Peters Township Schools Lead Region in Graduation Percentages

One of the five goals in the strategic plan is to improve student achievement through data-driven decision making that addresses the needs of all students.

The Pennsylvania State Department of Education confirmed this week that another portion of the district’s goal for excellence has been achieved in numbers of students who graduate, with the release of graduation statistics for all school districts in the state.

Peters led all schools in Washington and Greene counties with 98.3 percent of students graduating, according to a release. It is second in western Pennsylvania only to North Allegheny, which had a 98.8 percentage rate. Blackhawk was third in southwestern Pennsylvania, with a graduation average of 98.1 percent, according to the new figures.

"We are always very proud of the success of our students," said Peters Township School District Superintendent Nina Zetty. "Our community strongly supports education and shares our resolve to see all students graduate."

Peters Township schools ranked higher than all other nearby school districts in terms of graduation percentages, and is among the leading school districts in the entire state, according to the department of education numbers.

"We also have an amazing staff (that) sets the bar high for our students, and prepares them for success beyond our high school," Zetty said.

Closest to Peters, in terms of graduation percentages in Washington County, was Bentworth, which had a 93.02 percentage graduation rate. At the other end of the spectrum, Washington had the lowest graduation in the county with 47.5 percent.

Statistics for the entire state are posted on the department of education’s website, part of the newly-adopted Cohort Graduation Rate, which was implemented last year.

In addition to leading all Washington, Greene, Fayette, Westmoreland and other southwestern Pennsylvania schools, Peters Township schools outperformed neighboring Allegheny County schools, including Upper St. Clair (97.3 percent), Bethel Park (87.7), Quaker Valley (96.4) Fox Chapel (94.4), Seneca Valley (93.3), South Park (94.2), Mt. Lebanon (96.01), Moon (93.4) and Cranberry (88.8).

Pittsburgh Public Schools were reported in the department of education figures to have a graduation rate of 69.1 percent.

Only six other districts in Pennsylvania reported higher graduation percentages than Peters, and most are located in the central and eastern portions of the state.

Central Cambria, Central Valley, Conemaugh Valley, Juniata Valley and Springfield Township showed 100 percent graduation rates. Garnet Valley and Tredyffrin-Easttown had graduation rates of 99.1 percent and 99.3 percent, respectively.

Complete statistics for all school districts are available at the department of education website.