Greencastle-Antrim School District

Greencastle-Antrim School District
Address
500 E. Leitersburg St
Greencastle, Pennsylvania, Franklin, 17225
United States
Information
School board 9 elected members
Superintendent Dr. Greg Hoover
Grades K-12
Kindergarten 220
Grade 1 223
Grade 2 186
Grade 3 233
Grade 4 231
Grade 5 234
Grade 6 248
Grade 7 235
Grade 8 239
Grade 9 258
Grade 10 228
Grade 11 236
Grade 12 267
Website http://www.greencastle.k12.pa.us/

The Greencastle Antrim School District is a small, rural, public school district located in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the borough of Greencastle and the surrounding Antrim Township. Greencastle Antrim School District encompasses approximately 93 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 16,226. According to the US Census Bureau, in 2009, the district residents' per capita income was $19,566, while the median family income was $49,318. [2] In school year 2007-08, Greencastle Antrim School District provided basic educational services to 2,938 pupils. It employed 175 teachers, 179 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 15 administrators. Greencastle Antrim School District received more than $9.6 million in state funding in school year 2007-08. Greencastle-Antrim School District is affiliated with six neighboring districts in a cooperative Technology and Career Center and a Learning Center for severely handicapped children. The district is a member of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12. Transportation is provided to over 90% of more than 2,800 students enrolled in grades K-12.

Greencastle Antrim School District operates: one primary school (K-2), one elementary school (3-5), one middle school (6-8), and one high school (9-12).

Contents

Governance

The district is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serve four year terms), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.[3] The federal government, through the US Department of Education, 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 federal resources on student success in acquiring adequate reading skills and math competence.

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the Greencastle-Antrim School Board and the district administration a "F" for transparency based on a review of "What information can people find on their school district's website". It examined the school district's website for information regarding; taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, public records information and more.[4]

Academic Achievement

Greencastle-Antrim School District was ranked 251st out of the 498 ranked Pennsylvania school districts in 2011, by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on student academic achievement as demonstrated by 3 years of PSSA results in: reading, writing, math, and three years of science.[5]

Graduation Rate

In 2011, the graduation rate was 89%. [9] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4 year cohort graduation rate. Greencastle-Antrim School District's rate was 36% for 2010. [10]

Former calculation graduation rate

Greencastle-Antrim School District student achievement is in the 47th percentile of Pennsylvania's 500 school district. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best)[15]

High school

In 2011, the high school declined to Warning status due to lagging student achievement in mathematics. In 2010, the school achieved Adequate Yearly Progress under the federal No Child Left Behind law. [16]

11th Grade Reading

11th Grade Math:

11th Grade Science:

Prep course

The high school offers a multisession preparation to take the SATs. The course is offered after school over 4 sessions. [25]

College Remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 12% of Greencastle-Antrim 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.[26] 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.[27] 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. [28] [29]

Graduation requirements

The Greencastle-Antrim School Board has determined that, in order to graduate, a student must earn a specific credits including: 4 Credits of English; 4 Math courses; 4 Credits of Social Science; 3 Science courses; 1 Course of Wellness a year; one course in Art and Technology ;; 0.5 Credit Units of Driver’s Education; 1 Course of Family and Consumer Science and 1 course in World Language in ninth grade. [30] Greencastle-Antrim Middle School serves more than 700 students in 2011. It employes a team teaching approach, where a group of certified teachers serve a group of students. The students are divided into smaller classes to receive instruction in a broad set of subject areas including: language arts, math, science, social studies, wellness. Students also study environmental education, music, art, family and consumer science and technology. There is an environmental center located on the school's campus. Stuggling students have access to “After School Support” Monday through Thursday until 4 p.m.

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.[31] Students are required to complete 30 hours of community service and a career pathway assignment. In addition, the student must score on grade level (at or above the proficiency level), on the junior year: math, reading and writing Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests or complete remediation.[32]

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.[33] [34]

Middle school

In 2011, the Greencastle-Antrim Middle School declined to Warning Status due to lagging student achievement in mathematics. [35] In 2010, the school achieved AYP status. The attendance rate for 2011 and 2010 was 94%.

‘’’PSSA Results:’’’

8th Grade Reading

  • 2011 - 84% on grade level (7% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 81.8% of 8th graders on grade level. [36]
  • 2010 - 89% (5% below basic). State - 81%
  • 2009 - 90% (5% below basic). State - 80%
  • 2008 - 86% (4% below basic). State - 78% [37]
  • 2007 - 67% (15% below basic). State - 75%

8th Grade Math:

  • 2011 - 79% on grade level (8% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 76.9% of 8th graders are on grade level
  • 2010 - 89% (5% below basic). State - 75% [38]
  • 2009 - 77% (9% below basic). State - 71% [39]
  • 2008 - 74% (11% below basic). State - 70%
  • 2007 - 80% (8% below basic). State - 68%

8th Grade Science:

7th Grade Reading

  • 2011 - 83% on grade level (5% below basic). State – 76%
  • 2010 - 76% (10% below basic). State - 73%
  • 2009 - 79% (6% below basic), State - 71%
  • 2008 - 71% (10% below basic), State - 70%
  • 2007 - 63% (13% below basic), State - 67%

7th Grade Math:

  • 2011 - 92% on grade level (4% below basic). State - 78.6%
  • 2010 - 82% (8% below basic). State - 77%
  • 2009 - 84% (5% below basic). State - 75%
  • 2008 - 77% (8% below basic). State - 71%
  • 2007 - 63% (14% below basic). State - 67%

6th Grade Reading:

  • 2011 - 76% on grade level (8% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 69.9% of 6th graders are on grade level.
  • 2010 - 76% (10% below basic). State - 68%
  • 2009 - 71% (10% below basic), State - 67% [43]
  • 2008 - 72% (10% below basic), State - 67%
  • 2007 - 65% (12% below basic), State - 63%

6th Grade Math:

  • 2011 - 80% on grade level (8% below basic). State - 78.8%
  • 2010 - 86% (5% below basic). State - 78%
  • 2009 - 79% (9% below basic), State - 75%
  • 2008 - 80% (8% below basic), State - 72%
  • 2007 - 68% (14% below basic), State - 69%

Elementary Schools

Greencastle-Antrim Elementary School achieved AYP in 2011. It was in Warning status in 2010. [44] The attendance rate was 95% in 2011 and 2010. [45]

5th Grade Reading:

  • 2011 - 74% on grade level (9% below basic). State - 67.3% [46]
  • 2010 - 61% (16% below basic). State – 64%
  • 2009 - 74% (8% below basic). State - 64% [47]
  • 2008 - 57% (21% below basic). State - 62% [48]
  • 2007 - 65% (17% below basic). State - 60%

5th Grade Math:

  • 2011 - 77% on grade level (9% below basic). State - 74%
  • 2010 - 66% (10% below basic). State - 76.3%
  • 2009 - 67% (14% below basic). State - 73%
  • 2008 - 63% (13% below basic). State - 73%
  • 2007 - 62% (11% below basic). State - 71%
4th Grade Reading
  • 2011 - 78% (7% below basic), State – 73.3%
  • 2010 - 74% (11% below basic), State - 73%
  • 2009 - 74% (12% below basic), State - 72%
  • 2008 - 73% (14% below basic), State - 70%
  • 2007 - 61% (21% below basic), State - 60%
4th Grade Math
  • 2011 - 82% (7% below basic), State – 85.3%
  • 2010 - 86% (7% below basic), State - 84%
  • 2009 - 80% (8% below basic), State - 81%
  • 2008 - 78% (13% below basic), State - 80%
  • 2007 - 70% (15% below basic), State - 78%
4th Grade Science
3rd Grade Reading
  • 2011 - 85%, (9% below basic), State – 77.2%
  • 2010 - 71%, (16% below basic), State - 75%
  • 2009 - 76%, (9% below basic), State - 77%
  • 2008 - 69%, (17% below basic), State - 70%
  • 2007 - 65%, (17% below basic), State - 72%
3rd Grade Math
  • 2011 - 90%, (3% below basic), State – 83.5%
  • 2010 - 80%, (5% below basic), State - 84%
  • 2009 - 74%, (7% below basic), State - 81%
  • 2008 - 77%, (6% below basic), State - 80%
  • 2007 - 70%, (7% below basic), State - 78%

Greencastle-Antrim Primary School is a kindergarten to second grade school.

Special Education

In December 2009, the district administration reported that 358 pupils or 11.6% of the district's pupils received Special Education services. [49]

In order to comply with state and federal laws, the school district engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law; and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress.[50] To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Special Education administration. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the District seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may verbally request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the District or contact the Director of Special Education. The requested evaluation must be completed within 60 calendar days. [51] [52]

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. [53]

Greencastle-Antrim School District received a $1,241,223 supplement for special education services in 2010.[54] For the 2011-12 school year, all Pennsylvania public school districts received the same level of funding for special education that they received in 2010. 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.[55]

Gifted Education

The District Administration reported that 39 or 1.34% of its students were gifted in 2009.[56] 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.[57]

Bullying policy and school safety

In 2009, the administration reported there were 4 reported episodes of bullying in the district. There were 21 incidents involving local law enforcement agencies. Five thefts occurred during the school year 2008-09. [58]

The Greencastle-Antrim School Board prohibits bullying by district students and faculty in its Bullying/CyberBullying Policy. [59] The policy defines bullying and cyberbullying. The Board directs that complaints of bullying shall be investigated promptly, and corrective action shall be taken when allegations are verified. No reprisals or retaliation on students may occur as a result of good faith reports of bullying. The board expects staff members to be responsible to maintain an educational environment free from all forms of bullying. Consequences for Central Dauphin students, who are found to have bullied others include: counseling, a parental conference, detention, suspension, expulsion, a loss of school privileges and/or exclusion from school-sponsored activities. The district uses the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. [60]

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 and are required to review their antibullying policy every three years. Additionally, the district must conduct an annual review of that policy with students.[61] 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. [62]

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.[63]

Budget

In 2007, the district employed 180 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $56,720 for 156 days worked (180 pupil days). Greencastle-Antrim School District teachers were the highest paid in Franklin County.[64] 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.[65] Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension (PSERS), health insurance, professional development reimbursement, paid personal days, 10 paid sick days, life insurance, retirement bonus and other benefits. [66] The contract was extended to 2013-14 by the school board and teachers union. [67] According to Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the state teacher retirement fund, a 40-year Pennsylvania public school educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.[68]

Greencastle-Antrim School District administrative costs per pupil was $752.90 in 2008. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. [69] In 2008, the district reported spending $10,214 per pupil which ranked 372nd in the Commonwealth. [70]

In November 2011, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. Results were reported to the school board and administration. [71]

In December 2011, the newly installed school board elected Eric Holtzman as its president for 2012 by a 5-4 vote. Mr Holtzman is the Business Manager of neighboring Tuscarora School District. [72]

The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a local real property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, and a per capita tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government.[73] Grants provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension income and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax regardless of the income level.[74]

Unreserved Funds

In 2008, the district reported a $4,282,928 in a unreserved-undesignated fund balance and $740,000.00 in a unreserved-designated fund[75]

State basic education funding

In 2011-12, the district received a $5,513,266 allocation, of state Basic Education Funding.[76] Additionally, the district will receive $136,200 in Accountability Block Grant funding. The enacted Pennsylvania state Education budget includes $5,354,629,000 for the 2011-2012 Basic Education Funding appropriation. This amount is a $233,290,000 increase (4.6%) over the enacted State appropriation for 2010-2011. [77] The highest increase in state basic education funding was awarded to [[Duquesne City School District which got a 49% increase in state funding for 2011-12.[78] In 2010, the district reported that 629 students received free or reduced price lunches, due to the family meeting the federal poverty level.[79]

For the 2010-11 budget year, Greencastle-Antrim School District was allotted a 2.97% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $5,354,493.49. The highest increase, in Franklin County, was provided to Chambersburg Area School District which received a 7.08% 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. [80] The amount of increase each school district receives is set by the Governor and the Secretary of Education as a part of the state budget proposal given each February. [81]

In 2009–2010, Greencastle-Antrim School District received an 4.79% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $5,701,637. The highest increase in among Franklin County public school districts, went to Tuscarora School District at 5.5%. In Pennsylvania, over 15 school districts received Basic Education Funding increases in excess of 10% in 2009. Muhlenberg School District in Berks County received the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding. The state's Basic Education Funding to Greencastle-Antrim School District in 2008–09 was $5,440,842.39.[82] 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.[83] In 2008, the district reported that 463 students received free or reduced price lunches due to low family income.[84]

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, and before or after school tutoring assistance to struggling students. For 2010-11, the district applied for and received $375,464 in addition to all other state and federal funding. Greencastle-Antrim School District used the funding to provide all day kindergarten to 61 children.[85][86]

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. The School District Administration was denied funding in 2006-07 and 2007-08. In 2008-09 it received $165,458. That was the final year of the program.[87]

Federal Stimulus Grant

The district received an extra $1,922,814 in ARRA – Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. This was in addition to all regular state and federal funding. [88] This funding is for 2009-10 and 2010–2011 school years.

Race to the Top grant

School district officials did not apply for the Race to the Top federal grant which would have brought the district millions of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement.[89] Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. [90] In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate.[91] Pennsylvania was not approved for the grant. The failure of school districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved. [92]

Real estate taxes

Property tax rates in 2011 were set at 97.9000 mills by the Greencastle-Antrim School Board. 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. [93] 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 government property. 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.[94]

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 taxes above that index, unless they allow voters to vote by referendum, or they seek an exception from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The base index for the 2011-2012 school year is 1.4 percent, but the Act 1 Index can be adjusted higher, depending on a number of factors, such as property values and the personal income of district residents. Act 1 included 10 exceptions including: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, a catastrophe like a fire or flood, increase in health insurance costs for contracts in effect in 2006 or dwindling tax bases. The base index is the average of the percentage increase in the statewide average weekly wage, as determined by the PA Department of Labor and Industry, for the preceding calendar year and the percentage increase in the Employment Cost Index for Elementary and Secondary Schools, as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 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.[99] With the 2011 state education budget, the General Assembly voted to end most of the Act 1 exceptions leaving only special education costs and pension costs. The cost of construction projects will go to the voters for approval via ballot referendum.[100]

The School District Adjusted Index for Greencastle-Antrim School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.[101]

For the 2011-12 school year, the Greencastle-Antrim School Board applied for three exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. It applied for pension costs, grandfathered school debt and special education costs. Each year, Greencastle-Antrim School Board has the option of adopting either 1) a resolution in January certifying they will not increase taxes above their index or 2) a preliminary budget in February. A school district adopting the resolution may not apply for referendum exceptions or ask voters for a tax increase above the inflation index. A specific timeline for these decisions is published annually, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.[103]

According to a state report, for the 2011-2012 school year budgets, 247 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; 250 school districts adopted a preliminary budget. Of the 250 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget, 231 adopted real estate tax rates that exceeded their index. Tax rate increases in the other 19 school districts that adopted a preliminary budget did not exceed the school district’s index. Of the districts who sought exceptions: 221 used the pension costs exemption and 171 sought a Special Education costs exemption. Only 1 school district sought an exemption for Nonacademic School Construction Project, while 1 sought an exception for Electoral debt for school construction.[104]

Greencastle-Antrim School Board did not apply for any exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budget in 2010-11. [105] Among Pennsylvania's 500 school district 165 applied for exceptions to exceed the Index in 2010-11.

For 2009-10, Greencastle-Antrim School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the District's Index limit..[106] 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.[107]

Property tax relief

In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Greencastle-Antrim School District was set for each approved permanent primary residence and farmstead. The relief was subtracted from the total annual school property tax bill. Property owners apply for the relief through the county Treasurer's office. Farmers can qualify for a farmstead exemption on building used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 contiguous acres and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption.

Extracurriculars

The district offers a wide variety of activities, clubs and sports. Eligibility to participate is determined through school board policy. Sports are provided under the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association and the Mid Penn Conference. The district provides eight female sports (volleyball, field hockey, golf, basketball, soccer, cross country, track and field, and cheerleading) and eight male sports (football, soccer, cross country, golf, wrestling, basketball, baseball, and track and field) at the high school and middle school level.

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. [108]

Reference

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  3. ^ Pennsylvania School Code 2009
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  5. ^ Pittsburgh Business Times (April 4, 2011). "Statewide Honor Roll Ranking 2011". http://www2.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/events/pennsylvania_schools/statewiderank.html. 
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  8. ^ Pittsburgh Business Times (May 23, 2007). "Three of top school districts in state hail from Allegheny County,". http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2007/05/21/daily24.html. 
  9. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education (September 29, 2011). "Greencastle-Antrim School District - School AYP Data Table". http://paayp.emetric.net/District/DataTable/c28/112283003?schoolID=. 
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