Mt. Lebanon schools earn top marks by state standards
Mt. Lebanon school administrators pointed to strong statistical evidence of student achievement at the Nov. 17 school board meeting as they presented a raft of school performance data. The Pittsburgh Business Times ranked Mt. Lebanon Pennsylvania’s top school district in 2014, and the district’s latest school performance profile (SPP) further underlines that distinction.
Assistant superintendents Dr. Ron Davis and Dr. Marybeth Irvin explained that SPPs are created using a statistical model that takes PSSA test results, SAT scores, ACT scores and other data points as inputs.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education sets a 70 percent SPP score as a benchmark target, however, Mt. Lebanon strives to achieve a 90 percent score at each school. In 2014, all Mt. Lebanon schools scored well above the 70 percent state target. Washington and Lincoln Elementary Schools and Jefferson Middle School fell slightly short of the local 90 percent target.
“It is important to remember that there is a lot of information behind these numbers,” Davis said. “Pockets for improvement have been identified and are being addressed through individual, building-level action plans.”
School superintendent Dr. Timothy Steinhauer lavished praise on students, staff and the Mt. Lebanon school board.
“This year’s report confirms our principals have created an environment where teachers can teach and student can learn,” he said. “It means our curriculum meets state standards, and that our students are leaning. It shows the school board has provided the resources students need to learn.”
He added that although the school performance profile data seems impressive as it stands, it does not even take Mt. Lebanon’s extracurricular activities or advanced course offerings into account.
“It really does take this entire organization’s focus on student achievement and student success to achieve these results,” Steinhauer concluded, addressing the school board. “Don’t underestimate the role you as school board members play in supporting student achievement.”