Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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A primer on education

How are Western Pennsylvania schools faring?

Find out here how much money your school has received to increase safety in the classroom, compare a year-by-year assessment of state test scores, check average class size in your child’s school, evaluate the effect of massive teacher retirements in our area, see how your school district is using technology, read the PG’s highly regarded "Benchmarks" series on education, and much more.

More city schools exceed averages on state standardized tests -- Three years after it became possible to compare state test scores, the statewide average scores still are mostly stagnant.

How the region's students fared -- The results -- in chart format -- of the latest Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests from the 1995-96 cycle through 1998-99.

Study finds 1 in 5 students doing poorly -- A new study on primary and secondary schools in southwestern Pennsylvania contains a fair amount of good news, but also reveals that about 20 percent of fifth-, eighth- and 11th-graders in the region read and perform math poorly.

PG Benchmarks -- PG Benchmarks assembled a team of experts who address the topic of how to improve education in this region.

Can profiling prevent school violence? -- As a measure to improve school safety, one of Pittsburgh's largest suburban school districts is thinking of following suit.

Internet access in 87% of Pa. schools -- Technology in schools in the state and the nation is growing significantly, according to "Technology Counts," an annual report by Education Week.

10,000 school workers, most in 7 years, retire -- School administrators must fill the highest number of school openings created by retirements in seven years.

Early retirement lures educators through window -- Teachers talk about why they're leaving.

Related links:

(Some links below may require Acrobat Reader. Click here to download Acrobat Reader.)

Find your school's profile -- Rich data from the Pa. Dept. of Education on enrollments, class sizes, staffing and more.

Safe school grant recipients

Annual report on violence and weapons possession in Pennsylvania's schools, 1997-1998

1999 school performance incentive grants