Tyrone Area School District
Encyclopedia
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
with coverage areas in Blair County, Pennsylvania
Blair County, Pennsylvania
-Significant Topographic Features:*Brush Mountain*Logan Valley*Morrison Cove*Tussey Mountain-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 129,144 people, 51,518 households, and 34,877 families residing in the county. The population density was 246 people per square mile . There were 55,061...
, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
Huntingdon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 45,913.Huntingdon County was created on September 20, 1787, from part of Bedford County. Its county seat is Huntingdon.-Geography:According to the U.S...
and Taylor Township
Taylor Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania
Taylor Township is a township in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in Centre County, Pennsylvania
Centre County, Pennsylvania
Centre County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 153,990....
. It serves the boroughs of Tyrone
Tyrone, Pennsylvania
Tyrone is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Altoona, on the Little Juniata River. Tyrone was of considerable commercial importance in the twentieth century. It was an outlet for the Clearfield coal fields, and it was noted for the manufacture of paper products. There were...
and Birmingham, as well as the townships of Tyrone
Tyrone Township, Blair County, Pennsylvania
Tyrone Township is a township in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,800 at the 2000 census.It was named after County Tyrone in Ireland.-General information:...
and Snyder
Snyder Township, Blair County, Pennsylvania
Snyder Township is a township in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,358 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
in Blair County , as well as Warriors Mark, and Franklin
Franklin Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
Franklin Township is a township in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 447 at the 2000 census.-General information:*ZIP Code: 16865*Area Code: 814*Local Phone Exchange: 632*School District: Tyrone Area School District...
townships in Huntingdon County. The district encompasses approximately 167 square miles. Based on 2010 local census data, it serves a resident population of 12,581. According to District officials, in school year 2007–08, Tyrone Area School District provided basic educational services to 1,878 pupils through the employment of 152 teachers, 148 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 10 administrators.
Schools
- Tyrone Area Elementary School – (Grades Pre-K-4)
601 Clay Ave.
Tyrone, Pennsylvania 16686 - Tyrone Area Middle School – (Grades 5–8)
1001 Clay Ave.
Tyrone, Pennsylvania 16686 - Tyrone Area High School – (Grades 9–12)
1001 Clay Ave.
Tyrone, Pennsylvania 16686
Academic achievement
In 2009, US News and World Report ranked 21,000 public high schools, in the United States, based on three factors. First, the schools were analyzed for the number of students who achieved above the state average on the reading and math tests in 2008. Then they considered how the economically disadvantaged students performed against the state average. Finally, they considered the participation rate and the performance of students in college readiness by examining Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate test data. Seventy Pennsylvania high schools achieved ranking bronze, silver or gold rating. Fifty three Pennsylvania high schools achieved bronze. Tyrone Area High School achieved Bronze ranking. Three high schools in Blair County achieved inclusion in the ranking.Tyrone Area School District was ranked 167th out of 500 Pennsylvania school districts in 2010 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on three years of student academic performance on the 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...
for math, reading, writing and science.
- 2009 – 174th
- 2008 – 137th
- 2007 – 95th of 501 school districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times.
In 2009, the academic achievement, of the students in the Tyrone Area School District, was in the 38th percentile among all 500 Pennsylvania school districts Scale (0–99; 100 is state best)
High School
PSSA Results11th Grade Reading
- 2010 – 79% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 66% of 11th graders on grade level.
- 2009 – 78%, State – 65%
- 2008 – 87%, State – 65%
- 2007 – 78%, State – 65%
11th Grade Math:
- 2010 – 48% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2009 – 64%, State – 56%
- 2008 – 59%, State – 56%
- 2007 – 62%, State – 53%
11th Grade Science:
- 2010 – 33% on grade level. State – 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
- 2009 – 45%, State – 40%
- 2008 – 37%, 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, 31% of Tyrone Area 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.
Challenge Program
The Challenge Program, Inc. offers $250.00 cash incentives to Tyrone Area High School 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.Dual enrollment
The high school offers the Pennsylvania Dual Enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. The students have access to credits through through agreements with Pennsylvania State University, St. Francis University and Mount Aloysius College. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their 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 $15,566 in a state grant to be used assist students with tuition, fees and books.
Graduation Requirements
The Tyrone Area School Board has determined that students must earn 24 credits to graduate including: 4 credits of English, 3 credits of Social Studies, Mathematics 4 credits, Science 3 credits, Physical Education 2 credits, Health 0.5 credits, Career Pathways Exploratory 1 credit, Family & Consumer Science 0.5 credits, Drivers Ed 0.5 credit and Electives 5 credits.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. At Tyrone High School students are required to develop a Career Planning and Academic Graduation Portfolio.
By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating classes of 2015 and 2016, students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, English Composition, and Literature for which the Keystone Exams serve as the final course exams. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade.
Middle School
8th Grade Reading:- 2010 – 79% on grade level. State – 81%
- 2009 – 89%, State – 80%
- 2008 – 83%, State – 78%
- 2007 – 76%, State – 75%
8th Grade Math:
- 2010 – 71% on grade level. State – 75%
- 2009 – 74%, State – 71%
- 2008 – 59%, State – 70%
- 2007 – 60%, State – 67%
8th Grade Science:
- 2010 – 58% on grade level. State – 57%.
- 2009 – 71%, State: – 54%
- 2008 – 54%, State – 52%
7th Grade Reading:
- 2010 – 77% on grade level. State – 73%
- 2009 – 70%, State – 71.7%
- 2008 – 77%, State – 70%
- 2007 – 74%, State – 66%
7th Grade Math:
- 2010 – 76% on grade level. State – 77%
- 2009 – 67%, State – 75%
- 2008 – 66%, State – 72%
- 2007 – 70%, State – 67%
6th Grade Reading:
- 2010 – 67% on grade level. State – 68%
- 2009 – 70%, State – 67%
- 2008 – 63%, State – 67%
- 2007 – 70%, State – 63%
6th Grade Math:
- 2010 – 72% on grade level. State – 78%
- 2009 – 76%, State – 75.9%
- 2008 – 62%, State – 72%
- 2007 – 71%, State – 69%
5th Grade Reading;
- 2010 – 63%, State – 64%
- 2009 – 63%, State – 64%
- 2008 – 61%, State – 62%
- 2007 – 62%, State – 60%
5th Grade Math;
- 2010 – 74%, State – 74%
- 2009 – 66%, State – 73%
- 2008 – 69%, State – 73%
- 2007 – 71%, State – 71%
Special Education
In December 2009, the district administration reported that 312 pupils or 16.2% of the district's pupils received Special Education services.The District engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law; and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress. To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Instructional Support Team 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 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.
Tyrone Area School District received a $1,446,333 supplement for special education services in 2010.
Gifted Education
The District Administration reported that 63 or 3.20% 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. This approach permits such specialized instructional strategies as tiered assignments, curriculum compacting, flexible grouping, learning stations, independent projects and independent contracts. 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 policy
The Tyrone Area School District administration reported there were 4 incidents of bullying in the district in 2009.The Tyrone Area 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.
Budget
In 2009, the district reports employing over 151 teachers with a starting salary of $34,118 for 185 days work. The average teacher salary was $47,139 while the maximum salary is $126,535. In Pennsylvania, the average teacher salary for Pennsylvania's 124,100 public school teachers was $54,977 in 2008. 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, Tyrone Area School District teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insuranceHealth 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...
, a retirement bonus, professional development reimbursement, several paid personal days, 5 paid bereavement days and 10 sick days, life insurance and other benefits. 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 2007, the district employed 127 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $43,892 for 180 school days worked.
Tyrone Area School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $757 per pupil. The district is ranked 241st out of 500 in Pennsylvania for administrative spending. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.
In 2008, Tyrone Area School District reported spending $16,856 per pupil. This ranked 32nd in the commonwealth.
Reserves
In 2009, the district reported a zero in a unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was reported as $3,648,005.
In September 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. Findings were reported to the administration and school board.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local 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 and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax regardless of the individual's wealth.
State basic education funding
For 2010–11 the Tyrone Area School District received a 3.08% increase in state Basic Education Funding resulting in a $9,382,409 payment. Hollidaysburg Area School DistrictHollidaysburg Area School District
The Hollidaysburg Area School District is a public school district based in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. This school district includes all of Hollidaysburg, Duncansville, Newry, and a portion of the Eldorado section in Altoona.-Schools:...
received 4.26% which was the highest increase in BEF in Blair 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% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $9,102,079. The state Basic Education funding to the district in 2008–09 was $8,836,992. 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. Spring Cove School District
Spring Cove School District
The Spring Cove School District is a public school district in Blair County, Pennsylvania. It serves the boroughs of Roaring Spring and Martinsburg plus the townships of North Woodbury, Huston, Taylor , and Freedom.-Schools:...
received a 4.68% increase, the highest increase in Blair County for the 2009–10 school year. Among the 500 school districts in Pennsylvania, Muhlenberg School District
Muhlenberg School District
The Muhlenberg Area School District is a public school district serving parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. It encompasses the borough of Laureldale and the Muhlenberg Township. The district encompasses approximately 13 square miles. Per the 2000 federal census data it serves a resident...
in Berks County received the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the executive department of the state charged with K-12 and adult educational budgeting, management and guidelines. As the state education agency, its activities are directed by Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education, Gerald L. Zahorchak...
, 730 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 Tyrone Area School District applied for and received $307,033 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district used the funding to provide full day kindergarten for the 7th year.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. Tyrone Area School District did not apply for funding in 2006–07. In 2007–08 the district received $212,465. For the 2008–09, school year the district received $45,413 for a total funding of $257,878. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future grant awards.Federal Stimulus Grant
The district received an extra $2,662,811 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. The funding is for the 2009–10 and 2010–11 school years.
Race to the Top grant
School district officials did not apply for the Race to the 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 up to one million additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate. Pennsylvania was not approved for the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved.
Common Cents state initiative
The Tyrone Area School Board did 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 set property tax rates in 2010–2011 at 68.8600 mills for residents in Blair County. Residents in Centre County paid 22.9800 mills and Huntingdon County residents paid 76.2700 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. The school district includes municipalities in three counties, each of which has different rates of property tax assessment, necessitating a state board equalization of the tax rates between the counties.Act 1 Adjusted index
The Act 1 of 2006 Index regulates the rates at which each school district can raise property taxes in Pennsylvania. Districts are not authorized to raise taxes above that index unless they allow voters to vote by referendum, or they seek an exception from the state Department of Education. The base index for the 2011–2012 school year is 1.4 percent, but the Act 1 Index can be adjusted higher, depending on a number of factors, such as property values and the personal income of district residents. Act 1 included 10 exceptions including: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, a catastrophe like a fire or flood, increase in health insurance costs for contracts in effect in 2006 or dwindling tax bases. The base index is the average of the percentage increase in the statewide average weekly wage, as determined by the PA Department of Labor and Industry, for the preceding calendar year and the percentage increase in the Employment Cost Index for Elementary and Secondary Schools, as determined by the Bureau of Labor 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 Tyrone Area School District 2006–2007 through 2010–2011.
- 2006–07 – 5.5%, Base 3.9%
- 2007–08 – 4.7%, Base 3.4%
- 2008–09 – 6.2%, Base 4.4%
- 2009–10 – 5.7%, Base 4.1%
- 2010–11 – 4.1%, Base 2.9%
- 2011–12 – 2.0%, Base 1.4%
The Tyrone Area School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budgets in 2009–10 and 2010–11. In the Spring of 2010, 135 Pennsylvania school boards asked to exceed their adjusted index. Approval was granted to 133 of them and 128 sought an exception for pension costs increases.
Property tax relief
In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Tyrone Area School District was $152 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 3,215 property owners applied for the tax relief. Williamsburg Community School DistrictWilliamsburg Community School District
The Williamsburg Community School District is a public school district in Blair County, Pennsylvania. It serves the borough of Williamsburg, plus the townships of Woodbury and Catharine. the district encompasses approximately 65 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a...
received $216, the highest property tax relief allotted in Blair County for 2009. 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 53% of property owners applied for tax relief in Blair 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 they were 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 variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility to participate is set by school board policies. To be eligible to participate and to continue participation in extra-curricular activities, the student must maintain at least a C- (1.67) average grade average and pass at least a 4.5 credit load based on the preceding nine-week marking period. An ineligible student will be suspended from participation for a fifteen (15) school day period.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.
Athletics
- Baseball – Class AA
- Basketball – Class AAA/AA
- Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
– Class AA - FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
– Class AA - Boys Golf – Class AAAA
- Soccer – Class AA (share with local school district Bellwood-Antis School DistrictBellwood-Antis School DistrictThe Bellwood-Antis School District covers the Borough of Bellwood and Antis Township in Blair County, Pennsylvania.-Schools:* Myers Elementary School 220 Martin StreetBellwood, Pennsylvania 16617...
) - Swimming and DivingDivingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
– Class AA - Tennis – Class AA
- Track and Field – Class AA
- Volleyball – Class AA
- WrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
– Class AA
References: