Danville Area School District

Danville Area School District
Danville Area School District
Address
600 Walnut Street
Danville, Pennsylvania, Montour, Northumberland, 17821
United States
Information
School board 9 members elected at large
Grades K-12
Kindergarten 201
Grade 1 187
Grade 2 187
Grade 3 167
Grade 4 171
Grade 5 160
Grade 6 157
Grade 7 180
Grade 8 175
Grade 9 197
Grade 10 176
Grade 11 186
Grade 12 217
Other enrollment declining to 2150 (2015)[1]
Mascot Ironman
Website danville.k12.pa.us
Map of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

The Danville Area School District spans portions of two counties. In Montour County it covers the Boroughs of Danville and Washingtonville and Cooper Township, Derry Township, Liberty Township, Mahoning Township, Mayberry Township, Valley Township and West Hemlock Township. In Northumberland County it covers the Borough of Riverside and Rush Township. The district encompasses approximately 120 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 18,894. In 2009 the residents' per capita income was $20,247, while the median family income was $46,435.[2] District officials reported that in school year 2007-08 the DASD provided basic educational services to 2,563 pupils through the employment of 200 teachers, 152 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 16 administrators.

The district operates Danville High School (Grades 9-12), Danville Middle School (Grades 6-8), Liberty Valley Intermediate Elementary School (Grades 3-5), and Danville Area Primary Elementary School (Grades K2). Of the 4 elementary schools formerly operated by the district until June 2011, only Liberty Valley remains open today (but not to students in Grades K2). Danville Elementary School, Riverside Elementary School, and Mahoning Cooper Elementary School all closed in the 2011 consolidation of the new Danville Area Primary Elementary School. [1]

The district is experiencing an ongoing decline in enrollment. The 2009-10 enrollment was 2,342. It had peaked at 2,837 pupils in 1998-99. The board added 36 professional positions and nearly doubled the number of nonprofessional positions by adding 23 workers over that period.[3]

Mascot and Colors

The district's school colors are Orange and Purple and its mascot is the Ironman. The Orange and Purple represent the colors of hot iron. Iron turns orange at forging temperatures and purple at even hotter casting temperatures. This is due to the historical significance of an iron refinery in downtown Danville. Danville Area was commissioned in 1900, within a few years of when the mill closed. The refinery stood idle for decades, but it was finally demolished in the 1930s.

Contents

History

Shortly before the turn of the 20th Century, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania called for special districts acting as their own local government units to run the state's public school system, whereas counties, boroughs, townships, towns, and cities had previously been allowed to run schools. In 1900, the legislature commissioned Danville School District. Originally, the district covered only Danville, but it was granted an increasing geographical region as the state decommissioned surrounding districts. It expanded to cover all but the very northernmost townships of Montour County. Later, with the decommission and annexation of South Danville School District, it took up part of Northumberland County as well. In 1957, Danville School District was awarded the designation of "Area" in its name. In 2007, a US News and World Report study rated Danville High School in the top 5% as one of the best public high schools in the United States of America. In 2010, the high school was not listed in the Top US Schools Listing.[4]

Academic achievement

In 2010, the district adopted an Instructional Model with the intent to strengthen student achievement in all grades.[5]

Danville Area School District ranked 135th out of the 498 ranked Pennsylvania School Districts in 2011 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on student academic performance as demonstrated in 5 years of PSSA results on: reading, writing, math and three year of science.[6]

  • 2010 - 127th [7]
  • 2009 - 113th
  • 2008 - 124th
  • 2007 - 119th out of 501 school districts in 2007.[8]

Graduation Rate

In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Danville Area School District's rate was 91.98% for 2010.[9]

According to traditional graduation rate calculations:

  • 2006: 91.71%
  • 2007: 87.75% [10]
  • 2008: 92.45%
  • 2009: 91.39%
  • 2010: 90% [11]
  • 2011: 93.6%

In 2009, the academic achievement of the students was in the 72nd percentile among Pennsylvania's 500 schools districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best).[12]

High school

In 2009, Danville High School ranked 139th out of 666 Pennsylvania high schools for the reading and mathematics achievement of its students.[13]

PSSA Scores
11th Grade Reading:
  • 2007: 79% on grade level. State - 65.4%
  • 2008: 78.6% on grade level - State - 65%[14]
  • 2009: 75.5% on grade level - State - 65% [15]
  • 2010: 76%, State - 67%. The 11th grade ranked 6th in CSIU16 high schools for reading achievement.[16]
  • 2011 - 82.5%. Ranked 2nd among CSIU16 region 11th grades. In Pennsylvania 69% of 11th graders were reading on grade level. [17]
11th Grade Mathematics on grade level:
  • 2007: 65.4%, State - 53.7%
  • 2008: 60.4%, State - 56%
  • 2009: 66.7%, State - 56% [18]
  • 2010: 77%, State - 59%. The 11th grade ranked 2nd, in the CSIU 16 region, for math achievement.[19]
  • 2011 - 77.6% on grade level. The 11th grade ranks 1st, in the CSIU 16 region, for math achievement. In Pennsylvania, 60% of 11th graders were on grade level in math.
11th Grade Science on grade level:
  • 2008: 39%, State - 36%
  • 2009: 48.5%, State - 39.7%[20]
  • 2010: 54%, State - 39%. In the CSIU16 region, Danville ranked 6th for science achievement.[21]
  • 2011: 52.6% on grade level. State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level. In the CSIU16 region, Danville ranked 5th for science achievement.[22]
College Remediation rate

In January 2009, research was presented to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education. The research examined course enrollment trends at the state’s 14 community colleges and the 14 institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The data, provided by PASSHE and the community colleges, showed that during the 2007-08 school year 18% of Danville Area High School graduates required costly remediation in math and/or reading before they could take regular college courses.[23] Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school graduates, who enroll in a four-year college in Pennsylvania, will earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduate in three years.[24] Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, one in three recent high school graduates who attend Pennsylvania's public universities and community colleges takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.

Middle school

In September of 2011, the school was heavily damaged by flash flooding of the Susquehanna River. Estimates put the damage at over $4 million. The district reports having $2 million in insurance on the building. The school is conducting classes, for the rest of the school year, by conducting 6th grade in one former, elementary school building and 7th and 8th grade in another former, elementary school building. [25] In 2011 the school achieved AYP status. [26] In 2009 and 2010 the school achieved AYP.

8th Grade Reading: on grade level:
  • 2011 - 84.9%, State - 81.8%. Ranks 9th in the CSIU16 region 8th grades.
  • 2010 - 87%, State - 81%. Ranked 6th in the region.[27]
  • 2009 - 89%, State - 80.9%.[28]
  • 2008 - 84%, State - 78% [29]
8th Grade Math:
  • 2011 - 93.4%, State - 76.9%. The 8th grade ranked 2nd in the CSIU16 region.
  • 2010 - 84.5%, State - 75%. The 8th grade ranked 5th in the CSIU16 region.[30]
  • 2009 - 89%, State - 71%[31]
  • 2008 - 73%, State - 70% [32]
8th Grade Science:
  • 2011 - 67%, State - 58.3% of 8th graders were on grade level. Ranks 11th, in 8th grade science, in CSIU16 region.
  • 2010 - 71%, State - 57%.[33]
  • 2009 - 68%, State - 55%
  • 2008 - 60%, State - 50%
7th Grade Reading
  • 2011 - 81% on grade level, State - 76% of 7th graders were on grade level.
  • 2010 - 74%, State - 73% [34]
  • 2009 - 77%, State - 71%.[35]
  • 2008 - 77%, State - 70%
7th Grade Math
  • 2011 - 91.5%, State - 78.6% The 7th grade ranked 3rd in the CSIU16 region.
  • 2010 - 84%, State - 77% The 7th grade ranked 8th in the region.[36]
  • 2009 - 76.7% on grade level. State: 75% of 7th graders were on grade level.[37]
  • 2008 - 83%, State - 70% [38]

In 2010, the school administration set the goal that 90% of students would be on grade level. They developed an Instructional Plan to achieve that goal.[39]

Liberty-Valley Elementary School

Liberty Valley Elementary School continues in Warning status for student academic achievement in 2011 due to declining student achievement. It was also in Warning status in 2010.[40] [26]

3rd grade Reading:
  • 2011 - 72.8% on grade level, State - 77.2%
  • 2010 - 77%, State - 75%. Ranked 26th out of 35 3rd grades in the region for reading.[41]
  • 2009 - 76%, State - 77% [42]
  • 2008 - 81%, State - 72%
  • 2007 - 76%, State - 69%
3rd grade Math:
  • 2011 - 68.5% on grade level, State - 83.5%
  • 2010 - 85%, State - 75.2%. Ranked 28th out of 35 3rd grades in the region for mathematics achievement.[43]
  • 2009 - 82%, State - 81%
  • 2008 - 93%, State - 77%
  • 2007 - 76%, State - 78%
Low Income 3rd Grade Student Achievement in 2010
  • Reading - 64% on grade level. In PA - 61% on grade level.[44]
  • Math - 72.5% on grade level. In PA - 74% were on grade level.
Low Income 3rd Grade Student Achievement in 2011
  • Reading - 55.9% on grade level. State - 65.6% on grade level.
  • Math - 50% on grade level. State- 73.2%.
4th Grade Reading:
  • 2011 - 75.9%on grade level. State - 73%
  • 2010 - 75.5%, State - 72%[45]
  • 2009 - 80.7%, State - 72.6%
  • 2008 - 82.9%, State - 70%
  • 2007 - 66.1%, State - 70%
4th Grade Math:
  • 2011 - 83.9% on grade level. State - 85.3%
  • 2010 - 86.3%, State - 84% [46]
  • 2009 - 93.5%, State - 82%[47]
  • 2008 - 84.3%, State - 80%
  • 2007 - 67.7%, State - 78%
4th Grade Science:
  • 2011 - 85% on grade level, State - 82.9%
  • 2010 - 82.6%, State - 81.4%
  • 2009 - 92%, State - 83%
  • 2008 - 97%, State - 82%
5th Grade Reading:
  • 2011 - 75% on grade level. State - 67.3%.
  • 2010 - 76%, State - 64%. Ranked 9th in CSIU16 region's 5th grades for reading.
  • 2009 - 86.9%, State - 64%
  • 2008 - 77%, State - 60%
5th Grade Math:
  • 2011 - 84% on grade level. State - 76%.
  • 2010 - 81.2%, State - 74%. Ranked 20th of 31 CSIU16 region's 5th grades for math.
  • 2009 - 75.3%, State - 73.6%
  • 2008 - 75.4%, State - 73.2%
  • 2007 - 74.2%, State - 71%
2009 Academic Achievement Report Cards for elementary schools
  • Danville Elementary School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009 [2]
  • Riverside Elementary School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009 [3]
  • Mahoning Cooper Elementary School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009 [4]

PreSchool

Danville Head Start provides a taxpayer funded, preschool program that provides education, health, and social services to children and families. It serves 111 pre-school aged children throughout Montour County and the Danville Area School District in 2010.

Special Education

In December 2009, the district administration reported that 363 pupils or 15.4% of the district's pupils received Special Education services.[48]

The District engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law; and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress. To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Instructional Support Team or Student Assistance Team. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the District seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may verbally request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the District or contact the Supervisor of Special Education.[49]

In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815 for Special Education services. The funds were distributed to districts based on a state policy which estimates that 16% of a district's pupils are receiving special education services. This funding is in addition to the state's basic education per pupil funding, as well as, all other state and federal funding.[50]

Danville Area School District received a $1,387,004 supplement for special education services in 2010.[51]

Gifted Education

The District Administration reported that 75 or 3.09% of its students were gifted in 2009.[52] By law, the district must provide mentally gifted programs at all grade levels. The primary emphasis is on enrichment and acceleration of the regular education curriculum through a push in model with the gifted instructor in the classroom with the regular instructor. This approach permits such specialized instructional strategies as tiered assignments, curriculum compacting, flexible grouping, learning stations, independent projects and independent contracts. Students identified as gifted attending the High School have access to honors and advanced placement courses, and dual enrollment with local colleges. The referral process for a gifted evaluation can be initiated by teachers or parents by contacting the student’s building principal and requesting an evaluation. All requests must be made in writing. To be eligible for mentally gifted programs in Pennsylvania, a student must have a cognitive ability of at least 130 as measured on a standardized ability test by a certified school psychologist. Other factors that indicate giftedness will also be considered for eligibility.[53]

Budget

The school board approved a preliminary budget that does not furlough any professional staff. There were several open teaching positions that will be eliminated. The budget calls for $500,000 for new capital projects and a $200,000 increase technology budget. Superintendent Price reported that class sizes remain ideal and lower than other schools in the region. Seventeen class aide positions were eliminated as well as an assistant food service director. Spending on sports was reduced by $25,000.[54]

In 2009 the district reported employing over 200 teachers with a salary range of $37,569 to $109,000 for 188 days.[55] Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance employee pays 10%, dental and vision insurance, professional development reimbursement, 1 emergency day leave, 2 personal days, 3 bereavement leave, sick days, a retirement bonus and other benefits.[56] According to State Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System Board, a 40-year educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.[57]

In 2007, the district employed 191 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $51,084 for 180 days worked.[58] As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation.[59]

The district administrative costs per pupil were $613.26 in 2008. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.[60]

District administration reported that in 2008 the per pupil spending was $12,124 which ranked 261st among Pennsylvania public schools.[61]

In May 2011, the board took out a $8.4 million loan in order to buy out of an interest swap deal that was losing money. The board ended the employment of its business manager who had entered into the interest gambling swap contract.

In June 2011, the Danville Area School District School Board voted to hire Cheryl Latoore as Superintendent, awarding her a 5 year contract with a beginning salary of $125,000 plus an extensive benefits package. At the time of hiring, Latorre was the Superintendent of neighboring Mount Carmel Area School District. The contract[62]

In January 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. The results were provided to the board and administration.[63]

The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension income and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless the of income level.[64]

State basic education funding

In 2011-12, the Danville Area School District will receive $6,787,940 in state Basic Education Funding.[65] Additionally, the district will receive $128,241 in Accountability Block Grant funding.[66]

For the 2010-11 school year, the state gave a 3.22% increase in basic education funding to the Danville Area School District for $7,193,508. In the commonwealth, the highest increase in state funding went to Kennett Consolidated School District which received a 23.65% increase. Among the 500 Pennsylvania public school district, 150 received the base 2% increase in 2010.[67] The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation made in the Governor's budget proposal released in February each year.[68]

In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 2.67% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $6,969,142. The state Basic Education Funding to the district in 2008-09 was $6,787,940.04. The Pennsylvania Department of Education gave 15 school districts an increase of Basic Education Funding of over 10% in the 2009-10 budget.[69] Mount Carmel Area School District received 6.23% which was the highest increase in Northumberland County in 2009. In Pennsylvania, ninety school districts were allotted the base increase of 2%. Muhlenberg School District in Berks County received an increase of 22.31%. Fifteen school districts received Basic Education increases in excess of 10%[70]

The Department of Education reported that, in the 2007-08 school year, 749 students received a free or reduced price lunch due to low family income.[71]

Accountability Block Grants

Beginning in 2004-2005, the state launched the Accountability Block Grant school funding. This program has provided $1.5 billion to Pennsylvania’s school districts. The Accountability Block Grant program requires that its taxpayer dollars are focused on specific interventions that are most likely to increase student academic achievement. These interventions include: teacher training, All Day Kindergarten, lower class size Kindergarten-3rd grade, literacy and math coaching programs that provide teachers with individualized job-embedded professional development to improve their instruction, before or after school tutoring assistance to struggling students, For 2010-11 the Danville Area School District applied for and received $348,078 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district used the funding to increase instructional time and to provide full day kindergarten for the 7th year.[72][73]

Education Assistance Grant

The state's EAP funding provides for the continuing support of tutoring services and other programs to address the academic needs of eligible students. Funds are available to eligible school districts and full-time career and technology centers (CTC) in which one or more schools have failed to meet at least one academic performance target, as provided for in Section 1512-C of the Pennsylvania Public School Code. In 2010-11 the Danville Area School District received $76,123.[74]

Classrooms for the Future grant

The Classroom for the Future state program provided districts with hundreds of thousands of extra state funding to buy laptop computers for each core curriculum high school class (English, Science, History, Math), along with other specialized equipment and provided funding for teacher training to optimize the use of the computers. The program was funded from 2006-2009. Danville Area School District received $167,949 in 2006-07 and $300,000 in 2007-08. The district did not apply for funding in 2009.[75]

Federal Stimulus Grant

The district received an extra $1,543,773 in ARRA - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students.[76]

Race to the Top grant

School district officials did not apply for the Race to the Top federal grant. When approved for the grant, the district would receive hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement.[77] Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate.[78] Pennsylvania was not approved for the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved.[79]

Common Cents state initiative

The Danville School Board elected to not participate in the Pennsylvania Department of Education Common Cents program. The program called for the state to audit the district, at no cost to local taxpayers, to identify ways the district could save tax dollars.[80] After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

Real estate taxes

In 2011, Danville Area residents who live in Montour County had property tax rate set at 14.8000 mills.

In 2010, Danville Area residents who live in Montour County had property tax rate set at 14.6471 mills. Millage for Northumberland County not available[81] For the real estate tax levied by the School District, other than interim real estate tax, taxpayers may elect an installment payment option.

In 2009, Danville Area residents who live in Montour County had property tax rate set at 9.0380 mills and those living in Northumberland County were set at 55.3220 mills.[82] A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property's assessed value. Irregular property reassessments have become a serious issue in the commonwealth as it creates a significant disparity in taxation within a community and across a region. On the local level, Pennsylvania district revenues are dominated by two main sources: 1) Property tax collections, which account for the vast majority (between 75-85%) of local revenues; and 2) Act 511 tax collections, which are around 15% of revenues for school districts.[83]

Property tax relief

In 2011 the property tax relief for residents of Danville Area School District is set $114 for 4,842 approved homesteads and farmsteads.[84]

In 2010 the property tax relief for residents of Danville Area School District was $115.[85] In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Danville Area School District was $118 per approved permanent primary residence. This was among the lowest amounts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In the district, 4665 property owners applied for the tax relief. The relief was subtracted from the total annual school property tax bill. Property owners apply for the relief through the county Treasurer's office. Farmers can qualify for a farmstead exemption on building used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 contiguous acres (40,000 m2) and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption. The highest property tax relief in Pennsylvania went to the residents of Chester Upland School District of Delaware County who received $632 per approved homestead.[86]

Additionally, the Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is provided for low income Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older; widows and widowers aged 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 for homeowners. The maximum rebate for both homeowners and renters is $650. Applicants can exclude one-half (1/2) of their Social Security income, so people who make substantially more than $35,000 may still qualify for a rebate. Individuals must apply annually for the rebate.

Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).[87]

Act 1 Index

The Act 1 of 2006 Index regulates the rates at which each school district can raise property taxes in Pennsylvania. Districts are not allowed to raise taxes above that index unless they allow voters to vote by referendum, or they seek an exception from the state Department of Education. The base index for the 2011-2012 school year is 1.4 percent, but it can be adjusted higher, depending on a number of factors, such as property values and the personal income of district residents. Act 1 included 10 exceptions: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, a catastrophe like a fire or flood, increasing rising health care costs for contracts in effect in 2006 or declining local tax bases. The base index is the average of the percentage increase in the statewide average weekly wage, as determined by the PA Department of Labor and Industry, for the preceding calendar year and the percentage increase in the Employment Cost Index for Elementary and Secondary Schools, as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the U.S. Department of Labor, for the previous 12-month period ending June 30. For a school district with a market value/personal income aid ratio (MV/PI AR) greater than 0.4000, its index equals the base index multiplied by the sum of .75 and its MV/PI AR for the current year.[88]

The School District Adjusted Index for the Danville Area School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.[89]

  • 2006-07 - 4.9%, Base 3.9%
  • 2007-08 - 4.3%, Base 3.4%
  • 2008-09 - 5.5%, Base 4.4%
  • 2009-10 - 5.1%, Base 4.1%
  • 2010-11 - 3.6%, Base 2.9%
  • 2011-12 - 1.7%, Base 1.4%[90][91]

Danville Area School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budgets in 2010-11.[92] In the Spring of 2010, 135 Pennsylvania school boards asked to exceed their adjusted index. Approval was granted to 133 of them and 128 sought an exception for pension costs increases.[93]

Wellness policy

Danville Area School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006 - Policy 246.[94] The policy deals with nutritious meals served at school, the control of access to some foods and beverages during school hours, age appropriate nutrition education for all students, and physical education for students K-12. The policy is in response to state mandates and federal legislation (P.L. 108 - 265). The law dictates that each school district participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq) "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006."

The legislation placed the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level so the individual needs of each district can be addressed. According to the requirements for the Local Wellness Policy, school districts must set goals for nutrition education, physical activity hat are aligned with the Pennsylvania State Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, districts were required to involve a broad group of individuals in policy development and to have a plan for measuring policy implementation. Districts were offered a choice of levels of implementation for limiting or prohibiting low nutrition foods on the school campus. In final implementation these regulations prohibit some foods and beverages on the school campus.[95]

The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for its approval.

Extracurriculars

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those homeschooled, are eligible to participate in the extracurricular programs including all athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.[96]

The district offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and sports.

The district is a member of the Pennsylvania Heartland Athletic Conference for all athletics and participates under the rules and guidelines of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association.

The high school is also well known for its Forensics Team, which competes in the National Forensics League, National Catholic Forensics League, and Pennsylvania High School Speech League.

Governance

The school district is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serve four year terms), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.[97] The federal government controls programs it funds like Title I funding for low income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration a "C-" for transparency based on a review of "What information can people find on their school district's website". It examined the school district's website for information regarding; taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, public records information and more.[98]

References

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