Penn Wood High School

Summary:

Penn Wood High School is a public high school located in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,170 students. The school is part of the William Penn School District, which is ranked 533 out of 610 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Penn Wood High School consistently ranks in the bottom half of Pennsylvania high schools, with a statewide rank ranging from 500 to 615 over the past several years. The school's performance on Keystone Exams is significantly below the state average, with only 12.3% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in Algebra I, 16.5% in Biology, and 42.1% in Literature in the 2023-2024 school year. Penn Wood High School also has a slightly lower four-year graduation rate of around 87.5% and a higher dropout rate ranging from 1.2% to 3.4% in recent years, compared to the state average.

One of the key factors contributing to Penn Wood High School's challenges is its very high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 95.21% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year. This is significantly higher than the state average and indicates a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. However, the school stands out for its relatively strong performance with English Language Learner (ELL) students, ranking 19 out of 84 Pennsylvania high schools for this subgroup. When compared to nearby schools like Haverford Senior High School, which has much higher proficiency rates on Keystone Exams, it becomes evident that Penn Wood High School faces significant academic challenges that will require a focused effort to address the specific needs of its underperforming student subgroups.

Detail:

Public 9-12

100 Green Avenue
Lansdowne, PA 19050-2095

(610) 284-8080

District: William Penn School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
591^st of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,272

Feeder schools for Penn Wood High School:

Elementary:	Aldan Elementary School
	Ardmore Avenue Elementary School
	Bell Avenue School
	Colwyn Elementary School
	More...
	East Lansdowne Elementary School
	Park Lane Elementary School
	W B Evans Elementary School
	Walnut Street Elementary School
Middle:	Penn Wood Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.5

Number of students: 1,118

Racial breakdown:

African American:

88.8%

Two or more races:

3.3%

White:

3.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Penn Wood High School ranks worse than 86.2% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.51. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Penn Wood High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (88.8%), two or more races (3.3%), White (3.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Penn Wood High School is 12.5. (See more...)

Compare Penn Wood High School employs 89 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Penn Wood High School is $18,272.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Penn Wood High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Penn Wood High School 591^st of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Penn Wood High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

African American students:

White students:

William Penn School District:

SchoolDigger ranks William Penn School District 533^rd of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Penn Wood High School

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Rank History for all students at Penn Wood High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2015	10.36	595^th	680	12.5%
2016	17.26	576^th	677	14.9%
2017	11.14	580^th	663	12.5%
2018	16.68	565^th	673	16.0%
2019	15.33	579^th	693	16.5%
2021	8.52	500^th	537	6.9%
2022	20.78	526^th	634	17.0%
2023	7.83	615^th	674	8.8%
2024	11.51	591^st	686	13.8%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Penn Wood High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	16.51	129^th	150	14.0%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Penn Wood High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	19.98	84^th	85	1.2%
2024	56.77	19^th	84	77.4%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Penn Wood High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	11.22	587^th	652	10.0%
2024	11.57	596^th	664	10.2%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Penn Wood High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	12.78	567^th	665	14.7%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Penn Wood High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	19.32	440^th	502	12.4%
2024	23.27	408^th	513	20.5%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Penn Wood High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	10.17	592^nd	662	10.6%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Penn Wood High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	24.45	201^st	260	22.7%
2024	33.91	189^th	284	33.5%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Penn Wood High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	8.51	561^st	595	5.7%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Department 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.

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a student
Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Overpopulation, good teachers but bad students, a lot of fights and your better off making your child go to upper darby hs Close Quote

by a parent
Saturday, March 27, 2021

Excellent teachers! School valedictorian received a full scholarship to Harvard University. Many students are also dual enrolled at Drexel University starting in the 10th grade. Penn Wood High School is two schools, one very high performing, the other one struggles each day. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Penn Wood High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2013	57	1490	20	15	2	0	3	1587
2014	46	1389	17	12	3	0	6	1473
2015	47	1356	17	19	1	0	8	1448
2016	47	1356	19	27	3	0	10	1462
2017	40	1319	20	30	10	0	5	1424
2018	36	1347	20	36	10	0	9	1458
2019	37	1341	21	46	13	0	12	1470
2020	35	1317	17	61	11	0	16	1457
2021	35	1372	18	58	15	0	17	1515
2022	43	1357	15	61	11	0	23	1510
2023	30	1045	11	54	6	0	24	1170
2024	35	993	14	32	6	1	37	1118

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 Penn Wood High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	1587	121.5	13.0	74.1
2014	1473	97.0	15.1	76.3
2015	1448	93.0	15.5	72
2016	1462	96.0	15.2	75.1
2017	1424	92.0	15.4	66.6
2018	1458	93.0	15.6	93.1
2019	1470	90.0	16.3	92.2
2020	1457	91.5	15.9	93.5
2021	1515	93.0	16.2	94.1
2022	1510	97.0	15.5	95.2
2023	1170	94.0	12.4	95.2
2024	1118	89.0	12.5	100.2

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 Penn Wood High School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	1587	121.5	13.0	74.1
2014	1473	97.0	15.1	76.3
2015	1448	93.0	15.5	72
2016	1462	96.0	15.2	75.1
2017	1424	92.0	15.4	66.6
2018	1458	93.0	15.6	93.1
2019	1470	90.0	16.3	92.2
2020	1457	91.5	15.9	93.5
2021	1515	93.0	16.2	94.1
2022	1510	97.0	15.5	95.2
2023	1170	94.0	12.4	95.2
2024	1118	89.0	12.5	100.2

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 Penn Wood High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$809 (4.8%)	$16,056 (95.2%)	$16,865
2020	$827 (4.8%)	$16,389 (95.2%)	$17,216
2021	$1,477 (8.3%)	$16,310 (91.7%)	$17,787
2022	$525 (2.9%)	$17,747 (97.1%)	$18,272

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Penn Wood High 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 579^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 615^th of 674 High schools	7.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Penn Wood High School)	41.3	4.6	36.7%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Penn Wood High School)	27.4	12.7	14.7%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Penn Wood High School)	44.2	35.3	8.9%
11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)	71.5	65.3	6.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1470	1170	20.4%
African American	1341	1045	22.1%
American Indian	13	6	53.8%
Asian	21	11	47.6%
Hispanic	46	54	17.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	37	30	18.9%
Two or More Races	12	24	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	92.2%	95.2%	3%

Schools Near Penn Wood High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2024)	Keystone Exams Biology (2024)	Keystone Exams Literature (2024)	PSSA Math (2024)				PSSA Science (2024)		PSSA English Language Arts (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Penn Wood High School	Public	9-12	100 Green Avenue	Lansdowne	19050	Delaware County	William Penn School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 284-8080	1,118	89	12.5	100.2%	35 (3.1%)	993 (88.8%)	32 (2.9%)	14 (1.3%)	6 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	37 (3.3%)	11.5	591^st of 686 public high schools	13.8%		7.8	615^th of 674 public high schools	8.8%	24	12.3	16.5	42.1											$18,272	$525	$17,747
Upper Darby Senior High School	Public	9-12	601 North Lansdowne Avenue	Drexel Hill	19026	Delaware County	Upper Darby School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 622-7000	4,231	236	17.9	100.0%	681 (16.1%)	2,220 (52.5%)	616 (14.6%)	574 (13.6%)	7 (0.2%)	3 (0.1%)	130 (3.1%)	22.9	546^th of 686 public high schools	20.4%		23.5	541^st of 674 public high schools	19.7%	5	20.7	35.0	44.9											$13,470	$1,077	$12,393
Motivation High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	5900 Baltimore Ave	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(215) 400-7930	237	20	12.0	98.7%	2 (0.8%)	219 (92.4%)	7 (3.0%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.5%)	9.4	606^th of 686 public high schools	11.7%		6.2	626^th of 674 public high schools	7.1%	20	10.8	15.0	38.5											$17,702	$8,872	$8,830
Sayre William L Middle School	Public	9-12	5800 Walnut St	Philadelphia	19139	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7800	424	36	11.7	100.0%	3 (0.7%)	383 (90.3%)	16 (3.8%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.5%)	4.3	645^th of 686 public high schools	6.0%		3.3	666^th of 674 public high schools	1.2%	21	5.0	10.3	25.5											$21,800	$10,421	$11,379
Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Charter School	Public, Charter	6-12	5501 Cedar Avenue	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(215) 387-5149	773	48	15.9	100.0%	1 (0.1%)	719 (93.0%)	16 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (4.8%)	9.9	603^rd of 686 public high schools	12.1%		12.2	586^th of 674 public high schools	13.1%	17	14.1	18.6	34.9	5.1	5.4	6.8	5.9	23.3	23.3	19.2	20.9	25.3	22.0	$19,187	$5,757	$13,430
Bartram John - Main	Public	9-12	2401 S 67th St	Philadelphia	19142	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-8100	526	38	13.9	100.0%	1 (0.2%)	405 (77.0%)	86 (16.3%)	18 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.0%)	4.9	642^nd of 686 public high schools	6.4%		6.1	628^th of 674 public high schools	6.8%	14	7.1	13.9	22.4											$19,737	$11,300	$8,437
Academy Park High School	Public	9-12	300 Calcon Hook Rd	Sharon Hill	19079	Delaware County	Southeast Delco School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 522-4330	1,286	79	16.2	100.0%	126 (9.8%)	1,033 (80.3%)	65 (5.1%)	17 (1.3%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (3.3%)	12	588^th of 686 public high schools	14.3%		11.4	593^rd of 674 public high schools	12.0%	5	15.8	18.3	39.5											$10,063	$1,559	$8,504
The Workshop School	Public, Magnet	9-12	221 S Hanson St	Philadelphia	19139	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(215) 400-7730	189	18	10.4	100.0%	2 (1.1%)	173 (91.5%)	5 (2.6%)	1 (0.5%)	3 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.6%)	1.9	678^th of 686 public high schools	1.2%		3.8	658^th of 674 public high schools	2.4%	20	0.0	0.0	17.1											$21,221	$11,139	$10,082
West Philadelphia High School	Public	9-12	4901 Chestnut St	Philadelphia	19139	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7900	593	49	12.0	100.0%	6 (1.0%)	527 (88.9%)	25 (4.2%)	6 (1.0%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.4%)	2.9	666^th of 686 public high schools	2.9%		3.3	665^th of 674 public high schools	1.3%	1	2.0	3.0	24.2											$18,425	$8,606	$9,819
Overbrook High School	Public	9-12	5898 Lancaster Ave	Philadelphia	19131	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7300	391	31	12.4	100.0%	2 (0.5%)	352 (90.0%)	18 (4.6%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.8%)	5.1	639^th of 686 public high schools	6.9%		7.6	617^th of 674 public high schools	8.5%	22	6.6	8.8	29.8											$19,428	$10,629	$8,799

Frequently Asked Questions about Penn Wood High School

What is the racial makeup of Penn Wood High School?

Students at Penn Wood High School are 89% African American, 3% Two or more races, 3% White, 3% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

What district is Penn Wood High School in?

William Penn School District

How many students attend Penn Wood High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,118 students attended Penn Wood High School.

Is Penn Wood High School a good school?

Penn Wood High School ranks in the bottom 13.8% of Pennsylvania high schools.

What schools feed into Penn Wood High School?

Penn Wood High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Aldan Elementary School
Elementary : Ardmore Avenue Elementary School
Elementary : Bell Avenue School
Elementary : Colwyn Elementary School
Elementary : East Lansdowne Elementary School
Elementary : Park Lane Elementary School
Elementary : W B Evans Elementary School
Elementary : Walnut Street Elementary School
Middle : Penn Wood Middle 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.