Hazleton Area School District

The Hazleton Area School District serves from a cross representation of urban, rural, and suburban communities. The District encompasses 16 municipalities. Most of the District is located in Luzerne County; however, portions of the 256 square mile radius includes Carbon and Schuylkill Counties. Located in northeastern Pennsylvania, the District is intersected by Interstates 80 and 81. Due to the proximity of the interstates and easy access to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the area taps into a civilian labor force of nearly 500,000. Four industrial parks: Humboldt Industrial Park, Valmont Industrial Park, McAdoo Industrial Park, and the CAN DO Corporate Center provide employment opportunities for skilled labor.

The Hazleton Area School District includes 16 school buildings. The organizational structure includes six (6) K-8 elementary/middle schools, two (2) 3-8 elementary/middle schools, and two (2) K-2 elementary schools. The high school students (grades 9-12) are served by four (4) buildings that include the Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences, the Hazleton Area Arts and Humanities Academy, the Hazleton Area High School, and the Hazleton Area Career Center, which is the District’s own Career and Technical Center.  The Hazleton Area School District operates a K-12 Cyber Academy that is uniquely designed and housed at our local mall. The Hazleton Area School District serves as the MAWA for the Luzerne/Wyoming counties early intervention programs.  Hazleton Area School District also educates Pre-Kindergarten students.  Our Early Intervention and Pre-K students are located in The Academy near our Arthur Street Elementary School.  Hazleton Area also operates a Newcomer Center for our K-6 students.  Our Newcomer 7-12 students are serviced in our other schools.

The student population has grown in diversity. In 2018-2019, the District's population was approximately 11,400 with a minority population of 54% Latinx. The economically disadvantaged student population was 46.03%; English Language Learners were approximately 19.79% of the student population.  In the 2019-2020 school year, the District's population was approximately 12,000 with a minority population of 56% Latinx. The economically disadvantaged student population was 56.89%; English Language Learners were approximately 20.25% of the student population. There are nineteen languages spoken in our schools. Spanish accounts for the largest percentage of the nineteen languages.  The special education population was approximately 12.8% in the 2018-2019 school year.  The special education population in 2019-2020 was 13.3%. The District employs 1600 people of which 800 are instructional staff, 184 are paraeducators, and 539 are support service staff.

The school budget for the 2019-2020 school year is approximately $160 million. The school budget incorporates instructional programs, research-based interventions, professional development, expansion projects, athletic and extra-curriculum activities, and technology development.

We embrace an inclusive approach to teaching and learning without social barriers by recognizing individual differences and the individual worth of each student.

New students who enroll in the Hazleton Area School District will be given the opportunity to be educated in the least restrictive environment within the general curriculum supported by supplemental aids and services.