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Public high school · Wilkes-Barre Area Sd · Plains, Pennsylvania

Wilkes-Barre Area HS

Wilkes-Barre Area HS rates 4.4, below most Wilkes-Barre Area Sd high schools, whose rated median is 5.0.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
4.4this school

4.4 on a one-to-ten scale; the Wilkes-Barre Area Sd median is 5.0.

#2,489 of 2,848 schools in Pennsylvania · Wilkes-Barre Area Sd: 2 high schools rated, median 5.0

The brief

A Wilkes-Barre Area Sd high school where students score 5 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 2,489 of 2,848 schools in Pennsylvania and 8 of 9 in Wilkes-Barre Area Sd.

Wilkes-Barre Area HS is listed in Wilkes-Barre Area Sd, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math22%24 points below the Pennsylvania average of 46%Grade 11 · 495 students tested · 2025 PSSA
Reading51%12 points below the Pennsylvania average of 63%Grade 11 · 496 students tested · 2025 PSSA
Proficiency has held near 37% across the 3-year record (2023–2025).2025 PSSA; 6 test records from PA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
5.6
25% of the rating
Academics
6.1
25% of the rating
College Readiness
3.9
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
1.3
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 22% (multi-year average, 2023-2025) · reading/ELA 54% (multi-year average, 2023-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 PSSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 PSSA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 PSSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 PSSA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 18705; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2023-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Wilkes-Barre Area HS and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$61,293
Median home value
$122,800
Median rent
$1,006/mo
College educated
23.3%
Homeownership
63.9%
Poverty rate
18.8%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 18705; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
30
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
10
Somewhat Bikeable

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
2 AP courses
4.7% participation · state average 2.8 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
25 sports
14 boys' · 11 girls' · 42 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
5 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
100%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 6.1Compare →
  2. 6.1Compare →
  3. 5.6Compare →
  4. 5.5Compare →
  5. 5.4Compare →
  6. 5.1Compare →
  7. Wilkes-Barre Area HSthis school
    4.4
Six grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and six rate higher than Wilkes-Barre Area HS.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Wilkes-Barre Area HS serve?

Wilkes-Barre Area HS serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Wilkes-Barre Area HS?

Wilkes-Barre Area HS has an enrollment of approximately 2,470 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Wilkes-Barre Area HS?

The student-teacher ratio at Wilkes-Barre Area HS is 21.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Wilkes-Barre Area HS rank in PA?

Wilkes-Barre Area HS ranks #2,489 of 2,848 schools in PA.

What is Wilkes-Barre Area HS's MySchoolScout rating?

Wilkes-Barre Area HS has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Wilkes-Barre Area HS?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Wilkes-Barre Area HS has 22% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2023-2025) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2023-2025).

Is Wilkes-Barre Area HS a charter school?

No, Wilkes-Barre Area HS is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Wilkes-Barre Area HS a Title I school?

No, Wilkes-Barre Area HS is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Wilkes-Barre Area HS?

100.0% of students at Wilkes-Barre Area HS qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
2,470
Student-teacher ratio
21.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
114
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Luzerne County
4-year graduation
78.0%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#8 of 9
Schools in district
10
District spending per student
$12,995
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
26.7%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 18705)
15,595
Area average commute
21.4 min
Area median age
38.9

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Pennsylvania Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.