Cheltenham Township School District

The district operates seven schools.

• Cheltenham Elementary (K-4th) - Serves Cheltenham Village
• Wyncote Elementary (K-4th) - Serves Wyncote, and parts of Elkins Park
• Glenside Elementary (K-4th) - Serves Glenside
• Myers Elementary (K-4th) - Serves Melrose Park and La Mott
• Elkins Park Middle School (5th-6th) - Serves all communities
• Cedarbrook Middle School (7th-8th) - Serves all communities
• Cheltenham High School (9th-12th) - Serves all communities

Cheltenham Township 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.[8] 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.

The Cheltenham Superintendent is Dr. Wagner Marseille, who joined the district from Lower Merion in 2015, where he served as acting superintendent since 2014.[9]

In January 2015, Cheltenham parted ways with an embattled superintendent Natalie Feder Thomas in a vote of 9-0. In the spring of 2013, the Cheltenham board hired Thomas, who had been superintendent in two suburban Missouri school districts. At the time, little was made of controversies that had marked her time there, including two lawsuits she filed against the Riverview Gardens district, where she had last worked. Thomas defended her tenure amid the rising uproar, asking the Cheltenham community for patience and for feedback. She said in an interview in the fall: "I've been an educator for going on 30 years, and one of the things I've always found to be helpful is listening to feedback - even feedback that's not easy to hear."

The superintendent also defended decisions to give district work to a couple of friends or associates, including a former Missouri associate whom she introduces as her "godmother." That friend, Christine Long, worked as a literacy instructor - a "temporary sub," Thomas said - in the CLASP before-and-after-school program for 21/2 months in 2013. Thomas also last year hired a former superintendent from Missouri, Linda Henke, as a personal coach at a cost of $5,000.[10]

In 2019, according to the rating site Niche, the Cheltenham Township School District ranked 106 out of 497 ranked districts in Pennsylvania.[11] That same year Niche ranked Cheltenham High School 87th in Pennsylvania out of 688 rated schools,[12] while U.S. News & World Report ranked the high school 110th.[13]

Cheltenham Township School District was ranked 117th out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2013.[14] The ranking was based on student academic achievement as demonstrated on the last three years of the PSSAs for: reading, writing, math and science.[15] The PSSAs are given to all children in grades 3rd through 8th and the 11th grade in high school. Adapted examinations are given to children in the special education programs. Writing exams were given to children in 5th, 8th and 11th grades.

• 2012 - 100th
• 2008 - 100th
• 2007 - 85th out of 501 school districts.[16]

Overachiever statewide ranking

In 2013, the Pittsburgh Business Times also reported an Overachievers Ranking for 498 Pennsylvania school districts. Cheltenham Township School District ranked 302nd. In 2012, the District was 286th. [17] The editor describes the ranking as: "a ranking answers the question - which school districts do better than expectations based upon economics? This rank takes the Honor Roll rank and adds the percentage of students in the district eligible for free and reduced-price lunch into the formula. A district finishing high on this rank is smashing expectations, and any district above the median point is exceeding expectations."[18]

In December 2011, Cheltenham Township School District administration reported that 628 pupils or 13.9% of the district's pupils received Special Education services, with 57% of the identified students having a specific learning disability.[71] In December 2009, the District administration reported that 205 pupils or 19% of the district's pupils received Special Education services, with % of the identified students having a specific learning disability. Special education services in the Commonwealth are provided to students from ages three years to 21 years old. In the 2010-11 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.[72] 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 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815,000 for 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.[73] 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.[74] 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.[75] 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.[76] In 2012, the Obama Administration's US Department of Education issued a directive that schools include students with disabilities in extracurricular activities, including sports.[77]

The Cheltenham Township School District received a $2,244,407 supplement for special education services in 2010.[78] 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.[79][80] Additionally, the state provides supplemental funding for extraordinarily impacted students. The District must apply for this added funding.

Cheltenham Township School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006.[84] 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.[85]

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

Cheltenham Township School District offers a free or reduced-price lunch to children in low income families. The District does not offer a free or reduced price school breakfast. 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.[87] The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.[88]

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.[89] 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.[90]

Cheltenham Township 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.[91] Nurses also monitor each child's weight.

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.[92]

In 2012, the average teacher salary in Cheltenham Township School District was $82,410.18 a year, while the cost of the benefits teachers received was $25,054 per employee (among the highest in the Commonwealth), for a total annual average teacher compensation of $107,464.39.[93] In 2011, the District employed 421 teachers with an average salary of $85,453 and a top salary of $170,000.[94]

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.[95]

In 2009, the Cheltenham Township School District reported employing 429 teachers and administrators with a median salary of $85,246 and a top salary of $183,600.[96] The teacher's work day is 7 hours (with a 45-minute duty-free lunch) with 189 days in the contract year. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension and a retirement bonus (based on years with the District), health insurance with prescription coverage, life insurance, vision insurance, professional development reimbursement, paid personal days, 10 paid sick days, 5 paid days bereavement leave and other benefits.[97]

Administration spending Cheltenham Township School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $1,158.12 per pupil ranking 27th in the Commonwealth. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.[98] The Pennsylvania School Boards Association collects and maintains statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association's report, the average salary for a superintendent, for the 2007-08 school year, was $122,165. Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.[99] According to PSBA, the median Superintendent salary rose to over $130,000 in 2011.[100]

Per pupil spending In 2008, the Cheltenham Township School District administration reported that per pupil spending was $19,482 which ranked 12th among Pennsylvania's then 501 public school districts. In 2010, the District's per pupil spending had increased to $21,100.97[101] In 2011, Pennsylvania's per pupil spending was $13,467, ranking 6th in the United States.[102] In 2007, the Pennsylvania per pupil total expenditures was reported as $12,759.[103]

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that Pennsylvania spent $8,191 per pupil in school year 2000-01.[104] In 2007, the Pennsylvania per pupil total expenditures was reported as $12,759.[105] Among the fifty states, Pennsylvania's total per pupil revenue (including all sources) ranked 11th at $15,023 per student, in 2008-09.[106] Pennsylvania's total revenue per pupil rose to $16,186 ranking 9th in the nation in 2011.[107]

Reserves In 2008, the School District reported a balance of $556,000, in its unreserved-designated fund. The unreserved-undesignated fund balance was reported as $2,717,799.[108] In 2010, Cheltenham Township School District Administration reported an increase to $5,149,988 in the unreserved-undesignated fund balance. By 2013, Cheltenham Township School District had $9,625,631 in reserves.[109] The District also reported zero in its unreserved-designated fund in 2010. 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.[110] By 2013, reserves held by Pennsylvania public school districts, as a whole, had increased to over $3.8 billion.[111]

'Audit In December 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the District. The findings were reported to the School Board and the District's administration.[112] In a prior audit it was fund that Board members chronically failed to submit Statements of Financial Interest as required by state law. They were now 100% compliant according to this audit.

Tuition Students who live in the Cheltenham Township School 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 Cheltenham Township 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 2012 tuition rates for Cheltenham Township School District are Elementary School - $15,035.69, High School - $15,321.78.[113]

Property Tax Abatement program Commercial property owners could be eligible for tax abatements (relief) on improvements they make to their business properties, as part of an ordinance passed by the Township Board of Commissioners and Cheltenham Township School District in December 2002. The tax break was extended in 2005. Under the ordinance, tax on the improved part of the property would be phased in over five years, and the owner would not pay the full amount of municipal and school district taxes on the improvements until six years after the abatement is granted. To be eligible for the tax abatement, properties must be deemed “deteriorating” (“a commercial, industrial, retail or other non-residential business property… that has fallen into a state of degeneration, decline or disrepair…”) and be in one of the Township's five commercial districts – Glenside, Elkins Park East, Elkins Park West, East Cheltenham Avenue and Cheltenham Village.

Cheltenham Township School District is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax 0.5%,[114] a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government.[115] 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.[116] 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.[117]

• Cheltenham Township School District
• Independent Podcast Site of Cheltenham Township School Board Meetings