Elizabeth Forward School District


The Elizabeth Forward School District is a small, suburban public school district covering the Borough of Elizabeth and the townships of Elizabeth and Forward Townships in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The district is located approximately 35 minutes south-east of the city of Pittsburgh and lies between the Yough and Monongahela river valleys in the southernmost region of Allegheny County. Elizabeth Forward School District encompasses approximately 35 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 19,210. In 2009, the districts residents' per capita income was $20,424, while the median family income was $48,671. Per district officials, in school year 2005-06 the Elizabeth Forward School District provided basic educational services to 2,894 pupils through the employment of 202 teachers, 106 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 12 administrators. The Elizabeth Forward School District received more than $12.9 million in state funding in school year 2005-06. The schools football team and other school sports is called the Warrior's.
The district operates six schools:
Elizabeth Learning Center - Former Elizabeth Elementary School - Multi uses building - Alternative education, taxpayer funded Preschool/Head Start operated by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, adult education programs.

Academic achievement

Elizabeth Forward School District was ranked 181st out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts for student academic achievement by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2011. The ranking was based on five years of student academic performance on the PSSAs for: math, reading, writing and three years of science.
In 2009, the academic achievement of students in the Elizabeth Forward School District was in the 64th percentile of 500 Pennsylvania school districts. Scale -

Graduation rate

In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate. Elizabeth Forward School District's rate was 93% for 2010.
According to traditional graduation rate calculations:
The Elizabeth Forward School Board has determined that a student must earn 26 credits to graduate, including: English 4 credits, Math 4 credits, Social Studies 4 credits, Science 4 credits, Technology.5 credits, and Health 0.5 credit, Freshman Seminar 0.5 credits, Senior Project 1 credit, Physical Education 1 credit includes swimming, Arts/Humanities 3 credits, and 3.5 electives.
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.
According to Pennsylvania State School Board regulations, beginning with the graduating class in 2016, students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, English Composition, and Literature for which the Keystone Exams serve as the final course exams. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade.

High school

In 2010 the high school improved to achieving AYP status. In 2009, the school was in Warning status due to low student achievement.
The high school ranked 61st out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools, by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2011, for academic achievement as reflected by five years of 11th grade results on: math, reading, writing and three years of science PSSAs.
;PSSA Results:
;11th Grade Reading
;11th Grade Math:
;11th Grade Science:
College Remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 41% of Elizabeth Forward High School's 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. Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school graduates, who enroll in a four-year college in Pennsylvania, will earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduate in three years. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, one in three recent high school graduates who attend Pennsylvania's public universities and community colleges takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.

Dual enrollment

The high school offers 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 at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions. The Pennsylvania College Credit Transfer System reported in 2009, that students saved nearly $35.4 million by having their transferred credits count towards a degree under the new system.
In 2010, the Elizabeth Forward School District High School received a state grant of $20,272.00 to assist students in paying for tuition, books and fees.

Middle school

In 2010 and 2009 the school achieved AYP status. In both years the attendance rate was 94%.
In 2009, the 8th grade was ranked 70th out of 141 western Pennsylvania middle schools based on three years of student academic achievement in PSSAs in: reading, math, writing and one year of science.. In Pennsylvania, 81% of 8th graders on grade level.
8th Grade Math:
8th Grade Science:
7th Grade Reading
7th Grade Math:
6th Grade Reading:
6th Grade Math:
In December 2009 the district administration reported that 386 pupils or 14.8% of the district's pupils received Special Education services.
The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires states to identify, locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities. In compliance with various state and federal laws, the district engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, which are individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided and are intended to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress. To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data ; hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Child Study Team. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the district seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may verbally request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the district or contact the Supervisor of Special Education.
In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815,000 for special education services. The funds were distributed to districts based on a state policy which estimates that 16% of the district's pupils are receiving special education services. This funding is in addition to the state's basic education per pupil funding, as well as, all other state and federal funding.
Elizabeth Forward School District received a $1,651,846 supplement for special education services in 2010.
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.

Bullying and School Safety

In 2009, the administration reported there were 2 incidents of bullying in the district.
Elizabeth Forward School Board prohibits bullying by district students and faculty. They enacted an antibullying policy which defines bullying. 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 shall 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. All Pennsylvania schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy incorporated into their Code of Student Conduct. The policy must identify disciplinary actions for bullying and designate a school staff person to receive complaints of bullying. The policy must be available on the school's website and posted in every classroom. All Pennsylvania public schools must provide a copy of its anti-bullying policy to the Office for Safe Schools every year, and shall review their policy every three years. Additionally, the district must conduct an annual review of that policy with students. The Center for Schools and Communities works in partnership with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist schools and communities as they research, select and implement bullying prevention programs and initiatives.
Education standards relating to student safety and antiharassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.

Wellness policy

The Elizabeth Forward School Board established a district wellness policy in January 2009 - Policy 246. The policy deals with nutritious meals served at school, the control of access to some low nutrition 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. The law dictates that each school district participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006."
The legislation placed the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level so that unique aspects 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.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.

Budget

In 2008, per pupil spending at Elizabeth Forward School District was ranked 276th in the state at $11,956 for each child.
In 2007, the Elizabeth Forward School District employed 198 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $50,829 for 189 days worked with 184 pupil instruction days. The average teacher salary in Pennsylvania was $54,977. 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.
In 2009, the district employed 258 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $54,810. The beginning salary was $38,000, while the highest salary was $130,290. Teachers work a 7-hour 39 minute day with one planning period and a paid lunch period included. Additionally, the teachers received a defined benefit pension, health insurance, professional development reimbursement, 3 paid personal days, 10 paid sick days which accumulate, 5 paid bereavement leave days and many other benefits. Teachers on sabbatical leave receive 1/2 their salary. Retiring teachers are paid $45 per unused sick day upon departure. The teacher's union is granted 12 paid days to conduct union business, including travel to union events on state or national level. According to Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the Public School Employees’ Retirement System Board of Trustees, a 40-year educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.
The Assistant Superintendent is Dr. Todd Keruskin. Elizabeth Forward School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $1297 per pupil. This is the fourteenth highest in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007-08 school year was $122,165. Superintendents and the administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.
In 2008, the Elizabeth Forward School District reported an unreserved designated fund balance of zero and an unreserved-undesignated fund balance of -$180,470.
In January 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit on the district. Several findings were reported to the school board and administration.
In 2011, the district conducted a tax amnesty program that eliminated the interest and fines on taxes owed. They hoped to collect the $10,000,000 in delinquent taxes owed the district.
The school budget for 2011-12 is $35,481,737.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In Pennsylvania, pension income and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of the level of wealth.

State basic education funding

In 2011-12, the district will receive $8,783,647 in state Basic Education Funding. Additionally, the district will receive $199,623 in Accountability Block Grant funding for kindergarten.
For the 2010-11 budget year the Elizabeth Forward School District received a 2.73% increase in state basic education funding for a total of $9,204,139. In Allegheny County, the highest increase went to South Fayette Township School District which received an 11.32% increase in state funding. One hundred fifty school districts in Pennsylvania received a 2% base increase for budget year 2010-11. The highest increase in the state was given to Kennett Consolidated School District of Chester County which was given a 23.65% increase in state funding.
In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 2% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $8,959,320. Four county school districts received increases of over 6% in Basic Education Funding in 2008-10. Chartiers Valley School District received an 8.17% increase. The majority of Allegheny County districts received a 2% increase. 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 the Elizabeth Forward School District in 2008-09 was $8,783,647.35. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation set in the state budget proposal made in February each year.
In 2008, the district reported that 714 students receive a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to their family meeting the federal poverty level.

Accountability Block Grant

The state provides supplemental funding in the form of accountability block grants. The use of these funds is strictly focused on specific state approved uses. Elizabeth Forward School District uses its $541,626 to pay teachers to develop new curriculum, to pay teacher coaches to train other teachers and to send teachers to training programs. These annual funds are in addition to the state's basic education funding. The 2008-09 school year was the fifth year the district offered all-day kindergarten to its pupils. Schools districts apply each year for Accountability Block Grants. In 2009-10 the state provided $271.4 million in Accountability Block grants $199.5 million went to providing all-day kindergartens.

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, along with other specialized equipment and provided funding for teacher training to optimize the use of the computers. The program was funded from 2006-2009. Elizabeth Forward School District was denied funding, by the Department of Education, in 2006-07. In 2007-08, the district received $321,326 in funding. The district was awarded $58,628 in the 2008-09 fiscal year.

Federal Stimulus grant

The district received an extra $2,319,184 in ARRA - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low-income students.

Race to the Top Grant

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

Common Cents state initiative

The school board elected to not participate in the Pennsylvania Department of Education Common Cents program. The program called for the state to audit the district, at no cost to local taxpayers, to identify ways the district could save tax dollars. After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

Real estate taxes

The Elizabeth Forward School Board raise real estate taxes by 1.2518 mills in 2011-12 to 25.01 mills. A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property's assessed value. Irregular property reassessments have become a serious issue in the commonwealth as it creates a significant disparity in taxation within a community and across a region. On the local level, Pennsylvania district revenues are dominated by two main sources: 1) Property tax collections, which account for the vast majority Act 511 tax collections, which are around 15% of revenues for school districts.
The Act 1 of 2006 Index regulates the rates at which each school district can raise property taxes in Pennsylvania. Districts are not allowed to raise taxes above that index unless they allow voters to vote by referendum, or they seek an exception from the state Department of Education. The base index for the 2010-2011 school year is 2.9 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 greater than 0.4000, its index equals the base index multiplied by the sum of.75 and its MV/PI AR for the current year.
The School District Adjusted Index for the Elizabeth Forward School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.
For the 2011-12 school year the Elizabeth Forward School Board applied for four exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index, including pension costs, special education costs, Maintenance of Local Tax Revenue, Maintenance of Selected Revenue and Special Education Expenditures. Each year, the Elizabeth Forward 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 publisher each year by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
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.
For the 2010-11 school year budget, the Elizabeth Forward School Board did not apply exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. In the Spring of 2010, 135 Pennsylvania school boards asked to exceed their adjusted index. Approval was granted to 133 of them and 128 sought an exception for pension costs increases.

Property tax relief

In 2010, Elizabeth Forward School District property tax relief was set at $225 for 5,763 approved properties. 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 and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption. In Allegheny County, 60% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009.
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 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 and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income.

Enrollment and Consolidation

For the 2011-12 school year, the administration eliminated five elementary teaching positions and two special education teachers due to declining enrollment. The district will eliminated 10 positions that opened due to retirements.
In 2011, the school district officials received a letter from Clairton City School District officials seeking voluntary merger talks.
In 2009, a proposal was made by a local community advocate, David Wassel, to consolidate Allegheny County school districts to save tax dollars and improve student services. The proposal was that Elizabeth Forward would join with neighboring South Allegheny School District.
A Standard and Poors study found that an optimal school district size, to save on administrative costs, was around 3000 pupils. Consolidation of the administration with an adjacent school district would achieve substantial administrative cost savings for people in both communities. According to a proposal made in 2009 by Governor Edward G Rendell, the excessive administrative overhead dollars could be redirected to improve lagging academic achievement, to enrich the academic programs or to substantially reduce property taxes. Consolidation of two central administrations into one would not require the closing of any schools.
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 school buildings. The study noted that while the best school districts spent 4% of the annual budget on administration, others spend over 15% on administration.
On June 29, 2011, Rep Marc J. Gergely stated that school districts in Allegheny County will be forced to consolidate, in the next few years, based in the current state funding of the district.
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.
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. 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.

Extracurriculars

The district offers a variety of clubs and activities. Eligibility to participate is determined through school board policies.
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.