Forest Area School District is a diminutive, rural

Rural

Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...

, public school district in northwestern 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...

. It is the public school entity for all of Forest County

Forest County, Pennsylvania

Forest County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population is 7,716. Forest County is famous as a rural retreat. Nearly 75% of all dwellings in the county are second or vacation homes . Forest County does not have a single traffic light, the only county in the...

. It serves the communities of Marienville and Tionesta

Tionesta, Pennsylvania

As of the census of 2000, there were 615 people , 282 households, and 166 families residing in the borough. A more recent estimate has Tionesta's population being 592, a loss of 3.69%. The population density was 457.5 people per square mile . There were 337 housing units at an average density of...

, President in Venango County and Millstone Township in Elk County

Elk County, Pennsylvania

Elk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 31,946.Elk County was created on April 18, 1843, from parts of Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean Counties, and is named for the Eastern elk that historically inhabited the region. Its county...

. The district educates about 700 students in four schools.The district encompasses approximately 428 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 4,946. 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 $14,370 a year, while the median family income was $33,333. Per District officials, in school year 2007-08 the Forest Area School District provided basic educational services to 606 pupils through the employment of 60 teachers, 34 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 4 administrators.

Schools

East Forest Elementary	Marienville, Pennsylvania
West Forest Elementary	Tionesta, Pennsylvania Tionesta, Pennsylvania As of the census of 2000, there were 615 people , 282 households, and 166 families residing in the borough. A more recent estimate has Tionesta's population being 592, a loss of 3.69%. The population density was 457.5 people per square mile . There were 337 housing units at an average density of...
East Forest High	Marienville, Pennsylvania
West Forest High	Tionesta, Pennsylvania

Governance

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

Pennsylvania Department of Education

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

 and the Pennsylvania General Assembly

Pennsylvania General Assembly

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

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

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

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

  and the No Child Left Behind Act

No Child Left Behind Act

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

  which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration a "F" for transparency based on a review of "What information can people find on their school district's website". It examined the school district's website for information regarding; taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, public records information and more.

Academic achievement

Forest Area School District was ranked 433rd out of the 498 ranked Pennsylvania school districts in 2011 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on student academic achievement as demonstrated by 5 years of PSSA

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment

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

 results in: reading, writing, mathematics

Mathematics

Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...

, and three years of science.

• 2010 - 379th
• 2009 - 406th
• 2008 - 403rd
• 2007 - 387th out of 501 Pennsylvania school districts in 2007.

In 2009, the district ranked in the 18th percentile for student academic achievement among Pennsylvania's 500 school districts.

Graduation Rate

• 2010 - 97%
• 2009 - 98%
• 2008 - 98%
• 2007 - 98%

Graduation requirements

The Forest Area School Board has determined that 24 credits must be earned to graduate. This includes: English 4 credits, Math 3 credits, Social Studies 3 credits, Science 3 credits, Physical Education 1.5 credits and more.

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.

Beginning with the class of 2016, students must take the Keystone Exams in Literature and Algebra 1.

East Forest Junior Senior High School

In 2009 and 2010 the school achieved AYP status.

PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading

• 2010 - 45% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 67% of 11th graders on grade level. (20 pupils)
• 2009 - 61%, State - 65% (21 pupils)
• 2008 - 61%, State - 65% (18 pupils)
• 2007 - 41%, State - 65% (21 pupils)

11th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 30% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2009 - 42%, State - 56%
• 2008 - 66%, State - 56%
• 2007 - 42%, State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

• 2010 - 50% on grade level. State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 52%, State - 40%
• 2008 - 38%, State - 39%

8th Grade Reading:

• 2010 - 68% on grade level. State - 81% (19 pupils)
• 2009 - 80%, State - 80% (15 pupils)
• 2008 - 75%, State - 78% (28 pupils)
• 2007 - 57%, State - 75% (19 pupils)

8th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 52% on grade level. State - 75%
• 2009 - 46%, State - 71%
• 2008 - 71%, State - 70%
• 2007 - 57%, State - 67%

8th Grade Science:

• 2010 - 42% on grade level, In Pennsylvania 57% of 8th graders are on grade level.
• 2009 - 62%, State - 54%
• 2008 - 66%, State - 52%

7th Grade Reading:

• 2010 - 73% on grade level. State - 73% (15 pupils)
• 2009 - 68%, State - 71% (19 pupils)
• 2008 - 60%, State - 70% (15 pupils)
• 2007 - 57%, State - 66% (26 pupils)

7th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 60% on grade level. State - 77%
• 2009 - 36%, State - 75%
• 2008 - 60%, State - 70%
• 2007 - 46%, State - 67%

West Forest Junior Senior High School

In 2009 and 2010 the school achieved AYP status.

PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading

• 2010 - 69% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 67% of 11th graders on grade level. (32 pupils)
• 2009 - 70%, State - 65% (30 pupils)
• 2008 - 67%, State - 65% (34 pupils)
• 2007 - 66%, State - 65% (42 pupils)

11th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 43% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2009 - 60%, State - 56%
• 2008 - 50%, State - 56%
• 2007 - 40%, State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

• 2010 - 37% on grade level. State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 36%, State - 40%
• 2008 - 33%, State - 39%

8th Grade Reading:

• 2010 - 72% on grade level. State - 81% (25 pupils)
• 2009 - 68%, State - 80% (22 pupils)
• 2008 - 96%, State - 78% (26 pupils)
• 2007 - 79%, State - 75% (34 pupils)

8th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 56% on grade level. State - 75%
• 2009 - 68%, State - 71%
• 2008 - 80%, State - 70%
• 2007 - 70%, State - 67%

8th Grade Science:

• 2010 - 42% on grade level, In Pennsylvania 57% of 8th graders are on grade level.
• 2009 - 47%, State - 54%
• 2008 - 64%, State - 52%

7th Grade Reading:

• 2010 - 75% on grade level. State - 73% (29 pupils)
• 2009 - 57%, State - 71% (26 pupils)
• 2008 - 72%, State - 70% (22 pupils)
• 2007 - 88%, State - 66% (27 pupils)

7th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 79% on grade level. State - 77%
• 2009 - 65%, State - 75%
• 2008 - 63%, State - 70%
• 2007 - 81%, State - 67%

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, including the graduation ceremony. 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 $1,607 for the program.

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 15% of Forest 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.

Special Education

In December 2008, the district reported that 128 pupils or 22% of students were receiving special education services. Forest Area School District provides a wide spectrum of special education services. Parents request an evaluation for services in writing. The district is required to conduct child find activities for children who may be eligible for services via Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the District seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may verbally request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the District or contact the Department of Special Education.

The IDEA 2004

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a United States federal law that governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities...

 requires each school entity to publish a notice to parents, in newspapers or other media, including the student handbook and website regarding the availablilty of screening and intervention services and how to access them.

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.

Forest Area School District received a $443,039 supplement for special education services in 2010.

Bullying policy

In 2009, the administrative reported there were no incidents of bullying in the district.

The Forest Area School Board adopted a policy in July 2009 which prohibits bullying by district students and the faculty. The policy defines bullying and cyberbullying. The Board directs that complaints of bullying shall be investigated promptly, and corrective action shall be taken when allegations are verified. No reprisals or retaliation shall occur as a result of good faith reports of bullying. The board expects staff members to be responsible to maintain an educational environment free from all forms of bullying. All Pennsylvania schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy incorporated into their Code of Student Conduct. The policy must identify disciplinary actions for bullying and designate a school staff person to receive complaints of bullying. The policy must be available on the school's website and posted in every classroom. All Pennsylvania public schools must provide a copy of its anti-bullying policy to the Office for Safe Schools every year, and shall review their policy every three years. Additionally, the district must conduct an annual review of that policy with students. The Center for Schools and Communities works in partnership with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist schools and communities as they research, select and implement bullying prevention programs and initiatives.

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

Budget

In 2009, the district reported employing over 50 teachers with a starting salary of $40,000 to $87,000 for 183 day work year. The average teacher salary is $55,585. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, college course reimbursement, 3 personal days, sick days, payment for unused sick days, a retirement bonus which includes all unused sick and personal days accumulated while working for the district and other benefits. Teachers are paid for extra instructional services.

In 2007, the Forest Area School District employed 53 teachers and the average teacher salary in the district was $51,068 for 183 days worked.

The district administrative costs per pupil, in 2008, were $1,450.53 per pupil. Forest Area School District is ranked 9th among Pennsylvania's 500 districts for administrative spending. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.

The district administration reported that per pupil spending in 2008 was $17,657 which ranked 493rd in the state's 501 school districts.

In 2008, the administration reported a unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $2,951,202. The district had no unreserved designated fund.

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

The district is funded by a combination of: a local income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension income and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless the of personal wealth.

State basic education funding

In 2011-12, the Forest Area School District will receive $2,476,405 in state Basic Education Funding. Additionally, the district will receive $30,839 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 District

Duquesne 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 269 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 budget year, the district was allotted a 2% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $2,576,451. One hundred fifty Pennsylvania school districts received the base 2% increase. The highest increase 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. The amount of increase each school district receives is set by the Governor and the Secretary of Education as a part of the state budget proposal given each February.

In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 2% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $2,525,933. The state Basic Education Funding to the district in 2008-09 was $2,476,404. Ninety school districts received a base 2% increase. Muhlenberg School District

Muhlenberg School District

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

 in Berks County received a 22.31% increase in state basic education funding in 2009.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 278 students, in the district, received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year.

Accountability Block Grants

Beginning in 2004-2005, the state launched the Accountability Block Grant school funding. This program has provided $1.5 billion to Pennsylvania’s school districts. The Accountability Block Grant program requires that its taxpayer dollars are focused on specific interventions that are most likely to increase student academic achievement. These interventions include: teacher training, All Day Kindergarten, lower class size K-3rd grade, literacy and math Coaching programs that provide teachers with individualized job-embedded professional development to improve their instruction, before or after school tutoring assistance to struggling students, For 2010-11 the Forest Area School District applied for and received $83,705 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district used the funding to provide full day kindergarten for the 7th year.

Classrooms for the Future grant

The Classroom for the Future state program provided districts with hundreds of thousands of extra state funding to buy laptop computers for each core curriculum high school class (English, Science, History, Math) and paid for teacher training to optimize the computers use. The program was funded from 2006-2009. Forest Area School District did not apply for funding in 2006-07 nor in 2007-08. In 2008-09 it received $149,383. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future grant awards

Education Assistance Grant

The state's EAP funding provides for the continuing support of tutoring services and other programs to address the academic needs of eligible students. Funds are available to eligible school districts and full-time career and technology centers (CTC) in which one or more schools have failed to meet at least one academic performance target, as provided for in Section 1512-C of the Pennsylvania Public School Code. In 2010-11 the Forest Area School District did not apply for funding.

Federal Stimulus Funding

The district received an extra $423,821 in ARRA

Arra

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

 - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. The Pennsylvania Department of Education advised the districts to use the money for nonrecurring expenses like purchasing equipment and teaching resources like books, and software.

Race to the Top grant

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

Race to the Top

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

 federal grant. When approved for the grant, the district would have received hundreds of thousands in additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate. Pennsylvania was not approved for the grant. 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 Forest Area School Board did not participate in the Pennsylvania Department of Education Common Cents program. The program called for the state to audit the district, at no cost to local taxpayers, to identify ways the district could save tax dollars. After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

Real estate taxes

The school board levied a real estate tax of 60.1900 mills in 2010-11 for residents in Forest County. Elk County residents - 35.0000 mills. For Venango County residents - 9.9300 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. On the local level, Pennsylvania district revenues are dominated by two main sources: 1) Property tax collections, which account for the vast majority (between 75-85%) of local revenues; and 2) Act 511 tax collections, which are around 15% of revenues for school districts. The school district includes townships in three counties, each of which has different rates of property tax assessment, necessitating a state board equalization of the tax rates between the counties. Forest Area School District is impacted by the presence of the federal Allegheny National Forest

Allegheny National Forest

The Allegheny National Forest is a National Forest located in northwestern Pennsylvania. The forest covers of land. Within the forest is Kinzua Dam, which impounds the Allegheny River to form Allegheny Reservoir. The administrative headquarters for the Allegheny National Forest is located in Warren...

. Since 1911, states have received funds from the federal government to offset the loss of property tax revenues which occurred with the establishment of National Forest lands within their borders. For decades, this reimbursement has been set as 25 percent of all receipts from commercial activities on these federal lands, including timber sales. Since the late 1980s and 1990s, the country has a seen a tremendous decline in timber harvests, which have meant a decline in payments to the district. Congress passed the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRSCA) of 2000, which subsidized payments to counties/school districts and took into consideration historic payment levels before the decline. Forest County was the first to accept the alternate payment from the federal government. It has had a negative outcome for the school district.

• 2009-10 - Forest County - 61.8500 mills. Elk County - 30.4400 mills, Venango County - 9.1300 mills.
• 2008-09 - Forest County - 57.0300 mills. Elk County - 28.3500 mills, Venango County - 8.4500 mills.

Act 1 Adjusted index

The Act 1 of 2006 Index regulates the rates at which each school district can raise property taxes in Pennsylvania. Districts are not allowed to raise taxes above that index unless they allow voters to vote by referendum, or they seek an exception from the state Department of Education. The base index for the 2011-2012 school year is 1.4 percent, but the Act 1 Index can be adjusted higher, depending on a number of factors, such as property values and the personal income of district residents. Act 1 included 10 exceptions including: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, a catastrophe like a fire or flood, increase in health insurance costs for contracts in effect in 2006 or dwindling tax bases. The base index is the average of the percentage increase in the statewide average weekly wage, as determined by the PA Department of Labor and Industry, for the preceding calendar year and the percentage increase in the Employment Cost Index for Elementary and Secondary Schools, as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Bureau of Labor Statistics

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

 in the U.S. Department of Labor, for the previous 12-month period ending June 30. For a school district with a market value/personal income aid ratio (MV/PI AR) greater than 0.4000, its index equals the base index multiplied by the sum of .75 and its MV/PI AR for the current year.

The School District Adjusted Index for the Forest Area School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.

• 2006-07 - 4.5%, 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 - 2.9%, Base 2.9%
• 2011-12 - 1.4%, Base 1.4%

For the 2011-12 school year, the Forest Area School Board applied for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index: pension obligations and special education costs. Each year, the Forest 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...

. With the 2011 state education budget, the General Assembly repealed most of the Act 1 tax increase exceptions leaving only special education costs, pension costs and prior voter approved (ballot referendum) debt for construction. The cost of construction projects in the future will go to the voters for approval via ballot referendum. Districts can no longer raise property taxes to cover increasing health insurance costs for employees.

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.

The Forest Area School Board did not apply for any exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budget in 2011. 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 2010, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Forest Area School District was $146 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 1,593 property owners applied for the tax relief. This was the highest tax relief provided in Fulton County. The property tax 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. 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 $641 per homestead and farmstead in 2010. CUSD was given $632 in 2009. This was the second year they were the top recipient.

A special investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania Auditor General found that 70.83% of homeowners in Forest County, had applied for the tax relief.

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 greater 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's students have access to a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility for participation is determined by the school board policy.

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.