Ephrata Area School District
Encyclopedia
The Ephrata Area School District is a midsized, suburban, public school district
located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
. Ephrata Area School District encompasses approximately 44 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 30,458. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income
was $19,574, while the median family income was $51,151 a year. According to District officials, in school year 2007-08, the Ephrata Area School District provided basic educational services to 4,000 pupils. The district employed 316 teachers, 199 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 16 administrators in 2009. Ephrata Area School District received more than $14.3 million in state funding in school year 2007-08. The district is a member of Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit (IU) 13.
Source: Local School Directory
In 2009, the academic achievement of the students of Ephrata Area School District was in the 48th percentile of Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best).
2010 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, 31% of Ephrata 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 since 2007. The program is open to seniors at Ephrata Senior HIgh School. Up to six credits a semester may be taken. 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. Ephrata Area School District has concurrent agreements for Dual Enrollment with: Franklin and Marshall College, Pennsylvania State University
- Berks Campus, Millersville University and Harrisburg Area Community College - Lancaster Campus. 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 $6,484 for the program. For the 2010-11 school year, $5,608.00 was received from the PDE. For 2011-12, there are no state grants available, however the program continues. Parents and students are responsible for paying all costs associated with the course.
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. At Ephrata Area School District the graduation project must be completed, in order to attend prom, participate in senior activity day and the graduation ceremony.
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating class of 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.
‘’’PSSA Results:’’’
8th Grade Reading
8th Grade Math:
8th Grade Science:
7th Grade Reading
7th Grade Math:
6th Grade Reading:
6th Grade Math:
5th Grade Reading:
5th Grade Math:
, health insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, professional development reimbursement, 10 paid sick days which accumulate, 2 paid personal days, 1 paid emergency leave day and a variety of other benefits. In 2009, the district employed over 420 teachers with a salary range of $45,985 to $141,395. The average salary was $57,113. Employees on sabbatical leave still receive hospitalization and health insurance, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and dental insurance and tuition reimbursement. Teachers receive a bonus on retirement in 2010 - 2015 of $180 per year teaching service and $45 for each unused sick day. The Board granted the local union a maximum of eight (8) paid school days (no more than four (4) of which may be taken at any one time) per school year for employees to attend meetings or workshops (including the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the National Education Association conventions). The union reimburses the School District the amount of the current per diem substitute salary per day for each employee participating in the meeting or workshop
The district's administrative costs per pupil was $825.39 in 2008. This ranked 163th in Pennsylvania for administrative spending. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.
In 2008, the district's per pupil spending was $11,868. This ranked 288th in 500 Pennsylvania public school districts.
Reserves - In 2008, the district reported an unreserved designated fund balance of $7,558,976 and a unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $4,430,778. In 2010 the reserves had increased to an unreserved designated fund balance of $7,558,976 and a unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $4,430,778.
In December 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. Findings were reported to the school board and administration. Specifically, the district was cited for Failure to Report Mileage and Pupil Data to the Department of Education in accordance with reporting guidelines resulting in
unverifiable reimbursements and for certification deficiencies.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of the individual's wealth.
which got a 49% increase in state funding for 2011-12. Districts experienced a reduction in funding due to the loss of federal stimulus funding which ended in 2011.
In 2010, the district reported that 1,167 pupils received a free or reduced lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level
.
For the 2010-11 school year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education allocated Ephrata Area School District a 4.22% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $9,029,531. Among Lancaster County school districts, the highest increase was 18.51% increase given to Conestoga Valley School District
. One hundred fifty school districts in Pennsylvania received a 2% increase for 2010-11. The highest increase, in state Basic Education Funding, in 2010-11 went to Kennett Consolidated School District
in Chester County
which received a 23.65% increase in state funding.
In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 3.94% increase in Basic Education funding for Ephrata Area School District a total of $9,029,531. The state Basic Education funding to the district in 2008-09 was $8,686,956.69. The highest increase in Lancaster County went to Columbia Borough School District
which received 8.61% increase in 2009-10. Muhlenberg School District
of Berks County received an increase of 22.31 percent. Sixteen school districts, in Pennsylvania, received an increase in funding of over 10 percent in 2009. Ninety school districts received the base 2% increase. 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 2009, the district reported having 871 students participating in the federal free and reduced lunch program due to low family income.
, to fund teacher training through coaching and paying for conferences. These annual funds are in addition to the state's basic education funding and all federal funding. School Districts must apply each year for Accountability Block Grants. In 2009-10, the state provided $271.4 million dollars in Accountability Block grants, with $199.5 million of it going to providing all day kindergarten.
- Federal Stimulus money to be used only in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. This funding is for the 2009-10 and 2010-2011 school years.
federal grant which would have brought the district over $1 million dollars in additional federal funding 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. According to then Governor Rendell, failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved.
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 school 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.
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. With the 2011 state education budget, the General Assembly voted to end most of the Act 1 exceptions leaving only special education costs and pension costs. The cost of construction projects will go to the voters for approval via ballot referendum.
The School District Adjusted Index for the Ephrata Area School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.
For the 2011-12 school year, the Ephrata Area School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year the Ephrata 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.
Ephrata Area School Board applied for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budgets in 2010-11. In 2009, The Ephrata Area School Board did not apply for exceptions. 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.
who received $425. In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Ephrata Area School District was $133 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 7,651 property owners applied for the tax relief. The relief was subtracted from the total annual school property tax bill. Property owners apply for the relief through the county Treasurer's office. Farmers can qualify for a farmstead exemption on building used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption.
Additionally, the Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is provided for low income Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older; widows and widowers aged 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 for homeowners. The maximum rebate for both homeowners and renters is $650. Applicants can exclude one-half (1/2) of their Social Security
income, consequently individuals who have income 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%).
.
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.
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
. Ephrata Area School District encompasses approximately 44 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 30,458. 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 $19,574, while the median family income was $51,151 a year. According to District officials, in school year 2007-08, the Ephrata Area School District provided basic educational services to 4,000 pupils. The district employed 316 teachers, 199 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 16 administrators in 2009. Ephrata Area School District received more than $14.3 million in state funding in school year 2007-08. The district is a member of Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit (IU) 13.
Statistical snapshot
 |
| Schools | 8 |
| Students | 3995 |
| Full Time Teachers | 252 |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 16:1 |
| Male students | 2009 |
| Female students | 1986 |
| Native American students | 4 |
| Asian students | 77 |
| Hispanic students | 86 |
| Black students | 700 |
| White (non-Hispanic) students | 3954 |
| Pre-Kindergarten | 1 |
| Kindergarten | 287 |
| 1st Grade | 287 |
| 2nd Grade | 241 |
| 3rd Grade | 297 |
| 4th Grade | 309 |
| 5th Grade | 322 |
| 6th Grade | 317 |
| 7th Grade | 292 |
| 8th Grade | 291 |
| 9th Grade | 392 |
| 10th Grade | 323 |
| 11th Grade | 341 |
| 12th Grade | 291 |
Schools
- Akron Elementary School – Akron, PennsylvaniaAkron, PennsylvaniaAkron is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is a mid-sized town with two main roads going through it: Main Street and 7th Street Pennsylvania Route 272. The town is mostly residential with a number of small businesses...
K-4 with 311 pupils & 19 teachers - Clay Elementary School – Ephrata, PennsylvaniaEphrata, PennsylvaniaEphrata is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, south east of Harrisburg and about west by north of Philadelphia. It is named after Ephrath, a biblical town in what is now Israel. Ephrata's sister city is Eberbach, Germany, the city where its founders originated. In its...
K-4 with 455 pupils & 28 teachers - Highland Elementary School – Ephrata, PennsylvaniaEphrata, PennsylvaniaEphrata is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, south east of Harrisburg and about west by north of Philadelphia. It is named after Ephrath, a biblical town in what is now Israel. Ephrata's sister city is Eberbach, Germany, the city where its founders originated. In its...
K-5 with 453 pupils & 33 teachers - Fulton Elementary School – Ephrata, PennsylvaniaEphrata, PennsylvaniaEphrata is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, south east of Harrisburg and about west by north of Philadelphia. It is named after Ephrath, a biblical town in what is now Israel. Ephrata's sister city is Eberbach, Germany, the city where its founders originated. In its...
PreK-5 with 464 pupils & 29 teachers - Ephrata Area Intermediate School Ephrata, PennsylvaniaEphrata, PennsylvaniaEphrata is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, south east of Harrisburg and about west by north of Philadelphia. It is named after Ephrath, a biblical town in what is now Israel. Ephrata's sister city is Eberbach, Germany, the city where its founders originated. In its...
- Ephrata Area Middle School
- Ephrata High SchoolEphrata High SchoolEphrata High School is a rural, public secondary school in the Ephrata Area School District located in Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.-Graduation Rate:...
- Washington Educational Center
Academic achievement
Ephrata Area School District was ranked 163rd out of 498 Pennsylvania School Districts in 2011 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on five years of student academic performance based on the PSSA's on reading, mathematics and writing, as well as, three years of science.- 2010 - 160th
- 2009 - 155th
- 2008 - 173rd
- 2007 - 206th
In 2009, the academic achievement of the students of Ephrata Area School District was in the 48th percentile of Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best).
Graduation Rate
In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Ephrata Area School District's rate was 86% for 2010.- 2010 - 95%
- 2009 - 94%
- 2008 - 94%
- 2007 - 94%
- 2006 - 98%
Washington Education Center
In January 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of Education identified the Washington Education Center as being in the bottom 5% of the state's public schools, for student academic achievement. According to the report, just 7.69% of the pupils were on grade level in both math and reading. In 2011, the school board changed the classification of the school to a second high school in the school district. For a time, this alternative school permitted students from other school districts to attend, but it terminated that policy in 2010. Washington Education Center graduated 70 students in 2009. It serves as an alternative education, senior high school. The school was required, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, to revise its programming to comply with the state-mandated 990 hours of attendance for students at public schools in 2010. In 2010, twenty four of the school's teachers have emergency certification. Washington Educational Center is on Marshall Street in Ephrata Borough. It opened in October 1999, in the vacant former Washington Elementary School, as an alternative for students that could not complete the requirements of a traditional brick-and-mortar education. The new status means that, upon successful completion or requirements, students will receive an Ephrata High School diploma.2010 PSSA results:
- 11th grade Reading - 14% on grade level, 50% below basic. State - 66% 11th graders in PA on grade level.
- 11th grade Mathematics - 0 students on grade level, 100% below basic. State - 59%
- 11th grade Science - 0 students on grade level, 45% below basic. State - 39%
Ephrata Senior High School
In 2010, the senior high school is in Making Progress: in School Improvement I status due to lagging student achievement. In 2009, the school was in School Improvement I AYP status due to chronic low student achievement.11th Grade Reading
- 2010 - 74% on grade level (9% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 66% (19% below basic), State - 65%
- 2008 - 66% (14% below basic), State - 65%
- 2007 - 71% (12% below basic), State - 65%
- 2006 - 65% (19% below basic), State - 65%
- 2005 - 62% (25% below basic), State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 77%, on grade level (11% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 66% (18% below basic). State - 56%.
- 2008 - 70% (17% below basic), State - 56%
- 2007 - 64% (17% below basic), State - 53%
- 2006 - 62% (22% below basic), State - 52%
- 2005 - 55% (25% below basic), State - 51%
11th Grade Science:
- 2010 - 55% on grade level (10% below basic). State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
- 2009 - 54% (11% below basic). State - 40%
- 2008 - 36%, State - 39%
College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 31% of Ephrata 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 has offered 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 since 2007. The program is open to seniors at Ephrata Senior HIgh School. Up to six credits a semester may be taken. 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. Ephrata Area School District has concurrent agreements for Dual Enrollment with: Franklin and Marshall College, Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
- Berks Campus, Millersville University and Harrisburg Area Community College - Lancaster Campus. 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 $6,484 for the program. For the 2010-11 school year, $5,608.00 was received from the PDE. For 2011-12, there are no state grants available, however the program continues. Parents and students are responsible for paying all costs associated with the course.
Graduation requirements
The Ephrata Area school Board has determined that students must earn 23 credits to graduate including: English 4 credits, Social Studies 3 credits, Mathematics 4 credits, Science 3 credits, Physical Education and health 2 credits, Computer 0.5 crdits Arts or Humanities 2 credits, Consumer skills 0.5 credits, Safety Education 0.5 credits and Electives 3.5 credits.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. At Ephrata Area School District the graduation project must be completed, in order to attend prom, participate in senior activity day and the graduation ceremony.
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating class of 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.
Middle school
In 2009 and 2010 the school achieved AYP status. The attendance rate was 95% in 2009 and 2010.‘’’PSSA Results:’’’
8th Grade Reading
- 2010 - 82% on grade level (7% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 81% of 8th graders on grade level.
- 2009 - 84% (8% below basic), State - 80%
- 2008 - 84% (7% below basic), State - 78%
- 2007 - 83% (6% below basic), State - 75%
8th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 79% on grade level (7% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 75% of 8th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 80% (7% below basic), State - 71%
- 2008 - 84% (6% below basic), State - 70%
- 2007 - 80% (9% below basic), State - 68%
8th Grade Science:
- 2010 - 63% on grade level (17% below basic). State - 57% of 8th graders were on grade level.
- 2009 - 68% (13% below basic), State - 55%
- 2008 - 68% (18% below basic), State - 52%
7th Grade Reading
- 2010 - 70% on grade level (13% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 73% of 7th graders on grade level.
- 2009 - 69% (9% below basic), State - 71%
- 2008 - 77% (8% below basic), State - 70%
- 2007 - 70% (13% below basic), State - 67%
7th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 84% on grade level (6% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 77% of 7th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 83% (7% below basic), State - 75%
- 2008 - 82% (9% below basic), State - 71%
- 2007 - 77% (11% below basic), State - 67%
6th Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 69% on grade level (11% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 68% of 6th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 70% (13% below basic), State - 67%
- 2008 - 74% (8% below basic), State - 67%
- 2007 - 83% (12% below basic), State - 63%
6th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 80% on grade level (7% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 78% of 6th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 67% (11% below basic), State - 75%
- 2008 - 73% (10% below basic), State - 72%
- 2007 - 74% (12% below basic), State - 69%
5th Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 64% on grade level (16% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 64% of 5th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 70% (16% below basic), State - 64%
5th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 74% on grade level (8% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 74% of 5th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 69% (8% below basic), State - 73%
Elementary schools
- Akron Elementary School - made AYP in 2009 & 2010 | Report Card 2010 http://www.scribd.com/doc/66497500/Akron-Elementary-School-Academic-Achievement-Report-Card-2010
- Clay Elementary School - made AYP in 2009 & 2010 | Report Card 2010 http://www.scribd.com/doc/66497403/Clay-Elementary-School-Academic-Achievement-Report-Card-2010
- Fulton Elementary School - made AYP in 2009 & 2010 | Report Card 2010 http://www.scribd.com/doc/66497349/Fulton-Elementary-School-Academic-Achievement-Report-Card-2010
- Highland Elementary School - made AYP in 2009 & 2010 | Report Card 2010
Budget
In 2007, the Ephrata Area School District employed 256 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $50,677 for 180 days worked. In addition to 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, life insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, professional development reimbursement, 10 paid sick days which accumulate, 2 paid personal days, 1 paid emergency leave day and a variety of other benefits. In 2009, the district employed over 420 teachers with a salary range of $45,985 to $141,395. The average salary was $57,113. Employees on sabbatical leave still receive hospitalization and health insurance, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and dental insurance and tuition reimbursement. Teachers receive a bonus on retirement in 2010 - 2015 of $180 per year teaching service and $45 for each unused sick day. The Board granted the local union a maximum of eight (8) paid school days (no more than four (4) of which may be taken at any one time) per school year for employees to attend meetings or workshops (including the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the National Education Association conventions). The union reimburses the School District the amount of the current per diem substitute salary per day for each employee participating in the meeting or workshop
The district's administrative costs per pupil was $825.39 in 2008. This ranked 163th in Pennsylvania for administrative spending. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.
In 2008, the district's per pupil spending was $11,868. This ranked 288th in 500 Pennsylvania public school districts.
Reserves - In 2008, the district reported an unreserved designated fund balance of $7,558,976 and a unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $4,430,778. In 2010 the reserves had increased to an unreserved designated fund balance of $7,558,976 and a unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $4,430,778.
In December 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. Findings were reported to the school board and administration. Specifically, the district was cited for Failure to Report Mileage and Pupil Data to the Department of Education in accordance with reporting guidelines resulting in
unverifiable reimbursements and for certification deficiencies.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of the individual's wealth.
State basic education funding
In 2011-12, the district will receive $8,686,957 in state Basic Education Funding. Additionally, the district will receive $192,518 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. The highest increase in state basic education funding was awarded to Duquesne City School DistrictDuquesne City School District
The is a tiny, suburban public school district in the state of Pennsylvania. It is located in the east hills of Allegheny County, and serves the City of Duquesne , a former mill town on the banks of the Monongahela River. Duquesne City School District encompasses approximately 2 square miles...
which got a 49% increase in state funding for 2011-12. Districts experienced a reduction in funding due to the loss of federal stimulus funding which ended in 2011.
In 2010, the district reported that 1,167 pupils received a free or reduced lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level
Poverty in the United States
Poverty is defined as the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. According to the U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday September 13th, 2011, the nation's poverty rate rose to 15.1% in 2010, up from 14.3% in 2009 and to its highest level...
.
For the 2010-11 school year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education allocated Ephrata Area School District a 4.22% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $9,029,531. Among Lancaster County school districts, the highest increase was 18.51% increase given to Conestoga Valley School District
Conestoga Valley School District
The Conestoga Valley School District is a school district covering East Lampeter Township, Upper Leacock Township and West Earl Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is a member of Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13...
. One hundred fifty school districts in Pennsylvania received a 2% increase for 2010-11. The highest increase, in state Basic Education Funding, in 2010-11 went to Kennett Consolidated School District
Kennett Consolidated School District
The Kennett Consolidated School District,or KCSD for short, is a public school district serving portions of Chester County, Pennsylvania. It is centered on the borough of Kennett Square and also incorporates Kennett Township, New Garden Township, and the southern portion of East Marlborough Twp....
in Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
which received a 23.65% increase in state funding.
In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 3.94% increase in Basic Education funding for Ephrata Area School District a total of $9,029,531. The state Basic Education funding to the district in 2008-09 was $8,686,956.69. The highest increase in Lancaster County went to Columbia Borough School District
Columbia Borough School District
The Columbia Borough School District is a diminutive, urban, public school district serving the Borough of Columbia in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Columbia Borough School District encompasses approximately 2 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of...
which received 8.61% increase in 2009-10. 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 an increase of 22.31 percent. Sixteen school districts, in Pennsylvania, received an increase in funding of over 10 percent in 2009. Ninety school districts received the base 2% increase. 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 2009, the district reported having 871 students participating in the federal free and reduced lunch program due to low family income.
Accountability Block Grant
The state provides additional education funding to schools, in the form of Accountability Block Grants. The use of these funds is strictly targetted on specific state approved uses designed to improve student academic achievement. Ephrata Area School District uses its $522,541 to fund all day kindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
, to fund teacher training through coaching and paying for conferences. These annual funds are in addition to the state's basic education funding and all federal funding. School Districts must apply each year for Accountability Block Grants. In 2009-10, the state provided $271.4 million dollars in Accountability Block grants, with $199.5 million of it going to providing all day kindergarten.
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, Mathematics) and paid for mandatory teacher training to optimize the computers' use in the classroom for improving instruction. The program was funded from 2006-2009. Ephrata Area School District administration did not apply for the grant in 2006-07 nor in 2007-08. For the 2008-09, school year the district received $188,223. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future grant awards.Environmental Education Grant
The Environmental Education Grant Program was established by the Environmental Education Act of 1993, which mandates that 5 percent of all pollution fines and penalties collected annually by the Department of Environmental Protection be set aside for environmental education. In 2010, Ephrata Area School District was awarded $3000 to purchase air quality monitoring equipment and education resources to conduct ozone level studies for the chemistry and environmental science classes.Federal Stimulus Grant
Ephrata Area School District received an extra $3,062,938 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 only in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. This funding is for the 2009-10 and 2010-2011 school years.
Race to the Top grant
Ephrata Area 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 over $1 million dollars in additional federal funding 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. According to then Governor Rendell, failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved.
Common Cents state initiative
The school board elected to not participate in the Pennsylvania Department of Education Common Cents program. The program called for the state to audit the district, at no cost to local taxpayers, to identify ways the district could save tax dollars. After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.Real estate taxes
Property tax rates in 2010-2011 were set at 19.0200 mills. 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 taxes, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, apply only to real estate - land and buildings. The 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...
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 school 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.
- 2009-10 - 18.5200 mills
- 2008-09 - 18.0900 mills
- 2007-08 - 17.2000 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 permitted to raise taxes above that index, unless they allow voters to vote by referendum, or they seek an exception from the Pennsylvania 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. With the 2011 state education budget, the General Assembly voted to end most of the Act 1 exceptions leaving only special education costs and pension costs. The cost of construction projects will go to the voters for approval via ballot referendum.
The School District Adjusted Index for the Ephrata Area School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.
- 2006-07 - 4.7%, Base 3.9%
- 2007-08 - 4.1%, Base 3.4%
- 2008-09 - 5.2%, Base 4.4%
- 2009-10 - 4.8%, Base 4.1%
- 2010-11 - 3.4%, Base 2.9%
- 2011-12 - 1.7%, Base 1.4%
For the 2011-12 school year, the Ephrata Area School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year the Ephrata 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
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...
.
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.
Ephrata Area School Board applied for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budgets in 2010-11. In 2009, The Ephrata Area School Board did not apply for exceptions. 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 7,896 approved residents of Ephrata Area School District was set at $130. The highest property tax relief in Lancaster County was awarded to qualified residents of Lancaster School DistrictLancaster School District
Lancaster School District may refer to:*Lancaster School District *Lancaster School District *Lancaster School District *Lancaster Central School District, New York*School District of Lancaster, Pennsylvania...
who received $425. In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Ephrata Area School District was $133 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 7,651 property owners applied for the tax relief. The relief was subtracted from the total annual school property tax bill. Property owners apply for the relief through the county Treasurer's office. Farmers can qualify for a farmstead exemption on building used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption.
Additionally, the Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is provided for low income Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older; widows and widowers aged 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 for homeowners. The maximum rebate for both homeowners and renters is $650. Applicants can exclude one-half (1/2) of their Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
income, consequently individuals who have income 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
Tax Foundation
The Tax Foundation is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank founded in 1937 that collects data and publishes research studies on tax policies at the federal and state levels. The organization is broken into three primary areas of research which are the Center for Federal Fiscal Policy, The and the...
, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).
Extracurriculars
The district offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and an extensive sports program. Eligibility to participate is determined by school board policies. If an athlete fails two or more courses on a weekly report, he/she will be ineligible to participate in contests for a period of one week. They may continue to practice. If an athlete fails two or more subjects for a marking period, the athlete is ineligible to participate in contests for the first fifteen school days of the next marking period. Ephrata High School and Ephrata Middle School are members of 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.