Souderton Area School District Explained

Souderton Area School District
Streetaddress:	760 Lower Road
Zipcode:	18964
Country:	United States
Superintendent:	Dr. Frank Gallagher
Type:	Public
Budget:	$9,541,144 USD in 2016
Enrolment:	6862 pupils in 2011 ^[1]
Grades:	K-12

Souderton Area School District is a large, suburban public school district which covers an area of almost 50sqmi in the Montgomery County and Bucks County suburbs of Philadelphia. The district serves the municipalities of Souderton, Telford, Franconia, Lower Salford, Upper Salford, and Salford. By 2021, the population of the district was 47,277. The Souderton Area School District operates 3 secondary schools and 6 elementary schools. A new high school was built on Lower Road and was occupied in September 2009.

The teachers union for the Souderton Area School District went on strike on Tuesday, September 2, 2008. The dispute was over wages and health-care benefits, among other things. The strike ended September 25, 2008 with the Teachers' Union's acceptance of a nonbinding arbitration report proposed by the Souderton Area School Board.^[2]

Schools

Secondary

• Souderton Area High School
• Indian Crest Middle School
• Indian Valley Middle School

Elementary

• E. Merton Crouthamel (EMC)
• Franconia
• Lower Salford (closed in June 2013)
• Oak Ridge
• Salford Hills
• Vernfield
• West Broad Street

Academic achievement

Souderton Area School District was ranked 51st out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts in 2012 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on five years of student academic performance on the PSSAs for: reading, writing, math and three years of science.^[3]

• 2011 - 46th
• 2010 - 40th
• 2009 - 40th
• 2008 - 49th
• 2007 - 54th out of 501 Pennsylvania school districts.^[4]

In 2009, the academic achievement, of the students in the Souderton Area School District, was in the 91st percentile among all 500 Pennsylvania school districts Scale (0–99; 100 is state best)^[5]

Graduation rate

In 2011, the graduation rate was 98.7%.^[6] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate. Souderton Area School District's rate was 94% for 2010.^[7]

Under former calculation formula:

• 2010 - 96%
• 2009 - 96% ^[8]
• 2008 - 95%
• 2007 - 97% ^[9]

High school

In 2011 the school achieves AYP status. In 2010 the school was in Making Progress: School Improvement Level II due to chronic, low student achievement.^[10]

11th Grade Reading

• 2011 - 88.2% on grade level (% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[11]
• 2010 - 82.1% on grade level (6.4% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders are on grade level.^[12]
• 2009 - 80.1% (8.3% below basic), State - 65% ^[13]
• 2008 - 82.1% (7.5% below basic), State - 65% ^[14]

11th Grade Math:

• 2011 - 85.6% on grade level (4.7% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2010 - 83.9% (5.9% below basic). State - 59%
• 2009 - 73.2% (11.2% below basic). State - 56%.^[15]
• 2008 - 74.5% (11.6% below basic), State - 56%

11th Grade Science:

• 2011 - 67.1% on grade level (4.5% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2010 - 54.3% (9.5% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 66.1% (4.5% below basic). State - 40% ^[16]
• 2008 - 55% (8% below basic). State - 39%

School Board

Souderton Area School District is governed by a nine-member board of school directors. School directors serve four-year terms. The board members are:^[17]

• Ken R. Keith, President
• Stephen Nelson, Vice President
• Michael Taylor, CPA - Secretary
• Elisa Ball - Treasurer
• Michael Barnacz
• Nicholas A. Braccio
• William J. Brong
• Janet Flisak
• William A. Formica III
• Andrew Landis
• Kimberly Wheeler

Notes and References

1. Enrollment and Projections Report, Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2010
2. http://www3.allaroundphilly.com/blogs/reporter/sasd307/blog.html It's all over! - The Reporter
3. Web site: Statewide Honor Roll. . Pittsburgh Business Times . April 1, 2011.
4. Web site: Three of top school districts in state hail from Allegheny County, . Pittsburgh Business Times . May 23, 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718122159/http://www.wtae.com/education/13346734/detail.html . July 18, 2011 .
5. Web site: 2009 PSSA RESULTS Souderton Area School District, . The Morning Call . October 13, 2011.
6. Web site: Souderton Area School District Academic Achievement Report data table . Pennsylvania Department of Education . 2011.
7. Web site: New 4-year Cohort Graduation Rate Calculation Now Being Implemented . Pennsylvania Department of Education . March 15, 2011.
8. Web site: Souderton Area School District Academic Achievement Report Card 2009 . Pennsylvania Department of Education . October 12, 2011.
9. Web site: High School Graduation rate 2007 . Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children . January 31, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121105062625/http://www.scribd.com/doc/23571629/PA-High-School-Graduation-Info-by-School-District-2007 . November 5, 2012 .
10. Web site: SOUDERTON AREA SHS - School AYP Overview . Pennsylvania Department of Education . 2011.
11. Web site: 2010-2011 PSSA and AYP Results . Pennsylvania Department of Education . September 29, 2011.
12. Web site: 2009-2010 PSSA and AYP Results . Pennsylvania Department of Education . 2010.
13. Web site: Grading Our Schools database, 2009 PSSA results . The Times-Tribune. . September 2009.
14. Web site: 2007-2008 PSSA and AYP Results . Pennsylvania Department of Education . August 2008.
15. Web site: Souderton Area High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009 . Pennsylvania Department of Education . 2009.
16. Web site: Grading Our Schools database, 2009 Science PSSA results, . The Times-Tribune. . 2009.
17. Web site: Board Members . Souderton Area School District . 3 August 2024.