The Titusville Area School District is a small, rural public school district

School district

School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...

 located in Titusville, Pennsylvania

Titusville, Pennsylvania

Titusville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,146 at the 2000 census. In 1859, oil was successfully drilled in Titusville, resulting in the birth of the modern oil industry.-History:...

.

The School District comprises Allegheny Township

Allegheny Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania

Allegheny Township is a township in Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 281 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...

, Cherrytree Township

Cherrytree Township, Pennsylvania

Cherrytree Township is a township in Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,543 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...

, Oilcreek Township and Pleasantville

Pleasantville, Venango County, Pennsylvania

Pleasantville is a borough in Venango County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The population was 850 at the 2000 census, and 892 at the 2010 census. It was an early oil 'boom town', and the population jumped from 291 to 1,598 between 1860 and 1870...

 Borough located in Venango County

Venango County, Pennsylvania

Venango County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 54,984. Its county seat is Franklin.-History:Venango County was created on March 12, 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming Counties...

; and Centerville

Centerville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania

Centerville is a borough in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 247 at the 2000 census. It was established in 1812.-Geography:Centerville is located at ....

 Borough, Hydetown Borough, Oil Creek Township, Rome Township and Titusville

Titusville, Pennsylvania

Titusville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,146 at the 2000 census. In 1859, oil was successfully drilled in Titusville, resulting in the birth of the modern oil industry.-History:...

 City located in Crawford County

Crawford County, Pennsylvania

Crawford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 88,765.Crawford County was created on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County and named for Colonel William Crawford...

; and Southwest Township located in Warren County

Warren County, Pennsylvania

Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 41,815. It was formed in 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming counties; attached to Crawford County until 1805 and then to Venango County until Warren was formally organized in 1819. Its county...

. The School District covers about 200 sq mi (518 km²). Per the 2000 federal census data, the district serves a resident population of 14,698. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income was $15,872, while the median family income was $37,271. According to District officials, in school year 2007–08 the Titusville Area School District provided basic educational services to
2,216 pupils through the employment of 171 teachers, 130 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 21 administrators.
In September 2008, the administration reported there were 319 employees including: 19 administrators, 172 professional/instructional employees and 128 support personnel. The Administration includes; building level principals and assistant principals, six directors of specialized programs which include the following positions: Director of Student Services, Federal Programs and Elementary Curriculum, Special Education, Athletics, Day Care and Vo-Tech. There are four directors of support programs which include: Directors of Food Service and Transportation, Buildings and Grounds, Technology, and Parks and Recreation. There are also twelve department chairpersons that assist in the oversight of curriculum development. In May 2011 the superintendent reported there had been a 20 percent decline in the district's enrollment.

Schools

The district operates an early childhood center, which contains a day care center, three elementary schools (grades 1–5), a middle school (grades 6–8), a senior high school (grades 9–12), and one alternative education school. All of the district's facilities have been either constructed or renovated within the past 12 years.

• Early Childhood Center is located at 330 Spruce Street in Titsville. Constructed in 1991, the two story building is home to Day Care, an Early Intervention Program, Pre-K, Pre-1st and Kindergarten Classes for the entire District.

• Main Street Elementary School

Main Street Opened in 1912 and was renovated in 2002. The School is located at 117 Main Street in the City Limits of Titusville. The school achieved AYP status in 2009 and 2010. The attendance rate was 96% in 2010, while it was 96% in 2009. Report Card 2010.http://paayp.emetric.net/Content/reportcards/RC10S106617203000001663.PDF

• Hydetown Elementary School

Hydetown opened in 1956 and was renovated in 2001. The School is located at 12294 Gresham Road near the Borough of Hydetown. The school achieved AYP status in 2009 and 2010. The attendance rate was 96% in 2010, while it was 94% in 2009. Report Card 2010.http://paayp.emetric.net/Content/reportcards/RC10S106617203000001666.PDF

• Pleasantville Elementary School

Pleasantville opened in the 1942 and was a High School, until the building was merged in to the TASD in 1969. All district Junior High School Students attended at Pleasantville until 1977 when the Senior High School was renovated, after that it became solely a Elementary School and is currently (January 2011) in the process of being brought up to the same standards of the two other Elementaries by being renovated. The school is located at 374 North Main Street in Plesantville Borough. The school achieved AYP status in 2009 and 2010. The attendance rate was 96% in 2010, while it was 95% in 2009. Report Card 2010.http://paayp.emetric.net/Content/reportcards/RC10S106617203000006168.PDF

• Titusville Area Middle School

Titusville Middle School opened in 1999, after moving from the High School Complex. The school is located at 415 Main Street in the city limits.And is one of the best Middle Schools in Pennsylvania.

• Titusville Area High School is located at 302 E. Walnut St., Titusville, PA 16354

Academic achievement

Titusville Area School District was ranked 292nd out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts in 2011 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on five years of student academic performance based on the PSSA

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment

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

s for: reading, writing, math and three years of science.

• 2010 – 280th
• 2009 – 255th
• 2008 – 204th
• 2007 – 184th out of 501 Pennsylvania school districts.

In 2009, the academic achievement, of the students in the Titusville Area School District, was in the 56th percentile among all 500 Pennsylvania school districts Scale (0–99; 100 is state best)

Graduation rate

In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Titusville Area School District's rate was 83% for 2010.

According to traditional graduation rate calculations:

• 2010 – 86%
• 2009 – 85%
• 2008 – 80%
• 2007 – 80%

Graduation Requirements

Titusville Area School District School Board has determined that a student must earn 25 credits in order to graduate including: English 4 credits, Math 3 credits, Social Studies 4 credits, Science 3 credits, Safety/Phys Ed 4 credits, Family & Consumer Science 0.25 credits, Intro to Computer Applications 0.50 credits, Intro to Computers 0.25 credit, Humanities 1 credits and Elective Courses 5.00 credits.

Vo Tech students must earn 24 credits. Additionally, students must earn proficient or advanced scores on the PSSA in reading, writing, and mathematics given during their junior year or on the PSSA. Alternatively, they must earn at least a 2.50 (Grade 9–12) by the end of their senior year.

By law, all Pennsylvania high 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. For the senior project at Titusville High School, seniors must write a passing (grade minimum 60%) research paper. Seniors in Business Communication complete a business project. All seniors give an oral presentation. A third component of the senior project is focused on preparing a working resume.

By Pennsylvania State School Board regulations, for the graduating classes of 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.

High school

In 2010, the high school has declined to Warning AYP status. In 2009, the school achieved AYP status.

11th Grade Reading

• 2010 – 64% on grade level (21% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2009 – 66% (20% below basic), State – 65%
• 2008 – 63% (13% below basic), State – 65%
• 2007 – 73% (16% below basic), State – 65%

11th Grade Math:

• 2010 – 50%, on grade level (29% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level. Boys – 47% on grade level with 31% below basic / Girls – 53% with 28% below basic.
• 2009 – 53% (24% below basic). State – 56%.
• 2008 – 46% (26% below basic), State – 56%
• 2007 – 57% (22% below basic), State – 53%

11th Grade Science:

• 2010 – 29% on grade level (16% below basic). State – 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 – 36% (16% below basic). State – 40%
• 2008 – 32% (11% below basic), State – 39%

College remediation:
According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pennsylvania Department of Education

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

 study released in January 2009, 18% of Titusville High School 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 the Pennsylvania Dual Enrollment

Dual enrollment

In education, dual enrollment involved students being enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions. It may also refer to any individual who is participating in two related programs, but such a general form of usage is uncommon....

 program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Titusviile High School's program enables students to take a college-level courses at University of Pittsburgh's Titusville campus. The students have full access to all activities and programs at the high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions. The Pennsylvania College Credit Transfer System reported in 2009, that students saved nearly $35.4 million by having their transferred credits count towards a degree under the new system.

In 2010, the district received a 10,132 state grant to be used to assist students with tuition, fees and books.

Middle school

In 2009 and in 2010, the school achieved AYP status. The attendance rate was 95% in 2010.

8th Grade Reading

• 2010 – 85% on grade level 49% advanced (% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 81% of 8th graders on grade level. Boys 76% on grade level / Girls – 93%.
• 2009 – 80%, 50% advanced (8% below basic), State – 80%
• 2008 – 85% (8% below basic), State – 78%
• 2007 – 63% (5% below basic), State – 75%

8th Grade Math:

• 2010 – 74% on grade level 50% advanced (4% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 75% of 8th graders are on grade level.
• 2009 – 79% 49% advanced (9% below basic), State – 71%
• 2008 – 71% (11% below basic), State – 70%
• 2007 – 68% (8% below basic), State – 68%

8th Grade Science:

• 2010 – 52% on grade level, 15% advanced (17% below basic). State – 57% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2009 – 52%, 14% advanced (21% below basic). State – 55%
• 2008 – 53%, State – 52%

7th Grade Reading

• 2010 – 76% on grade level, 33% advanced (7% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 73% of 7th graders on grade level.
• 2009 – 74%, 37% advanced (5% below basic), State – 71%
• 2008 – 76%, 34% advanced (8% below basic), State – 70%
• 2007 – 75% (10% below basic), State – 67%

7th Grade Math:

• 2010 – 83% on grade level, 58% advanced (5% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 77% of 7th graders are on grade level.
• 2009 – 83%, 55% advanced (9% below basic), State – 75%
• 2008 – 83%, 57% advanced (5% below basic), State – 71%
• 2007 – 83% (10% below basic), State – 67%

6th Grade Reading:

• 2010 – 71% on grade level. 36% advanced, (7% below basic). State – 68%
• 2009 – 66%, 31% advanced (9% below basic). State – 67%
• 2008 – 73%, 30% advanced (7% below basic), State – 67%
• 2007 – 63%, 30% advanced (9% below basic), State – 63%

6th Grade Math:

• 2010 – 87% on grade level. 53% advanced (1% below basic). State – 78%
• 2009 – 81%, 48% advanced (7% below basic). State – 75%
• 2008 – 74%, 46% advanced (10% below basic). State – 72%
• 2007 – 64%, 28% advanced (18% below basic). State – 69%

Special Education

In December 2009, the district administration reported that 389 pupils or 17% of the district's pupils received Special Education

Special 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.

• 2008 – 405 pupils – 15%
• 2007 – 412 pupils – 18%

In accordance with state and federal law, the District engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law; and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress. To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Instructional Support Team or Student Assistance Team. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the District seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may verbally request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the District or contact the Special Education Department.

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.

Titusville Area School District received a $1,546,959 supplement for special education services in 2010. The state provided the same level of funding for 2011–12.

Gifted Education

The District Administration reported that 51 or 2.38% of its students were gifted in 2009. By law, the district must provide mentally gifted programs at all grade levels. The primary emphasis is on enrichment and acceleration of the regular education curriculum through a push in model with the gifted instructor in the classroom with the regular instructor. Students identified as gifted attending the High School have access to honors and advanced placement courses, and dual enrollment with local colleges. 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.

Bullying and school safety

Titusville Area School District administration reported there were no incidents of bullying in the district in 2009–10.

The School Board has provided the district's antibully policy in the school district's web site. 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.

Virtual Academy

The Titusville Virtual Academy provides an online learning experience for K-12 students who reside in Titusville Area School District. Students may earn a Titusville High School diploma and participate in the graduation ceremony.

Budget

In 2009, the district reports employing over 190 teachers with a starting salary of $39,705 for 180 days for pupil instruction and an additional 5 for teacher inservice. The average teacher salary was $54,940 while the maximum salary is $106,019. 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. The school day is limited by the union contract to 37.5 hours per week. Special Education teachers receive additional compensation. Teachers receive a paid lunch time of 30 minutes. Additionally, Titusville Area School District teachers receive a defined benefit pension, 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, 2 paid personal days, 10 sick days, paid bereavement days and other benefits. Teachers are paid extra when they are required to work outside of the regular school day hours. Severance includes payment for unused sick days. Additionally, teacher receive $72.50 for each year they have been a full time teacher in Pennsylvania. The union receives 12 full days of paid leave to use for union business According to State Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System Board, a 40-year educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.

In June 2011, the union and board agreed that the teachers would forego a salary increase for the 2011‑2012 school year. The administration reported this would save $380,423.

In 2007, the district employed 154 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $48,979 for 180 school days worked.

Titusville Area School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $909.33 per pupil. The district is ranked 96th out of 500 in Pennsylvania for administrative spending. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.

In 2008, Titusville Area School District reported spending $12,067 per pupil. This ranked 267th in the commonwealth.

Reserves
In 2009, the district reported $1,866,942 in a unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was reported as $2,124,809. PA school district reserve funds are divided into two categories – designated and undesignated. The undesignated funds are not committed to any planned project. Designated funds and any other funds, such as capital reserves, are allocated to specific projects. School districts are required by state law to keep 5 percent of their annual spending in the undesignated reserve funds to preserve bond ratings. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, from 2003 to 2010, as a whole, Pennsylvania school districts amassed nearly $3 billion in reserved funds.

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

The district is funded by a combination of: a local income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax regardless of the individual's wealth.

State basic education funding

In 2011–12, the Titusville Area School District will receive $12,943,618 in state Basic Education Funding. Additionally, the district will receive $171,434 in Accountability Block Grant funding. The enacted Pennsylvania state Education budget includes $5,354,629,000 for the 2011–2012 Basic Education Funding appropriation. This amount is a $233,290,000 increase (4.6%) over the enacted State appropriation for 2010–2011. The highest increase in state basic education funding was awarded to uquesne City School District which got a 49% increase in state funding for 2011-12. Districts experienced a reduction in funding due to the loss of federal stimulus funding which ended in 2011.

In 2010, the district reported that 1,065 pupils received a free or reduced lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level

Poverty in the United States

Poverty is defined as the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. According to the U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday September 13th, 2011, the nation's poverty rate rose to 15.1% in 2010, up from 14.3% in 2009 and to its highest level...

.

For 2010–11, Titusville Area School District received a 2.96% increase in state Basic Education Funding resulting in a $13,962,921 payment. Valley Grove School District

Valley Grove School District

The Valley Grove School District is a diminutive, rural public school district in Venango County, Pennsylvania, serving the boroughs of Sugarcreek and Cooperstown, as well as Jackson Township. Valley Grove School District encompasses approximately 63 square miles. According to 2001 local census...

 received a 3.88% increase, which was the highest increase in BEF in Venango County. 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...

 received the highest increase in the state at 23.65% increase in funding for the 2010–11 school year. One hundred fifty school districts received the base 2% increase in 2010–11. 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 3.45% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $13,390,165. The state Basic Education funding to the district in 2008–09 was $12,943,618.28. The district also received supplemental funding for English language learners, Title 1 federal funding for low income students, for district size, a poverty supplement from the commonwealth and more. Franklin Area School District

Franklin Area School District

Franklin Area School District is a rural, public school system headquartered in Franklin, Venango County, located in western Pennsylvania. Franklin Area School District encompasses approximately 186 square miles...

 received highest increase in BEF awarded by the Commonwealth, in Venango County, for the 2009–10 school year, a 6.43% increase. Among the 500 school districts in Pennsylvania, Muhlenberg School District

Muhlenberg School District

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

 in Berks County received the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pennsylvania Department of Education

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

, 1,022 district students received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007–2008 school year.

Accountability Block Grants

Beginning in 2004–2005, the state launched the Accountability Block Grant school funding. This program has provided $1.5 billion to Pennsylvania’s school districts. The Accountability Block Grant program requires that its taxpayer dollars are focused on specific interventions that are most likely to increase student academic achievement. These interventions include: teacher training, All Day Kindergarten, lower class size K-3rd grade, literacy and math coaching programs that provide teachers with individualized job-embedded professional development to improve their instruction, before or after school tutoring assistance to struggling students. For 2010–11, the Titusville Area School District applied for and received $465,314 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district used the funding to provide all day kindergarten the 6th year, to provide teacher training to provide research based instruction and to increase instruction time for pupils through before and after school tutoring.

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. Titusville Area School District did not apply for funding for 2006–07 nor in 2007–08. In 2008–09 it received 138,210. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future state grant awards.

Education Assistance Grant

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

Federal Stimulus Grant

The district received an extra $1,600,000 in ARRA

Arra

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

 – Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. The funding is for the 2009–10 and 2010–11 school years.

Race to the Top grant

School district officials sent an incomplete application for the Race to the Top

Race to the Top

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

 federal grant which would have brought the district over one million additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. The teachers' union refused to sign the application as was required. 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 Titusville Area School Board chose to not permit the Pennsylvania Department of Education Common Cents program access to the district records. 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 Titusville Area School Board set the 2010–11 the property taxes were 38.4600 mills for property owners in Crawford County. Venango County was set at 14.2300 mills while Warren County was – 43.9300 mills. . A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property's assessed value. Irregular property reassessments have become a serious issue in the commonwealth as it creates a significant disparity in taxation within a community and across a region. Pennsylvania school district revenues are dominated by two main sources: 1) Property tax collections, which account for the vast majority (between 75–85%) of local revenues; and 2) Act 511 tax collections (Local Tax Enabling Act), which are around 15% of revenues for school districts.

• 2009–10 – 37.1500 mills for Crawford County. 14 mills for Venango County. 42.0800 mills Warren County.
• 2008–09 – 36.8100 mills for Crawford County. 13.9400 mills for Venango County. 42.0800 mills Warren County.
• 2007–08 – 35.7900 mills for Crawford County. 12.7300 mills for Venango County. 39.0600 mills Warren County.

Act 1 Adjusted index

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics

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

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

The School District Adjusted Index for the Titusville Area School District 2006–2007 through 2011–2012.

• 2006–07 – 5.8%, Base 3.9%
• 2007–08 – 5.1%, Base 3.4%
• 2008–09 – 6.5%, Base 4.4%
• 2009–10 – 6.1%, Base 4.1%
• 2010–11 – 4.4%, Base 2.9%
• 2011–12 – 2.1%, Base 1.4%

For the school budget year 2011–12, the Titusville Area School Board did not apply for any exceptions to the Act 1 index. Each year, the school district 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.

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

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

Property tax relief

In 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of Education announced the district's property tax

Property tax

A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...

 relief from gambling would be $143 for each of the 3,424 approved properties. This was the lowest amount of property tax relief awarded in Venango County.

In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Titusville Area School District was $140 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 3,495 property owners applied for the tax relief. This was the lowest tax relief awarded in Venango County. The tax relief was subtracted from the total annual school property on the individual's tax bill. Property owners apply for the relief through the county Treasurer's office. Farmers can qualify for a farmstead exemption on building used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 contiguous acres and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption. The Pennsylvania Auditor General found that 73% of property owners applied for tax relief in Venango County. Pennsylvania awarded the highest property tax relief to residents of the Chester-Upland School District in Delaware County

Delaware County, Pennsylvania

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

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

Additionally, the Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is provided for low income Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older; widows and widowers aged 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 for homeowners. The maximum rebate for both homeowners and renters is $650. Applicants can exclude one-half (1/2) of their Social Security income, consequently individuals who have income substantially more than $35,000, may still qualify for a rebate. Individuals must apply annually for the rebate. This can be taken in addition to Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief.

Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation

Tax Foundation

The Tax Foundation is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank founded in 1937 that collects data and publishes research studies on tax policies at the federal and state levels. The organization is broken into three primary areas of research which are the Center for Federal Fiscal Policy, The and the...

, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).

Extracurriculars

The district offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and sports. These program begin with elementary children and extend through high school athletics. Eligibility to participate in these activities is determined by school board policy. The district also provides recreation activities outside of the regular school year.

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those home schooled, are eligible to participate in the extracurricular programs including all athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.