Lakeland School District (Pennsylvania)

In 2014, Lakeland School District graduation rate declined to 82%.[36]

• 2013 - 88.6% [37]
• 2012 - 89%[38]
• 2011 - 86.5%.[39]
• 2010 - 86%, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate.[40]

Under former calculations

• 2010 - 98%[41]
• 2009 - 97%
• 2008 - 97% [42]
• 2007 - 97% [43]

In 2012, Lakeland Junior Senior High School declined to Warning Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status.[54] From 2003 to 2011, Lakeland Junior Senior High School achieved AYP status each school year.[55]

PSSA results

Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, commonly called PSSAs are No Child Left Behind Act related examinations which were administered from 2003 through 2012, in all Pennsylvania public high schools. The exams were administered in the Spring of each school year. The goal was for 100% of students to be on grade level or better in reading and mathematics, by the Spring of 2014. The tests focused on the state's Academic Standards for reading, writing, mathematics and science. The Science exam included content in science, technology, ecology and the environmental studies. The mathematics exam included: algebra I, algebra II, geometry and trigonometry. The standards were first published in 1998 and are mandated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.[56] In 2013, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania changed its high school assessments to the Keystone Exams in Algebra 1, Reading/literature and Biology1. The exams are given at the end of the course, rather than all in the spring of the student's 11th grade year.[57]

11th Grade Reading

• 2012 - 60% on grade level, (22% below basic). State - 67% of 11th graders are on grade level.[58]
• 2011 - 73% (11% below basic). State - 69.1%[59]
• 2010 - 76% (16% below basic). State - 66%[60]
• 2009 - 78% (15% below basic), State - 65% [61]
• 2008 - 69% (13% below basic), State - 65% [62]
• 2007 - 74% (13% below basic), State - 65% [63]

11th Grade Math

• 2012 - 49% on grade level (30% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.[64]
• 2011 - 55% (18% below basic). State - 60.3%[65]
• 2010 - 67% (19% below basic). State - 59%[66]
• 2009 - 57% (23% below basic). State - 56%.
• 2008 - 43% (31% below basic), State - 56%
• 2007 - 43% (27% below basic), State - 53%

11th Grade Science

• 2012 - 36% on grade level (17% below basic). State - 42% of 11th graders were on grade level.[67]
• 2011 - 39% (11% below basic). State - 40%[68]
• 2010 - 44% (13% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 50% (14% below basic). State - 40%[69]
• 2008 - 49%, State - 39%

PSSA Results:

8th Grade Reading

• 2012 - 69% on grade level (16% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 79% of 8th graders on grade level.[64]
• 2011 - 78% (10% below basic) State - 81.8%[70]
• 2010 - 91% (4% below basic). State - 81%[71]
• 2009 - 85% (8% below basic), State - 80%
• 2008 - 91% (6% below basic), State - 78% [72]
• 2007 - 89.5% (5% below basic), State - 75%

8th Grade Math

• 2012 - 69% on grade level (13% below basic). State - 76% [67]
• 2011 - 63% (18% below basic). State - 76.9%
• 2010 - 77% on grade level (9% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 75% of 8th graders are on grade level.[73]
• 2009 - 61% (17% below basic), State - 71% [74]
• 2008 - 78% (10% below basic), State - 70%
• 2007 - 79% (9% below basic), State - 68%

8th Grade Science

• 2012 - 67% on grade level (18% below basic). State - 59%[75]
• 2011 - 62% (25% below basic). State - 58.3%
• 2010 - 75% (13% below basic). State - 57%[76]
• 2009 - 60% (13% below basic), State - 55% [77]
• 2008 - 63%, State - 52% [78]

The Lakeland School District 8th grade placed fifth out of the entire state of Pennsylvania in the writing section of the PSSAs. Also, the Lakeland High School's senior reading team in 2009 came in first place at the Lackawanna County Reading Team Competition. Lakeland also came in 3rd place in the 2008 MathCounts competition. In 2009, they came in 5th place, but team captain Greg Reeves came in 2nd in the individual portion of the competition and came in 1st in the Countdown Round, coming in 1st for Northeast Pennsylvania.

7th Grade Reading

• 2012 - 75% (10% below basic). State - 76%
• 2011 - 82% (7% below basic). State - 76%
• 2010 - 75% (13% below basic). State - 73%
• 2009 - 76% (7% below basic), State - 71%
• 2008 - 73% (13% below basic), State - 70%
• 2007 - 79% (9% below basic), State - 67%

7th Grade Math

• 2012 - 82% (7% below basic). State - 80%
• 2011 - 83% (9% below basic). State - 78.6%
• 2010 - 67% (16% below basic). State -77%
• 2009 - 72% (13% below basic), State - 75%
• 2008 - 58% (20% below basic), State - 71%
• 2007 - 78% (6% below basic), State - 67%

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 14% of Lakeland 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.[79][80] 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.[81][82] 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.

The District Administration reported that 30 or 1.8% of its students were gifted in 2009.[114] 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.[115] Through the strategic planning process, the Superintendent must ensure that Lakeland School District provides a continuum of program and service options to meet the needs of all mentally gifted students for enrichment, acceleration, or both.

According to a report from Representative Todd Stephens office, Lakeland School District receives 47.5% of its annual revenue from the state.[160] This nearly meets some education advocates goal of the state providing 50% of district funding.[161]

For the 2015-16 school year, Governor Tom Wolf released a partial Basic Education Funding of $2,585,281 to Lakeland School District, in January 2016.[162] This was part of $10.3 billion in school funding withheld from the public schools, by the Governor since the summer of 2015.[163] The dispersement did not follow the new Basic Education Fair Funding formula which had been established by the Pennsylvania General Assembly in June 2015.[164] Ten (10) Pennsylvania school districts received no increase in Basic Education funding under Governor Wolf.[165][166]

In April 2016, Governor Wolf announced his finalized dispersement of 2015-16 state Basic Education Funding. Lakeland School District received a 2.75% increase for a total funding of $5,333,415.[167] This is $52,971 more than the district was to receive by law under the state's Fair Funding Formula approved in 2015.[168][169] Wolf also altered the Ready to Learn Grant distribution. The district received another $202,117 in Ready To Learn grant which was $34,614 less than it would have received under the approved state formula for distribution.

The highest increase in funding statewide was awarded by Governor Wolf to Wilkinsburg Borough School District which got a 44.1% increase in state Basic Education Funding. The average BEF increase among the Commonwealth's 500 public school districts for 2015-16 was 2.21%. In Lackawanna County, the highest percentage increase in state funding was awarded to Old Forge School District - 3.51%. The Pennsylvania education budget is $5.93 billion for basic education, a $200 million or 3.5 percent increase over 2014-15 allocation. Another $1.08 billion was allotted for special education funding, a $30 million or 2.9 percent increase over 2014-15. Additionally, the state paid over $500 million towards school employee social security payments and over $1 billion to the teacher's pension fund (PSERS).[170]

For the 2014-15 school year, Lakeland School District received $5,280,444 in State Basic Education funding. The district received $202,117 in new Ready To Learn Block grant. The State's enacted Education Budget included $5,526,129,000 for the 2014-2015 Basic Education Funding.[171] The Education budget also included Accountability Block Grant funding at $100 million and $241 million in new Ready to Learn funding for public schools that focus on student achievement and academic success. The State paid $500.8 million to Social Security on the school employees behalf and another $1.16 billion to the state teachers pension system (PSERS). In total, Pennsylvania's Education budget for K-12 public schools is $10 billion. This was a $305 million increase over 2013-2014 state spending and the greatest amount ever allotted by the Commonwealth for its public schools.[172]

In the 2013-14 school year, Lakeland School District received a 2% increase to $5,183,393 in Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding (BEF). This is $101,431 more than its 2012-13 state BEF to the district. Additionally, Lakeland School District received $93,268 in Accountability Block Grant funding to focus on academic achievement and level funding for special education services. Among the public school districts in Lackawanna County, Mid Valley School District received the highest percentage increase in BEF at 2.4%. The district had the option of applying for several other state and federal grants to increase revenues. The Commonwealth's budget increased Basic Education Funding statewide by $123 million to over $5.5 billion. Most of Pennsylvania's 500 public school districts received an increase of Basic Education Funding in a range of 0.9% to 4%. Eight public school districts received exceptionally high funding increases of 10% to 16%. The highest increase in state funding was awarded to Austin Area School District which received a 22.5% increase in Basic Education Funding.[173] The highest percent of state spending per student is in the Chester-Upland School District, where roughly 78 percent comes from state coffers. In Philadelphia, it is nearly 49 percent.[174] As a part of the education budget, the state provided the PSERS (Pennsylvania school employee pension fund) with $1,017,000,000 and Social Security payments for school employees of $495 million.[175]

For the 2012-13 school year, the Lakeland School District received $5,081,962.[176] The Governor's Executive Budget for 2012-2013 included $9.34 billion for kindergarten through 12th grade public education, including $5.4 billion in basic education funding, which was an increase of $49 million over the 2011-12 budget. In addition, the Commonwealth provided $100 million for the Accountability Block Grant (ABG) program. Lakeland School District received $93,268 in ABG funds. The state also provided a $544.4 million payment for School Employees’ Social Security and $856 million for School Employees’ Retirement fund called PSERS.[177] This amount was 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 school year, Lakeland School District received $5,081,230 in state Basic Education Funding.[178][179] Additionally, the district will receive $93,268 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. 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.[180] Districts experienced a reduction in funding due to the loss of federal stimulus funding which ended in 2011.

For the 2010-11 budget year, the Lakeland School District received a 6.96% increase in state basic education funding for a total of $5,618,513. The highest increase in state funding, among Lackawanna County school districts, was awarded to Dunmore School District at 11.88% increase. One hundred fifty school districts in Pennsylvania received the 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 awarded a 23.65% increase in state basic education funding.[181] In 2010, the district reported that 463 pupils received a free or reduced-price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. Fifteen (15) Pennsylvania public school districts received a BEF increase of greater than 10%. 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 when 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 public school districts at a far greater rate than others.[182]

In the 2009-10 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 5.45% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $5,252,912 to Lakeland School District. The highest increase in state basic education funding, to Lackawanna County school districts, was 9.46% increase which was awarded to Scranton School District. In Pennsylvania, 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. Ninety Pennsylvania school district received the state's base 2% increase.[183] The amount of increase each school district received was determined by then Governor Edward Rendell and the Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak through the allocation set in the state budget proposal made in February each year.[184]

The state's Basic Education Funding to the Lakeland School District in 2008-09 was $4,630,531. In 2008, the district reported that 390 pupils received a free or reduced-price lunch due to their family meeting the federal poverty threshold of $22,050 for a family of four. Many state and federal programs use the threshold to calculate benefits.[185] 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.[186][187]

All Pennsylvania school districts also receive additional funding from the state through several funding allocations, including: Reimbursement of Charter School Expenditures; Special Education Funding; Secondary Career & Technical Education Subsidy; PA Accountability Grants; and low achieving schools were eligible for Educational Assistance Program Funding. Plus all Pennsylvania school districts receive federal dollars for various programs including: Special Education funding and Title I funding for children from low income families. In 2010, Pennsylvania spent over $24 billion for public education - local, state and federal dollars combined.[188] By 2015, Pennsylvania was spending over $27 billion on public education (local, state and federal resources combined).[189]

The state provides additional education funding to schools in the form of Accountability Block Grants. The use of these funds is strictly focused on specific state approved uses designed to improve student academic achievement. Lakeland School District uses its $253,153 to fund all day kindergarten for the seventh year. These annual funds are in addition to the state's basic education funding and all federal funding.[190] School Districts apply each year for Accountability Block Grants.[191] In 2009-10, the state provided $271.4 million in Accountability Block Grants $199.5 million went to providing all-day kindergartens.[192]

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, Mathematics) and paid for mandatory teacher training to optimize the computers' use in the classroom for improving instruction. The program was funded from 2006-2009. Lakeland School District administration did not apply for the grant in 2006-07. In 2007-08, the district received $215,408 in funding. For the 2008–09, school year the district received a final $45,413 for a total funding of $260,821. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future grant awards.[193]

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. In 2010-11 the Lakeland School District received $42,132.[194]

Project 720 was a high school reform program implemented for three years under the Rendell administration. The intent was to increase academic rigor and improve the instruction of teachers in the Commonwealth's high schools. Teachers were expected to use data driven instructional practices and to meet the needs of diverse learners.[195] The 720 in the name referred to the number of days a student was in high school in ninth through 12th grades.[196] High schools applied for funding and were required to agree to report to the PDE their plans, their actions and the outcomes. In 2007-08 budget year, the Commonwealth provided $11 million in funding. Lakeland School District was one of 161 PA public school districts to apply, receiving $171,000 funding over three years.[197][198] For 2010-11, Project 720 funding was decreased to $1.7 million by Governor Rendell. The grant program was discontinued effective with the 2011-12 state budget.[199]

The Lakeland School District received $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.[200] The funding was limited to the 2009–10 and 2010-11 school years.[201] Due to the temporary nature of the funding, schools were repeatedly advised by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee, the Governor and the Pennsylvania School Board Association, 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.

Lakeland School District officials did not apply for the Race to the Top federal grant which would have brought the district up to million additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement.[202] Several Lackawanna County school districts applied for funding. Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success.[203] In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate.[204] Pennsylvania was not approved for the grant. According to then Governor Rendell, failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved.[205]

The Federal government provides annual grants to schools to be used to improve the quality of teacher instructions to pupils. The goal is to provide each child in public schools with “Highly Quality” teachers and principals as defined by the state.[206] The funds are sent to the state Department of Education which distributes them to each school district and charter school.[207] Beginning in 2002, the federal funding committed to Title II was $3,175,000,000.

Public school district administrations must apply to the state annually for the Title II funds. In 2012-13, Lakeland School District received $59,160 in federal Title II funding.[208] In 2014-15, Lakeland School District applied for and received $55,855.[209]

The Federal government provides annual grants to schools to assist in educating immigrant children and children who are identified as limited English proficient.[210] Upon registering for school a language survey is done for all new enrollment pupils, typically in kindergarten or preschool. They identify the primary language spoken at home. This data is collected and submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, which in turn notifies the federal government.[211]

In 2012-13, Lakeland School District received $1,086 in Title III funding for English language learners.[212] For 2014-15, Lakeland School District received $285 in Title III funding.[213]

The Lakeland School District School Board chose 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.[214] After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

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.[229] 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.[230]

The School District Adjusted Index for the Carbondale Area School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.[231]

For the 2015-16 budget year, Lakeland School Board applied for two exceptions to exceed their Act 1 Index limit: for special education cost and for its rapidly rising teacher pension costs. For the school budget 2015-16, 310 Pennsylvania public school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above its Act 1 Index limit. Another 187 school districts adopted a preliminary budget leaving open the option of exceeding the Index limit.[238]

For the 2014-15 budget year, Lakeland School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed their Act 1 Index limit. In 2014-15, all Pennsylvania school districts were required to make a 21.4% of payroll payment to the teacher's pension fund (PSERS).[239] For the school budget 2014-15, 316 Pennsylvania public school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above its Act 1 Index limit. Another 181 school districts adopted a preliminary budget leaving open the option of exceeding the Index limit. Districts may apply for multiple exceptions each year. For the pension costs exception, 163 school districts received approval to exceed the Index in full, while others received a partial approval of their request. For special education costs, 104 districts received approval to exceed their tax limit. Seven Pennsylvania public school districts received an approval for the grandfathered construction debts exception.[240]

For the 2013-14 budget year, Lakeland School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed their Act 1 Index limit. In 2013-14, all Pennsylvania school districts were required to make a 16.93% of payroll payment to the teacher's pension fund (PSERS). For the school budget year 2013-14, 311 Pennsylvania public school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index. Another 171 school districts adopted a preliminary budget leaving open the option of exceeded the Index limit. For the pension costs exception, 169 school districts received approval to exceed the Index.

For the 2012-13 budget year, Lakeland School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. In 2012-13, all Pennsylvania school districts were required to make a 12.36% of payroll payment to the teacher's pension fund (PSERS). For 2012-2013 budget year, 274 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; while 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.[241]

For the 2011-12 school year, Lakeland School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year the Lakeland 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.[242]

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.[243]

The Lakeland School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budgets in 2009-10 nor in 2010-11.[244][245] 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.[246]

In 2011, property tax relief for 3,723 approved residential properties of Lakeland School District was set at $91.[247] In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Lakeland School District was $95 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 3,588 property owners applied for the tax relief.[248] 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.[249]

Additionally, the Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is provided for low income residents in Lakeland School District 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 individuals who have income 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.[250]

The coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid.[256] According to Pennsylvania's Safety in Youth Sports Act, all sports coaches, paid and volunteer, are required to annually complete the Concussion Management Certification Training and present the certification before coaching.[257][258]

• Chorus
• Concert Band
• Curtain Club
• Drill Team
• Marching band