The Juniata County School District is a rural, public school district located in Juniata County, Pennsylvania

Juniata County, Pennsylvania

Juniata County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 24,636. Juniata County was created on March 2, 1831, from part of Mifflin County and named for the Juniata River. Its county seat is Mifflintown....

. It encompasses sixteen of the seventeen municipalities in the county (except for Greenwood Township). The district encompasses approximately 372 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 22,273. Per school district officials, in school year 2007-08 the Juniata County School District provided basic educational services to 3,189 pupils through the employment of 231 teachers, 155 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 18 administrators.

Elementary schools

• Fayette/Tuscarora Valley Elementary
• Monroe/Susquehana/Delaware/Thompson Elementary
• Lack/Tuscarora/Mountain View/Elementary
• Fermanaugh/Walker Elementary

In August 2011, the board closed the Susquehanna Elementary School due to an enrollment of 50 pupils. Students have been assigned to attend Monroe Elementary School.

Academic achievement

The Juniata County School District ranked 391st out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts, by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2011, for academic achievement as reflected by five years of student results on: math, reading, writing and three years 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.

• 2010 - 384th
• 2009 - 408th
• 2008 - 404th
• 2007 - 382nd out of 500 school districts in 2007.

In 2009, the academic achievement of the students in the Juniata County School District was in the 26th percentile among Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best)

Graduation Rate

In 2011, the graduation rate was 94%. In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Juniata County School District's rate was 93% for 2010.

According to traditional graduation rate calculations:

• 2010 - 97%
• 2009 - 96%
• 2008 - 94%
• 2007 - 94%

College remediation
According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 27% of Juniata County 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.

Juniata Senior HIgh School

In 2011, the school remained in Warning level. In 2010, the school was in Warning level for AYP status due to chronically, low student achievement.

PSSA Results:
11th Grade Reading:

• 2011 - 64% on grade level, (14% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2010 - 66% (25% below basic). State - 66%
• 2009 - 72% (19% below basic), State - 65%
• 2008 - 57% (20% below basic), State - 65%
• 2007 - 62% (14% below basic), State - 65%

11th Grade Math:

• 2011 - 61%, on grade level (23% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2010 - 48% (35% below basic). State - 59%
• 2009 - 52% (23% below basic), State - 56%
• 2008 - 40% (33% below basic), State - 56%
• 2007 - 42% (33% below basic), State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

• 2011 - 31% on grade level (18% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level. .
• 2010 - 37% (17% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 34% (18% below basic). State - 40%
• 2008 - 27% (17% below basic). State - 39%

East Juniata Junior Senior High School

Provides grades 7th -12th. In 2011 and 2010, the school achieved AYP status. The graduation rate was 95% in 2011 and 96% in 2010. East Juniata Junior Senior High School made AYP status in 2009 and 2010.

PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading

• 2011 - 62% on grade level, (17% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2010 - 52%, (30% below basic). State - 66%
• 2009 - 69% (19% below basic). State - 65%
• 2008 - 66% (14% below basic). State - 65%
• 2007 - 64% (17% below basic). State - 65%

11th Grade Math:

• 2011 - 55%, on grade level (24% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2010 - 53%, (21% below basic). State - 59%
• 2009 - 52% (22% below basic). State - 56%
• 2008 - 64% (23% below basic). State - 56%
• 2007 - 39% (36% below basic). State - 53%

11th Grade Science:

• 2011 - 28% on grade level (28% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2010 - 26% (19% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 35% (15% below basic). State - 40%
• 2008 - 43% (44% below basic). State - 39%

8th Grade Reading:

• 2010 - 77% on grade level (17% below basic). State - 81% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 82%, State - 80%
• 2008 - 77%, State - 78%

8th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 74% (12% below basic), State -75% on grade level
• 2009 - 73%, State - 71%
• 2008 - 71%, State - 70%

8th Grade Science:

• 2010 - 64% on grade level (25% below basic), In Pennsylvania 57% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 69% (14% below basic), State - 55%
• 2008 - 61% (13% below basic), State - 50%

7th Grade Reading:

• 2010 - 63% on grade level. State - 73% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 66%, State - 71%
• 2008 - 67%, State - 70%

7th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 83% on grade level. State - 73% of 7th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 80%, State - 75%
• 2008 - 82%, State -70%

Tuscarora Middle School

In 2010 the school is in Making Progress: in School Improvement I due to chronic low student achievement. 2009 the school was in School Improvement I due to low student achievement.

8th Grade Reading:

• 2010 - 74% on grade level (12% below basic). State - 81% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 69% (18% below basic), State - 80%
• 2008 - 77% (10% below basic), State - 78%

8th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 73% (8% below basic), State -75% on grade level
• 2009 - 61% (18% below basic), State - 71%
• 2008 - 65% (16% below basic), State - 70%

8th Grade Science:

• 2010 - 51% on grade level (28% below basic), In Pennsylvania 57% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 41% (33% below basic), State - 55%
• 2008 - 54% (19% below basic), State - 50%

7th Grade Reading:

• 2010 - 66% on grade level (15% below basic). State - 73% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 62% (18% below basic), State - 71%
• 2008 - 53% (20% below basic), State - 70%

7th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 72% on grade level (13% below basic). State - 73% of 7th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 74% (11% below basic), State - 75%
• 2008 - 61% (16% below basic), State - 70%

6th Grade Reading:

• 2010 - 52% on grade level (23% below basic). State: 68% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 62% (20% below basic), State - 67%
• 2008 - 64% (19% below basic), State - 67%

6th Grade Math:

• 2010 - 59% on grade level (16% below basic). State - 78% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 - 71% (13% below basic), State - 75%
• 2008 - 55% (23% below basic), State - 72%

Special Education

In December 2009, the district administration reported that 351 pupils or 12% of the district's pupils received Special Education services.

The District engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law; and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress. To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Instructional Support Team. 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 administartion of the district.

In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815 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.

Juniata County School District received a $1,529,979 supplement for special education services in 2010.

Gifted Education

The District Administration reported that 59 or 1.92% of its students were gifted in 2009. By law, the district must provide mentally gifted programs at all grade levels. The primary emphasis is on enrichment and acceleration of the regular education curriculum through a push in model with the gifted instructor in the classroom with the regular instructor. Identified students are given the STEP tests to evaluate areas of aptitude. The referral process for a gifted evaluation can be initiated by teachers or parents by contacting the student’s building principal and requesting an evaluation. All requests must be made in writing. To be eligible for mentally gifted programs in Pennsylvania, a student must have a cognitive ability of at least 130 (+or-2 points) as measured on a standardized ability test by a certified school psychologist. Other factors that indicate giftedness will also be considered for eligibility.

Wellness policy

Juniata County School Board established a district wellness policy in November 2006 - Student Wellness Policy 246. The policy deals with nutritious meals served at school, the control of access to some foods and beverages during school hours, age appropriate nutrition education for all students, and physical education for students K-12. The policy is in response to state mandates and federal legislation (P.L. 108 - 265). The law dictates that each school district participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq) "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006."

The legislation placed the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level so the individual needs of each district can be addressed. According to the requirements for the Local Wellness Policy, school districts must set goals for nutrition education, physical activity, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, districts were required to involve a broad group of individuals in policy development and to have a plan for measuring policy implementation. Districts were offered a choice of levels of implementation for limiting or prohibiting low nutrition foods on the school campus. In final implementation these regulations prohibit some foods and beverages on the school campus.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.

Bullying Policy

In 2009, the Juniata County School District Administration reported 1 incident of bullying in the previous school year.

The school board prohibits bullying by district students and employees. A policy approved in March 2009 defines bullying and cyberbullying - Policy 249. 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. 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. District administration are required to annually provide the following information with the district's Safe School Report: the board’s bullying policy, a report of bullying incidents in the school district, and information on the development and implementation of any bullying prevention, intervention or education programs. 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 November of 2011, the lame duck school board approved a 3 year contract with the teachers' union. It included no salary increase in 2012-13, a 1 percent increase in 2013-2014; and a 2 percent increase in 2014-2015. Teachers will receive annual step increases. Teacher overtime pay was reduced from $40 per hour to $25 per hour. There will now be a cap on retirement pay for accumulated sick days.

In 2009, the district reported employing over 270 teachers with a salary range of a starting at $36,000 to $110,000. As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension

Pension

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

, health insurance

Health insurance

Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...

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

In 2007, the district employed 204 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $44,591 for 180 days worked.

Juniata County School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $591 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. In 2008, the district employed Kenneth Albaugh as superintendent for $107,500 by 2010 his salary had risen to $114,000. Albaugh retired in January 2011. In July 2011, the school board hired Richard Musselman as Superintendent at an initial salary of $110,000 with an extensive benefits package.

In 2008, the district reported spending $9,092 per pupil. This ranked 500th out of 501 school districts in Pennsylvania.

Reserves - In 2008, the district reported $4,554,741 in a unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was reported as $400,000.

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

In March 2011, the administration reported a $3.5 million deficit for the next school year. The school board approved a budget that required a voter referendum seeking to raise property taxes over 25% in order to preserve current programs, the teachers' raises and the district wide staffing plan.

For the 2011 Spring Primary, the district conducted a voter referendum, asking voters to agree to a 11.35 mill tax increase (25% property tax increase) to fund various school programs and extracurriculars. The referendum failed No - 6,039 votes, while Yes received 1,349 votes. By law, district officials are now limited to the increase permitted by the Act 1 Index for 2011. The school board will make significant cuts to balance the proposed budget's $3.1 million deficit.

The district is funded by a combination of: a local income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax regardless of the individual's wealth.

State basic education funding

For the 2010-11 school year, the Juniata County School District received 4.42% increase in state basic education Funding for a total of $10,561,111. One hundred fifty Pennsylvania school districts received the base 2% increase. Among Pennsylvania school districts, 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 determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation set in the state budget proposal made in February each year.

In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 5% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $10,114,373. The state Basic Education funding to the district in 2008-09 was $9,632,911.82. The district also received supplemental funding for English language learners, Title 1 federal funding for low income students, for district size, a poverty supplement from the commonwealth and more. Loyalsock Township School District

Loyalsock Township School District

The Loyalsock Township School District is a small, suburban public school district in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The district serves Loyalsock Township, a suburb of Williamsport. The district encompasses approximately . According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a...

 received a 5.94% increase, the highest increase in Lycoming County for the 2009-10 school year. Among the 500 school districts in Pennsylvania, 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.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pennsylvania Department of Education

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

, 1,043 district students 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 Juniata County School District applied for and received $485,876 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district used the funding to provide full day kindergarten for the 6th year.

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 Juniata County School District received $178,441.

Classrooms for the Future grant

Juniata County School District Administration did not apply for funding. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future grant awards.
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.

Federal Stimulus Grant

The district received an extra $1,500,000 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 funding is for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years.

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 which would have brought the district over one million additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate. Pennsylvania was not approved for the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved.

Common Cents state initiative

The Juniata County School Board chose to 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. The review identified potential annual savings of over $78,000 over a variety of cost centers including: food services, transportation, purchasing and utility costs. Opportunities for savings in food services and utility costs appeared particularly promising for the district.

Real estate taxes

The school board set property tax rates in 2010-2011 at 52.3500 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. 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 (Local Tax Enabling Act), which are around 15% of revenues for school districts.

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 authorized 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 Juniata County School District 2006-2007 through 2010-2011.

• 2006-07 - 5.1%, Base 3.9%
• 2007-08 - 4.4%, Base 3.4%
• 2008-09 - 5.7%, Base 4.4%
• 2009-10 - 5.3%, Base 4.1%
• 2010-11 - 3.8%, Base 2.9%
• 2011-12 - 1.9%, Base 1.4%
• 2012-13 - 2.3%, Base 1.7%

Juniata County School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budgets in 2009-10 or in 2010-11. In the Spring of 2010, 135 Pennsylvania school boards asked to exceed their adjusted index. Approval was granted to 133 of them and 128 sought an exception for pension costs increases.

Property tax relief

In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Juniata County School District was $89 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 5,848 property owners applied for the tax relief. The tax relief was subtracted from the total annual school property on the individual's 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. The Pennsylvania Auditor General found that 52% of property owners applied for tax relief in Juniata County. Pennsylvania awarded the highest property tax relief to residents of the Chester-Upland School District in Delaware County

Delaware County, Pennsylvania

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

 at $632 per homestead and farmstead in 2010. This was the second year Chester Upland School District was the top recipient.

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

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%).

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.

Extracurriculars

The Juniata County School District offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility to participate is set by school board policies.

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those home schooled, 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.

Effective with the 2011-12 school year, students must pay a $250 fee (in advance) to participate in athletics. Booster clubs are responsible for funding all costs for a sport that is not covered by the athletic fee.