Pennridge climbs US News rankings; leaders point to AP access and Keystone performance as levers for further gains

Pennridge School District leaders briefed the committee on US News & World Report ranking metrics and said the high school’s position improved to 165 out of 741 Pennsylvania high schools, up from 192 the previous year.

Dr. Palmer said the ranking improvement reflected multiple factors tracked by US News, including college readiness (AP participation and AP passing rates), subject proficiency on Keystone exams (math, reading, science) and the district graduation rate (reported as 93%). He said 35% of the graduating class took at least one AP exam and 27% passed at least one AP exam; those metrics and rising Keystone proficiency contributed to a higher composite score.

District leaders outlined goals to further improve ranking metrics: increase the share of graduates who take at least one AP course (target range discussed near 50% as a long‑term objective), raise reading proficiency into the 80% range and increase biology proficiency toward the 60–70% range. Dr. Palmer noted rankings are one measure among several and emphasized continuing work on instruction, course access and support for historically underserved student groups to drive both equity and outcomes.