Claysburg-Kimmel School District

In 2011, the Claysburg-Kimmel School District graduation rate was 96%.[19] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate. High School's rate was 84.34% for 2010.[20]

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

• 2010 - 83%[21]
• 2009 - 83.95%[22]
• 2008 - 91.3%[23]
• 2007 - 91%[24]

Claysburg Kimmel Junior High School is located at 531 Bedford Street, Claysburg. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 418 pupils in grades 7th through 12th, with 219 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced-price lunch. The school is Title I. The school employed 32 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 13:1.[25] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 15 courses had teachers who were rated "Non‐Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.[26]

In 2011, Claysburg-Kimmel Junior Senior High School declined to Warning status due to lagging student achievement particularly in mathematics.[27] In 2010, the school achieved AYP status.

PSSA results

11th Grade Reading

• 2011 - 59% on grade level, (20% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.[28]
• 2010 - 65% (17% below basic). State - 66%[29]
• 2009 - 67% (18% below basic). State - 65%[30]
• 2008 - 63% (14% below basic). State - 65%[31]
• 2007 - 31% (47% below basic). State - 65%[32]

11th Grade Math:

• 2011 - 43% on grade level (34% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.[33]
• 2010 - 48% (33% below basic). State - 59%[34]
• 2009 - 50% (29% below basic). State - 56%.[35]
• 2008 - 46% (25% below basic). State - 56%[36]
• 2007 - 53% (17% below basic). State - 53%[37]

11th Grade Science:

• 2011 - 20% on grade level (20% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.[38]
• 2010 - 9% (27% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 25% (25% below basic). State - 40%[39]
• 2008 -23% (10% below basic). State - 39%[40]

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 9% of the Claysburg-Kimmel Junior Senior 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.[41] 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.[42] 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.

Claysburg-Kimmel 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. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school. Claysburg-Kimmel has agreements with Pennsylvania Highlands Community College and Saint Francis University together providing 7 courses. 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.[43] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[44] For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $8,555 for the program.[45]

The Claysburg-Kimmel School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 26 credits to graduate, including: Mathematics - 4 credits, English - 4 credits, Social studies - 4 credits, Science - 4 credits, Physical Education/Health 1.6 credits, Computer applications 1 credit and electives. Students are required to schedule at least 7 credits each year.[46]

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.[47] At Claysburg-Kimmel High School students complete a Career plan.

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating class of 2017, 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.[48][49][50] In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Lit exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level.[51] Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

From January to June 2011, 27 Claysburg-Kimmel students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 461. The Math average score was 426. The Writing average score was 419.[52] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.[53] 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.[54]

PSSA Results:

8th Grade Science:

• 2011 - % on grade level (% below basic). State – 58.3% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2010 - % (% below basic). State – 57%
• 2009 - 42% (40% below basic). State - 55%
• 2008 - 50% (19% below basic). State - 52%
• 2007 - tested, but results not made public.

Claysburg-Kimmel Elementary School is located at 240 Ck Elementary Drive, Claysburg. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 489 pupils in grades kindergarten through 6th, with 283 pupils receiving a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to family poverty. The school is a Title I school. The school employed 38 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 13:1.[55] According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.[56] In 2010 and 2011, Claysburg-Kimmel Elementary School achieved AYP status.[57] In 2011, only 71% of the students were reading on grade level in grades 3rd through 6th. In math, 81% of the students in 3rd through 6th grades were on grade level and 47% scored advanced. In 4th grade science, 93% of the pupils were on grade level.[58]

PSSA results

4th Grade Science

• 2011 - 93%, (1% below basic). State - 82.9%
• 2010 - 96%, (2% below basic). State - 81%

The District Administration reported that 13 or 1.38% 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.[70] 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.[71][72]

In 2011, schools Claysburg-Kimmel School District received funding through a Highmark Healthy High 5 grant. Claysburg-Kimmel Elementary School received $9,772 which was used to Highmark Physical Education Challenge Program.[77] Beginning in 2006, Highmark Foundation engaged in a 5-year, $100 million program to promote lifelong healthy behaviors in children and adolescents through local nonprofits and schools.

For the 2012–13 school year, the Claysburg-Kimmel School District will receive $6,036,451.[94] The Governor's Executive Budget for 2012-2013 includes $9.34 billion for kindergarten through 12th grade public education, including $5.4 billion in basic education funding, which is an increase of $49 million over the 2011-12 budget. The state also provides $100 million for the Accountability Block grant. The state will also provide $544.4 million for School Employees’ Social Security and $856 million for School Employees’ Retirement fund called PSERS.[95] This amount is 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, Clayrsburg-Kimmel School District received a $5,258,458, allocation, of state Basic Education Funding.[96][97] Additionally, the School District received $68,359 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.[98] 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.[99] In 2010, the district reported that 882 students received free or reduced-price lunches, due to the family meeting the federal poverty level.[100]

In the 2010-11 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 4.22% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $5,434,964. Among the districts in Blair County, the highest increase went to Holidaysburg Area School District which got a 4.26% 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.[101] 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 where 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 districts at a far greater rate than others.

In the 2009-10 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 4.61% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $5,215,082 to Claysburg-Kimmel School District. Among the districts in Blair County, the highest increase went to Spring Cove School District which got a 4.69%. The state Basic Education Funding to the district in 2008-09 was $4,985,122.62. Ninety school districts received a 2% increase. Muhlenberg School District in Berks County received a 22.31% increase in state basic education funding in 2009.[102] 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.[103] 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.[104][105]

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 441 district students received free or reduced-price lunches due to low family income in the 2007–2008 school year.[106]

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, before or after school tutoring assistance to struggling students. For 2010–11, the district applied for and received $185,543 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district uses the funding to provide full-day kindergarten.[107][108]

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 Claysburg-Kimmel School District did not apply to participate in 2006–07. In 2007–08, The PDE denied the District's application. The District received $74,691 in 2008–09.[109] In County the highest award was given to area School District. The highest funding statewide was awarded to Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. In 2010, Classrooms for the Future funding was curtailed statewide due to a massive state financial crisis.

The Environmental Education Grant Program was established by the Environmental Education Act of 1993, which mandates that 5 percent of all pollution fines and penalties collected annually by the Department of Environmental Protection be set aside for environmental education. Claysburg-Kimmel School District has not successfully applied for funding.[110]

The state's EAP funding provides for the continuing support of tutoring services and other programs to address the academic needs of eligible students. Funds are available to eligible school districts and full-time career and technology centers (CTC) in which one or more schools have failed to meet at least one academic performance target, as provided for in Section 1512-C of the Pennsylvania Public School Code. Claysburg-Kimmel School District has not applied for funding.[111]

The district received an extra $1,4 million in ARRA - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low-income students.[112][113] The funding was limited to the 2009–10 and 2010-2011 school years.[114] Due to the temporary nature of the funding, schools were repeatedly advised 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.

District officials did not apply for the federal Race to the Top grant which would have provided nearly one million dollars in additional federal funding to improve student academic achievement.[115] 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.[116] 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.[117][118][119]

In July 2012, School did not participate in a federal grant which is run by the PDE. The grant calls for the establishment and sustainability of community learning centers that provide additional educational services to students in high-poverty and low-performing schools. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program was established by congress as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The 21st CCLC Program provides grants to communities to develop or expand out-of-school time programs. These programs give students opportunities for academic enrichment and provide a broad array of additional services that are designed to reinforce and complement the regular school day. The grant was competitive. Applications for the grants were reviewed and scored by a panel of representatives from the educational field and professional grant writers. While 101 entities applied for the funding, only 66 were approved, including eight charter schools. The funding is for the 2012-13 fiscal year.[120]

In 2010, Claysburg-Kimmel School District was eligible for a federal Enhancing Education through Technology grant.[121] The District did not apply for funding.[122]

The School Board elected to not participate in the Pennsylvania Department of Education Common Cents program.[123] 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.[124] After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

Property tax rates are set annually by the Claysburg-Kimmel 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.[125] 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 and 85%) of local revenues; and 2) Act 511 tax collections, which are around 15% of revenues for school districts.[126] When the 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.[127] 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.[128] The average yearly property tax paid by Blair County residents amounts to about 1.99% of their yearly income. Blair County is ranked 1441st of the 3143 United States counties for property taxes as a percentage of median income.[129]

In 2010, Blair County Commissioners changed the Assessment Ratio. In 2009, the Assed ratio was 75% of the 1958 base year Market Value of the property. Effective with the 2012 tax year, the Assessment Ratio changed to 100% of the 1958 Base YEar Market Value.[130] Each taxing entity was required to reduce their 2010 millage rates by 25% assessment change.

• 2011-12 - 10.6100 mills in Bedford County and 98.7400 mills for Blair County properties.[131]
• 2010-11 - 10.4000 mills in Bedford County and 96.4200 mills for Blair County properties.[132]
• 2009-10 - 53.4300 mills in Bedford County and 126.8800 mills for Blair County properties.[133]
• 2008-09 - 55.2700 mills in Bedford County and 125.7100 mills for Blair County properties.[134]
• 2007-08 - 54.0400 mills in Bedford County and 126.7300 mills for Blair County properties.[135]
• 2006-07 - 53.8500 mills in Bedford County and 126.8800 mills for Blair County properties.[136]
• 2005-06 - 54.0900 mills in Bedford County and 126.9200 mills for Blair County properties[137]

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.[138]

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 that Index unless they either: allow voters to vote by referendum or they seek an exception from the state 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.[139] In June 2011, the Pennsylvania General Assembly eliminated six of the ten exceptions to the Act 1 Index.[140] 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.[141][142]

The School District Adjusted Index for the Claysburg-Kimmel School District 2006-2007 through 2011–2012.[143]

• 2006-07 - 5.7%, Base 3.9%
• 2007-08 - 5.0%, Base 3.4%
• 2008-09 - 6.5%, Base 4.4%
• 2009-10 - 6.1%, Base 4.1%
• 2010-11 - 4.3%, Base 2.9%
• 2011-12 - 2.1%, Base 1.4%
• 2012-13 - 2.5%, Base 1.7%[144]

For the 2012-13 budget year, Claysburg-Kimmel School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. For 2012–2013, 274 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; 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. 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.[145]

For the 2011–12 school year, Claysburg-Kimmel School Board did not apply for an exception to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year, the Claysburg-Kimmel 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.[146]

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.[147]

In 2012, Claysburg-Kimmel School District approved homestead residents received $233.[148] In 2010, property tax relief for 1,424 approved residents of Claysburg-Kimmel School District was set at $239.[149] In Blair County, the highest tax relief went to Claysburg-Kimmel School District.[150] The highest property tax relief, among Pennsylvania school districts, went to the homesteads of Chester Upland School District of Delaware County which received $632 per approved homestead in 2010. Chester-Upland School District has consistently been the top recipient since the programs inception.[151] 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. In Blair County, 53.61% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009.[152]

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, consequently people who have an income of substantially more than $35,000 may still qualify for a rebate. Individuals must apply annually for the rebate. This tax rebate can be taken in addition to Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief. In 2012, Pennsylvania Secretary of the Treasury reported issuing more than half a million property tax rebates totaling $238 million.[153] The program is funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery. Property tax rebates are 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.[154]

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%).[155]

The District funds:

Junior high school sports

• According to PIAA directory July 2012[157]