area Middle School

Derry Area Middle School ranks 289th of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 421 students attended Derry Area Middle School.

Students at Derry Area Middle School are 91% White, 7% Two or more races, 2% African American.

Students who attend Derry Area Middle School usually go on to attend Derry Area Senior High School


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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