Public School Districts

Information about public school districts is based largely on responses to a survey sent to superintendents last fall by The Inquirer. Data are for 2007-08, unless noted otherwise. Some information was provided by the Departments of Education in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

NA (Not Applicable). Used when the information does not apply to the district.

Special education and gifted. The percent of students enrolled in special education and "gifted and talented" programs.

Private schools. Estimated percent of school-age children in the district who are enrolled in nonpublic schools.

Charter school students. Number of students living in the district who are enrolled in charter schools.

Kindergarten. Many districts now offer expanded kindergarten programs including full-day kindergarten and pre-kindergarten. In some cases, enrollment is limited.

Elementary language. Whether the district offers a world language at the elementary level.

Math specialists. Whether the district employs math specialists to advance math instruction.

Second-grade class size. Average class size, as reported by the district.

Cost per student. The data are for 2006-07 current expenditures which reflect classroom spending. Excluded are costs such as construction and debt service. Quintiles were calculated separately for Pennsylvania and New Jersey districts.

Tax burden (Pa. only). Relative tax burden is calculated by dividing total school taxes by the market value of real estate in the district for 2006-07. The quintiles show how a district's tax burden compares with that of others in the five-county Philadelphia region. A district in the top 20 percent would be in the 1st quintile, indicating one of the heaviest tax burdens.

% state revenue (N.J. only). The percent of revenue coming from the state for 2006-07.

Teachers. Number of classroom teachers.

Teacher salaries. Beginning and top salaries for 2007-08 were provided by the districts. Top teacher salaries are calculated from state data for 2006-07. For Pennsylvania districts, the table shows the percent of teachers earning over $75,000. For New Jersey districts, the table shows the percent earning over $65,000.

Editor's note: These districts did not respond to the survey despite several requests: Beverly City, Clayton, Mount Holly, New Hanover, Palmyra, Woodland. For those districts, some information was taken from state data.

Quintiles

• 1st (top 20% of districts)
• 2d (top middle 20%)
• 3d (middle 20%)
• 4th (bottom middle 20%)
• 5th (bottom 20%)

Public High Schools

NR (Not Reported). Used when a school did not provide information.

NA (Not Applicable). Used when a category does not apply to the school, including those with no senior class in 2006-07.

Enrollment. Student numbers are for the 2007-08 school year.

Number of AP courses. College-level Advanced Placement (AP) courses are marketed by the College Board of Princeton, N.J.

AP/IB/H. The percent of 2007 graduating seniors who took at least one honors, AP or International Baccalaureate course.

AP Equity. The percent of 2007 graduating seniors who scored at least 3 (equivalent of a college C-plus) on at least one of the five-point AP tests. The College Board calls this its "equity and excellence" rating.

Algebra grade. Earliest grade students can take Algebra I or equivalent college prep course in 2006-07.

Algebra/Ninth. Percent of students ninth grade who completed Algebra I or its equivalent college-prep course in 2006-07.

Science. Percent of 2007 graduating seniors who completed four or more college-prep science courses.

Dual credit. The school has agreements with one or more area colleges that enable students to earn college as well as high school credit for some coursework.

Percent world languages. Percent of 2007 graduating seniors who took three or more years of a world language.

World languages. A: Arabic C: Chinese F: French G: German GK: Greek H: Hebrew I: Italian J: Japanese L: Latin P: Polish R: Russian S: Spanish SL: Sign language SW: Swahili U: Ukrainian.

Percent SATs. Percent of 2007 graduating seniors who took the SAT in 11th to 12th grade.

SAT scores. The 2007 average math, verbal and writing scores, as reported by the College Board to the respective state departments of education.

Colleges. Percent of 2007 graduates who told their school they planned to attend a four-year or two-year college or school.

Military. Percent of 2007 graduates who told their schools they planned to join the military.

Private and Parochial Schools

Most high schools operated by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia declined to report school budgets or SAT results.

NR (Not Reported). Used when a school did not provide information.

NA (Not Applicable). Used when a category does not apply to the school.

Enrollment. Student numbers are for the 2007-08 school year. Some schools function as high schools only; others offer lower grade levels. These numbers are for enrollment in grades 9 to 12.

Tuition. The figures are for the 2007-08 year and include mandatory fees for freshmen (fees may vary for other grades). Tuition at schools operated by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for the current school year was $4,620 for Catholic students and $5,600 for students not associated with a parish, plus fees.

Financial aid. Many independent schools offer financial assistance. The schools typically report this aid as a percentage of their operating budgets.

Dual credit. The school has agreements with one or more area colleges that enable students to earn college as well as high school credit for some coursework.

AP courses. College-level Advanced Placement (AP) courses are marketed by the College Board of Princeton, N.J.

AP/IB/H. The percent of the 2007 senior class who took at least one honors, AP or International Baccalaureate course during their high school career.

AP equity. The percent of 2007 graduating seniors who scored at least 3 (equivalent of a college C-plus) on at least one of the five-point AP tests. The College Board calls this its "equity and excellence" rating.

Algebra/9th. Percent of students in ninth grade who completed Algebra I or its equivalent college prep course in 2006-07.

Science. Percent of 2007 graduating seniors who completed four or more college-prep science courses.

Percent world languages. Percent of 2007 graduating seniors who took at least three years of a world language

World languages. Languages and levels offered: A: Arabic C: Chinese F: French G: German GK: Greek H: Hebrew I: Italian J: Japanese L: Latin P: Polish R: Russian S: Spanish SL: Sign language SW: Swahili U: Ukrainian.

Teachers. Number of teachers in the school.

Percent SATs. The percent of 2007 graduating seniors who took the SATs in 11th to 12th grade.

SAT scores. The average math, verbal and writing scores as reported by the school, based on the College Board's report to the school on its 2007 college-bound seniors. Alternatively, some schools reported the middle 50 percent range of scores.

Colleges. Percent of 2007 graduating seniors who informed their school they planned to attend a four-year or two-year college.

Charter High Schools

NR (Not Reported). Used when a school did not provide information.

NA (Not Applicable). When a category does not apply to the school.

Enrollment. Student numbers are for the 2007-08 school year. Some schools function as high schools only; others offer lower grade levels. These numbers are for enrollment in grades 9 to 12.

Number of AP courses. College-level Advanced Placement (AP) courses are marketed by the College Board of Princeton, N.J.

Algebra/9th. Percent of students in ninth grade who completed Algebra I or its equivalent college prep course in 2006-07.

Science. Percent of 2007 graduating seniors who completed four or more college-prep science courses.

Dual credit. The school has agreements with one or more area colleges that enable students to earn college as well as high school credit for some coursework.

World languages. Languages and levels offered: A: Arabic C: Chinese F: French G: German GK: Greek H: Hebrew I: Italian J: Japanese L: Latin P: Polish R: Russian S: Spanish SL: Sign language SW: Swahili U: Ukrainian.

Percent SATs. Percent of 2007 graduating seniors who took the SAT in 11th or 12th grade.

SAT scores. The 2007 average math, verbal and writing scores, as reported by the College Board to the respective state departments of education.

Colleges. The percent of 2007 graduating seniors who told their school they planned to attend a four-year or two-year college or school.

Teachers. Number of classroom teachers.

Teacher certification. All teachers in public schools in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are required to be certified by the state. Charter schools in Pennsylvania have an exemption that permits 25 percent of their teachers to be noncertified.

Teacher salaries. Schools are asked to provide the starting annual teacher salary and the salary for a teacher at the top of the teacher pay schedule or the average salary of the highest-paid teachers.

Charter schools that did not respond:

The following charter high schools did not respond to The Inquirer's survey: Agora Cyber, Freire, Hope, and New Media Technology.

The following charter elementary and/or middle schools did not respond: Freedom Academy, Chester County Family Academy, Sankofa Academy, Widener Partnership, Alliance for Progress, Belmont, Eugenio Maria De Hostos, Family, First Philadelphia Charter School for Literacy, Green Woods, Northwood Academy, Philadelphia Harambee Institute, Philadelphia Montessori, Renaissance, Russell Byers, and West Philadelphia Achievement.