Ringgold School District
Encyclopedia
Ringgold School District is a midsized, suburban, public school district located in the northeastern corner of Washington County, Pennsylvania
, south of Pittsburgh. The district encompasses 58 square mile
s including: the city of Monongahela
, the boroughs of Donora
, New Eagle
and Finleyville
, and the townships of Carroll
, Union
, and Nottingham. According to 2000 federal census data, it served a resident population of 26,933. Per District officials, in school year 2007-08 the Ringgold School District provided basic educational services to 3,290 pupils, while employing: 249 teachers, 176 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 19 administrators. Ringgold School District received more than $18.2 million in state funding in school year 2007-08.
The district includes a combination of two former high schools from the area. Monongahela and Donora both had their own junior and senior high schools. These buildings currently house two of the three elementary schools in the district (Monongahela and Donora). The current high school was built in 1979.
Ringgold School District operates five schools: Ringgold High School
in Carroll Township, Ringgold Middle School in Union Township, Monongahela Elementary Center in Monongahela
, Donora Elementary Center in Donora, and Gastonville Elementary Center in Union Township.
The district has also operated Carroll Middle School in Carroll Township until 2009, when they merged the school with Finley Middle School to form Ringgold Middle School. Ringgold also plans to close Donora and Monongahela Elementary Centers by this Summer 2011. The students from these schools are housed at an expanded Gastonville Elementary Center that was renamed Ringgold Elementary Center North and the renovated, former Carroll Middle School was renamed Ringgold Elementary Center South. The district is planning to build a new middle school.
results in: reading, writing, math and three years of science.
Former calculation graduation rate:
In 2011, the high school ranked 63rd out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools, for academic achievement of its 11th graders based on the past three years of the PSSAs in: reading, writing, math and three years of science.
11th Grade Reading
11th Grade Math:
11th Grade Science:
College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 51% of Ringgold School District graduates required remediation in mathematics and or reading before they were prepared to take college level courses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
or community colleges. Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school graduates, who enroll in a four-year college in Pennsylvania, will earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduate in three years. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education
, one in three recent high school graduates who attend Pennsylvania's public universities and community colleges takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.
program. 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. For the 2009-10 funding year, Ringgold School District received a state grant of $12,529 for the program.
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, beginning with the graduating class in 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.
s. Formerly Finley Middle School now a consolidated school with all the district's 6th through 8th grades.
8th Grade Reading:
8th Grade Math:
8th Grade Science:
7th Grade Reading
7th Grade Math:
6th Grade Reading:
6th Grade Math:
8th Grade Reading:
2009 - 74% on grade level. State: 80.9% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 73%, State - 78%
8th Grade Math:
2009 - 58% on grade level. State: 71% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 50%, State -70%
8th Grade Science:
2009 - 38% on grade level. State: 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 31%, State - 50%
The Ringgold School Board has provided the district's antibully policy online. 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.
services.
In order to comply with state and federal laws, the school 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 Special Education administration. 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 Ringgold School District or contact the Supervisor of Special Education.
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.
Ringgold School District received a $1,913,736 supplement for special education services in 2010.
For the 2011-12 school year, all Pennsylvania public school districts received the same level of funding for special education that they received in 2010-11. This level funding is provided regardless of changes in the number of pupils who need special education services and regardless of the level of services the respective students required.
, health insurance
, professional development reimbursement, personal days, sick days, and other benefits.
The district administrative costs in 2008 were $707.74 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. In 2007, the school board awarded a four year contract to Gary Hamilton to serve as the district's superintendent. His initial salary was set at $120,000 with incentives. He also received an extensive benefits package. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007-08 school year was $122,165.
In 2008, the district administration reported spending $11,029 per pupil which ranked 394th among Pennsylvania's 501 school districts.
In April 2011, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. The findings were reported to the administration and the school board by state officials.
Reserves In 2008, the district reported a $2,863,447 in a unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was repoted as zero.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned 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. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. 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 individual's wealth.
For the 2010–11 budget year, the Ringgold School District was allotted a 5.86% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $13,373,336. This was an increase of $740,495 over the previous year's funding from the Commonwealth. The highest increase in Washington County was provided to Charleroi School District
which received a 9.90% increase. One hundred fifty Pennsylvania school districts received the base 2% increase. The highest increase in the state, in 2010–11, went to Kennett Consolidated School District
in Chester County
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 3.95% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $11,603,644. The state Basic Education Funding to the district in 2008-09 was $11,163,203.29. In Washington County, the highest increase went to Burgettstown Area School District
at 6.45%. The Pennsylvania Department of Education gave 15 school districts an increase of Basic Education Funding in excess of 10% in the 2009 - 10 budget. The highest increase in the commonwealth went to Muhlenberg School District
in Berks County which received a 22.31% increase in state BEF for 2009-10. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the per district allocation, in the Commonwealth budget proposal made in February each year. The Department of Education reported that 1,145 students, attending school at the Ringgold School District, received a free or reduced price lunch in 2007 due to low family income.
- 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 2009-10 and 2010-2011. school years.
federal grant which would have brought the district a 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.
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 Ringgold School District 2006–2007 through 2011–2012.
For the 2011–12 school year the Ringgold School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year, the Ringgold 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 published in the fall of each school year, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
According to a state report, for the 2011–2012 school year budgets, 247 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; 250 school districts adopted a preliminary budget. Of the 250 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget, 231 adopted real estate tax rates that exceeded their index. Tax rate increases in the other 19 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget did not exceed the school district’s index. Of the districts who sought exceptions 221 used the pension costs exemption and 171 sought a Special Education costs exemption. Only 1 school district sought an exemption for Nonacademic School Construction Project, while 1 sought an exception for Electoral debt for school construction.
Ringgold School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index for the budget year 2010–2011. 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.
at $407 in 2009 and $414 in 2010. The greatest tax relief in Pennsylvania went to the Chester Upland School District
of Delaware County
set at $632 in 2009 and $641 in 2010. The relief was subtracted from the total annual school property tax bill. Property owners apply for the relief through the county Treasurer's office. Farmers can qualify for a farmstead exemption on building used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 contiguous acres and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption. In Washington County, 73% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009.
Additionally, the Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is provided for low income Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older; widows and widowers aged 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 for homeowners. The maximum rebate for both homeowners and renters is $650. Applicants can exclude one-half (1/2) of their Social Security income, consequently people who have an income of substantially more than $35,000 may still qualify for a rebate. Individuals must apply annually for the rebate. This can be taken in addition to Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief.
Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation
, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).
By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those homeschooled, are eligible to participate in the extracurricular programs including all athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.
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...
, south of Pittsburgh. The district encompasses 58 square mile
Square mile
The square mile is an imperial and US unit of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one statute mile. It should not be confused with miles square, which refers to the number of miles on each side squared...
s including: the city of Monongahela
Monongahela, Pennsylvania
Monongahela, colloquially called "Mon City," is a Third Class City in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area, located approximately south of the city proper. The population was 4,761 at the 2000 census...
, the boroughs of Donora
Donora, Pennsylvania
Donora is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh on the Monongahela river. Donora was incorporated in 1901. Donora got its name from a combination of William Donner and Nora Mellon, banker Andrew W. Mellon's wife. Agriculture, coal-mining, steel-making, wire-making, and...
, New Eagle
New Eagle, Pennsylvania
New Eagle is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 2,262 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and Finleyville
Finleyville, Pennsylvania
Finleyville is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, named for John Finley. It was built at the junction of Brownsville Road and the 'Washington Road' from Cox's Fort to Catfish Camp, now Washington, Pennsylvania...
, and the townships of Carroll
Carroll Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania
Carroll Township is a township in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,677 at the 2000 census.Carroll Township is strongly allied with the City of Monongahela and the boroughs of Donora and New Eagle...
, Union
Union Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania
Union Township is a township in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,599 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 15.7 square miles , of which, 15.4 square miles of it is land and...
, and Nottingham. According to 2000 federal census data, it served a resident population of 26,933. Per District officials, in school year 2007-08 the Ringgold School District provided basic educational services to 3,290 pupils, while employing: 249 teachers, 176 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 19 administrators. Ringgold School District received more than $18.2 million in state funding in school year 2007-08.
The district includes a combination of two former high schools from the area. Monongahela and Donora both had their own junior and senior high schools. These buildings currently house two of the three elementary schools in the district (Monongahela and Donora). The current high school was built in 1979.
Ringgold School District operates five schools: Ringgold High School
Ringgold High School (Pennsylvania)
Ringgold High School, part of the Ringgold School District, is in Carroll Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, which is about thirty miles south of Pittsburgh. The Ringgold School District was formed as a result of the merger of the Donora and Monongahela School Districts.-Graduation rate:In...
in Carroll Township, Ringgold Middle School in Union Township, Monongahela Elementary Center in Monongahela
Monongahela, Pennsylvania
Monongahela, colloquially called "Mon City," is a Third Class City in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area, located approximately south of the city proper. The population was 4,761 at the 2000 census...
, Donora Elementary Center in Donora, and Gastonville Elementary Center in Union Township.
The district has also operated Carroll Middle School in Carroll Township until 2009, when they merged the school with Finley Middle School to form Ringgold Middle School. Ringgold also plans to close Donora and Monongahela Elementary Centers by this Summer 2011. The students from these schools are housed at an expanded Gastonville Elementary Center that was renamed Ringgold Elementary Center North and the renovated, former Carroll Middle School was renamed Ringgold Elementary Center South. The district is planning to build a new middle school.
Academic achievement
Ringgold School District was ranked 378th out of the 498 ranked Pennsylvania school districts in 2011 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on student academic performance as demonstrated in 5 years of 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...
results in: reading, writing, math and three years of science.
- 2010 - 394th
- 2009 - 414th
- 2008 - 456th
- 2007 - 445th out of 501 school districts.
Graduation rate
In 2011, the graduation rate was 92%. > In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Ringgold School District's rate was 91% for 2010.Former calculation graduation rate:
- 2010 - 93%
- 2009 - 95%
- 2008 - 92%
- 2007 - 92%
High school
In 2011, Ringgold Senior HIgh School achieved AYP status. In 2010 and 20009, the senior high school was in School Improvement II due to chronically low academic achievement of its students.In 2011, the high school ranked 63rd out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools, for academic achievement of its 11th graders based on the past three years of the PSSAs in: reading, writing, math and three years of science.
- 2010 - 67th
- 2009 - 73rd
- PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
- 2011 - 82% on grade level, (4% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2010 - 78% (10% below basic). State - 66%
- 2009 - 68%, State - 65%
- 2008 - 66%, State - 64%
- 2007 - 62%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 80%, on grade level (12% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2010 - 69%, (20% below basic). State - 59%
- 2009 - 54%, State - 56%
- 2008 - 65%, State - 56%
- 2007 - 35%, State - 53%
11th Grade Science:
- 2011 - 38% on grade level (10% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level. .
- 2010 - 42% (13% below basic). State - 39%
- 2009 - 38%, State - 40%
- 2008 - 35%, State - 39%
College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 51% of Ringgold School District graduates required remediation in mathematics and or reading before they were prepared to take college level courses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a large public university system in the United States. It is the tenth-largest university system in the United States and 43rd largest in the world...
or community colleges. Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school graduates, who enroll in a four-year college in Pennsylvania, will earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduate in three years. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the executive department of the state charged with K-12 and adult educational budgeting, management and guidelines. As the state education agency, its activities are directed by Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education, Gerald L. Zahorchak...
, one in three recent high school graduates who attend Pennsylvania's public universities and community colleges takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.
Dual enrollment
The high school 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 Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions. For the 2009-10 funding year, Ringgold School District received a state grant of $12,529 for the program.
Challenge Program
The Challenge Program, Inc. offers $250.00 cash incentives to Ringgold High School sophomores, juniors, and seniors who excel in the categories of: Academic Improvement, Attendance, Community Service and Academic Excellence. The program partners with businesses to motivate students both in and out of the classroom by encouraging good habits in students that will last throughout their education and into their future careers. For the 2010–2011 school year, the top 10% of students in each of the categories will be eligible to win $250.00.Graduation requirements
The Ringgold School Board has determined that a students must earn 23 credits to graduate including: English 4 credits, Math 3 credits, Science 3 credits, Social Studies 3 credits, Physical Education 1.75 credits, Health 0.5 credits, Arts/Humanities 2 credits, Graduation Projects .75 credits and 6 credits in Electives. Students must also score at the proficient or advanced level on all of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests taken their junior year or one of the districts four alternative options.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, beginning with the graduating class in 2016, students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, English Composition, and Literature for which the Keystone Exams serve as the final course exams. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade.
Middle school
In 2011, the school achieved AYP status. . In 2010, the school also achieved AYP status. The Pittsburgh Business Times ranked 141 eighth grades in western Pennsylvania, in 2009. The ranking was based on student academic achievement as demonstrated by three years of results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science 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. Formerly Finley Middle School now a consolidated school with all the district's 6th through 8th grades.
8th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 83% on grade level (8% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 81.8% of 8th graders on grade level.
- 2010 - 80% (7% below basic). State - 81%
- 2009 - 82%, State - 80.9%
- 2008 - 74%, State - 78%
8th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 74% on grade level (11% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 76.9% of 8th graders are on grade level
- 2010 - 64% (18% below basic), State - 75%
- 2009 - 71%, State - 71%
- 2008 - 70%, State - 70%
8th Grade Science:
- 2011 - 53% on grade level (21% below basic). State – 58.3% of 8th graders were on grade level.
- 2010 - 48% (31% below basic). State - 57%
- 2009 - 50%, State - 55%
- 2008 - 52%, State - 50%
7th Grade Reading
- 2011 - 74% on grade level (9% below basic). State – 76%
- 2010 - 72% (8% below basic). State - 73%
7th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 80% on grade level (11% below basic). State - 78.6%
- 2010 - 77% (9% below basic). State - 77%
6th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 66% on grade level (16% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 69.9% of 6th graders are on grade level.
- 2010 - 58% (23% below basic). State - 68%
6th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 70% on grade level (8% below basic). State - 78.8%
- 2010 - 70% (16% below basic). State - 78%
Carroll Middle School
Closed by the school board in 2009.8th Grade Reading:
2009 - 74% on grade level. State: 80.9% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 73%, State - 78%
8th Grade Math:
2009 - 58% on grade level. State: 71% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 50%, State -70%
8th Grade Science:
2009 - 38% on grade level. State: 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 31%, State - 50%
Bullying policy
In 2009, the administrative reported there were three incidents of bullying in the district. It also reported an Indecent Assault on a student and 25 incidents of fighting.The Ringgold School Board has provided the district's antibully policy online. 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.
Special Education
In December 2010, the district administration reported that 506 pupils or 15.8% of the district's pupils received Special EducationSpecial education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
services.
In order to comply with state and federal laws, the school 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 Special Education administration. 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 Ringgold School District or contact the Supervisor of Special Education.
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.
Ringgold School District received a $1,913,736 supplement for special education services in 2010.
For the 2011-12 school year, all Pennsylvania public school districts received the same level of funding for special education that they received in 2010-11. This level funding is provided regardless of changes in the number of pupils who need special education services and regardless of the level of services the respective students required.
Gifted Education
The District Administration reported that 145 or 4.60% 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. Students identified as gifted attending the High School have access to a variety of AP courses. 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 as measured on a standardized ability test by a certified school psychologist. Other factors that indicate giftedness will also be considered for eligibility.Budget
In 2007, the district employed 227 teachers with the average teacher salary in the district at $44,398 for 180 days worked. As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pensionPension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
, health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
, professional development reimbursement, personal days, sick days, and other benefits.
The district administrative costs in 2008 were $707.74 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. In 2007, the school board awarded a four year contract to Gary Hamilton to serve as the district's superintendent. His initial salary was set at $120,000 with incentives. He also received an extensive benefits package. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007-08 school year was $122,165.
In 2008, the district administration reported spending $11,029 per pupil which ranked 394th among Pennsylvania's 501 school districts.
In April 2011, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. The findings were reported to the administration and the school board by state officials.
Reserves In 2008, the district reported a $2,863,447 in a unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was repoted as zero.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned 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. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. 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 individual's wealth.
State Basic Education Funding
In 2011–12, the district will receive $12,097,472 in state Basic Education Funding. Additionally, the district will receive $239,985 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. In 2010 the district reported that 1,250 pupils received a free or reduced price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty levels.For the 2010–11 budget year, the Ringgold School District was allotted a 5.86% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $13,373,336. This was an increase of $740,495 over the previous year's funding from the Commonwealth. The highest increase in Washington County was provided to Charleroi School District
Charleroi School District
The Charleroi School District is a public school district covering the Boroughs of Charleroi, Dunlevy, North Charleroi, Speers, Stockdale and Twilight and Fallowfield Township in Washington County, Pennsylvania.- Schools :...
which received a 9.90% increase. One hundred fifty Pennsylvania school districts received the base 2% increase. The highest increase in the state, 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 3.95% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $11,603,644. The state Basic Education Funding to the district in 2008-09 was $11,163,203.29. In Washington County, the highest increase went to Burgettstown Area School District
Burgettstown Area School District
The Burgettstown Area School District is a small, rural public school district located in Washington County, in southwestern Pennsylvania. It services the Borough of Burgettstown and Hanover Township, Jefferson Township, and Smith Township in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The Burgettstown Area...
at 6.45%. The Pennsylvania Department of Education gave 15 school districts an increase of Basic Education Funding in excess of 10% in the 2009 - 10 budget. The highest increase in the commonwealth went to 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 which received a 22.31% increase in state BEF for 2009-10. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the per district allocation, in the Commonwealth budget proposal made in February each year. The Department of Education reported that 1,145 students, attending school at the Ringgold School District, received a free or reduced price lunch in 2007 due to low family income.
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 district applied for and received $651,379, in addition to all other state and federal funding. The Ringgold School District uses the funding to provide Full Day Kindergarten and to implement research based school improvement programs.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. Ringgold School District did not apply for funding in 2006–07. In 2007–08, it received $361,252. In 2008–09, the district received $65,742 for a total funding of $426,994.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, Ringgold School District received $222,274.Federal Stimulus Grant
The district received $2,455,983 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 2009-10 and 2010-2011. school years.
Race to the Top Grant
School district officials did not apply for the Race to the TopRace to the Top
Race to the Top, abbreviated R2T, RTTT or RTT, is a $4.35 billion United States Department of Education competition designed to spur innovation and reforms in state and local district K-12 education...
federal grant which would have brought the district a 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 Ringgold School Board decided 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.Real estate taxes
Ringgold School Board set property tax rates in 2010 at 120.0000 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.- 2010 - 120.0000 mills.
- 2009 – 117.0000 mills.
- 2008 – 113.0000 mills.
- 2007 – 109.000 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 and the adjusted index for each district are publicly announced by the Pennsylvania Department of Education In September each year. The base index for the 2011–2012 school year is 1.4 percent, but the Act 1 Index can be adjusted higher, depending on a number of factors, such as property values and the personal income of district residents. Act 1 included 10 exceptions including: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, a catastrophe like a fire or flood, increase in health insurance costs for contracts in effect in 2006 or dwindling tax bases. The base index is the average of the percentage increase in the statewide average weekly wage, as determined by the PA Department of Labor and Industry, for the preceding calendar year and the percentage increase in the Employment Cost Index for Elementary and Secondary Schools, as determined by the Bureau of Labor StatisticsBureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and...
in the U.S. Department of Labor, for the previous 12-month period ending June 30. For a school district with a market value/personal income aid ratio (MV/PI AR) greater than 0.4000, its index equals the base index multiplied by the sum of .75 and its MV/PI AR for the current year.
The School District Adjusted Index for the Ringgold School District 2006–2007 through 2011–2012.
- 2006–07 – 5.4%, Base 3.9%
- 2007–08 – 4.7%, Base 3.4%
- 2008–09 – 6.1%, Base 4.4%
- 2009–10 – 5.6%, Base 4.1%
- 2010–11 – 4.0%, Base 2.9%
- 2011–12 – 1.9%, Base 1.4%
- 2012-13 - 2.3%, Base 1.7%
For the 2011–12 school year the Ringgold School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year, the Ringgold 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 published in the fall of each school year, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
According to a state report, for the 2011–2012 school year budgets, 247 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; 250 school districts adopted a preliminary budget. Of the 250 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget, 231 adopted real estate tax rates that exceeded their index. Tax rate increases in the other 19 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget did not exceed the school district’s index. Of the districts who sought exceptions 221 used the pension costs exemption and 171 sought a Special Education costs exemption. Only 1 school district sought an exemption for Nonacademic School Construction Project, while 1 sought an exception for Electoral debt for school construction.
Ringgold School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index for the budget year 2010–2011. 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, property tax relief for 7,726 approved residents of Ringgold School District was set at $158. In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Ringgold School District was $159 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 7,682 property owners applied for the tax relief. In Washington County, the highest tax relief went to Washington School DistrictWashington School District
The Washington School District is a small, urban, public school district in Washington County, Pennsylvania. It serves the city of Washington, Pennsylvania and the borough of East Washington, Pennsylvania. The district encompasses approximately 9 square miles. According to 2000 local census data,...
at $407 in 2009 and $414 in 2010. The greatest tax relief in Pennsylvania went to the Chester Upland School District
Chester Upland School District
The Chester Upland School District is a public school district serving the City of Chester, the Borough of Upland and Chester Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania...
of 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....
set at $632 in 2009 and $641 in 2010. The relief was subtracted from the total annual school property tax bill. Property owners apply for the relief through the county Treasurer's office. Farmers can qualify for a farmstead exemption on building used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 contiguous acres and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption. In Washington County, 73% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009.
Additionally, the Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is provided for low income Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older; widows and widowers aged 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 for homeowners. The maximum rebate for both homeowners and renters is $650. Applicants can exclude one-half (1/2) of their Social Security income, consequently people who have an income of substantially more than $35,000 may still qualify for a rebate. Individuals must apply annually for the rebate. This can be taken in addition to Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief.
Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation
Tax Foundation
The Tax Foundation is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank founded in 1937 that collects data and publishes research studies on tax policies at the federal and state levels. The organization is broken into three primary areas of research which are the Center for Federal Fiscal Policy, The and the...
, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).
Extracurriculars
The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility to participate is set through 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 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.