Ronnie Brown, Mansfield Assist. Principal Evaluates Local Schools

Pennsylvania is one of the few states where the number of high school graduates exceeds the national average. And although the number of people who graduate college is slightly below the mean, this state remains a good place to fulfill educational goals. With 65 cities and 12.8 million people in total, however, choosing the perfect location in Pennsylvania to raise a family might be difficult. This is, after all, one of the original 13 colonies and remains amongst the most popular states in the U.S.

Well, a very common choice for many students is Pittsburgh. It is located in the western part of the state and on three different rivers. This is where the mind-blowing number of bridges comes in as Pittsburgh currently has 446. Regardless of its beautiful attractions, however, what exactly is the state of education in the Steel City?

Size

In order to properly present the state of education in Pittsburgh, one must glace at the size of schools at different levels. To that end, consider the following examples.

Public Schools

Pittsburgh Public Schools is the name of the largest district in the city. It is located close to Mount Oliver and has a 184-year-old history. Some of the additional statistics related to it include:

• Has over 342,000 people;
• Built on 55.3 square miles;
• Oversees 54 schools;
• Employs almost 2,000 teachers;
• Runs on a $625-million budget as of 2018.

When compared to some of the average school districts in the U.S., this one ranks quite high. This is because the general funding budget and the number of people employed exceeds the vast majority of other districts. An area where it needs improvement, however, is the ranking of specific high schools. In translation, Pittsburgh Public Schools’ facilities are on the lower end of the spectrum for Pennsylvania's top performing schools.

Universities

When it comes to higher education, the Steel City delivers impressive numbers once again. For example, consider the University of Pittsburgh. It falls in the Division One category and has over 28,600 enrolled students. The campus is built across a 145-acre stretch of land that holds numerous buildings and sporting facilities. Nevertheless, compared to the national data, this university falls in the lower percentiles as it features numbers slightly below the average.

Quality of Education

According to Ronnie Brown, Mansfield City School District's assistant principal, there are more factors to consider. Meaning, although the size is important, it is not the most relevant input for determining the state of education somewhere. A much better indicator would be the number of people who graduate. That information, as Ronnie Brown mentions, directly displays how efficient public institutions are. So, what graduation rates do the aforementioned district and university offer?

Pittsburgh Public Schools

According to the latest statistics, Pittsburgh Public Schools have a graduation rate of approximately 70 percent. Additionally, the number of those who pass the ninth grade is well above 90 percent. If one was to compare this information to the data available on a national level, the results might be slightly concerning. Namely, the latest percentage of high school graduates in the United States is over 80 percent. Given the previously mentioned numbers for Pittsburgh Public Schools district, however, there seems to be a discrepancy.

The University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh is quite the opposite when it comes to graduation rates. Not only does it graduate most of its students, it is a complete outlier to the national rate of college graduates. Currently, this university has an 81.7-percent rate of success when it comes to students completing a 4-year degree. In the United States, on the other hand, the average rate for this category is only 59 percent. Therefore, if this particular university is any indication, Pittsburgh certainly offers notable higher education opportunities.

Other important factors that must be mentioned include technology, teacher-to-student ratio, collaboration, and so on. These statistics, however, are nearly impossible to comprise given that every school has their own numbers. Thus, beginning the analysis with the previous data would be a good starting point for further comparison. From there, one can draw additional conclusions and pinpoint the rank of the Steel City's education.