Northgate School District
Encyclopedia
Northgate School District is diminutive, suburban, public school district located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It serves the communities Bellevue and Avalon
, Pennsylvania
. Northgate School District encompasses approximately 1 square mile. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 13,113. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income was $19,001, while the median family income was $41,896. Per school district officials, in school year 2007-08 the Northgate School District provided basic educational services to 1,333 pupils through the employment of 121 teachers, 63 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 8 administrators.
Northgate School District operates three schools: Bellevue Elementary, Avalon Elementary, and Northgate Junior - Senior High School
. The district has approximately 1,200 students enrolled. Bellevue Elementary and Avalon Elementary are K-6 while the Jr./Sr. High is 7-12. Enrollment is projected to decline to 1200 by 2015 and to remain there for 10 years.
s for: reading, writing, math and three years of science.
In 2009, the academic achievement, of the students in the Northgate School District, was in the 59th percentile among all 500 Pennsylvania school districts Scale (0-99; 100 is state best)
Northgate School District was ranked 51st out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts in 2009 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on three years of student academic performance on the PSSA
s on: math, reading, writing and one year of science. Northgate School District was ranked 47th out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
2010 - 91%
2009 - 90%
2008 - 89%
2007 - 89%
By Pennsylvania State School Board regulations, for the graduating classes of 2015 and 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.
11th Grade Reading:
11th Grade Math:
11th Grade Science:
2010 - 26% on grade level (22% below basic). State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 26% (21% below basic), State - 40%
2008 - 28%, State - 39%
College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education
study released in January 2009, 41% of Northgate 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 college
s takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.
program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school, including the graduation ceremony. 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. Over 400 school districts in Pennsylvania offer a dual enrollment program in 2009. 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 $1,476 for the program.
s in: reading, math writing and one year of science. (Includes schools in: Allegheny County
, Beaver County
, Butler County
, Fayette County
, Westmoreland County
, and Washington County
8th Grade Reading:
2009 - 74% on grade level. State: 80.9% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 79%, State - 78%
8th Grade Math:
2009 - 67% on grade level. State: 71% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 60%, State -70%
8th Grade Science:
2009 - 56% on grade level. State: 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 47%, State - 50%
The district administrative costs in 2008 were $937.72 per pupil. The district ranked 82nd out of 500 school district for administrative spending. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.
In August 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. Findings were reported to the administration and school board.
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 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 level of wealth.
received an 8.17% increase. In Pennsylvania, over 15 school districts received Basic Education Funding increases in excess of 10% in 2009. Muhlenberg School District
in Berks County received the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding. The state's Basic Education Funding to the Northgate School District in 2008-09 was $3,760,081.99. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation made in the budget proposal made in February each year.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 563 students received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year.
- Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. This funding is for 2009-2011.
federal grant which would have brought the district hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate. Pennsylvania was not approved in the first round of the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved. A second round of state RTTT application judging will occur in June 2010.
and Northgate School District. The proposed district would serve the communiities of: Avalon
, Bellevue
, Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights
, Emsworth
and Kilbuck.
Governor Edward Rendell proposed a consolidation of Pennsylvania's 500 school district to 100 with adjacent school districts, in each county. He suggested that the administrative cost savings be redirected to improving lagging reading, math and science achievement, to enriching the academic programs or to reducing residents' property taxes. A study of Pennsylvania public school spending, conducted by Standard and Poor's, found that consolidation of the administration with an adjacent school district would achieve substantial administrative cost savings for people in both communities.
Pennsylvania has one of the highest numbers of school districts in the nation. In Pennsylvania, 80% of the school districts serve student populations under 5,000, and 40% serve less than 2,000. Less than 95 of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts have enrollment below 1250 students, in 2007. This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity. In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
Avalon, Pennsylvania
Avalon is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, along the Ohio River, downstream from Pittsburgh. It is a largely residential borough with a few small stores...
, 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...
. Northgate School District encompasses approximately 1 square mile. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 13,113. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income was $19,001, while the median family income was $41,896. Per school district officials, in school year 2007-08 the Northgate School District provided basic educational services to 1,333 pupils through the employment of 121 teachers, 63 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 8 administrators.
Northgate School District operates three schools: Bellevue Elementary, Avalon Elementary, and Northgate Junior - Senior High School
Northgate Junior - Senior High School
Northgate Junior – Senior High School is a public high school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, serving Northgate School District. It is located in Bellevue, a borough of Allegheny County. The school district is relatively small, consisting of only two elementary schools, one in Avalon,...
. The district has approximately 1,200 students enrolled. Bellevue Elementary and Avalon Elementary are K-6 while the Jr./Sr. High is 7-12. Enrollment is projected to decline to 1200 by 2015 and to remain there for 10 years.
Academic achievement
Northgate School District was ranked 259th 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 PSSAPennsylvania System of School Assessment
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment is a standardized test administered to public schools in the state of Pennsylvania. Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 are assessed in reading skills and mathematics. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 are assessed in writing skills...
s for: reading, writing, math and three years of science.
- 2010 - 240th
- 2009 - 203rd
- 2008 - 184th out of 498 Pennsylvania School Districts
- 2007 -166th of 500 school districts in 2007.
In 2009, the academic achievement, of the students in the Northgate School District, was in the 59th percentile among all 500 Pennsylvania school districts Scale (0-99; 100 is state best)
Northgate School District was ranked 51st out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts in 2009 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on three years of student academic performance on the PSSA
Pennsylvania System of School Assessment
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment is a standardized test administered to public schools in the state of Pennsylvania. Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 are assessed in reading skills and mathematics. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 are assessed in writing skills...
s on: math, reading, writing and one year of science. Northgate School District was ranked 47th out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts.
Graduation rate
In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Northgate Senior High School's rate was 86% for 2010.According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
2010 - 91%
2009 - 90%
2008 - 89%
2007 - 89%
Graduation Requirements
By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students must complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate from high school. The type of project, its rigor and its expectations are set by the individual school district.By Pennsylvania State School Board regulations, for the graduating classes of 2015 and 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.
11th Grade
In 2010, the high school's 11th grade ranked 91st out of 122 western Pennsylvania high schools based on five years of results in PSSAs on: reading, math writing and three years of science. In 2010 - 71st out of 105 schools. In 2009, the school ranked 64th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools11th Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 59% on grade level (22% below basic). State - 66% of 11th graders were on grade level.
- 2009 - 61% (29% below basic), State - 65%
- 2008 - 69%, State - 64%
- 2007 - 66%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 33% on grade level (42% below basic). State - 59% of 11th graders were on grade level.
- 2009 - 51% (28% below basic). State - 55%
- 2008 - 60%, State - 56%
11th Grade Science:
2010 - 26% on grade level (22% below basic). State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 26% (21% below basic), State - 40%
2008 - 28%, State - 39%
College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the executive department of the state charged with K-12 and adult educational budgeting, management and guidelines. As the state education agency, its activities are directed by Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education, Gerald L. Zahorchak...
study released in January 2009, 41% of Northgate 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, one in three recent high school graduates who attend Pennsylvania's public universities and community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
s takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.
Dual enrollment
The school district offers 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. 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, including the graduation ceremony. 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
Articulation
Articulation may refer to:In linguistics:* Topic–focus articulation, a field of study concerned with marking old and new information in a clause* Manner of articulation, how speech organs involved in making a sound make contact...
Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions. Over 400 school districts in Pennsylvania offer a dual enrollment program in 2009. 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 $1,476 for the program.
Eighth Grade
In 2009, the 8th grade was ranked 94th out of 141 western Pennsylvania middle schools based on three years of student academic achievement in PSSAPennsylvania System of School Assessment
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment is a standardized test administered to public schools in the state of Pennsylvania. Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 are assessed in reading skills and mathematics. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 are assessed in writing skills...
s in: reading, math writing and one year of science. (Includes schools in: Allegheny County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
, Beaver County
Beaver County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 181,412 people, 72,576 households, and 50,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 418 people per square mile . There were 77,765 housing units at an average density of 179 per square mile...
, Butler County
Butler County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...
, Fayette County
Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the2010 census, the population was 136,606. The county is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Westmoreland County
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
, and Washington County
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
8th Grade Reading:
2009 - 74% on grade level. State: 80.9% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 79%, State - 78%
8th Grade Math:
2009 - 67% on grade level. State: 71% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 60%, State -70%
8th Grade Science:
2009 - 56% on grade level. State: 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 47%, State - 50%
Budget
In 2007, the district employed 106 teachers with the average teacher salary in the district at $48,325 for 180 days worked.The district administrative costs in 2008 were $937.72 per pupil. The district ranked 82nd out of 500 school district for administrative spending. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.
In August 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. Findings were reported to the administration and school board.
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 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 level of wealth.
State basic education funding
In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 4.53% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $3,930,440. This was a mid level percentage point increase, in Basic Education Funding, for the school districts in Allegheny County. Many districts received the minimum 2% increase. Four county school districts received increases of over 6% in Basic Education Funding in 2008-10. Chartiers Valley School DistrictChartiers Valley School District
-Schools:Chartiers Valley School District operates four schools. They are:*Chartiers Valley Primary school - serving approximately 750 students in kindergarten through 2nd grade....
received an 8.17% increase. In Pennsylvania, over 15 school districts received Basic Education Funding increases in excess of 10% in 2009. Muhlenberg School District
Muhlenberg School District
The Muhlenberg Area School District is a public school district serving parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. It encompasses the borough of Laureldale and the Muhlenberg Township. The district encompasses approximately 13 square miles. Per the 2000 federal census data it serves a resident...
in Berks County received the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding. The state's Basic Education Funding to the Northgate School District in 2008-09 was $3,760,081.99. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation made in the budget proposal made in February each year.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 563 students received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year.
Federal Stimulus
The district received $995,601 in ARRAArra
Arra is a census town in Puruliya district in the state of West Bengal, India.-Demographics: India census, Arra had a population of 19,911. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Arra has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 59% of the...
- Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. This funding is for 2009-2011.
Race to the Top
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 hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate. Pennsylvania was not approved in the first round of the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved. A second round of state RTTT application judging will occur in June 2010.
Consolidation
A proposal was made, by David Wassel, a prominent citizen, to consolidate Allegheny County school districts to save tax dollars, focus dollars on student achievement, and improve student services. The plan calls for a proposed district that includes: Avonworth School DistrictAvonworth School District
The Avonworth School District is a small, public school district located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The district serves the Boroughs of Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights and Emsworth and Kilbuck Township and Ohio Township. In 2009, the district residents'...
and Northgate School District. The proposed district would serve the communiities of: Avalon
Avalon, Pennsylvania
Avalon is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, along the Ohio River, downstream from Pittsburgh. It is a largely residential borough with a few small stores...
, Bellevue
Bellevue, Pennsylvania
Bellevue is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, along the Ohio River, adjoining Pittsburgh. The population was 8,370 at the 2010 census. The borough was incorporated in 1867. It is located in the Northgate School District...
, Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights
Ben Avon Heights, Pennsylvania
Ben Avon Heights is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located on a hill above the Ohio River, from the city of Pittsburgh...
, Emsworth
Emsworth, Pennsylvania
Emsworth is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, along the Ohio River. The population was 2,449 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Emsworth is located at ....
and Kilbuck.
Governor Edward Rendell proposed a consolidation of Pennsylvania's 500 school district to 100 with adjacent school districts, in each county. He suggested that the administrative cost savings be redirected to improving lagging reading, math and science achievement, to enriching the academic programs or to reducing residents' property taxes. A study of Pennsylvania public school spending, conducted by Standard and Poor's, found that consolidation of the administration with an adjacent school district would achieve substantial administrative cost savings for people in both communities.
Pennsylvania has one of the highest numbers of school districts in the nation. In Pennsylvania, 80% of the school districts serve student populations under 5,000, and 40% serve less than 2,000. Less than 95 of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts have enrollment below 1250 students, in 2007. This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity. In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.