Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District

The Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District is a small, public school district in western Pennsylvania. It spans portions of four counties. In Armstrong County

Armstrong County, Pennsylvania

Armstrong County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,941. It is located northeast of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Armstrong County was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003.The county seat is Kittanning...

it covers the City of Parker

Parker, Pennsylvania

Parker is a city located in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the extreme northwestern portion of the county. The population was 799 at the 2000 census. The city was named for John Parker, a lead surveyor of Lawrenceburg....

and Hovey Township. In Butler County

Butler County, Pennsylvania

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...

it covers Allegheny Township

Allegheny Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania

Allegheny Township is a township in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 555 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...

. In Clarion County

Clarion County, Pennsylvania

As of the census of 2000, there were 41,765 people, 16,052 households, and 10,738 families residing in the county. The population density was 69 people per square mile . There were 19,426 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...

it covers the Boroughs of Emlenton

Emlenton, Pennsylvania

Emlenton is a borough located mostly in Venango County, in the southeastern corner of the county, with a small portion located in Clarion County in Pennsylvania. The population was 784 at the 2000 census...

, Foxburg

Foxburg, Pennsylvania

Foxburg is a borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located along the east bank of the Allegheny River, about two miles north of its confluence with the Clarion River.-History:...

and St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, Pennsylvania

St. Petersburg is a borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 405 at the 2000 census.-Geography:St. Petersburg is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , all of it land....

and Perry Township

Perry Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania

Perry Township is a township in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,064 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 30.3 square miles , of which, 29.0 square miles of it is land and...

and Richland Township

Richland Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania

Richland Township is a township in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 553 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 15.7 square miles , of which, 15.1 square miles of it is land and...

. In Venango County

Venango County, Pennsylvania

Venango County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 54,984. Its county seat is Franklin.-History:Venango County was created on March 12, 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming Counties...

it covers the Borough of Emlenton

Emlenton, Pennsylvania

and Richland Township

Richland Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania

Richland Township is a township in Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 744 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 22.4 square miles , of which, 22.2 square miles of it is land and...

and Scrubgrass Township. The district has the distinction of being the only Pennsylvania School District to span four counties. The Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District encompasses approximately 121 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 5,944. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income was $15,525, while the median family income was $36,867. According to district officials, in school year 2007-08, the Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District provided basic educational services to 934 pupils. Per school district officials, in school year 2007-08 the Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District provided basic educational services to 934 pupils through the employment of 72 teachers, 43 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 6 administrators.

Governance

The district is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serve four year terms), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pennsylvania Department of Education

The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the executive department of the state charged with K-12 and adult educational budgeting, management and guidelines. As the state education agency, its activities are directed by Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education, Gerald L. Zahorchak...

and the Pennsylvania General Assembly

Pennsylvania General Assembly

The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...

. The federal government controls programs it funds like Title I funding for low income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act , is a United States federal statute enacted April 11, 1965. It was passed as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" and has been the most far-reaching federal legislation affecting education ever passed by Congress...

and the No Child Left Behind Act

No Child Left Behind Act

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...

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 Allegheny-Clarion School Board and school district administration a "F" 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.

The district is part of the Riverview Intermediate Unit

Intermediate Unit

In Pennsylvania, Intermediate Units are regional educational service agencies, established by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Intermediate Units serve a given geographic area's educational needs and function as a step of organization above that of a public school district, but below that of the...

6 region. The intermediate unit provides support services and therapy to special education students. It also provides training to school personnel.

Schools

Allegheny-Clarion Valley Elementary School - Grades K-6
Allegheny-Clarion Valley Jr./Sr. High School
Allegheny-Clarion Valley Junior/Senior High School
Allegheny-Clarion Valley Junior/Senior High School, known locally as A-C Valley, is a public High School near Foxburg, in southwestern Clarion County, Pennsylvania. The school has about 500 students and 45 Staff Members...

- Grades 7-12

Academic achievement

Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District was ranked 448th out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts evaluated in 2011 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on five years of student academic achievement shown on the PSSA

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment is a standardized test administered to public schools in the state of Pennsylvania. Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 are assessed in reading skills and mathematics. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 are assessed in writing skills...

results on: reading, writing, math and three years of science.

2010 - 448th
2009 - 443rd
2008 - 440th
2007 - 396th of 500 school districts in Pennsylvania.

In 2009, the academic achievement of students of the Allegheny-Clarion Area School District fell in the 7th percentile of 500 school districts. (Scale 0-99; 100 is state best)

Graduation Rate

In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School's rate was 94% for 2010.

Former AYP graduation rate:

2010 - 95%
2009 - 95%
2008 - 91%
2007 - 91%

Junior - Senior High School

PSSA Results

11th Grade Reading

2010 - 62% on grade level. State - 68% on grade level (78 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 66%, State - 65%
2008 - 48%, State - 65%
2007 - 49%, State - 65%

11th Grade Math:

2010 - 50% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade.
2009 - 58%, State - 56%
2008 - 41%, State - 56%
2007 - 38%, State - 54%

11th Grade Science:

2010 - 28% on grade level. State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 25%, State - 40%
2008 - 26%, State - 39%

College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pennsylvania Department of Education

study released in January 2009, 24% of Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School graduates required remediation in mathematics and or reading before they were prepared to take college level courses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education

Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a large public university system in the United States. It is the tenth-largest university system in the United States and 43rd largest in the world...

or community colleges. 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. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education

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.

Graduation requirements

The Allegheny-Clarion Valley School Board requires students to earn 24 credits to graduate that include: English 4 credits, Math 3 credits, Science 3 credits, Social Studies 3 credits, Physical Education 2 credits, Health .5 credit, Arts and Humanities 2 credits, and Electives 6.5 credits. Students must also demonstrate performance at a proficient level or above on the state assessment (PSSA) or local assessments (4Sight, Study Island, etc.) aligned with academic standards in order to graduate and participate in senior activities.

By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students must complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate from high school. The type of project, its rigor and its expectations are set by the individual school district.

Dual enrollment

The high school offers a Dual Enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.

For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $5,799 for the program.

8th Grade Reading:

2010 - 70% on grade level. State - 81% (71 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 77%, State - 80%
2008 - 78%, State - 78%

8th Grade Math:

2010 - 57% on grade level. State - 75%
2009 - 67%, State - 71%
2008 - 56%, State - 70%

8th Grade Science:

2010 - 64% on grade level. State: 57% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 61%, State - 54%
2008 - 46%, State - 52%

7th Grade Reading:

2010 - 73% on grade level. State - 73% (60 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 60%, State - 71%
2008 - 64%, State - 70%

7th Grade Math:

2010 - 76% on grade level. State - 77%
2009 - 71%, State - 75%
2008 - 65%, State - 70%

Clarion-Valley Elementary School

In 2010 the school is in Warning AYP Status due to low achievement of its students. The attendance rate was 95%.

6th Grade Reading:

2010 - 48% on grade level. State - 68% on grade level (58 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 56%, State - 67%
2008 - 60%, State - 67%

6th Grade Math:

2010 - 72% on grade level. State - 74%
2009 - 70%, State - 75%
2008 - 66%, State - 72%

5th Grade Reading:

2010 - 52% on grade level. State - 64% on grade level (57 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 59%, State - 64%
2008 - 50%, State - 61%

5th Grade Math:

2010 - 65% on grade level. State - 74%
2009 - 51%, State - 73%
2008 - 74%, State - 73%

4th Grade Reading:

2010 - 75% on grade level. State - 73% on grade level (53 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 58%, State - 72%
2008 - 75%, State - 70%

4th Grade Math:

2010 - 75% on grade level. State - 84%
2009 - 68%, State - 81%
2008 - 83%, State - 79%

4th Grade Science:

2010 - 92% on grade level. State - 81%
2009 - 86%, State - 83%
2008 - 89%, State - 81%

3rd Grade Reading:

2010 - 85% on grade level. State - 75% on grade level (60 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 86%, State - 77%
2008 - 76%, State - 77%

3rd Grade Math:

2010 - 100% on grade level. State - 84%
2009 - 81%, State - 81%
2008 - 78%, State - 80%

Enrollment

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, there are fewer than 860 students enrolled in K-12 in 2010. The senior class of 2010 has 88 students. The class of 2011 will have 76 members. Enrollment in Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District is projected to continue to decline by over 100 students in the next five years. Allegheny-Clarion Valley administrative infrasturcture cost in 2008 was $823.65 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. With limited local taxation resources, opportunities for students are limited. Issues are compounded by the district being divided across county borders. This results in different taxation levels for residents in the different counties of the school district.

Governor Edward Rendell proposed that consolidation with adjacent school districts, in each county, would achieve substantial cost savings. The savings could be redirected to improving lagging reading and science achievement, to enriching the academic programs or to reducing residents' property taxes.

Over the next 10 years, rural Pennsylvania school enrollment is projected to decrease 8 percent. The most significant enrollment decline is projected to be in western Pennsylvania, where rural school districts may have a 16 percent decline. More than 40 percent of elementary schools and more than 60 percent of secondary schools in western Pennsylvania are projected to experience significant enrollment decreases (15 percent or greater). As the enrollment declines, per pupil administrative costs of the schools will continue to rise. In March 2011, the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants Fiscal Responsibility Task Force released a report which found that consolidating school district administrations with one neighboring district, would save the Commonwealth $1.2 billion dollars without forcing the consolidation of any schools. The study noted that while the best school districts spent 4% of the annual budget on administration, others spend over 15% on administration.

Pennsylvania has one of the highest numbers of school districts in the nation. In Pennsylvania, 80% of the school districts serve student populations under 5,000, and 40% serve less than 2,000. Less than 95 of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts have enrollment below 1250 students, in 2007.
This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity. In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the 49 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.

Special Education

In December 2009, the district administration reported that 180 pupils or 18% of the district's pupils received Special Education

Special education

Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...

services.

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 Special Education Department.

In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815,000 for Special Education services. The funds were distributed to districts based on a state policy which estimates that 16% of the 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.

Allegheny-Carion Valley School District received a $639,298 supplement for special education services in 2010.

Gifted Education

The District Administration reported that 42 or 4.82% of its students were gifted in 2009. 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.

Bullying Policy

In 2009, the Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District reported one incident of bullying in the previous school year.

The school board prohibits bullying by district students and employees. A policy approved in November 2008 defines bullying and cyberbullying - Policy 249. The Board directs that complaints of bullying shall be investigated promptly, and corrective action shall be taken when allegations are verified. No reprisals or retaliation shall occur as a result of good faith reports of bullying. Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District participates in the PA Cares bullying prevention program. All Pennsylvania schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy incorporated into their Code of Student Conduct. The policy must identify disciplinary actions for bullying and designate a school staff person to receive complaints of bullying. The policy must be available on the school's website and posted in every classroom. All Pennsylvania public schools must provide a copy of its anti-bullying policy to the Office for Safe Schools every year, and shall review their policy every three years. Additionally, the district must conduct an annual review of that policy with students. District administration are required to annually provide the following information with the district's Safe School Report: the board’s bullying policy, a report of bullying incidents in the school district, and information on the development and implementation of any bullying prevention, intervention or education programs. The Center for Schools and Communities works in partnership with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist schools and communities as they research, select and implement bullying prevention programs and initiatives.

Education standards relating to student safety and antiharassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.

Wellness policy

Allegheny-Clarion Valley School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006 - Policy 246. The policy establishes two school-level advisory committees that have the responsibility of effectively and comprehensively addressing wellness, nutrition and physical activity issues at their respective levels. The Elementary School Health Advisory Committee (Grades K-6) and Secondary School Health Advisory Committee (Grades 7-12) are responsible for development, implementation and evaluation of guidelines and programs that promote healthy eating and physical activity. The policy also 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

National School Lunch Act

The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act is a United States federal law signed by President Harry S. Truman in 1946. The act created the National School Lunch Program , a program to provide low-cost or free school lunch meals to qualified students through subsidies to schools...

(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 and physical education that 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. The policy requires that the Superintendent or designee shall report to the Board on the district’s compliance with law and policies related to student wellness.

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

Budget

In 2007, the average teacher salary in the district was $46,011 for 180 days worked. The district ranked eighth in Clarion County for average teacher salary in 2007. In 2009, the district employs over 70 teachers with a salary range of $40,000 to $70,000.

In September 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. Findings were reported to the school board and administration.

In 2010 the district reported that 43% of its pupils lived in poverty. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District reported 338 students receiving free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year.

In 2008, Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District reported spending $13,806 per pupil. This ranked 116th in the commonwealth.

In 2008, the district reported holding $1,707,808 in unreserved-designated funds and $1,457,895 in unreserved-undesignated funds.

The district is funded by a combination of: local earned income tax, property taxes, real estate transfer tax, and grants coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants 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 of the income level.

Basic Education Funding

For the 2010-11 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided the district with a 2.84% increase in state basic education funding for a total of $5,596,829. In Clarion County, the highest increase went to Clarion-Limestone Area School District

Clarion-Limestone Area School District

The Clarion-Limestone Area School District is a small, rural, public school district which spans portions of two counties in Clarion County. it covers the Borough of Strattanville and Clarion Township, Limestone Township and Millcreek Township. In Jefferson County it covers the Borough of Corsica...

at a 3.92%. In Pennsylvania, one hundred fifty school districts received the base 2% increase. The highest increase in 2010 funding, at 23.65%, was allotted to Kennett Consolidated School District

Kennett Consolidated School District

The Kennett Consolidated School District,or KCSD for short, is a public school district serving portions of Chester County, Pennsylvania. It is centered on the borough of Kennett Square and also incorporates Kennett Township, New Garden Township, and the southern portion of East Marlborough Twp....

in Chester County

Chester County, Pennsylvania

-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...

. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation set in the state budget proposal made in February each year.

In 2009-10 the district was provided with a 2% increase in state funding. The largest increase in Clarion County was allotted to Clarion-Limestone Area School District which received a 4.86% increase. Ninety Pennsylvania school districts received the base 2% increase in 2009-10. The highest increase in the state went to Muhlenberg School District

Muhlenberg School District

The Muhlenberg Area School District is a public school district serving parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. It encompasses the borough of Laureldale and the Muhlenberg Township. The district encompasses approximately 13 square miles. Per the 2000 federal census data it serves a resident...

of Berks County which received a 22.31% increase.

The district also receives millions in additional state and federal funding through applying for grants.

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. Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District did not apply for funding in 2006-07 and 2007-08. The district received $74,691 for the 2008-09 school year.

Federal Stimulus Grant

The district received grants totaling $1,004,424 of ARRA

Arra

Arra is a census town in Puruliya district in the state of West Bengal, India.-Demographics: India census, Arra had a population of 19,911. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Arra has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 59% of the...

- Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students.

Race to the Top grant

School district officials did not apply for the Race to the Top

Race to the Top

Race to the Top, abbreviated R2T, RTTT or RTT, is a $4.35 billion United States Department of Education competition designed to spur innovation and reforms in state and local district K-12 education...

federal grant which would have brought the district hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. 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. 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.

Common Cents state initiative

The Allegheny- Clarion Valley School Board did 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. After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

Real estate taxes

Property tax rates in 2010 vary within the district, depending on where the property is located. Properties located in Armstrong County have a millage rate of 30.4900 mills. In Butler County, the property tax millage rate is 73.8800 mills. Property owners in Venango County are taxed at a millage rate of 11.3100 mills. For district property owners located in Clarion County, the millage rate is 50.8800 mills. School districts located in more than one county are required to apportion the tax levy based on the market value in each county as determined by the State Tax Equalization Board pursuant to section 672.1 of the School Code. As a result, the tax rate increases are not the same for each county in a multi-county school district. For comparison, Clarion County's Union School District property owners pay a millage rate of 48.8000 mills.

2009 - Armstrong County 28.5800 mills, Butler County 76.5300 mills, Clarion County 51.7200 mills, Venango County 10.8000.
2008 - Armstrong County 27.3300 mills, Butler County 97.5400 mills, Clarion County 66.4800 mills, Venango County 10.6100.

Act 1 Adjusted 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 including: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, a catastrophe like a fire or flood, increase in health insurance costs for contracts in effect in 2006 or dwindling 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

Bureau of Labor Statistics

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and...

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.

The School District Adjusted Index for the Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.

2006-07 - 5.7%, Base 3.9%

2007-08 - 4.9%, Base 3.4%

2008-09 - 6.4%, Base 4.4%

2009-10 - 5.9%, Base 4.1%

2010-11 - 4.2%, Base 2.9%

2010-12 - 2.0%, Base 1.4%

For the 2010-11 budget year, the school board did not seek an exception to exceed the index. 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.

Property tax relief

In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District was $177 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 1592 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 acres (40,468.6 m²) and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption.

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

Tax Foundation

The Tax Foundation is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank founded in 1937 that collects data and publishes research studies on tax policies at the federal and state levels. The organization is broken into three primary areas of research which are the Center for Federal Fiscal Policy, The and the...

, 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%).

Extracurriculars

The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. The Allegheny-Clarion Valley School Board determines eligibility policies to participate in these programs.

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.

References:

External links

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