Six out of 10 area high schools improved their School Performance Profile score over the past year, according to data released Wednesday by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Now in its third year, the SPP is based heavily on state assessment scores, but also includes college readiness tests, industry standards-based assessments, graduation, promotion, and attendance rates, as well as evidence of offering rigorous courses as other factors in the calculation.

Northwestern Lehigh High School scored the highest in the TIMES NEWS area with an 88.5, just ahead of Carbon Career and Technical Institute's 88.4

CCTI's score, up from 79.2 last year, was the highest for technical schools in the state.

"I think it's important to note we've been meeting our goals while maintaining our fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers," Dave Reinbold, CCTI administrative director, said. "Our past two overall budget increases to our five sending schools has been zero. As always we credit our students and staff for the tremendous job they do. Our joint operating committee is informed and supportive and routinely makes the key decisions that enable us to be one of the top career and technical schools in Pennsylvania."

The biggest increase from 2013-14 went to Weatherly High School, which jumped from 56.7 to 74.

"We're very happy with our progress," Weatherly Superintendent Thomas McGlaughlin said Wednesday. "We made some curriculum changes in algebra, biology and the language arts and it's good to see that pay dividends. We have put our focus on the entire building not just math and science. The trick when you start to have success is keeping it up. We'll continue to track our student's progress and work on continuing to improve."

Last year's highest scoring school, Jim Thorpe High School, fell from 88.2 to 76.

Other scores included Northern Lehigh High School at 77.5, Pleasant Valley High School at 76.3, Weatherly High School at 74, Palmerton High School at 73.4, Lehighton High School at 72.4, Panther Valley High School at 66.2 and Tamaqua High School at 65.2.

A full report will appear in Thursday's print edition.