U.S. News and World Report, a leading source of education rankings in the nation, released their "Best High School" rankings of the top high school's in the nation. Mt. Lebanon High School received a Silver rating, ranking 8th in the state and #557 nationally. Our high school is the highest ranked Western PA school on the list. The 2012 rankings include data on nearly 22,000 public high schools from 49 states and the District of Columbia.Pennsylvania rankings show Upper St. Clair at #7, Mt. Lebanon at #11, and North Allegheny at #12.
National rankings improved for 2013. We came in at #510, from #557 last year.
The Mt. Lebanon High School overview can be found here.
27 comments:
From the Report--
College-Ready Student Performance
High school students take AP® and IB exams to earn college credit and demonstrate success at college-level course work. U.S. News calculated a College Readiness Index based on exam participation rates and percentages of students passing at least one exam. The Index determined which types of medals (gold, silver or bronze) were awarded to top-performing schools.
A little disconcerting-- USC's College Readiness score is 48.0 giving it a Gold medal.
MTL comes in with a 45.4 good for a Silver medal.
So lets see... the board argues the #1 reason people move to MTL is to get their kids ready for college in a Silver medal high school at a millage tax rate several points higher than the Gold medal district just a couple of miles down the road.
Really??? Mt. Lebanon parents enjoy paying more and getting less?
These rankings are about as meaningful as the EPA fuel economy stickers they put on vehicles.
They should come with a disclaimer - "you child's actual college success may vary depending on hard he works and maintains his enthusiasm to learn!"
But, hey they are no more ridiculous than the claim that the school district is the number one reason people buy homes here. I doubt anyone buys a home in any district based on a singular issue.
USC offers IB, Lebo doesn't. Some folks in USC hate IB. Go figure. If it were offered here the haters would hate.
Lebo could bring back McGuffey Readers and the lovers would still love, so is there a point 9:44?
Yes 10:23 there is a point. I guess you can't figure it out so I'll tell you. US news bases their report and gives higher ratings to those who have been enrolled in an IB program. Lebo doesn't offer IB, get it?
That's your point! Wow, only took you 1 hour and 16 minutes to come up with that dig.
I'm impressed.
I agree these rankings are meaningless, just like the Business Times' list. But you'll recall Posti proudly throwing around the lists on more than one occasion and somehow, strangely, taking credit for the placement of the school district (unless she was just plagiarizing someone's opinion). So to the small-minded, the ranking means a lot. But for the adults in the community--yawn.
And if everyone moves here for the schools and solely for the schools, why do people move to USC? Hmm?
Exactly 6:52, and proof as to how meaningless these rankings are, wait to see how quickly Steinhauer or Posti will discuss one in which the district drops in rank.
Going up is certainly great for bragging rights. But a drop in rank is far more important, if they actually mean anything, because that would indicate something isn't working an needs attention.
We clearly need to spend more on better teachers and others to improve. The only reason people live her is the schools and we should spend whatever it takes to be the best!
You better get to Timmy, 9:11 AM, because he wants the unions to consider taking concessions. After all, how we would clearly be able to spend more on your "others?"
Elaine
How did you deduce the only reason people Live here is the schools?
But, for the sake of argument let's say you're right. I guess that means-- we don't need dog parks, turfed fields, tennis courts, ice rinks and new pools, a public library, a community magazine, fire dept., YSA, golf course, historical group and all the other things that make Mt. Lebanon... Mt. Lebanon.
Eliminate all that unnecessary stuff and apply the cost savings to the singularly important school district.
I suggest you get your tail tonthe next Sports Advisory Board meeting and speak up. Tell them million dollar turfed fields don't matter!
Is 9:11 one of those people that pushed for a new $150 million (or whatever it takes) high school?
9:11 every teacher in the District gets an S rating every year. If all teachers are rated Satisfactory why should we pay them any more money? Your comment shows you are out of touch with teacher compensation and benefits. Did you read Mr. Mathews presentation to the Board as posted on this blog?
As to your comments about hiring better teachers, Mr. Allison put in a teacher screening system when he was here. Unfortunately, the shorted-sighted Board eliminated his hiring improvement last year to save $10,000.
11:39 PM, when we were #8 last year, did Mt. Lebanon offer an IB program? I don't believe we ever offered an IB program. So last year, we were #8 without IB and this year we're #11 without IB. So both years were without IB. Sorry,I still don't get it.
Elaine
As of 5:00 PM, there has been no mention of the U.S. News rankings on the District website. The spin would be that we still received a silver ranking. Gosh, do I have to do everything?
Elaine
Dr. Steinhauer is an ex-USC administrator and seems to place great stock in rankings when they look favorable.
So if IB is all that is needed to go from Silver to Gold and the school districts performance is the only reason people buy homes here, why wouldn't he put in IB?
Everyone can find something in any statistical analysis to complain about, including me, but for the sake of context let's take the U.S. News rankings at face value for a minute. Let's also look at the national rankings as well as Pennsylvania's. When one does that some uncomfortable evidence presents itself - uncomfortable for the supporters of the educational "status quo."
In Pennsylvania's "top 10," at number two, is the Lehigh Valley Academy Reg Charter School, with a College Readiness Index (CRI) of 68.1. In the national "top 10" there are two charter schools: numbers two and five in the nation are BASIS Tucson and BASIS Scottsdale, both in Arizona, with CRI's of 100.
In California the American Indian Public High School (which is a charter within the Oakland Unified School District) is #5 in the state (and #38 nationally), with a CRI of 92.1. You would think the Oakland Unified School District would be delighted; but you would be wrong. Click HERE to find out why.
Are there not good public high schools out there? Of course! Am I implying that Mt. Lebanon's high school is no good? NO! But breathing down the neck of certain public school districts, with their impressive buildings, bloated management and tenacious teachers unions, are new, innovative ways to deliver quality education at a fraction of the current costs. Unfortunately the "status quo" prefers to behave like latter-day Luddites instead of recognizing that change is coming and perforce contribute to that change.
Someday the school district as we know it will be gone; replaced by education centers not bound by real estate or ZIP codes. Parents will be able to chose the best school for their kids no matter where it is located, and instead of funding bureaucrats we will fund the kids directly. After all, "it's for the children."
Wasn't looking for that information, but wow that kind of puts Birks, Posti, Cappucci, the PSBA and the PSEA on the spot, and having to defend their accusations that charter schools don't teach kids well as public schools.
Seems also to call for questioning Remely's and Miller's campaign pledges to increase state funding to public schools.
Maybe throwing bushels and bushels of money at school districts and achieving the same results isn't such a great idea, candidates.
What the public does not realize is that PA is in fact appropriating significant added funding for education - it's going to the ever increasing funding requirements for teachers pensions (PSERS).
Beyond that, has anyone studied the proposed final 2013-2014 MTLSD budget and noticed PA funding has also increased, beyond pensions, compared to 2012-2013 ?
Make sure the PA candidates recognize this and get off their union related bandwagons.
You can bet your bottom dollar Cooper, Cappucci, Birks, Lebowitz and Posti will never tell you that Gov. Tendril and the democrat majority in Harrisburg played a huge role in creating the PESRS crisis we're facing today by raising the teacher's retirement multiplier from 2 to 2.5 in 2002-03.
Nor will Remely or Miller discussed it for fear of losing the support of the teachers' union!
The only hope for change is to send Brownowns candidates Ike him to Harrisburg.
Correction -
The only hope for real change is to send Brown and others like him to Harrisburg.
Just received Dan Millers latest mailer and he makes several promises.
He says he'll "restore state funding to our public schools to ensure schools districts have the necessary funding for critical education services and textbooks."
Which funding would that be Dan, the state is sending more than last year?
Isn't $83 million a year enough for MTLSD?
He also says he'll fight Gov. Corbett's reckless education cuts that have hurt our schools districts and shifted the tax burrdeb to local property owners.
Excuse me, didn't MTLSD go from 3 to 2 in the Biz Times rankings? If that's hurt, maybe we need more of it!!!
Lets see, who ran the reassessment fiasco and increase the tax burden for local property owners.
Though to be far his opponent, Dan Remely's votes on the new high school had something to do with the tax burden too!
Will a nasty email or snail mail be circulated about Remely or Miller in this election? I think the union wins either way.
Why is the answer even when there is a concocted problem regarding education..... More money?
11:43 state laws and unions
Check the school building rankings in USC and tell us what curriculum is taught in the lowest ranked building. Also, tell us if the curriculum in that building is under the LOCAL CONTROL of the USC school board.
We need to hire better qualified teachers at salaries competitive with other states and cut back on the excessive number of classroom aids that have been hired in recent years.
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