Deer Lakes School District
Encyclopedia
The Deer Lakes School District is a small, suburban, K-12
public school district
near Pittsburgh which covers East Deer, Frazer, and West Deer townships in Allegheny County
, Pennsylvania
. Deer Lakes School District encompasses approximately 41 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 14,211. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income
was $19,918, while the median family income was $50,671. Per District officials, in school year 2007-08 the Deer Lakes School District provided basic educational services to 1,957 pupils. It employed 163 teachers, 128 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 17 administrators in 2008. Deer Lakes School District received more than $9.6 million in state funding for the school year 2007-08.
The district operates four schools: Curtisville Elementary School (1st–2nd), East Union Intermediate Center (2nd–5th), Deer Lakes Middle School (6th–8th) and Deer Lakes High School (9th–12th). The district also operates a preschool program.
s for math, reading, writing and one year of science. In 2008, the school ranked 36th out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts.
In 2011, Deer Lakes School District was ranked 164th out of the 498 ranked Pennsylvania School Districts. The ranking is based on five years of student academic achievement as demonstrated by PSSAs
results in reading, writing, math and three years of science.
In 2009, the academic achievement, of the students in the Deer Lakes School District, was in the 63rd percentile among all 500 Pennsylvania school districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best)
issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Deer Lakes School District's rate was 97% for 2010.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
achieved AYP status. Deer Lakes High School was ranked 39th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools in 2009 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on four years of student academic achievement as demonstrated on the PSSA
s for math, reading, writing and two years of science.
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, 22% of Deer Lakes 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.
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, beginning with the graduating classes 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.
For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $13,672 for the program.
The middle school eighth grade ranked 44th out of 141 western Pennsylvania eighth grades, by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2009, for academic achievement as reflected by three years of results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science PSSA
s.
8th Grade Reading:
8th Grade Math:
8th Grade Science:
7th Grade Reading
7th Grade Math:
6th Grade Reading:
6th Grade Math:
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.
Deer Lakes School District received a $1,156,620 supplemental funding to pay for special education services for its students, 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. 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.
, health insurance
, professional development reimbursement, personal days, sick days, and other benefits. 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.
The district administrative costs per pupil in 2008 were $868.13 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007-08 school year was $122,165. In 2008, Mark W. King, Superintendent, received $135,449. Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.
In 2008, the Deer Lakes School District reported an unreserved designated fund balance of zero and a unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $3,422,912.00.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, grants, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. In Pennsylvania, pension income and social security income are exempt from Pennsylvania personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of the level of income.
received an 8.17% increase. In Pennsylvania, over 15 school districts received Basic Education Funding increases in excess of 10% in 2009. Muhlenberg School District
in Berks County received the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding. The state's Basic Education Funding to the Deer Lakes School District in 2008-09 was $5,651,215.24.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 391 students received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year.
federal grant. When approved for the grant, the district would have received 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 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.
- Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students.
rates in 2009-10 at 26.2500 mills. Property tax rates in 2008-2009 were set at 25.3230 mills. The millage rate was 24.0350 in 2007. 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.
which was given $632 per homestead. 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. In Allegheny County, 60% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009.
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. This can be taken in addition to Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief.
Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).
join with Deer Lakes 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.
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 respondents stated that they believed consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
.
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.
K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
public school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
near Pittsburgh which covers East Deer, Frazer, and West Deer townships in Allegheny County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Deer Lakes School District encompasses approximately 41 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 14,211. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
was $19,918, while the median family income was $50,671. Per District officials, in school year 2007-08 the Deer Lakes School District provided basic educational services to 1,957 pupils. It employed 163 teachers, 128 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 17 administrators in 2008. Deer Lakes School District received more than $9.6 million in state funding for the school year 2007-08.
The district operates four schools: Curtisville Elementary School (1st–2nd), East Union Intermediate Center (2nd–5th), Deer Lakes Middle School (6th–8th) and Deer Lakes High School (9th–12th). The district also operates a preschool program.
Academic achievement
Deer Lakes School District was ranked 41st out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts in 2009 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on three years of student academic achievement as demonstrated on the 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...
s for math, reading, writing and one year of science. In 2008, the school ranked 36th out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts.
In 2011, Deer Lakes School District was ranked 164th out of the 498 ranked Pennsylvania School Districts. The ranking is based on five years of student academic achievement as demonstrated by PSSAs
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 in reading, writing, math and three years of science.
- 2010 - 155th
- 2009 - 145th
- 2008 - 140th
- 2007 - 139th out of 500 Pennsylvania school districts.
In 2009, the academic achievement, of the students in the Deer Lakes School District, was in the 63rd percentile among all 500 Pennsylvania school districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best)
Graduation rate
In 2010, 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...
issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Deer Lakes School District's rate was 97% for 2010.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
- 2010 - 98%
- 2009 - 96%
- 2008 - 98%
- 2007 - 98%
- 2006 - 96%
Deer Lakes High School
In 2009 and 2010, the high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
achieved AYP status. Deer Lakes High School was ranked 39th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools in 2009 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on four years of student academic achievement as demonstrated 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...
s for math, reading, writing and two years of science.
PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 72%, State - 67% of 11th graders on grade level.
- 2009 - 79%, State - 65%
- 2008 - 67%, State - 65%
- 2007 - 79%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 64% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 65%, State - 56%
- 2008 - 76%, State - 56%
- 2007 - 69%, State - 53%
11th Grade Science:
- 2010 - 37% on grade level. State - 39% of 11th graders on grade level.
- 2009 - 49%, State - 40%
- 2008 - 35%, State - 39%
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, 22% of Deer Lakes 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.
Graduation requirements
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.By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, beginning with the graduating classes 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.
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. The Pennsylvania College Credit Transfer System reported in 2009, that students saved nearly $35.4 million by having their transferred credits count towards a degree under the new system.For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $13,672 for the program.
Middle school
In 2009 and 2010, the school achieved AYP status.The middle school eighth grade ranked 44th out of 141 western Pennsylvania eighth grades, by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2009, for academic achievement as reflected by three years of results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science 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...
s.
8th Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 89% on grade level (3% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 81% of 8th graders on grade level.
- 2009 - 86% (8% below basic), State - 80.9%
- 2008 - 83%, State - 78%
- 2007 - 82%, State - 75%
8th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 83% on grade level (%9 below basic). In Pennsylvania, 75% of 8th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 77% on grade level. State: 71% of 8th graders were on grade level.
- 2008 - 79%, State - 70%
- 2007 - 79%, State - 67%
8th Grade Science:
- 2010 - 71% on grade level (16% below basic). State - 57% of 8th graders were on grade level.
- 2009 - 63% (12% below basic), State - 55%.
- 2008 - 57%, State - 50%
7th Grade Reading
- 2010 - 79% on grade level (11% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 73% of 7th graders on grade level.
- 2009 - 78% (6% below basic), State - 71%
- 2008 - 78% (9% below basic), State - 70%
- 2007 - 71% (14% below basic), State - 67%
7th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 84% on grade level (8% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 77% of 7th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 80% (11% below basic), State - 75%
- 2008 - 77% (12% below basic), State - 71%
- 2007 - 73% (11% below basic), State - 67%
6th Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 72% on grade level (11% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 68% of 6th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 74% (9% below basic), State - 67%
- 2008 - 73% (7% below basic), State - 67%
- 2007 - 77% (6% below basic), State - 63%
6th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 81% on grade level (11% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 78% of 6th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 78% (12% below basic), State - 75%
- 2008 - 80% (12% below basic), State - 72%
- 2007 - 74% (11% below basic), State - 69%
Special Education
In December 2009, the district administration reported that 334 pupils or 16.9% of the district's pupils received Special Education 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.
Deer Lakes School District received a $1,156,620 supplemental funding to pay for special education services for its students, 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. 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.
Budget
In 2007, the district employed 152 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $55,249 for 180 days worked. In Pennsylvania, the average salary of the 124,100 public school teachers was $54,977. 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 pensionPension
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 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.
The district administrative costs per pupil in 2008 were $868.13 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007-08 school year was $122,165. In 2008, Mark W. King, Superintendent, received $135,449. Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.
In 2008, the Deer Lakes School District reported an unreserved designated fund balance of zero and a unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $3,422,912.00.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, grants, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. In Pennsylvania, pension income and social security income are exempt from Pennsylvania personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of the level of income.
State basic education funding
In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 2% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $5,764,240. This was the lowest percentage point increase, in Basic Education Funding, for the school districts in Allegheny County and in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Four county school districts received increases of over 6% in Basic Education Funding in 2008-10. Chartiers Valley School DistrictChartiers Valley School District
-Schools:Chartiers Valley School District operates four schools. They are:*Chartiers Valley Primary school - serving approximately 750 students in kindergarten through 2nd grade....
received an 8.17% 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. The state's Basic Education Funding to the Deer Lakes School District in 2008-09 was $5,651,215.24.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 391 students received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year.
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. When approved for the grant, the district would have received 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 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.
Federal Stimulus Funding
The district received an extra $1,250,575 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.
Real estate taxes
The Deer Lakes School Board set property taxProperty tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
rates in 2009-10 at 26.2500 mills. Property tax rates in 2008-2009 were set at 25.3230 mills. The millage rate was 24.0350 in 2007. 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 2010, property tax relief for Deer Lakes School District was set at $204 for 4,578 approved properties. In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Deer Lakes School District was $208 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 4,485 property owners applied for the tax relief. In Pennsylvania the highest 2010 property tax relief was for Chester Upland School DistrictChester Upland School District
The Chester Upland School District is a public school district serving the City of Chester, the Borough of Upland and Chester Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania...
which was given $632 per homestead. 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. In Allegheny County, 60% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009.
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. This can be taken in addition to Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief.
Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).
Enrollment and Consolidation
A proposal has been made by David Wassell, a prominent resident and leader in Allegheny County, to consolidate Allegheny County school districts to save tax dollars and improve student services. The proposal is that Allegheny Valley School DistrictAllegheny Valley School District
The Allegheny Valley School District is a small, public school district located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It covers Cheswick and Springdale boroughs and Harmar and Springdale townships in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania...
join with Deer Lakes 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.
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 respondents stated that they believed consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
Extracurriculars
The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility for participation is set by school board policy and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic AssociationPennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. is one of the governing bodies of high school and junior high school sports for the state of Pennsylvania, United States....
.
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.