| Redbank Valley School District | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 920 Broad Street New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Clarion, 16242 United States |
|
| Information | |
| School board | 9 elected members |
| Superintendent | Mr. Drzewiecki |
| Principal | Mr Huffmnan (Secondary) |
| Principal | Mr. Long (Elementary) |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Enrollment | declining |
| Mascot | Bulldogs |
| Tuition | free |
| Website | http://www.redbankvalley.net/ |
Redbank Valley School District is a public school district in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania and Clarion County, Pennsylvania. The boroughs of South Bethlehem, New Bethlehem, and Hawhorne, as well as the townships of Redbank (Armstrong), Redbank (Clarion), Madison, Mahoning, and Porter Township are within district boundaries. The district is part of the Riverview Intermediate Unit 6 region. The intermediate unit provides support services and therapy to special education students. It also provides training to school personnel.
Contents |
There are three Elementary Schools in the District and a combined Junior/Senior High School
| School Name | Grades | School Address | Year Conructed/Yr. Renovated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redbank Valley Primary School | K-2 | 600 Vine St. New Bethlehem, PA 16242 |
1962/1988 |
| Redbank Valley Intermediate School |
3-6 | 1306 Truittsburg Rd Hawthorn, PA 16230 |
1960/1990 |
920 Broad St.
New Bethlehem, PA 16242
Constructed: 1957
Renovated: 1996
The school 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.[1] The federal government controls programs it funds like Title I funding for low income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration a "D-" 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.[2]
Redbank Valley School District was ranked 279th out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts in 2010 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on three years of student academic performance on the PSSAs for: math, reading, writing and two years of science.[3]
2009 - 229th
2008 - 158th
2007 - 167th of 500 Pennsylvania school districts in 2007.[4]
Graduation Rate:
2009 - 88%[5]
2008 - 93%
2007 - 93%[6]
PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
2009 - 67% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 65% of 11th graders on grade level.[7]
2008 - 64%, State - 65%
2007 - 78%, State - 65% [8]
11th Grade Math:
2009 - 48% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 56% of 11th graders are on grade level.
2008 - 31%, State - 55%
2007 - 57%, State - 53%[9]
11th Grade Science:
2009 - 31% on grade level. State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 35%, State - 39%[10]
College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 27% of Redbank Valley High School graduates required remediation in mathematics and or reading before they were prepared to take college level courses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education or community colleges.[11] 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.[12] 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.
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.[13]
The 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. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books.[14] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[15]
For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $1,749 for the program.[16]
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, there are fewer than 1200 students enrolled in K-12th grades. There were 86 students in the Class of 2009. The class of 2010 has 83 students. Annual enrollment in the Redbank Valley School District is projected to continue to decline by another 150 students by 2018. The graduating class of 2015 is projected to be 61 pupils.[17] The district employs 7 administrators, a psychologist, a significant complement of teachers, as well as many full- and part-time staff members. Redbank Valley administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $555.21 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.[18] With limited resources, opportunities for students at the high school are limited. Consolidation of the administration with an adjacent school district would achieve substantial administrative cost savings for people in both communities.[19] These excessive administrative overhead dollars could be redirected to improve lagging academic achievement, to enrich the academic programs or to substantially reduce property taxes.[20] Consolidation of two or more school district central administrations into one would not require the closing of any schools. Less than 95 of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts have enrollment below 1250 students, in 2007.[21]
Over the next 10 years, rural Pennsylvania school enrollment is projected to decrease 8 percent. The most significant enrollment decline is projected to be in western Pennsylvania, where rural school districts may have a 16 percent decline. More than 40 percent of elementary schools and more than 60 percent of secondary schools in western Pennsylvania are projected to experience significant enrollment decreases (15 percent or greater).[22] As the enrollment declines, per pupil administrative costs of the schools will continue to rise.
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.[23] In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the 49 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.[24]
In 2007, the average teacher salary in the district was $48,346 for 180 days worked. The district ranked third in Clarion County for average teacher salary in 2007.[25] 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.[26] Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance, professional development reimbursement, personal days, sick days, and other benefits.[27] According to Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the state teacher retirement fund, a 40-year educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.[28]
In the 2009/2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 2.0% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $8,425,418. The state Basic Education Funding to the district in 2008-09 was $8,260,213.85. Two percent was the lowest level of increase for districts in 2009. Seventy school districts received a 2% increase in 2009. Clarion-Limestone Area School District received a 4.86% increase in state basic education funding. Muhlenberg School District in Berks County received a 22.31% increase in state basic education funding in 2009.[29] 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.[30]
The district reports that 435 students enrolled in the federal free and reduced school lunch program in 2007-2008.
The district received $1,389,322 in ARRA - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific education programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students.[31] This funding was for 2009-2011 school years.
School district officials did not apply for the Race to the Top federal grant which would have brought the district millions in additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement.[32] Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate.[33] Pennsylvania was not approved in the first round of the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved. A second round of state RTTT application judging will occur in June 2010.[34]
In 2008, the district reported a $3,259,400 in a unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was $6,390,000.[35]
Property tax rates in 2008-2009 were set at: Armstrong County residents - 19.4200 mills and the residents in Clarion County was 42.6700 mills.[36] School districts located in more than one county are required to apportion the tax levy based on the market value in each county as determined by the State Tax Equalization Board pursuant to section 672.1 of the School Code. As a result, the tax rate increases are not the same for each county in a multi-county school district.[37] 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.
In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Redbank Valley School District was $116 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 2,162 property owners applied for the tax relief. In Clarion County, the highest amount of tax relief in 2009, went to Clarion-Limestone Area School District at $140. The highest property tax relief, among Pennsylvania school districts, went to the residents of Chester Upland School District of Delaware County who received $632 per approved homestead.[38] The relief was subtracted from the total annual school property tax bill. Property owners apply for the relief through the county Treasurer's office. Farmers can qualify for a farmstead exemption on building used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 contiguous acres and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption. In Clarion County, 47% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009. In Armstrong County, 77% of residents applied for property tax relief.[39]
Additionally, the Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is provided for low income Pennsylvanians aged 65 and older; widows and widowers aged 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 for homeowners. The maximum rebate for both homeowners and renters is $650. Applicants can exclude one-half (1/2) of their Social Security income, so people who make substantially more than $35,000 may still qualify for a rebate. Individuals must apply annually for the rebate. This can be taken in addition to Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief.
Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation, 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%).[40]
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.[41]
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