Blacklick Valley School District

Blacklick Valley School District
Address
555 Birch Street
Nanty-Glo, Pennsylvania, Cambria County, 15943
United States
Information
Type Public
Established 1967
School board 9 locally elected members serve four year terms
Superintendent Dr. John R. Mastillo, contract July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2017[1]
Administrator Mr William F Dunchuck, Business Manager
Principal Dr. Laura Fisanick (Jr.-Sr. High School)
Principal Mr. Brunatti (Elementary School)
Staff 54 non teaching staff[2]
Faculty 51 teachers
Grades PreK-12
Age 4 year olds - preschool to 21 years old special education
Number of students

688 pupils (2014)[3]
644 pupils (2012-13)[4]
651 pupils (2010-11)

679 pupils (2006-07)[5]
 • Kindergarten 53 (2013),[6] 63 (2010)[7]
 • Grade 1 57 (2013), 50
 • Grade 2 54 (2013), 46
 • Grade 3 62 (2013), 61
 • Grade 4 52 (2013), 45
 • Grade 5 45 (2013), 51
 • Grade 6 53 (2013), 44
 • Grade 7 43 (2013), 52
 • Grade 8 47 (2013), 39
 • Grade 9 40 (2013), 60
 • Grade 10 53 (2013), 54
 • Grade 11 41 (2013), 40
 • Grade 12 58 (2013), 46 (2010)
Language English
Color(s) Black & Gray
Mascot Vikings
Per pupil spending $11,948 (2008)
Per pupil spending $12,273.19 (2010)[8]
Website http://www.bvsd.k12.pa.us/

The Blacklick Valley School District is a diminutive, rural pupil school district located in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The District serves the communities of: Nanty-Glo and Vintondale and Blacklick Township. The District encompasses approximately 34 square miles (88 km2). According to 2010 federal census data, the District's population declined to 5,161 people.[9] Per the 2000 federal census data, Blacklick Valley School District served a resident population of 5,782.[10] The educational attainment levels for the Blacklick Valley School District population (25 years old and over) were 85.6% high school graduates and 12.8% college graduates.[11] The District is one of the 500 public school districts of Pennsylvania.

According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, 55.8% of the District’s pupils lived at 185% or below the Federal Poverty level as shown by their eligibility for the federal free or reduced price school meal programs in 2012.[12] In 2009, the district residents’ per capita income was $13,979, while the median family income was $36,199.[13] In the Commonwealth, the median family income was $49,501 [14] and the United States median family income was $49,445, in 2010.[15] In Cambria County, the median household income was $39,547.[16] By 2013, the median household income in the United States rose to $52,100.[17]

According to District officials, the District provided basic educational services to 667 pupils through the employment of 55 teachers, 43 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 5 administrators during the 2009-10 school year. The District received $6.1 million in state funding in the 2009-10 school year. In school year 2007-08 the Blacklick Valley School District reported having 658 pupils enrolled. The District employed: 57 teachers, 42 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 5 administrators. BVSD received more than $6.4 million in state funding in school year 2007-08.[18]

About BVSD

The school district was established in 1967, merging the Blacklick Township and Vintondale School Districts. District enrollment is around 662 students, with 289 attending the Jr.-Sr. High School and 373 attending the Elementary Center.

Schools

High school students may choose to attend Admiral Peary Vocational-Technical School for training in the construction and mechanical trades. The Appalachia Intermediate Unit IU8 provides the District with a wide variety of services like specialized education for disabled students and hearing, speech and visual disability services and professional development for staff and faculty.

Governance

Blacklick Valley School District is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serve without compensation for a term of four years), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.[19] 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 Superintendent and Business Manager are appointed by the school board. The Superintendent is the chief administrative officer with overall responsibility for all aspects of operations, including education and finance. The Business Manager is responsible for budget and financial operations. Neither of these officials are voting members of the School Board. The School Board enters into individual employment contracts for these positions. In Pennsylvania, public school districts are required to give 150 days notice to the Superintendent regarding renewal of the employment contract.[20]

Teacher evaluation study

In 2011, Blacklick Valley School District agreed to participate in a pilot program to develop a new way to evaluate public school teachers and principals that, in part, takes into account student achievement. Two Cambria County school districts participated in the study.[21] The pilot program had 104 K-12 entities, including: nine career and technical centers, nine charter schools and nine intermediate units. Beginning in January 2012, participating school districts used the new evaluation method and provide feedback to the Department of Education. This new evaluation was not used to determine an educator’s official 2011-12 assessment. Under the new evaluation system, 50% of the evaluation of a teacher is based on an observation divided into four categories: planning and preparation, classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibilities. The other half is based on student achievement (15 percent will be building-level data, 15 percent will be teacher-specific data, and 20 percent will be elective). The new evaluation system has both announced and unannounced observations. There are also meetings between the teacher and evaluator before and after the direct observation of a lesson.[22]

Academic achievement

Statewide academic ranking

In 2015, Blacklick Valley School District ranked 443rd out of 496 Pennsylvania public school districts, by the Pittsburgh Business Times.[23] The ranking is based on the last 3 years of student academic achievement as demonstrated by PSSAs results in: reading, writing, math and science and the three Keystone Exams (literature, Algebra 1, Biology I) in high school.[24] Three school districts were excluded because they do not operate high schools (Saint Clair Area School District, Midland Borough School District, Duquesne City School District). The PSSAs are given to all children in grades 3rd through 8th. Adapted PSSA examinations are given to children in the special education programs. Writing exams were given to children in 5th and 8th grades.

  • 2014 - 406th[25]
  • 2013 - 352nd[26]
  • 2012 - 357th[27]
  • 2011 - 381st
  • 2010 - 405th
  • 2009 - 374th
  • 2008 - 341st
  • 2007 - 231st out of 501 Pennsylvania school districts[28]

District AYP status history

In 2012, Blacklick Valley School District achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status, even though the junior senior high school missed all academic measures.[29] In 2011, Blacklick Valley School District achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). In 2011, 94 percent of the 500 Pennsylvania public school districts achieved the No Child Left Behind Act progress level of 72% of students reading on grade level and 67% of students demonstrating on grade level math. In 2011, 46.9 percent of Pennsylvania school districts achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) based on student performance. An additional 37.8 percent of Pennsylvania public school districts made AYP based on a calculated method called safe harbor, 8.2 percent on the growth model and 0.8 percent on a two-year average performance.[30][31] Blacklick Valley School District achieved AYP status each year from 2003 to 2010.[32]

Graduation Rate

In 2014, Blacklick Valley School District's graduation rate was 92.8%.[33]

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

High school

Blacklick Valley Junior Senior High School's enrollment was just 282 pupils in grades 7th through 12th, with 51.4% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to family poverty. in 2014. Additionally, 18% of pupils received special education services, while 1% of pupils were identified as gifted. The school employed 26 teachers.[40] Per the PA Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2012, the school reported an enrollment of 294 pupils in grades 7th through 12th, with 150 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. In 2012, the School employed 26 teachers yielding a student-teacher ratio of 11:1.[41] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.[42]

U.S. News & World Report released its list of Best High Schools for 2012. Data was analyzed from 21,766 public high schools in 49 states. U.S. News awards gold, silver, and bronze medals based on data measuring student performance on state proficiency tests in the areas of Mathematics and Reading. These statistics also included the demographic influence on the results. A final criterion that was considered was college readiness. Two percent (2%) of the schools received Gold Medal recognition, 7% earned Silver Medals, and 13% obtained Bronze Medal status. Based on the data collected by U.S. News, Blacklick Valley Jr. Sr. High School was awarded a Bronze Medal and was recognized among the top 22% of high schools in the nation based on this data for 2012. In 2014, the school was not awarded in the top ranking.[43]

2014 School Performance Profile

Blacklick Valley Junior Senior High School achieved 71.8 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 58.06% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 62% showed on grade level skills at the end of the course. In Biology, 46.99% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course.[44][45] Statewide, the percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in Algebra I increased to 39.7% to 40.1%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in reading/literature declined to 52.5%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in biology improved from 39.7% to 41.4%.[46]

2013 School Performance Profile

Blacklick Valley Junior Senior High School achieved 68.5 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 60% were on grade level. In Algebra 1, 64.49% showed on grade level skills. In Biology, 52% showed on grade level science understanding at the end of the course.[47] According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,181 public schools (less than 73 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher. Pennsylvania 11th grade students no longer take the PSSAs. Instead, beginning in 2012, they take the Keystone Exams at the end of the associated course.[48]

AYP History

In 2012, Blacklick Valley Junior Senior High School declined to Warning Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status, due to low math and reading scores.[49] In 2003 through 2011, Blacklick Valley Junior Senior High School achieved AYP status each school year.[50]

PSSA Results

Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, commonly called PSSAs are No Child Left Behind Act related examinations which were administered from 2003 through 2012, in all Pennsylvania public high schools. The exams were administered in the Spring of each school year. The goal was for 100% of students to be on grade level or better in reading and mathematics, by the Spring of 2014. The tests focused on the state's Academic Standards for reading, writing, mathematics and science. The Science exam included content in science, technology, ecology and the environmental studies. The mathematics exam included: algebra I, algebra II, geometry and trigonometry. The standards were first published in 1998 and are mandated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.[51]

In 2013, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania changed its high school assessments to the Keystone Exams in Algebra 1, Reading/literature and Biology1. The exams are given at the end of the course, rather than all in the spring of the student's 11th grade. year.[52]

11th Grade Reading
11th Grade Math
11th Grade Science

College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 10% of Blacklick Valley 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.[64][65] 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.[66][67] 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.

Dual enrollment

Blacklick Valley Junior Senior High School offers a dual enrollment 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. Courses are available through IU8[68] and from Mount Aloysius College.[69] 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 offered a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books.[70] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[71] Under state rules, other students that reside in the district, who attend a private school, a charter school or are home schooled are eligible to participate in this program.[72] In 2010, Governor Edward Rendell eliminated the grants to students, from the Commonwealth, due to a state budget crisis. In 2013, funding was available through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program.

For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $2,354 for the program.[73]

Graduation requirements

Among Pennsylvania's 500 public school districts, graduation requirements widely vary. The Blacklick Valley School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 23 credits to graduate, including: a required class every year in Language Arts and social studies, Math 3 credits, science 3 credits, Physical Education 1credit each school year and electives 8 electives.[74]

By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students were required to 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.[75] Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education eliminated the state mandate that students complete a culminating project in order to graduate.[76]

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, beginning with the class of 2017, public school students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, and English Literature by passing the Keystone Exams.[77] The exam is given at the end of the course. Keystone Exams replace the PSSAs for 11th grade.[78]

Students have several opportunities to pass the exam. Schools are mandated to provide targeted assistance to help the student be successful. Those who do not pass after several attempts can perform a project in order to graduate.[79][80] For the class of 2019, a Composition exam will be added. For the class of 2020, passing a civics and government exam will be added to the graduation requirements.[81] In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Literature exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level.[82] Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students identified as having special needs and qualifying for an Individual Educational Program (IEP) may graduate by meeting the requirements of their IEP.

SAT scores

In 2014, 35 Blacklick Valley School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 435. The Math average score was 446. The Writing average score was 416.[83][84] Statewide in Pennsylvania, Verbal Average Score was 497. The Math average score was 504. The Writing average score was 480. The College Board also reported that nationwide scores were: 497 in reading, 513 in math and 487 in writing.[85]

In 2013, 25 Blacklick Valley School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 426 The Math average score was 476. The Writing average score was 436. The College Board reported that statewide scores were: 494 in reading, 504 in math and 482 in writing. The nationwide SAT results were the same as in 2012.[86]

In 2012, 45 Blacklick Valley School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 444. The Math average score was 466. The Writing average score was 438. The statewide Verbal SAT exams results were: Verbal 491, Math 501, Writing 480. In the USA, 1.65 million students took the exams achieving scores: Verbal 496, Math 514, Writing 488. According to the College Board the maximum score on each section was 800, and 360 students nationwide scored a perfect 2,400.

In 2011, 29 Blacklick Valley School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 482. The Math average score was 485. The Writing average score was 439.[87] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.[88] In the United States, 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 (out of 800) verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.[89]

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a research arm of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, compared the SAT data of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania to students in urban areas. From 2003 to 2005, the average total SAT score for students in rural Pennsylvania was 992, while urban students averaged 1,006. During the same period, 28 percent of 11th and 12th graders in rural school districts took the exam, compared to 32 percent of urban students in the same grades. The average math and verbal scores were 495 and 497, respectively, for rural students, while urban test-takers averaged 499 and 507, respectively. Pennsylvania’s SAT composite score ranked low on the national scale in 2004. The composite SAT score of 1,003 left Pennsylvania ranking 44 out of the 50 states and Washington, DC.[90]

The Pennsylvania Department of Education reported that 71 percent of students in rural areas of Pennsylvania chose to continue their education after high school in 2003, whereas 79 percent of urban high school graduates opted to continue their education.

AP Courses

In 2014, Blacklick Valley Junior Senior High School does not offered Advanced Placement (AP) courses.[91]

Junior high school

The seventh grade is tested in reading and mathematics every school year. Eight grade is tested in reading, math, science, and writing each year. Students who take Algebra I take the Keystone Exam at the end of the course. Beginning in 2013, the results are combined with the high school results in the School Performance Profile for public reporting although the administration continues to receive results by grade. The testing of 8th grade in reading and mathematics began in 1999, as a state initiative.[92] The standards were published in 1998 and are mandated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.[93] In 2014, the Commonwealth adopted the Pennsylvania Core Standards - Mathematics.[94]

PSSA results

8th Grade Reading
  • 2012 - 74% on grade level (9% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 79% of 8th graders on grade level.[95]
  • 2011 - 85% (9% below basic) State - 81.8%[96]
  • 2009 - 71%, State - 80%[97]
  • 2008 - 78%, State - 78%
  • 2007 - 80%, State - 75%
8th Grade Math
  • 2012 - 78% on grade level (4% below basic). State - 76% [98]
  • 2011 - 88% (3% below basic). State - 76.9%
  • 2009 - 71%, State - 71%
  • 2008 - 69%, State - 70% [99]
  • 2007 - 66%, State - 68%

8th Grade Science

7th Grade Reading:

  • 2012 - 85% (6% below basic). State – 76%
  • 2011 - 74% (11% below basic). State – 76%
  • 2010 - 69% (10% below basic). State - 73%

7th Grade Math:

  • 2012 - 83% (6% below basic). State - 80%
  • 2011 - 76% (10% below basic). State - 78.6%
  • 2010 - 71% (10% below basic). State - 77%

Elementary school

Blacklick Valley Elementary Center is located at 1000 West Railroad Street, Nanty Glo. In 2014, the School's enrollment was 406 pupils in grades preschool through 6th, with 55% of pupils receiving a federal free or reduced price meals due to family poverty. Additionally, 15% of the pupils receive special education services, while less than 1% are identified as gifted.[103] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated highly qualified under No Child Left Behind. The school provides full day kindergarten since 2003.[104] The school is a federally designated Title I school.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2012, enrollment was 370 pupils in grades kindergarten through 6th, with 203 pupils receiving a free or reduced price lunch. The School employed 22.5 teachers yielding a student-teacher ratio of 15:1.[105] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.[106] The school provides full day kindergarten to all its pupils.[107]

2014 School Performance Profile

Blacklick Valley Elementary Center achieved a score of 62 out of 100. The score reflects on grade level: reading, science, writing and mathematics achievement. In 2013-14, only 59% of the students were reading on grade level in grades 3rd through 6th. In 3rd grade, only 69% of the pupils were reading on grade level. In math, just 55.8% were on grade level (3rd-6th grades). In 4th grade science, just 70% of the pupils demonstrated on grade level understanding. In writing only % of 5th grade pupils demonstrated on grade level skills.[108]

2013 School Performance Profile

Blacklick Valley Elementary Center achieved a score of 64.2 out of 100. The score reflects on grade level: reading, science, writing and mathematics achievement. In 2012-13, only 58.7% of the students were reading on grade level in grades 3rd through 6th. In 3rd grade, 74% of the pupils were reading on grade level. In math, 65.22% were on grade level (3rd-6th grades). In 4th grade science, just 76.7% of the pupils demonstrated on grade level understanding. In writing, only 62.5% of 5th grade pupils demonstrated on grade level skills.[109]

AYP status history

In 2011 and 2012, Blacklick Valley Elementary Center achieved AYP status.[110] From 2003 through 2010, Blacklick Valley Elementary Center achieved AYP status each school year.[111]

PSSA History

Each year, in the Spring, the 3rd graders take the PSSAs in math and reading. The fourth grade is tested in reading, math and science. The fifth grade is evaluated in reading, mathematics and writing. The sixth grade is tested in reading and mathematics. PSSAs are administered, beginning 2003, to all Pennsylvania public school students in grades 3rd-8th.[112] The goal was for 100% of students to be on grade level or better in reading and mathematics, by the Spring of 2014.[113][114][115] The tests focused on the state's Academic Standards for reading, writing, mathematics and science. The Science exam is given to 4th grades and includes content in science, technology, ecology and the environmental studies.[116]

6th Grade Reading:

  • 2012 - 73% (16% below basic). State - 68%[117]
  • 2011 - 75% (13% below basic). State - 69.9%[118]
  • 2010 - 67% (17% below basic). State - 68%[119]

6th Grade Math:

  • 2012 - 78% (11% below basic). State - 77%
  • 2011 - 76% (15% below basic). State - 78.8%
  • 2010 - 80% (7% below basic). State - 78%

5th Grade Reading
  • 2012 - 48% (20% below basic). State - 65%
  • 2011 - 69% (10% below basic). State - 67.3%
  • 2010 - 69% (20% below basic). State - 64%
5th Grade Math
  • 2012 - 66% (11% below basic). State - 73%
  • 2011 - 76% (10% below basic). State - 74%
  • 2010 - 66% (12% below basic). State - 76.3%

4th Grade Reading
  • 2012 - 84% (0% below basic). State - 72%
  • 2011 - 67% (10% below basic). State - 73%
  • 2010 - 74% (14% below basic). State - 73%
4th Grade Math
  • 2012 - 87% (2% below basic). State - 82%
  • 2011 - 73% (4% below basic). State - 85%
  • 2010 - 84% (10% below basic). State - 84%

4th Grade Science

3rd Grade Reading
  • 2012 - 86%, (9% below basic). State - 74% [121]
  • 2011 - 79%, (9% below basic). State - 77%
  • 2010 - 83%, (5% below basic). State - 75%
3rd Grade Math
  • 2012 - 91%, (0% below basic). State - 80%
  • 2011 - 95%, (3% below basic). State - 83%
  • 2010 - 92%, (0% below basic). State - 84%

Special education

In December 2013, the District administration reported that 123 pupils or 18.5% of the district's pupils received Special Education services, with 45.5% of the identified students having a specific learning disability.[122] In December 2010, the District administration reported that 122 pupils or 17.6% of the district's pupils received Special Education services, with 45% of the identified students having a specific learning disability.[123] In December 2007, the District administration reported that 128 pupils or 19% of the district's pupils received Special Education services, with 48.4% of the identified students having a specific learning disability.[124] Special education services in the Commonwealth are provided to students from ages three years to 21 years old. In the 2010-2011 school year, the total student enrollment was more than 1.78 million students with approximately 275,000 students eligible for special education services. Among these students 18,959 were identified with mental retardation and 21,245 students with autism.[125] The largest group of students are identified as Specific Learning Disabilities 126,026 students (46.9 percent) and Speech or Language Impairments with 43,542 students (16.2 percent).

In 2007, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak testified before the Pennsylvania House Education Committee regarding full day kindergarten. He claimed that districts which offered full day kindergarten would see a significant decrease in special education students due to early identification and early intervention. He asserted the high cost of full day kindergarten would be recouped by Districts in lower special education costs.[126] Blacklick Valley School District has seen little decline in the percentage of special education students it serves, yielding no savings.

In order to comply with state and federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act rules and regulations, the school district engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs.[127] 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.[128] To identify students who may be eligible for special education services, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Special Education administration. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the District seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may verbally request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the District or contact the district's Special Education Department.[129][130] The IDEA 2004 requires each school entity to publish a notice to parents, in newspapers or other media, including the student handbook and website regarding the availability of screening and intervention services and how to access them.

In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815,000 for Special Education services. This funding was in addition to the state's basic education per pupil funding, as well as, all other state and federal funding.[131] The Special Education funding structure is through the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds and state appropriations. IDEA funds are appropriated to the state on an annual basis and distributed through intermediate units (IUs) to school districts, while state funds are distributed directly to the districts. Total funds that are received by school districts are calculated through a formula. The Pennsylvania Department of Education oversees four appropriations used to fund students with special needs: Special Education; Approved Private Schools; Pennsylvania Chartered Schools for the Deaf and Blind; and Early Intervention. The Pennsylvania Special Education funding system assumes that 16% of the district’s students receive special education services. It also assumes that each student’s needs accrue the same level of costs.[132] Over identification of students, in order to increase state funding, has been an issue in the Commonwealth. Some districts have more than 20% of its students receiving special education services while others have 10% supported through special education.[133] The state requires each public school district and charter school to have a three-year special education plan to meet the unique needs of its special education students.[134] In 2012, the Obama Administration's US Department of Education issued a directive requiring schools include students with disabilities in extracurricular activities, including sports.[135]

The Blacklick Valley School District received a $510,784 supplement for special education services in 2010.[136] For the 2011-12, 2012–13 and 2013-14 school years, all Pennsylvania public school districts received the same level of funding for special education that they received in 2010-11. This level funding is provided regardless of changes in the number of pupils who need special education services and regardless of the level of services the respective students required.[137][138] For the 2014-2015 school year, Blacklick Valley School District received an increase to $518,636 from the Commonwealth for special education funding.[139]

In 2013, the state's Special Education Funding Reform Commission provided a report on the state of funding for special education in the Commonwealth.[140] Funding for special education programs is borne largely on a local basic at 60%, with the state contributing $1 billion or 30% and the federal government providing 10% of the funding.

Least Restricted Environment monitoring

In 2009, Blacklick Valley School District was identified by the Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Special Education for Least Restrictive Environment monitoring. One hundred ninety six schools districts were selected in 2008-09. The district received an alert letter from the PDE - Bureau of Special Education.[141] School districts were placed in one of three categories: Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3. The Blacklick Valley was placed in Tier 3 due to the number of students spending their day in settings outside of the regular school (lower numbers of students are desirable). The monitoring is a product of the PDE addressing its voluntary settlement in Gaskin V. Pennsylvania which ordered that special education students spend most of their school day (80%) in regular education classrooms with supplementary aids and services to assist funded by the taxpayers.[142][143][144]

Gifted education

The District Administration reported that 2 or 0.3% of its students were gifted in 2009. The highest percentage of gifted students reported among all 500 school districts and 100 public charter schools in Pennsylvania was North Allegheny School District with 15.5% of its students identified as gifted.[145] By law, the district must provide mentally gifted programs at all grade levels. 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.[146][147]

Enrollment

Blacklick Valley School District has low enrollment. According to Pennsylvania Department of Education enrollment reports, enrollment at Blacklick Valley is among the lowest of any public school districts in the Commonwealth. There were just 696 students enrolled in K-12 in 2005-06 school year. The enrollment declined to 669 students enrolled in K-12 in 2008–09 school year. In 2014, enrollment was 688 pupils due to adding the preschool program. Enrollment is projected to remain low through 2020.[148] In 2008, the district administrative costs were $899.59 per pupil (top 20% in state for administrative spending). The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.[149] A study of Pennsylvania public school spending, conducted by Standard and Poor's, examined the consolidation of small public school district in Pennsylvania in 2007. The study found that consolidation of the administration with an adjacent school district would achieve substantial administrative cost savings which varied by district.[150] Among several consolidations the study suggested there were four plans for Blacklick Valley School District. It examined combining BVSD with: United School District which would save taxpayers an estimated $2,924,154 a year. A combining with Penns Manor Area School District which was estimated to save taxpayers $1,762,572 a year, with no school closures. Another plan was to combine with Northern Cambria School District which would have saved taxpayers $2,101,677 annually. Finally, they examined consolidating BVSD with Central Cambria School District yielding an annual savings of $2,081,144, without closing any schools.

Pennsylvania had 2,361 public school districts in 1959. The state compelled mergers reducing the number to 505 by 1980. Mergers slowed through the 1980s after a 1981 court order desegregated and combined the Edgewood, General Braddock, Swissvale, Churchill and Turtle Creek districts into the Woodland Hills district.[151]

According to a 2009 school district administration consolidation proposal by Governor Edward Rendell, the excessive administrative overhead dollars could be redirected to improve lagging academic achievement, to enrich the academic programs or to reduce local property taxes.[152] Consolidation of two central administrations into one would not require the closing of any schools. The Governor's proposal called for the savings to be redirected to improving lagging reading and science achievement, to enriching the academic programs or to reducing residents' property taxes.[153] In March 2011, the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants Fiscal Responsibility Task Force released a report which found that consolidating school district administrations with one neighboring district would save the Commonwealth $1.2 billion without forcing the consolidation of any schools.[154]

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has one of the highest numbers of school districts in the nation. In Pennsylvania, 80% of the school districts serve student populations under 5,000, and 40% serve less than 2,000. This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity.[155] In a survey of public school superintendents of small districts, 42% of the 49 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.[156]

Budget

Pennsylvania public school districts budget and expend funds according to procedures mandated by the General Assembly and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). An annual operating budget is prepared by school district administrative officials. A uniform form is furnished by the PDE and submitted to the board of school directors for approval prior to the beginning of each fiscal year on July 1.

Under Pennsylvania’s Taxpayer Relief Act, Act 1 of the Special Session of 2006, all school districts of the first class A, second class, third class and fourth class must adopt a preliminary budget proposal. The proposal must include estimated revenues and expenditures and the proposed tax rates. This proposed budget must be considered by the Board no later than 90 days prior to the date of the election immediately preceding the fiscal year. The preliminary budget proposal must also be printed and made available for public inspection at least 20 days prior to its adoption. The board of school directors may hold a public hearing on the budget, but are not required to do so. The board must give at least 10 days’ public notice of its intent to adopt the final budget according to Act 1 of 2006.[157]

In 2013, the range of teacher salaries at Blacklick Valley School District was $29,000 to $71,350 a year. Teachers also receive a benefits package that includes: health insurance, life insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, state pension, personal days, 10 paid sick days, paid professional development and more.[158][159][160] Blacklick Valley School District teacher and administrator retirement benefits are equal to at least 2.00% x Final Average Salary x Total Credited Service. (Some teachers benefits utilize a 2.50% benefit factor.)[161] After 40 years of service, a teacher can retire with 100% of the average salary of their final 3 years of employment. According to a study conducted at the American Enterprise Institute, in 2011, public school teachers’ total compensation is roughly 50 percent higher than they would likely receive in the private sector. The study found that the most generous benefits that teachers receive are not accounted for in many studies of compensation including: pension, retiree health benefits and job security.[162]

In 2009, the District reported employing 100 teachers and administrators with a salary range of $29,000 and a top salary of $97,000.[163] The teacher’s work day was 6.5 hours with 180 days in the contract year. Additionally, the teachers received a defined benefit pension, health insurance, professional development reimbursement, paid personal days, 10 paid sick days, and other benefits.[164]

Administrative spending

Blacklick Valley School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $899.59 per pupil ranking 106th out of 500 public school districts for spending on administration. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.[165] The Pennsylvania School Boards Association collects and maintains statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.[166][167]

In 2008, the Blacklick Valley School District administration reported that per pupil spending was $11,948 which ranked 277th among Pennsylvania's then 501 public school districts. In 2010, the District’s per pupil spending was $11,960.16.[168] In 2013, the per pupil spending was reported as $12,273.19[169] In 2011, Pennsylvania’s per pupil spending was $13,467, ranking 6th in the United States.[170] In 2007, the Pennsylvania per pupil total expenditures was reported as $12,759.[171]

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that Pennsylvania spent $8,191 per pupil in school year 2000-01.[172] In 2007, the Pennsylvania per pupil total expenditures was reported as $12,759.[173] Among the fifty states, Pennsylvania’s total per pupil revenue (including all sources) ranked 11th at $15,023 per student, in 2008-09.[174] Pennsylvania’s total revenue per pupil rose to $16,186 ranking 9th in the nation in 2011.[175]

Reserves In 2008, the Blacklick Valley School District reported a balance of $4,374,212 in its reserved-designated fund. The unreserved-undesignated fund balance was reported as zero.[176] In 2010, BlackLick Valley School District Administration reported $2,498,582 in the unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The District also reported $2,953,738 in its unreserved-designated fund in 2010. In 2013, the District reported $2,529,583 in assigned fund balance and another $3,356,208 in unassigned funds in reserve.[177] Pennsylvania public 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.[178] In 2005, the total reserve funds held by Pennsylvania public school districts was $1.9 billion.[179] By 2013, reserves held by Pennsylvania public school districts, as a whole, had increased to over $3.8 billion.[180][181][182]

Audit In July 2013, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the District. The findings were reported to the School Board and the District’s administration. The audit cited a Violation of the Retirement Code regarding the employment of the former superintendent.[183] In 2010, the Districts was also audited by the Pennsylvania Auditor General.[184]

Tuition Students who live in the District's attendance area may choose to attend one of Pennsylvania's 157 public charter schools. A student living in a neighboring public school district or a foreign exchange student may seek admission to Area School District. For these cases, the Pennsylvania Department of Education sets an annual tuition rate for each school district. It is the amount the public school district pays to a charter school for each resident student that attends the charter and it is the amount a nonresident student's parents must pay to attend the District's schools. The 2013 tuition rates are Elementary School - $7,809.80, High School - $10,352.35.[185]

Tax shift referendum In accordance with Act 1, Blacklick Valley School District placed a referendum question on the ballot at the May 15, 2007, primary election seeking voter approval to levy (or increase the rate of) an earned income and net profits tax (“EIT”) or a personal income tax (“PIT”) and use the proceeds to reduce local real estate taxes by a homestead and farmstead exclusion. The referendum was not approved by the voters.[186]

Blacklick Valley School District is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax 0.5%,[187] a Local Services Tax - $10,[188] Per Capita Tax - $10, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a small amount, generally 10% of its budget from the federal government.[189] Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. Interest earnings on accounts also provide nontax income to the District. 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 level of the individual’s personal wealth.[190] The average Pennsylvania public school teacher pension in 2011 exceeds $60,000 a year plus they receive federal Social Security benefits: both are free of Pennsylvania state income tax and local income tax which funds local public schools.[191]

State basic education funding

According to a report from Representative Todd Stephens office, Blacklick Valley School District receives 76.8% of its annual revenue from the state.[192] This exceeds the goal of the state providing 50% of district funding.[193]

For the 2014-15 school year, Blacklick Valley School District received $5,009,038 in State Basic Education funding. The District received $112,682 in new Ready To Learn Block grant. The State’s enacted Education Budget includes $5,526,129,000 for the 2014-2015 Basic Education Funding.[194] The Education budget also includes Accountability Block Grant funding at $100 million and $241 million in new Ready to Learn funding for public schools that focus on student achievement and academic success. The State is paying $500.8 million to Social Security on the school employees behalf and another $1.16 billion to the state teachers pension system (PSERS). In total, Pennsylvania’s Education budget for K-12 public schools is $10 billion. This was a $305 million increase over 2013-2014 state spending and the greatest amount ever allotted by the Commonwealth for its public schools.[195]

In the 2013-2014 school year, Blacklick Valley School District received a 1.1% increase or $5,009,278 in Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding (BEF). This is $55,456 more than its 2012-13 state BEF to the District. Additionally, Blacklick Valley School District received $59,057 in Accountability Block Grant funding to focus on academic achievement and level funding for special education services. Among the public school districts in Cambria County, Westmont Hilltop School District received the highest percentage increase in BEF at 2.5%. The District has the option of applying for several other state and federal grants to increase revenues. The Commonwealth’s budget increased Basic Education Funding statewide by $123 million to over $5.5 billion. Most of Pennsylvania’s 500 public school districts received an increase of Basic Education Funding in a range of 0.9% to 4%. Eight public school districts received exceptionally high funding increases of 10% to 16%. Statewide the highest increase in state funding was awarded to Austin Area School District which received a 22.5% increase in Basic Education Funding.[196] The highest percent of state spending per student is in the Chester-Upland School District, where roughly 78 percent comes from state coffers. In Philadelphia, it is nearly 49 percent.[197] As a part of the education budget, the state provided the PSERS (Pennsylvania school employee pension fund) with $1,017,000,000 and Social Security payments for school employees of $495 million.[198]

For the 2012-13 school year, the Blacklick Valley School District received a 1.54% increase to $4,953,822 in Basic Education Funding from the state.[199] The district's per pupil funding from the state was $7,320.79. Governor Tom Corbett's Executive Budget for 2012-2013 included $9.34 billion for kindergarten through 12th grade public education, including $5.4 billion in basic education funding, which was an increase of $49 million over the 2011-12 budget. In addition, the Commonwealth provided $100 million for the Accountability Block Grant (ABG) program. The state also provided a $544.4 million payment for School Employees’ Social Security and $856 million for School Employees’ Retirement fund called PSERS.[200] This amount was a $21,823,000 increase (0.34%) over the 2011-2012 appropriations for Basic Education Funding, School Employees' Social Security, Pupil Transportation, Nonpublic and Charter School Pupil Transportation. Since taking office, Corbett’s first two budgets have restored more than $918 million in support of public schools, compensating for the $1 billion in federal stimulus dollars lost at the end of the 2010-11 school year.

In 2011-12, the Blacklick Valley School District received a $4,953,822 allocation, of state Basic Education Funding.[201][202] Additionally, the Blacklick Valley School District received another $59,057 in Accountability Block Grant funding. The enacted Pennsylvania state Education budget included $5,354,629,000 for the 2011-2012 Basic Education Funding appropriation. This amount was a $233,290,000 increase (4.6%) over the enacted State appropriation for 2010-2011.[203] The highest increase in state basic education funding was awarded to Duquesne City School District of Allegheny County, which got a 49% increase in state funding for 2011-12.[204] In 2010, the district reported that 364 students received free or reduced price lunches, due to the family meeting the federal poverty level.[205] Some public school Districts experienced a reduction of total funding due to the loss of federal stimulus funding which ended in 2011.

In the 2010-11 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 3.43% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $5,234,461. Among the twelve (12) public school districts in Cambria County, the highest increase went to Westmont Hilltop School District which got a 10.14% increase. One hundred fifty Pennsylvania school districts received the base 2% increase. The highest increase in 2010-11 went to Kennett Consolidated School District in Chester County, which received a 23.65% increase in state funding.[206] Fifteen (15) Pennsylvania public school districts received a BEF increase of greater than 10%. The state's hold harmless policy regarding state basic education funding continued where each district received at least the same amount as it received the prior school year, even when enrollment had significantly declined. The amount of increase each school district received was set by Governor Edward Rendell and then Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak, as a part of the state budget proposal given each February. This was the second year of Governor Rendell’s policy to fund some public school districts at a far greater rate than others.[207]

In the 2009-10 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 2.16% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $5,060,937. Among the districts in Cambria County, the highest increase went to Westmont Hilltop School District, which got an 8.22% increase. Ninety (90) Pennsylvania public school districts received the base 2% increase. Muhlenberg School District in Berks County received a 22.31% increase in state basic education funding in 2009.[208] The amount of increase each school district received was set by Governor Edward G. Rendell and the Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak, as a part of the state budget proposal.[209]

The state Basic Education Funding to the District in 2008-09 was $4,953,822. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 370 district students received free or reduced-price lunches due to low family income in the 2007–2008 school year.[210] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Pennsylvania spent $7,824 Per Pupil in the year 2000. This amount increased up to $12,085 by the year 2008.[211][212]

All Pennsylvania school districts also receive additional funding from the state through several other funding allocations, including Reimbursement of Charter School Expenditures; Special Education Funding; Secondary Career & Technical Education Subsidy; PA Accountability Grants; and low achieving schools were eligible for Educational Assistance Program Funding. Plus all Pennsylvania school districts receive federal dollars for various programs including: Special Education funding and Title I funding for children from low income families. In 2010, Pennsylvania spent over $24 billion for public education - local, state and federal dollars combined.[213]

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 skills training; All Day Kindergarten; lower class size in Kindergarten through 3rd grade; literacy and math coaching programs (provides teachers with individualized job-embedded professional development to improve their instruction); before or after school tutoring assistance to struggling students. For 2010-11, Blacklick Valley School District applied for and received $160,296 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The District used the funding to provide Full Day Kindergarten for 35 children.[214][215] In 2009, 100% of the kindergarteners in Blacklick Valley School District attended full-day kindergarten.[216]

Ready to Learn grant

Beginning in the 2014-2015 budget, the State funded a new Ready to Learn Grant for public schools. A total of $100 million is allocated through a formula to districts based on the number of students, level of poverty of community as calculated by its market value/personal income aid ratio (MV/PI AR) and the number of English language learners. Ready to Learn Block Grant funds may be used by the Districts for: school safety; Ready by 3 early childhood intervention programs; individualized learning programs; and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs.[217]

Blacklick Valley School District received $112,682 in Ready to Learn Grant dollars in addition to State Basic Education funding, Special Education funding, reimbursement for Social Security payments for employees and other state grants which the district must apply to receive.

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 to 2009. The Blacklick Valley School District did not apply to participate in 2006-07. In 2007-08, the District received $72,372. The District received $41,414 in 2008-09.[218] The funds were used to purchase 91 student laptops, 13 teacher laptops. Also purchased and installed were 13 interactive whiteboards and ceiling mounted LCD projectors.[219]

Among the public school districts in Cambria County, the highest award was given to Greater Johnstown School District which received $463,166. The highest funding statewide was awarded to Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. The grant program was discontinued by Governor Edward Rendell as part of the 2009-10 state budget.

Science It’s Elementary grant

Blacklick Valley Elementary School successfully applied to participate and received a Science It’s Elementary grant in 2008-09.[220] For the 2008-09 school year, the program was offered in 143 schools reaching 66,973 students across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.[221] In 2007, the Pennsylvania Department of Education initiated an effort to improve science instruction in the Commonwealth’s public elementary schools. Called Science: It’s Elementary, the program was a hands on instruction approach for elementary science classes that develops problem-solving and critical thinking skills.[222] To encourage schools to adopt the program’s standards aligned curriculum, the state provided a grant to cover the costs of materials and extensive mandatory teacher training.[223] The district was required to develop a three-year implementation plan for the participating school. The school district administration was required to appoint a district liaison who was paid $3,000 by PDE to serve as the conduit of all information between the district and the Department and its agents along with submitting orders and distributing supplies to implementing teachers. For the 2006-07 state education budget, $10 million was allocated for the program.[224] The grant program was expanded to $14.5 million in the 2008-09 budget. The Science It's Elementary grant was discontinued by Governor Edward G. Rendell in the state’s 2011 budget.

Other grants

Blacklick Valley School District did not participate in: PreK Counts - preschool grants; Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Environmental Education annual grants;[225][226] Education Assistance Tutoring Grants; 2012 Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy grant;[227] 2013 Safe Schools and Resource Officer grants; 2012 and 2013 Pennsylvania Hybrid Learning Grants;[228] Project 720 High School Reform grants (discontinued effective with 2011-12 budget); nor the federal 21st Century Learning grants.

Federal Stimulus grant

The District received an extra $271,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low-income students.[229][230] The funding was limited to the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years.[231] Due to the temporary nature of the funding, schools were repeatedly advised by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee, the Governor and the Pennsylvania School Board Association, to use the funds for one-time expenditures like acquiring equipment, making repairs to buildings, training teachers to provide more effective instruction or purchasing books and software.

Common Cents state initiative

The Blacklick Valley School Board elected to not participate in the Pennsylvania Department of Education Common Cents program.[232] 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.[233][234] After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

Local Services Tax

Blacklick Valley School Board levies a $10 Local Services tax. All local taxing authorities are required by the Local Tax Enabling Act to exempt disabled veterans and members of the armed forces reserve who are called to active duty at any time during the tax year from any local services tax and to exempt from any local services tax levied at a rate in excess of $10 those persons whose total income and net profits from all sources within the political subdivision is less than $12,000 for the tax year. The Local Tax Enabling Act also authorizes, but does not require, taxing authorities to exempt from per capita, occupation, and earned income taxes and any local services tax levied at a rate of $10 or less per year, any person whose total income from all sources is less than $12,000 per year.

Real estate taxes

Property tax rates in 2014-2015 were set by the school board at 44.7000 mills.[235] 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.[236] Property taxes, in the Commonwealth of 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 all government property (local, state and federal). Additionally, service related, disabled US military veterans may seek an exemption from paying property taxes. 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, which are around 15% of revenues for school districts.[237] When a Pennsylvania public school district includes municipalities in two counties, each of which has different rates of property tax assessment, a state board equalizes the tax rates between the counties.[238] In 2010, miscalculations by the State Tax Equalization Board (STEB) were widespread in the Commonwealth and adversely impacted funding for many school districts, including those that did not cross county borders.[239]

  • 2013-14 - 43.3200 mills.[240]
  • 2012-13 - 37.9600 mills.[241]
  • 2011-12 - 37.0000 mills.[242]
  • 2010-11 - 37.0000 mills.[243]
  • 2009-10 - 37.0000 mills.[244]
  • 2008-09 - 37.0000 mills.[245]
  • 2007-08 - 37.0000 mills.[246]
  • 2006-07 - 37.0000 mills.[247]
  • 2005-06 - 37.0000 mills.[248]

The average yearly property tax paid by Cambria County residents amounts to about 2.4% of their yearly income. Cambria County ranked 1048th out of the 3143 United States counties for property taxes as a percentage of median income.[249] According to a report prepared by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the total real estate taxes collected by all school districts in Pennsylvania rose from $6,474,133,936 in 1999-00 to $10,438,463,356 in 2008-09 and to $11,153,412,490 in 2011.[250] Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).[251] Pennsylvania's 2011 tax burden of 10.35% ranked 10th highest out of 50 states. The tax burden was above the national average of 9.8%. Pennsylvania's taxpayers paid $4,374 per capita in state and local taxes, including school taxes.[252]

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 permitted to raise property taxes above their annual Act 1 Index unless they either: allow Districts voters to approve the increase through a vote by referendum or they receive an exception from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The base index for the school year is published by the PDE in the fall of each year. Each individual school district’s Act 1 Index can be adjusted higher, depending on a number of factors, such as local property values and the personal income of district residents. Originally, Act 1 of 2006 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 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.[253]

In June 2011, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed legislation eliminating six of the exceptions to the Act 1 Index.[254] Several exceptions were maintained: 1) costs to pay interest and principal on indebtedness incurred prior to September 4, 2004 for Act 72 schools and prior to June 27, 2006 for non-Act 72 schools; 2) costs to pay interest and principal on electoral debt; 3) costs incurred in providing special education programs and services (beyond what is already paid by the State); and 4) costs due to increases of more than the Index in the school’s share of payments to PSERS (PA school employees pension fund) taking into account the state mandated PSERS contribution rate.[255][256] The legislature also froze the payroll amount public school districts use to calculate the pension-plan exception at the 2012 payroll levels. Further increases in payroll cannot be used to raise the district’s exception for pension payments.

A specific timeline for Act I Index decisions is published annually, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.[257]

The School District Adjusted Index history for the Blacklick Valley School District:

  • 2006-07 - 5.8%, Base 3.9%[258]
  • 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% [259]
  • 2013-14 - 2.6%, Base 1.7% [260]
  • 2014-15 - 3.2%, Base 2.1% [261]
  • 2015-16 - 2.9%, Base 1.9%[262]

For the 2014-15 budget year, Blacklick Valley School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed their Act 1 Index limit. In 2014-15, all Pennsylvania school districts were required to make a 21.4% of payroll payment to the teacher’s pension fund (PSERS).[263] For the school budget 2014-15, 316 Pennsylvania public school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above its Act 1 Index limit. Another 181 school districts adopted a preliminary budget leaving open the option of exceeding the Index limit. Districts may apply for multiple exceptions each year. For the pension costs exception, 163 school districts received approval to exceed the Index in full, while others received a partial approval of their request. For special education costs, 104 districts received approval to exceed their tax limit. Seven Pennsylvania public school districts received an approval for the grandfathered construction debts exception.[264]

For the 2013-14 budget year, Blacklick Valley School Board applied for two exceptions to exceed their Act 1 Index limit: escalating teacher pension costs and special education costs. In 2013-14, all Pennsylvania school districts were required to make a 16.93% of payroll payment to the teacher’s pension fund (PSERS). For the school budget year 2013-14, 311 Pennsylvania public school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index. Another 171 school districts adopted a preliminary budget leaving open the option of exceeded the Index limit. For the pension costs exception, 169 school districts received approval to exceed the Index. For special education costs, 75 districts received approval to exceed their tax limit. Eleven Pennsylvania public school districts received an approval for grandfathered construction debts.[265]

For the 2012-13 budget year, Blacklick Valley School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. In 2012-13, all Pennsylvania school districts were required to make a 12.36% of payroll payment to the teacher’s pension fund (PSERS). For 2012-2013 budget year, 274 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; while 223 school districts adopted a preliminary budget leaving open the option of exceeded the Index limit. For the exception for pension costs, 194 school districts received approval to exceed the Index. For special education costs, 129 districts received approval to exceed the tax limit.[266]

For the 2011-12 school year, the Blacklick Valley School Board did not apply for an exception to exceed the Act 1 Index. In 2011-12, all Pennsylvania school districts were required to make an 8.65% of payroll payment to the teacher’s pension fund. Each year, the 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.

According to a state report, for the 2011-2012 school year budgets, 247 school districts povadopted 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.[267]

The Blacklick Valley School Board did not apply for any exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budget in 2010-11.[268]

For the 2009-10 school budget, Blacklick Valley School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Index.[269] 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.[270]

Property tax relief

In 2014, Blacklick Valley School District 1,536 approved homestead properties received $110.[271] The amount received by the District must be divided equally among all approved residences.[272] In 2013, 1539 properties received $110.

In 2009, School District approved 1,528 homestead properties to receive $111 in property tax relief.[273] 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 (40,000 m2) and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption. The amount of property tax relief each Pennsylvania public school district receives is announced by the PDE in May of each year. The amount of tax relief is dependent on the total tax revenue collected on the casino slots in the previous year. Thirty five percent of the slots tax revenues are used for property tax relief. In Cambria County, the highest tax relief went to Ferndale Area School District which was set at $212.[274] The highest property tax relief provided, among Pennsylvania school districts, goes to the homesteads of Chester Upland School District in Delaware County which received $632 per approved homestead in 2010. Chester-Upland School District has consistently been the top recipient since the programs inception.[275] The tax relief was started by Governor Rendell with passage of the gaming law. Rendell promised taxpayers substantial property tax relief from legalized gambling.

In Cambria County, 54% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009. This was among the lowest participation rates in Pennsylvania.[276]

Some Blacklick Valley School District residents, including: low income residents aged 65 and older; widows and widowers aged 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older, can qualify for the state's Property Tax/Rent Rebate program. The income limit is $35,000 for homeowners.[277] Residents must apply annually to receive up to $650. The Property tax/rent rebate program is funded by revenues from the Pennsylvania Lottery. In 2012, these property tax rebates were increased by an additional 50 percent for senior households in the state, so long as those households have incomes under $30,000 and pay more than 15% of their income in property taxes.[278]

Wellness policy

Blacklick Valley School Board has an established district wellness policy.[279] 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 Act (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." Most districts identified the superintendent and school foodservice director as responsible for ensuring local wellness policy implementation.[280]

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.[281] The Pennsylvania Department of Education required each school district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.

Blacklick Valley School District offers both a free school breakfast and a free or reduced-price lunch to children in low income families. All students attending the school can eat breakfast and lunch. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level are provided a breakfast and lunch at no cost to the family. Children from families with incomes between 130 and 185 percent of the federal poverty level can be charged no more than 30 cents per breakfast. A foster child whose care and placement is the responsibility of the State or who is placed by a court with a caretaker household is eligible for both a free breakfast and a free lunch. Runaway, homeless and Migrant Youth are also automatically eligible for free meals.[282] The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.[283]

In 2013, the USDA issued new restrictions to foods in public schools. The rules apply to foods and beverages sold on all public school district campuses during the day. They limit vending machine snacks to a maximum of 200 calories per item. Additionally, all snack foods sold at school must meet competitive nutrient standards, meaning they must have fruits, vegetables, dairy or protein in them or contain at least 10 percent of the daily value of fiber, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin D.[284] In order to comply with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 all US public school districts are required to raise the price of their school lunches to $2.60 regardless of the actual cost of providing the lunch.[285] The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 mandates that Districts raise their full pay lunch prices every year until the price of non-subsidized lunches equals the amount the federal government reimburses schools for free meals. That subsidy in 2013-2014 was $2.93.

In 2014, President Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day.[286] The Food and Drug Administration requires that students take milk as their beverage at lunch. In accordance with this law, any student requesting water in place of milk with their lunch must present a written request, signed by a doctor, documenting the need for water instead of milk.[287][288]

Blacklick Valley School District provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. Nurses are available in each building to conduct annual health screenings (data reported to the PDE and state Department of Health) and to dispense prescribed medications to students during the school day. Students can be excluded from school unless they comply with all the State Department of Health’s extensive immunization mandates. School nurses monitor each pupil for this compliance.[289][290] Nurses also monitor each child's weight.[291]

Extracurriculars

Blacklick Valley School District offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and an extensive, publicly funded sports program.[292] Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA).

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing 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.[293]

According to the Pennsylvania Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Act 126 of 2014, all volunteer coaches and all those who assist in student activities, must have criminal background checks. Like all school district employees, they must also attend an anti child abuse training once every three years.[294][295][296]

Athletics

Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid.[297]

Blacklick Valley School District provides its athletics disclosure form on its web site.[298] Article XVI-C of the Public School Code requires the disclosure of interscholastic athletic opportunities for all public secondary school entities in Pennsylvania. All school entities with grades 7-12 are required to annually collect data concerning team and financial information for all male and female athletes beginning with the 2012-13 school year and submit the information to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, all non-school (booster club and alumni) contributions and purchases must also be reported to PDE.[299]

According to Pennsylvania’s Safety in Youth Sports Act, all sports coaches, paid and volunteer, are required to annually complete the Concussion Management Certification Training and present the certification before coaching.[300][301]

Varsity

Boys
Girls

Junior High Middle School Sports

Boys
  • Basketball
  • Football
Girls
  • Basketball

According to PIAA directory June 2015[302]

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  218. ↑ Pennsylvania Auditor General (December 22, 2008). "Classrooms for the Future grants audit".
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  221. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Science: It’s Elementary Grantees Students in 143 Schools Benefit from Intensive Science Curriculum, July 22, 2008
  222. ↑ Patricia Vathis Pennsylvania Department of Education, Grants and Subsidies Science: It’s Elementary, 2006
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  225. ↑ Department of Environmental Protection (2014). "Environmental Education Grants".
  226. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (April 22, 2013). "Governor Corbett Awards 92 Grants for Environmental Education and Stewardship".
  227. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 23, 2012). "Pennsylvania Awards $36.1 Million to Strengthen Literacy Programs".
  228. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education Press Office (October 17, 2013). "Acting Secretary of Education Says Hybrid Learning Benefits Students; Highlights Success of First-Year Pilot Program".
  229. ↑ Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (2009). "County ARRA FUNDING Report".
  230. ↑ ProPublica (2009). "Recovery Tracker Eye on the stimulus".
  231. ↑ "School stimulus money". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. March 12, 2009.
  232. ↑ Governor Office Press release (March 12, 2008). "PA Education Department Announces 39 Districts to Take Part in 'Common Cents' Cost-Saving".
  233. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2007). "Common Cents program - Making Every Dollar Count".
  234. ↑ PA General Assembly Task Force on School Cost Reduction (November 16, 2006). "Final Report Task Force on School Cost Reduction Findings and Recommendations".
  235. ↑ PDE (October 2014). "Finances RE Tax Rates 2014-15".
  236. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2012). "Real Estate Tax Rates by School District 2012-13 Real Estate Mills".
  237. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2004). "Act 511 Tax Report".
  238. ↑ State Tax Equalization Board (2011). "State Tax Equalization Board About US".
  239. ↑ Pennsylvania Auditor General office - Bureau of Audits (February 2011). "A Special Performance Audit of the Pennsylvania State Tax Equalization Boards" (PDF).
  240. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2014). "Real Estate Tax Rates by School District 2013-14 Real Estate Mills".
  241. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Finances_Real Estate Tax Rates 2012-13, 2012
  242. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "Real Estate Tax Millage by School District,".
  243. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "Real Estate Tax Millage by School District".
  244. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Financial Elements Reports, 2010
  245. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Financial Elements Reports 2008-09 Real Estate Mills, 2009
  246. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Real Estate Tax Millage by School District, 2008
  247. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Real Estate Tax Millage by School District, 2006
  248. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Real Estate Tax Millage by School District, 2005
  249. ↑ Tax-rates.org., The 2015 Tax Resource County Property Taxes 2014, 2015
  250. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pennsylvania School Finances - Summaries of Annual Financial Report Data 2010-11, 2011
  251. ↑ New Census Data on Property Taxes on Homeowners, Tax Foundation, September 22, 2009.
  252. ↑ Tax Foundation, The facts on Pennsylvania’s Tax Climate, January 2015
  253. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2010). "2010-11 Act 1 of 2006 Referendum Exception Guidelines".
  254. ↑ Kaitlynn Riely (August 4, 2011). "Law could restrict school construction projects". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  255. ↑ Pennsylvania General Assembly, (June 29, 2011). "SB330 of 2011".
  256. ↑ Eric Boehm (July 1, 2011). "Property tax reform final piece of state budget". PA Independent.
  257. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "Special Session Act 1 of 2006 the Taxpayer Relief Act information".
  258. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 2011). "Special Session Act 1 of 2006 School District Adjusted Index for 2006-2007 through 2011-2012".
  259. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2012-2013 School District Adjusted Index, September 2011
  260. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2013-2014 School District Adjusted Index, September 2012
  261. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2014-2015 School District Adjusted Index, September 2013
  262. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2015-2016 School District Adjusted Index, September 2014
  263. ↑ Pennsylvania School Employees, Retirement System, PSERS Chart showing payment mandates 2007-2020, 2014
  264. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (April 30, 2014). "Report on Referendum Exceptions For School Year 2014-2015".
  265. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Report on Referendum Exceptions For School Year 2013-2014, April 2013
  266. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Report on Referendum Exceptions For School Year 2012-2013, March 30, 2012
  267. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (April 2011). "Report on Exceptions".
  268. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 2010). "Report on Referendum Exceptions for 2010-2011".
  269. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 2009). "Report on Referendum Exceptions for 2009-2010".
  270. ↑ Scarcella, Frank and Pursell, Tricia (May 25, 2010). "Local school tax assessments exceed state averages". The Daily Item.
  271. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 1, 2014). "2014-2015 Estimated State Property Tax Relief per Homestead".
  272. ↑ Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (2014). "Gaming Benefits for Pennsylvanians".
  273. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (May 1, 2009). "2009 Estimated State Property Tax Relief per Homestead".
  274. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Tax Relief per Homestead, May 1, 2009.
  275. ↑ Tax Relief per Homestead 2009, Pennsylvania Department of Education Report, May 1, 2009
  276. ↑ Pennsylvania Office of the Auditor General, Jack Wagner (February 2010). "Property Tax Relief in Pennsylvania Special Report," (PDF).
  277. ↑ Department of Revenue (2014). "Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program".
  278. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Revenue., Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, June 2012
  279. ↑ Blacklick Valley School Board Policy Manual, Student Wellness Policy 246, 2015
  280. ↑ Probart C, McDonnell E, Weirich JE, Schilling L, Fekete V. (September 2008). "Statewide assessment of local wellness policies in Pennsylvania public school districts.". J Am Diet Assoc 108 (9): 1497–502. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.06.429. PMID 18755322.
  281. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education – Division of Food and Nutrition (July 2008). "Nutrition Standards for Competitive Foods in Pennsylvania Schools for the School Nutrition Incentive".
  282. ↑ USDA, Child Nutrition Programs - Eligibility Manual for School Meals, 2012
  283. ↑ Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center, The Pennsylvania School Breakfast Report Card, 2009
  284. ↑ USDA, Child Nutrition Programs, June 27, 2013
  285. ↑ United States Department of Agriculture (2011). "Food and Nutrition Service Equity in School Lunch Pricing Fact Sheet" (PDF).
  286. ↑ Denver Nicks (February 25, 2014). "White House Sets New Limits on Junk Food Ads in Schools". Time Magazine.
  287. ↑ USDA Food and Nutrition Service (2014). "School Meals FAQ".
  288. ↑ Monica Eng (November 26, 2012). "Lactose intolerance: When drinking school milk makes students feel sick". Chicago Tribune.
  289. ↑ Pennsylvania State Department of Health (2010). "Pennsylvania Bulletin Doc. No. 10-984 School Immunizations; Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases".
  290. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Health (2014). "School Immunization Requirements".
  291. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Health (2014). "Mandated School Health Screenings".
  292. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013). "Disclosure of Interscholastic Athletic Opportunities".
  293. ↑ Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Press Release (November 10, 2005). "Home-Schooled, Charter School Children Can Participate in School District Extracurricular Activities".
  294. ↑ Eleanor Chute., New Pa. law expands clearance requirements for school volunteers, employees, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 15, 2014
  295. ↑ Pennsylvania General Assembly (2014). "ACT 126 – Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Act".
  296. ↑ Ali Stevens., Child Protective Services Law impacts schools, WKOK.com 1070AM, January 6, 2015
  297. ↑ Blacklick Valley School Board, Blacklick Valley School District Teacher Union Contract, 2013
  298. ↑ Blacklick Valley School District Administration, Blacklick Valley School District Athletics |year=2014
  299. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2013). "Interscholastic Athletic Opportunities Disclosure Form" (PDF).
  300. ↑ PA General Assembly, (July 1, 2012). "Senate Bill 200 of Session 2011 Safety in Youth Sports Act".
  301. ↑ UMPC Sports Medicine (2014). "Managing Concussions in Student Athletes: The Safety in Youth Sports Act".
  302. ↑ Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletics Association (2015). "PIAA School Directory".

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