Athens Area School District
Encyclopedia
The Athens Area School District is a mid sized, public school district which serves the Borough of Athens
and Ridgebury Township
, Athens Township
, Smithfield Township
, Ulster Township
and Sheshequin Township
in Bradford County, Pennsylvania
. Athens Area School District encompasses approximately 178 square miles. Per 2000 federal census data, the district serves a resident population of 15,533. According to District officials, in school year 2007–08 the AASD provided basic educational services to 2,343 pupils through the employment of 197 teachers, 100 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 15 administrators. Athens Area School District received more than $16.4 million in state funding in school year 2007–08.
The district operates seven schools including: Athens Area High School, Harlan Rowe Junior High School, SRU Middle School, Lynch Bustin Elementary School, Sheshequin Ulster Elementary School, Harriet Child Elementary School and Gladys Burnham Elementary School.
results in: reading, writing, math, and three years of science.
In 2009, the academic achievement, of the students in the Athens Area School District, was in the 32nd percentile among all 500 Pennsylvania school districts Scale (0–99; 100 is state best)
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
11th Grade Math:
11th Grade Science:
College Remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education
study released in January 2009, 23% of Athens Area School District 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
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
, 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.
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 both 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, including the graduation ceremony. 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 $71,504 for the program.
4 credits in English, 3 credits in Science, 3.00 credits in Mathematics, 3.00 credits in Social Studies, and 10.00 credits in Pathways Electives.
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. In ninth grade the students complete a career exploration activity including giving a multimedia presentation. The student must also engage in 15 hours of community service and participate in career shadowing.
By Pennsylvania State School Board regulations, beginning with the graduating class in 2016, students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, English Composition, and Literature for which the Keystone Exams serve as the final course exams. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade.
services.
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.
Athens Area School District received a $$1,383,146 supplement for special education services in 2010.
For the 2011–12 school year, all Pennsylvania public school districts received the same level of funding for special education that they received in 2010–11. This level funding is provided regardless of changes in the number of pupils who need special education services and regardless of the level of services the respective students required.
The district has not provided its antibullying policy online. 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. 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.
program which is locally available. The Pre K Counts state grant funded the program in part. In 2011, the program was ended due to local budget constraints.
In 2009, the district reports employing over 200 teachers with a starting salary of $42,968 with 187 days. The average teacher salary was $62,018 while the maximum salary is $112,654. 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. The teachers work 7 hours 30 minutes, including a prep period and a paid 30 minute lunch period. Teachers are paid 1.5 times their salary for time worked past the contracted hours. Additionally, Athens Area School District teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance
, professional development reimbursement, a Group Income Protection Plan, 3 paid personal days, 10 sick days which accumulate, 2 paid alternate religious holidays, 5 paid bereavement days and other benefits. Teachers receive a terminal leave payment which includes payment for unused sick days. Retiring teachers can receive an up to $13,000 bonus. The district provides the teachers' union with 15 paid days to perform union business, including travel outside the district. The union pays for a substitute teacher. 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.
In 2007, the Athens Area School District employed 179 teachers and the average teacher salary in the district was $53,377 for 180 days worked.
The district administrative costs in 2008 were $807.66 per pupil. This ranked 188th among Pennsylvania's 501 school districts. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.
In 2008, Athens Area School District reported spending $12,733 per pupil. This ranked 193rd in the commonwealth.
In January 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. The findings were reported to the school board and administration.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax 1.56%, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, 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 and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of the income level.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education
, 984 Athens Area School District students received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2010–2011 school year.
For the 2010–11 budget year, Athens Area School District received a 2.92% increase in state basic education funding for a total of $11,644,363. In Bradford County, the highest increase went to Towanda Area School District
which received an 6.36% increase in state funding. Two Bradford County school districts received the base 2% funding increase. One hundred fifty school districts in Pennsylvania received the 2% base increase for budget year 2010–11. The highest increase in the state was given to Kennett Consolidated School District
of Chester County
which was given a 23.65% increase in state funding. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation set in the budget proposal made in February each year.
In the 2009–2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 3.97% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $11,312,693. The state Basic Education Funding to the Athens Area School District in 2008–09 was $10,880,769.09. Seventy school districts in Pennsylvania received the minimum base increase of 2 percent. The highest increase in Bradford County went to Towanda Area School District which received a 8.43% increase. Muhlenberg School District
of Berks County received the highest Basic Education Funding increase in Pennsylvania – an increase of 22.31 percent. Sixteen Pennsylvania school districts received an increase in funding of over 10 percent in 2009. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation set in the budget proposal made in February each year.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education
, 949 Athens Area School District students received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2008–2009 school year.
– Federal stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. This funding was for 2009–10 and 2010–2011 school years.
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.
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 Athens Area School District 2006–2007 through 2011–2012.
For the 2011–12 school year the Athens Area School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year, the Athens Area School Board has the option of adopting either 1) a resolution in January certifying they will not increase taxes above their index or 2) a preliminary budget in February. A school district adopting the resolution may not apply for referendum exceptions or ask voters for a tax increase above the inflation index. A specific timeline for these decisions is publisher each year by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
According to a state report, for the 2011–2012 school year budgets, 247 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; 250 school districts adopted a preliminary budget. Of the 250 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget, 231 adopted real estate tax rates that exceeded their index. Tax rate increases in the other 19 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget did not exceed the school district’s index. Of the districts who sought exceptions 221 used the pension costs exemption and 171 sought a Special Education costs exemption. Only 1 school district sought an exemption for Nonacademic School Construction Project, while 1 sought an exception for Electoral debt for school construction.
Athens Area School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budgets in 2009–10 or in 2010–11. 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.
A Standard and Poors study found that an optimal Pennsylvania school district size, to conserve administrative costs, was 3000 pupils. Consolidation of administrations with an adjacent school district would achieve substantial administrative cost savings for people in both communities. According to a 2009 proposal by Governor Edward Rendell, the excessive administrative overhead dollars could be redirected to improving high school student academic achievement, enriching the curriculum programs or to reducing local property taxes.
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 school buildings. The study noted that while the best school districts spent 4% of the annual budget on administration, others spend over 15% on administration.
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). Pennsylvania Department of Education data shows that from 1999–2000 to 2008–09 there has been a 12 percent increase in public school staff even as there was a 1 percent decline in enrollment. Pennsylvania schools added 17,345 professional employees and 15,582 support workers over this time, while enrollment declined by 26,960. Total public school enrollment in 2009 was 1,787,351 pupils.
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. This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity. In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
and the Pennsylvania General Assembly
. 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 "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.
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.
Athens, Pennsylvania
Athens is a borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, two miles south of the N. Y. State line on the Susquehanna and Chemung rivers. Population in 1900, 3,749; and in 1910, 3,796. The population was 3,415 at the 2000 census...
and Ridgebury Township
Ridgebury Township, Pennsylvania
Ridgebury Township is a township in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,982 at the 2000 census.-History:The first settlers to Ridgebury Township were two families from Orange County New York, who arrived in 1805. Ridgebury Township was established in 1818 from Athens...
, Athens Township
Athens Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania
Athens Township is a township in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,058 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.Athens Township is bordered by New...
, Smithfield Township
Smithfield Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania
Smithfield Township is a township in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,538 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 41.7 square miles , of which, 41.6 square miles of it is land and...
, Ulster Township
Ulster Township, Pennsylvania
Ulster Township is a township in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,340 at the 2000 census.It was named after the province of Ulster in Ireland.-Geography:...
and Sheshequin Township
Sheshequin Township, Pennsylvania
Sheshequin Township is a township in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,300 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.1 square miles , of which, 35.3 square miles of it is land and...
in Bradford County, Pennsylvania
Bradford County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,761 people, 24,453 households, and 17,312 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 28,664 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
. Athens Area School District encompasses approximately 178 square miles. Per 2000 federal census data, the district serves a resident population of 15,533. According to District officials, in school year 2007–08 the AASD provided basic educational services to 2,343 pupils through the employment of 197 teachers, 100 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 15 administrators. Athens Area School District received more than $16.4 million in state funding in school year 2007–08.
The district operates seven schools including: Athens Area High School, Harlan Rowe Junior High School, SRU Middle School, Lynch Bustin Elementary School, Sheshequin Ulster Elementary School, Harriet Child Elementary School and Gladys Burnham Elementary School.
Academic achievement
Athens Area School District was ranked 367th out of the 498 ranked Pennsylvania school districts in 2011 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on student academic achievement as demonstrated by 5 years of PSSAPennsylvania 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 in: reading, writing, math, and three years of science.
- 2010 – 348th
- 2009 – 352nd
- 2008 – 338th
- 2007 – 340th out of 501 Pennsylvania school districts.
In 2009, the academic achievement, of the students in the Athens Area School District, was in the 32nd percentile among all 500 Pennsylvania 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. Athens Area High School's rate was 86% for 2010.According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
- 2010 – 88%
- 2009 – 92%
- 2008 – 90%
- 2007 – 90%
Athens Area High School
The Athens Area High School is in Making Progress: in School Improvement I status. The school was in School Improvement I due to chronically low student achievement in 2009.PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
- 2010 – 59% on grade level, Boys 49%/Girls 70%, (19% below basic) In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders on grade level.
- 2009 – 62%, Boys 57%/Girls 69%, (23% below basic). State – 65%
- 2008 – 53%, State – 65%
- 2007 – 61%, State – 65%
11th Grade Math:
- 2010 – 55% on grade level, Boys 56%/Girls 55%, (29% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders on grade level.
- 2009 – 58%, Boys 54%/Girls 61%, (19% below basic). State – 56% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2008 – 46%, State – 56%
- 2007 – 48%, State – 53%
11th Grade Science:
- 2010 – 39% on grade level. State – 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
- 2009 – 42%, State – 40%
- 2008 – 29%, State – 40%
College Remediation: According to a 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...
study released in January 2009, 23% of Athens Area School District 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
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...
, 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.
Dual enrollment
The high school offers a Dual EnrollmentDual enrollment
In education, dual enrollment involved students being enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions. It may also refer to any individual who is participating in two related programs, but such a general form of usage is uncommon....
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 both 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, including the graduation ceremony. 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 $71,504 for the program.
Graduation requirements
The Athens Area School Board requires a minimum of 25 credits for graduation including classes in Health and Physical Education,4 credits in English, 3 credits in Science, 3.00 credits in Mathematics, 3.00 credits in Social Studies, and 10.00 credits in Pathways Electives.
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. In ninth grade the students complete a career exploration activity including giving a multimedia presentation. The student must also engage in 15 hours of community service and participate in career shadowing.
By Pennsylvania State School Board regulations, beginning with the graduating class in 2016, students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, English Composition, and Literature for which the Keystone Exams serve as the final course exams. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade.
Special Education
In December 2009, the district administration reported that 417 pupils or 18% of the district's pupils received Special EducationSpecial 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.
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.
Athens Area School District received a $$1,383,146 supplement for special education services in 2010.
For the 2011–12 school year, all Pennsylvania public school districts received the same level of funding for special education that they received in 2010–11. This level funding is provided regardless of changes in the number of pupils who need special education services and regardless of the level of services the respective students required.
Gifted Education
The District Administration reported that 22 or 0.91% of its students were identified as gifted in 2009. By law, the district must provide mentally gifted programs at all grade levels. Students identified as gifted attending the High School have access to 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 must also be considered for eligibility.Bullying and school safety
The Athens Area School District administration reported there were 12 incidents of bullying in the district in 2009. The administration also reported there were 4 incidents of sexual harassment and 2 arrests. Two students were assigned to alternative education.The district has not provided its antibullying policy online. 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. 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.
Preschool
Beginning in 2007, the district offered a taxpayer funded preschool program. In addition to educational activities the program provided free meals and transportation to income eligible four year olds. The Gladys Burnham Elementary Schoo preschool program replicated the federally funded Head StartHead Start
The Head Start Program is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families....
program which is locally available. The Pre K Counts state grant funded the program in part. In 2011, the program was ended due to local budget constraints.
Budget
In 2011, the district's administration revised the curriculum and staffing to adapt to a decline in state and federal funding. The plan discontinued programs and decreased teacher staffing by 16 positions.In 2009, the district reports employing over 200 teachers with a starting salary of $42,968 with 187 days. The average teacher salary was $62,018 while the maximum salary is $112,654. 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. The teachers work 7 hours 30 minutes, including a prep period and a paid 30 minute lunch period. Teachers are paid 1.5 times their salary for time worked past the contracted hours. Additionally, Athens Area School District teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
, professional development reimbursement, a Group Income Protection Plan, 3 paid personal days, 10 sick days which accumulate, 2 paid alternate religious holidays, 5 paid bereavement days and other benefits. Teachers receive a terminal leave payment which includes payment for unused sick days. Retiring teachers can receive an up to $13,000 bonus. The district provides the teachers' union with 15 paid days to perform union business, including travel outside the district. The union pays for a substitute teacher. 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.
In 2007, the Athens Area School District employed 179 teachers and the average teacher salary in the district was $53,377 for 180 days worked.
The district administrative costs in 2008 were $807.66 per pupil. This ranked 188th among Pennsylvania's 501 school districts. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.
In 2008, Athens Area School District reported spending $12,733 per pupil. This ranked 193rd in the commonwealth.
In January 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. The findings were reported to the school board and administration.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax 1.56%, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, 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 and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of the income level.
State basic education funding
In 2011–12, the district will receive $10,880,801 in state Basic Education Funding. This was a 5.42% increase in funding from the 2010–11 state BEF level. Additionally, the district will receive $179,024 in Accountability Block Grant funding. The enacted Pennsylvania state Education budget includes $5,354,629,000 for the 2011–2012 Basic Education Funding appropriation. This amount is a $233,290,000 increase (4.6%) over the enacted State appropriation for 2010–2011.According to 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...
, 984 Athens Area School District students received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2010–2011 school year.
For the 2010–11 budget year, Athens Area School District received a 2.92% increase in state basic education funding for a total of $11,644,363. In Bradford County, the highest increase went to Towanda Area School District
Towanda Area School District
The Towanda Area School District covers the Boroughs of Towanda and Monroe and Franklin Township, Monroe Township, Towanda Township, North Towanda Township, Wysox Township, Asylum Township and Standing Stone Township in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. The district operates Towanda Junior/Senior...
which received an 6.36% increase in state funding. Two Bradford County school districts received the base 2% funding increase. One hundred fifty school districts in Pennsylvania received the 2% base increase for budget year 2010–11. The highest increase in the state was given 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....
of 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...
which was given a 23.65% increase in state funding. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation set in the budget proposal made in February each year.
In the 2009–2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 3.97% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $11,312,693. The state Basic Education Funding to the Athens Area School District in 2008–09 was $10,880,769.09. Seventy school districts in Pennsylvania received the minimum base increase of 2 percent. The highest increase in Bradford County went to Towanda Area School District which received a 8.43% increase. 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 received the highest Basic Education Funding increase in Pennsylvania – an increase of 22.31 percent. Sixteen Pennsylvania school districts received an increase in funding of over 10 percent in 2009. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation set in the budget proposal made in February each year.
According to 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...
, 949 Athens Area School District students received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2008–2009 school year.
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 K-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, Athens Area School District applied for and received $485,916 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The funding was used pay for the extra teachers to provide all day kindergarten for the 7th year.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) and paid for teacher training to optimize the computers use. The program was funded from 2006–2009. Athens Area School District was denied funding in 2006–07. In 2007–08 the district received $215,494 in funding. For the 2008–09, school year the district received $45,413. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future grant awards.Federal stimulus grant
The Athens Area School District received $335,409.12 in ARRAArra
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. This funding was for 2009–10 and 2010–2011 school years.
Race to the Top grant
School district officials did not apply for the Race to the TopRace 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 Athens Area School District School Board participated 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. The report found multiple opportunities for savings.Real Estate Taxes
In 2011, the Athens Area School Board set the property taxes rate at 45.29 mils for the 2011–12 school year. A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property's assessed value. Property taxes in Pennsylvania apply only to real estate – land and buildings. The property tax is not levied on cars, business inventory, or other personal property. Certain types of property are exempt from property taxes including: places of worship, places of burial, private social clubs, charitable and educational institutions and government property. 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. Additionally, service related, disabled US military veterans may seek an exemption from paying property taxes. 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.- 2010–11 – 44.4000 mills
- 2009–10 – 42.6000 mills
- 2008–09 – 41.9000 mills
- 2007–08 – 40.7000 mills
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 the Act 1 Index 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 StatisticsBureau 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 Athens Area School District 2006–2007 through 2011–2012.
- 2006–07 – 5.6%, Base 3.9%
- 2007–08 – 5.0%, Base 3.4%
- 2008–09 – 6.4%, Base 4.4%
- 2009–10 – 6.0%, Base 4.1%
- 2010–11 – 4.3%, Base 2.9%
- 2011–12 – 2.0%, Base 1.4%
For the 2011–12 school year the Athens Area School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year, the Athens Area School Board has the option of adopting either 1) a resolution in January certifying they will not increase taxes above their index or 2) a preliminary budget in February. A school district adopting the resolution may not apply for referendum exceptions or ask voters for a tax increase above the inflation index. A specific timeline for these decisions is publisher each year by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
According to a state report, for the 2011–2012 school year budgets, 247 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; 250 school districts adopted a preliminary budget. Of the 250 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget, 231 adopted real estate tax rates that exceeded their index. Tax rate increases in the other 19 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget did not exceed the school district’s index. Of the districts who sought exceptions 221 used the pension costs exemption and 171 sought a Special Education costs exemption. Only 1 school district sought an exemption for Nonacademic School Construction Project, while 1 sought an exception for Electoral debt for school construction.
Athens Area School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budgets in 2009–10 or in 2010–11. 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 2011, property tax relief for 3,875 approved residents of Athens Area School District was set at $239. In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Athens Area School District was $241 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 3,835 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 and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption.Enrollment and consolidation
In 2010 the Pennsylvania Department of Education projected that Athens Area School District enrollment will continue to decline over the next decade to 1800 pupils in 2020.A Standard and Poors study found that an optimal Pennsylvania school district size, to conserve administrative costs, was 3000 pupils. Consolidation of administrations with an adjacent school district would achieve substantial administrative cost savings for people in both communities. According to a 2009 proposal by Governor Edward Rendell, the excessive administrative overhead dollars could be redirected to improving high school student academic achievement, enriching the curriculum programs or to reducing local property taxes.
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 school buildings. The study noted that while the best school districts spent 4% of the annual budget on administration, others spend over 15% on administration.
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). Pennsylvania Department of Education data shows that from 1999–2000 to 2008–09 there has been a 12 percent increase in public school staff even as there was a 1 percent decline in enrollment. Pennsylvania schools added 17,345 professional employees and 15,582 support workers over this time, while enrollment declined by 26,960. Total public school enrollment in 2009 was 1,787,351 pupils.
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. This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity. In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
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 EducationPennsylvania 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 school board and 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.
Extracurriculars
The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility to participate is set by school board policies.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.