Steelton-Highspire School District
Encyclopedia
The Steelton-Highspire School District is diminutive, urban public school district located in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
. It encompasses the boroughs of Steelton
and Highspire
, both industrial suburbs of Harrisburg. The district features one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. The district encompasses approximately 2 square miles. According to 2005 local census data, it serves a resident population of 9,417. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income
was $17,304, while the median family income was $39,956.
and the Pennsylvania General Assembly
. The federal government controls programs it funds like Title I funding for low income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
and the No Child Left Behind Act
which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration a "F" for transparency based on a review of "What information can people find on their school district's website". It examined the school district's website for information regarding; taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, public records information and more.
The district is served by the Capital Area Intermediate Unit
15 which offers a variety of services including: a completely developed K-12 curriculum that is mapped and aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards (available online), shared services, a group purchasing program and a wide variety of special education and special needs services.
The district was in District Improvement I in 2009.
In 2011, Steelton-Highspire School District ranked 490th out of 497 Pennsylvania districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking is based on five years of student academic achievement as demonstrated by PSSAs
results in: reading, writing, math and three years of science.
In 2009, the academic achievement of the students in the Steelton-Highspire School District was in the lowest percentile among Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best)
Graduation Rate:
In 2011, the high school's graduation rate was 93%. In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Steelton-Highspire High School's rate was 97% for 2010.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading:
11th Grade Math:
11th Grade Science:
College Remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 49% of Steelton-Highspire 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, the school district received a state grant of $42,789 for the program.
8th Grade Math:
2010 - 60%, State - 75%
2009 - 42%, State - 71%
2008 - 49%, State - 70%
2007 - 50%, State - 67%
8th Grade Science:
7th Grade Reading:
7th Grade Math:
6th Grade Reading: (88 students enrolled)
6th Grade Math:
5th Grade Reading:
5th Grade Math:
4th Grade Reading:
4th Grade Math:
4th Grade Science:
3rd Grade Reading:
3rd Grade Math:
(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.
The Steelton-Highspire School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 were $1089 per pupil. The district is ranked 40th among Pennsylvania's 500 districts for administrative spending. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. In June 2009, Superintendent Deborah Wortham received a raise of over $5000 taking her salary from $125,000 in 2009 to $130,625 for 2010. She also received an extensive benefits package including: health insurance, life insurance, defined benefits pension, and much more. In June 2010, Wortham unexpectedly resigned. Wortham was hired by the school board in June 2008 for three years. She had served as an academic officer in Baltimore for three years, an administrative post below the school system's top two administrators. She was director of professional development in Baltimore, principal of its City College High School, and the principal of an elementary/middle school and an elementary school.
In July 2010, the school board hired Audrey Utley as Superintendent. Her salary was set at $136,500 annually in the three year contract. Utley had formerly been the acting superintendent of the Harrisburg City School District for several months.
A 2009 Pennsylvania Auditor General audit found multiple, serious deficiencies in staff qualifications. Specifically, between 2005 and 2009, 25 staff members lacked valid Instructional I certification or remained employed with a lapsed certificate. Additionally, the assistant superintendent lacked appropriate superintendency certification. The district was fined over $37,000 for the deficiencies.
In April 2011 the district reported an independent audit found substantial issues including a failure by the former superintendent to use federal funds correctly and a failure, by her, to follow procedures for disbursing district money – specifically payments to a consultant used for various services.
In May 2011, the school board approved a proposed budget spending $18.9 million for 2011-12. The budget plan included multiple staff reductions, a pay freeze by teachers and staff and the elimination of one administration position. It includes a local property tax increase of over 6%
Reserves - In 2008, the district reported a $458,628.00 in a unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was reported as zero.
In 2008, the district's per pupil spending was $12,896. This ranked 185th in 500 Pennsylvania public school districts.
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 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 of the income level.
at 15.89%. Sixteen Pennsylvania school districts received an increase over 10%. 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
in Chester County
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 6.29% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $7,981,503. Seven Dauphin County school districts received increases of over 4.5% in Basic Education Funding in 2009-10. Susquehanna Township School District
received an 10.66% 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 Steelton-Highspire School District in 2008-09 was $7,508,991.90 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.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education
, 836 students qualified for free or reduced lunch due to low family income in 2008.
- Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students.
grant which would have meant hundreds of thousands in additional federal dollars to improve 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. The Race to the Top grant aims to boost student achievement by rewarding states for adopting a slate of education reforms, including adopting common academic standards across state lines, tying teacher pay and tenure to student achievement, fixing failing schools and creating data systems to track student performance.
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 Steelton-Highspire School District 2006-2007 through 2010-2011.
In 2011, the Steelton-Highspire School Board did not seek exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year the Steelton-Highspire School Board has the option of adopting either 1) a resolution in January certifying they will not increase taxes above their index or 2) a preliminary budget in February. A school district adopting the resolution may not apply for referendum exceptions or ask voters for a tax increase above the inflation index. A specific timeline for these decisions is publisher each year by the Pennsylvania Department of Education
.
According to a state report, for the 2011-2012 school year budgets, 247 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; 250 school districts adopted a preliminary budget. Of the 250 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget, 231 adopted real estate tax rates that exceeded their index. Tax rate increases in the other 19 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget did not exceed the school district’s index. Of the districts who sought exceptions 221 used the pension costs exemption and 171 sought a Special Education costs exemption. Only 1 school district sought an exemption for Nonacademic School Construction Project, while 1 sought an exception for Electoral debt for school construction.
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 $632 per homestead and farmstead in 2010. This was the second year they were the top recipient.
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, so people who make substantially more than $35,000 may still qualify for a rebate. Individuals must apply annually for the rebate.
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. There were 500 school districts in the Commonwealth in 2009. Eighty percent 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. In 2009, Governor Edward Rendell called for consolidating to 100 school districts. In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the 49 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
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.
References:
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Dauphin County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of the three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 census, the population was 268,100. The county includes the city of Harrisburg, which has served as the state capital...
. It encompasses the boroughs of Steelton
Steelton, Pennsylvania
Steelton is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, three miles southeast of Harrisburg. In 1900, 12,086 people lived here; in 1910, 14,246 people lived here; in 1920, 13,248 people lived here; and in 1940, 13,115 people lived here. The population was 5,858 at the 2000 census...
and Highspire
Highspire, Pennsylvania
Highspire is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,720 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.The American actor Don Keefer was born in Highspire in 1916....
, both industrial suburbs of Harrisburg. The district features one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. The district encompasses approximately 2 square miles. According to 2005 local census data, it serves a resident population of 9,417. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
was $17,304, while the median family income was $39,956.
Governance
Steelton-Highspire School District is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serve four year terms), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of EducationPennsylvania Department of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the executive department of the state charged with K-12 and adult educational budgeting, management and guidelines. As the state education agency, its activities are directed by Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education, Gerald L. Zahorchak...
and the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
. The federal government controls programs it funds like Title I funding for low income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act , is a United States federal statute enacted April 11, 1965. It was passed as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" and has been the most far-reaching federal legislation affecting education ever passed by Congress...
and the No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration a "F" for transparency based on a review of "What information can people find on their school district's website". It examined the school district's website for information regarding; taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, public records information and more.
The district is served by the Capital Area Intermediate Unit
Capital Area Intermediate Unit
The Capital Area Intermediate Unit is an Intermediate Unit based in Summerdale, a suburb of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It serves the central Pennsylvania counties of Cumberland, Dauphin, northern York, and Perry. It offers services to the regions 24 school districts and 2 area vocational technical...
15 which offers a variety of services including: a completely developed K-12 curriculum that is mapped and aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards (available online), shared services, a group purchasing program and a wide variety of special education and special needs services.
Academic achievement
The district is in District Improvement II AYP status in 2010 due to chronic low student achievement.The district was in District Improvement I in 2009.
In 2011, Steelton-Highspire School District ranked 490th out of 497 Pennsylvania districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking is based on five years of student academic achievement as demonstrated by PSSAs
Pennsylvania System of School Assessment
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment is a standardized test administered to public schools in the state of Pennsylvania. Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 are assessed in reading skills and mathematics. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 are assessed in writing skills...
results in: reading, writing, math and three years of science.
- 2010 - 490th
- 2009 - 490th
- 2008 - 493rd
- 2007 - 491st out of 501 Pennsylvania school districts.
In 2009, the academic achievement of the students in the Steelton-Highspire School District was in the lowest percentile among Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best)
Graduation Rate:
In 2011, the high school's graduation rate was 93%. In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Steelton-Highspire High School's rate was 97% for 2010.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
- 2010 - 87%
- 2009 - 76%
- 2008 - 76%
- 2007 - 76%
High school
Steelton-Highspire High School declined to Corrective Action II 5th Year in 2011, due to chronic, low academic achievement.- 2010 - Corrective Action II 4th Year due to chronic, low academic achievement and a low graduation rate.
- 2009 - Corrective Action II 3rd Year due to continuing low academic achievement and a low graduation rate. In 2009, Steelton-Highspire High School ranked 602nd out of 666 Pennsylvania high schools for the reading and mathematics achievement of its students.
PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 42% on grade level, (32.9% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2010 - 42%, State - 67%
- 2009 - 37%, State - 65%
- 2008 - 37%, State - 65%
- 2007 - 38%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 31.6% on grade level (47.4% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2010 - 41%, State - 60.3%.
- 2009 - 21%, State - 56%
- 2008 - 22%, State - 56%
- 2007 - 27%, State - 53%
11th Grade Science:
- 2011 - 10.9% on grade level (45.9% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
- 2010 - 4%, State - 39%
- 2009 - 7%, State - 40%
- 2008 - 10%
College Remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 49% of Steelton-Highspire 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, the school district received a state grant of $42,789 for the program.
Online Courses
In 2010, the school district began offering an online courses to students through Capital Area Intermediate Unit 15.Middle school
8th Grade Reading:- 2011 - 56% on grade level (19.7% below basic). (66 pupils enrolled) In Pennsylvania, 81.8% of 8th graders on grade level.
- 2010 - 69%, State - 81% (86 students enrolled)
- 2009 - 55%, State - 80%
- 2008 - 48%, State - 78%
- 2007 - 38%, State - 75%
8th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 40.9% on grade level (30.3% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 76.9% of 8th graders are on grade level
2010 - 60%, State - 75%
2009 - 42%, State - 71%
2008 - 49%, State - 70%
2007 - 50%, State - 67%
8th Grade Science:
- 2011 - 36.5% on grade level (35% below basic). State – 58.3% of 8th graders were on grade level.
- 2010 - 18.8%, State - 57.2%
- 2009 - 2%, State - 54%
- 2008 - 17%, State - 52%
7th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 44.8% on grade level (31.3% below basic). State – 76% (94 students enrolled)
- 2010 - 55%, State - 73% (77 students enrolled)
- 2009 - 45%, State - 71%
- 2008 - 40%, State - 70%
- 2007 - 37%, State - 66%
7th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 48.9% on grade level (36% below basic). State - 78.6%
- 2010 - 41%, State - 77%
- 2009 - 53%, State - 75%
- 2008 - 33%, State - 70%
- 2007 - 43%, State - 67%
6th Grade Reading: (88 students enrolled)
- 2011 - 48.9% on grade level (32% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 69.9% of 6th graders are on grade level.
- 2010 - 40% on grade level. State - 68%
- 2009 - 38%, State - 67%
- 2008 - 46%, State - 67%
- 2007 - 34%, State - 63%
6th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 65.2% on grade level (19% below basic). State - 78.8%
- 2010 - 52% on grade level. State - 78%
- 2009 - 47%, State - 75%
- 2008 - 50%, State - 72%
- 2007 - 38%, State - 69%
Elementary school
The Steelton-Highspire Elementary School is in Corrective Action II 3rd Year status due to chronically low student achievement. Students may seek transfer to another public school, including a charter school or cyber charter school, that is available in the district. The school district must pay the fees and provide transportation.5th Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 39% on grade level, (38% below basic). State - 64% of 5th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 28% (44% below basic), State - 64%
- 2008 - 32% (47% below basic), State - 62%
5th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 70% on grade level (11% below basic). State - 74%
- 2009 - 41% (31% below basic), State - 73%
- 2008 - 43% (30% below basic), State - 73%
4th Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 39% on grade level (34% below basic). State - 72% of 4th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 47% (31% below basic), State - 72%
- 2008 - 43% (34% below basic), State - 70%
4th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 66% on grade level (17% below basic). State - 84%
- 2009 - 66% (22% below basic) State - 81%
- 2008 - 50% (36% below basic), State - 80%
4th Grade Science:
- 2010 - 59% on grade level, (23% below basic). State - 81% of 4th graders are on grade level
- 2009 - 69% (11% below basic), State - 83%
- 2008 - 40% (25% below basic), State - 81%
3rd Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 55% on grade level (17% below basic). State - 75% of 3rd graders are on grade level.
- 2009 - 62% (21% below basic), State - 77%
- 2008 - 66% (19% below basic), State - 70%
3rd Grade Math:
- 2010 - 78% on grade level (5% below basic). State - 84%
- 2009 - 70% (6% below basic) State - 84%
- 2008 - 66%, (9% below basic), State - 80%
Wellness policy
Highspire-Steelton School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006 - 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 ActNational School Lunch Act
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act is a United States federal law signed by President Harry S. Truman in 1946. The act created the National School Lunch Program , a program to provide low-cost or free school lunch meals to qualified students through subsidies to schools...
(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.
Budget
In 2007, the district employed 100 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $43,152 for 180 days worked.The Steelton-Highspire School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 were $1089 per pupil. The district is ranked 40th among Pennsylvania's 500 districts for administrative spending. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. In June 2009, Superintendent Deborah Wortham received a raise of over $5000 taking her salary from $125,000 in 2009 to $130,625 for 2010. She also received an extensive benefits package including: health insurance, life insurance, defined benefits pension, and much more. In June 2010, Wortham unexpectedly resigned. Wortham was hired by the school board in June 2008 for three years. She had served as an academic officer in Baltimore for three years, an administrative post below the school system's top two administrators. She was director of professional development in Baltimore, principal of its City College High School, and the principal of an elementary/middle school and an elementary school.
In July 2010, the school board hired Audrey Utley as Superintendent. Her salary was set at $136,500 annually in the three year contract. Utley had formerly been the acting superintendent of the Harrisburg City School District for several months.
A 2009 Pennsylvania Auditor General audit found multiple, serious deficiencies in staff qualifications. Specifically, between 2005 and 2009, 25 staff members lacked valid Instructional I certification or remained employed with a lapsed certificate. Additionally, the assistant superintendent lacked appropriate superintendency certification. The district was fined over $37,000 for the deficiencies.
In April 2011 the district reported an independent audit found substantial issues including a failure by the former superintendent to use federal funds correctly and a failure, by her, to follow procedures for disbursing district money – specifically payments to a consultant used for various services.
In May 2011, the school board approved a proposed budget spending $18.9 million for 2011-12. The budget plan included multiple staff reductions, a pay freeze by teachers and staff and the elimination of one administration position. It includes a local property tax increase of over 6%
Reserves - In 2008, the district reported a $458,628.00 in a unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was reported as zero.
In 2008, the district's per pupil spending was $12,896. This ranked 185th in 500 Pennsylvania public school districts.
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 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 of the income level.
State basic education funding
For 2010-11, the state provided Steelton-Highspire School District a 2.0% increase of Basic Education Funding for a total of $8,141,133. The highest increase in Dauphin County was awarded to Susquehanna Township School DistrictSusquehanna Township School District
The Susquehanna Township School District is a midsized, suburban, public school district serving students from Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The school district is located in suburban Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, a high...
at 15.89%. Sixteen Pennsylvania school districts received an increase over 10%. 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 6.29% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $7,981,503. Seven Dauphin County school districts received increases of over 4.5% in Basic Education Funding in 2009-10. Susquehanna Township School District
Susquehanna Township School District
The Susquehanna Township School District is a midsized, suburban, public school district serving students from Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The school district is located in suburban Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, a high...
received an 10.66% 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 Steelton-Highspire School District in 2008-09 was $7,508,991.90 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.
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...
, 836 students qualified for free or reduced lunch due to low family income in 2008.
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 over $420,116 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district uses the funding to provide: All Day kindergarten for 78 pupils, to pay for teacher education, to fund research based reforms, to provide literacy and math teach coaching and to fund social and health programs for the pupils.Federal Stimulus Grant
The district received an extra $1,563,296 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.
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 Steelton-Highspire School District received $116,182.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. Steelton-Highspire School District did not apply for funding in 2006-07 or In 2007-08. The district received $80,405 in 2008-09.Race to the Top grant
District officials did not apply for the federal 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...
grant which would have meant hundreds of thousands in additional federal dollars to improve 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. The Race to the Top grant aims to boost student achievement by rewarding states for adopting a slate of education reforms, including adopting common academic standards across state lines, tying teacher pay and tenure to student achievement, fixing failing schools and creating data systems to track student performance.
Common Cents state initiative
The Steelton-Highspire School Board decided to not participate in the Pennsylvania Department of Education Common Cents program. The program called for the state to audit the district, at no cost to local taxpayers, to identify ways the district could save tax dollars. After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.Real estate taxes
The school board levies a 24.8370 mill tax on real estate in 2011-12. A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property's assessed value. Property taxes in Pennsylvania apply only to real estate - land and buildings. The property tax is not levied on cars, business inventory, or other personal property. Certain types of property are exempt from property taxes including: places of worship, places of burial, private social clubs, charitable and educational institutions and government property. Irregular property reassessments have become a serious issue in the commonwealth as it creates a significant disparity in taxation within a community and across a region. Additionally, service related, disabled US military veterans may seek an exemption from paying property taxes. Pennsylvania district revenues are dominated by two main sources: 1) Property tax collections, which account for the vast majority (between 75-85%) of local revenues; and 2) Act 511 tax collections, which are around 15% of revenues for school districts. In 2008, the total amount of property tax collected by Pennsylvania public school districts collected statewide declined for the first time since 1980.- 2010-11 - 24.3370 mills.
- 2009-10 - 23.3370 mills.
- 2008-09 - 23.3370 mills.
- 2007-08 - 22.3370 mills.
Act 1 Adjusted index
The Act 1 of 2006 Index regulates the rates at which each school district can raise property taxes in Pennsylvania. Districts are not allowed to raise taxes above that index unless they allow voters to vote by referendum, or they seek an exception from the state Department of Education. The base index for the 2011-2012 school year is 1.4 percent, but the Act 1 Index can be adjusted higher, depending on a number of factors, such as property values and the personal income of district residents. Act 1 included 10 exceptions including: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, a catastrophe like a fire or flood, increase in health insurance costs for contracts in effect in 2006 or dwindling tax bases. The base index is the average of the percentage increase in the statewide average weekly wage, as determined by the PA Department of Labor and Industry, for the preceding calendar year and the percentage increase in the Employment Cost Index for Elementary and Secondary Schools, as determined by the Bureau of Labor 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 Steelton-Highspire School District 2006-2007 through 2010-2011.
- 2006-07 - 5.8%, Base 3.9%
- 2007-08 - 5.1%, Base 3.4%
- 2008-09 - 6.6%, Base 4.4%
- 2009-10 - 6.1%, Base 4.1%
- 2010-11 - 4.4%, Base 2.9%
- 2011-12 - 2.1%, Base 1.4%
- 2012-13 - 2.6%, Base 1.7%
In 2011, the Steelton-Highspire School Board did not seek exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year the Steelton-Highspire School Board has the option of adopting either 1) a resolution in January certifying they will not increase taxes above their index or 2) a preliminary budget in February. A school district adopting the resolution may not apply for referendum exceptions or ask voters for a tax increase above the inflation index. A specific timeline for these decisions is publisher each year by the Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the executive department of the state charged with K-12 and adult educational budgeting, management and guidelines. As the state education agency, its activities are directed by Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education, Gerald L. Zahorchak...
.
According to a state report, for the 2011-2012 school year budgets, 247 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; 250 school districts adopted a preliminary budget. Of the 250 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget, 231 adopted real estate tax rates that exceeded their index. Tax rate increases in the other 19 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget did not exceed the school district’s index. Of the districts who sought exceptions 221 used the pension costs exemption and 171 sought a Special Education costs exemption. Only 1 school district sought an exemption for Nonacademic School Construction Project, while 1 sought an exception for Electoral debt for school construction.
In the Spring of 2010, 135 Pennsylvania school boards asked to exceed their adjusted index. Approval was granted to 133 of them and 128 sought an exception for pension costs increases.
Property tax relief
In 2010, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Steelton-Highspire School District was $235 and in 2009 was $242 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 1,635 property owners applied for the tax relief. In Dauphin County, the highest amount of tax relief in 2009, went to Harrisburg City School District at $446. 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 Dauphin County, 68.71% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009. Pennsylvania awarded the highest property tax relief to residents of the Chester-Upland School District in Delaware CountyDelaware 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 they were the top recipient.
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, so people who make substantially more than $35,000 may still qualify for a rebate. Individuals must apply annually for the rebate.
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. There were 500 school districts in the Commonwealth in 2009. Eighty percent 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. In 2009, Governor Edward Rendell called for consolidating to 100 school districts. In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the 49 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
Extracurriculars
The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility to participate is determined by school board policy.By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those homeschooled, are eligible to participate in the extracurricular programs including all athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.
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