Geography

Located 250 miles (402.3 km) southeast of Pittsburgh in rural Westmoreland

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...

 and Fayette County

Fayette County, Pennsylvania

Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the2010 census, the population was 136,606. The county is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area....

, the Belle Vernon Area School District has a population as of 2000 of 20,127 residing in five political subdivisions: Washington Township

Washington Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania

Washington Township is a township in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,461 at the 2000 census.Arnold City, Fairhope, Lynnwood, Pricedale, Gillepsie, Naomi, and Brownstown are area villages.-History:...

, Fayette City

Fayette City, Pennsylvania

Fayette City is a borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 714 at the 2000 census. It is served by the Belle Vernon Area School District....

, North Belle Vernon

North Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania

North Belle Vernon is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,107 at the 2000 census.-Geography:North Belle Vernon is located at ....

, Belle Vernon

Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania

Belle Vernon is a borough located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania along the Monongahela River. The population was 1,211 at the 2000 census. The town is served by the Belle Vernon Area School District, which is actually centered in Rostraver, Westmoreland County.geographical anomaly: The...

, and Rostraver Township. The district area is 42.2 square miles (109.3 km²). Belle Vernon Area School District in southwestern Pennsylvania lies midway between Pittsburgh on the north, Uniontown on the south, Washington to the west, and Greensburg to the east. The school district has a slight geographical anomaly with students from two counties. The present school district was formed by a merger of the previous Bellmarette and Rostraver school districts in 1965.

Enrollment

The Belle Vernon School District enrollment at the Fall of 2009 was 2,899 students in grades K-12 and 982 students in the high school. The district operates two elementary schools, Marion and Rostraver; two middle schools, Bellmar and Rostraver; and one high school, Belle Vernon Area. Each building has its own cafeteria with on-site meals served daily. The school district stadium is located next to Rostraver Middle School.

Dual enrollment

The high school offers a dual enrollment

Dual 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 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 $14,015 for the program.

Extra services

The school district uses the services of the Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center

Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center

Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center, or CWCTC, is located in New Stanton, Pennsylvania. CWCTC is a part-time Vocational-Educational School with 10 sending school districts...

 in New Stanton, Pa

New Stanton, Pennsylvania

New Stanton is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,906 at the 2000 census. New Stanton is often used as a control city in western parts of Pennsylvania, as I-70 joins the Pennsylvania Turnpike eastbound towards Breezewood, Pennsylvania in New...

. along with the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit 7 in Greensburg, Pa

Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...

.

Budget

In 2007 the district employed 156 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $56,784 for 180 days worked. 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. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension

Pension

In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...

, 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, personal days, sick days, and other benefits. According to Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the state teacher retirement fund, a 40-year Pennsylvania public school educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.

Belle Vernon Area School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 were $766.94 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.

Reserves - In 2008, the district reported an unreserved designated fund balance of zero and an unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $2,449,816.00.

The district is funded by the following taxes: property tax, a local income tax and a real estate transfer tax - 0.5%, coupled with state and federal funding. In Pennsylvania, pension income and social security income are exempt from state income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of the level of income.

State Basic Education Funding

In 2009-2010, Belle Vernon Area School District received an 5.20% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $9,638,211. The highest increase in Westmoreland County

Westmoreland County

Westmoreland County may refer to:In Australia:* Westmoreland County, New South Wales* the former name of Westmoreland Land District, Tasmania, AustraliaIn the United Kingdom* WestmorelandIn the United States:* Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania...

 went to Southmoreland School District

Southmoreland School District

Southmoreland School District is a public school district serving Fayette County, Pennsylvania and Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The boroughs of Scottdale and Everson, as well as the townships of East Huntington and Upper Tyrone are within district boundaries.-Schools:-Sports...

 with a 6.44% increase. In Pennsylvania, over 15 school districts received Basic Education Funding increases in excess of 10% in 2009. 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...

 in Berks County received the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding. Ninety school districts were given the base 2% increase. The state's Basic Education Funding to the Belle Vernon Area School District in 2008-09 was $9,161,936.72. 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.

Federal Stimulus funding

The district received an extra $2,115,522 in Federal Stimulus 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...

 funds in 2009-2011. This was in addition to all regular state and federal funding. These extra dollars must be focused on programs to improve the academic achievement of low income students who receive free and reduced lunch or special education students.

In 2008 the district reported that 790 students received a free or reduced price lunch due to low family income.

Race to the Top grant

District officials did not apply for the federal 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...

 grant which would have meant millions in additional federal dollars to improve student academic achievement. The district has been identified as a turnaround school district. This means the district would have received an additional $700 to $900 per student above and beyond the primary grant funding. 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 in the first round of the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved. A second round of state RTTT application judging will occur in June 2010.

Real estate taxes

The Belle Vernon School Board set property tax rates in 2009 at 16.5200 mills for residents in Fayette County and 68.4900 mills in Westmoreland County. 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.

Property tax relief

In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Belle Vernon Area School District was set at $163 for the 115.793 approved primary homesteads and farmsteads. The highest tax relief in Fayette County went to Uniontown Area School District

Uniontown Area School District

Uniontown Area School District is a highly fragmented school district located in Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It serves the city of Uniontown and the boroughs of Ohiopyle, and Markleysburg. It also serves Wharton, Henry Clay, Menallen, Franklin, and Stewart townships. The district...

 at $202 for 5,550 homesteads. In Westmoreland County the highest tax relief went to New Kensington–Arnold School District at $300. In 2009, Belle Vernon was set at $165 for 5,714 approved homesteads and farmsteads. The tax relief was subtracted from the total annual school property tax bill. Property owners must 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) contiguous and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption. In Fayette County, 71% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009 while in Westmoreland County 61% of property owners participated Pennsylvania awarded the highest property tax relief to residents of the Chester-Upland School District in Delaware County

Delaware County, Pennsylvania

Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....

at $632 per homestead and farmstead in 2010. This was the second year CUSD was the top recipient.

Alma Mater

Our Alma Mater,

We'll Be True To Thee,

With Honor And Integrity,

We Pledge Our Loyalty.

Hail Mighty Leopards,

Our Hearts Remain,

In Steadfast Love For

Gold and White!

Our Memories Not In Vain.