Laurel Highlands School District

In 2011, the Laurel Highlands School District graduation rate was 83%.[19] In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate. Laurel Highlands Senior High School's rate was 68% for 2010.[20]

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

• 2007 - 90%[21]
• 2008 - 90%[22]
• 2009 - 99%[23]
• 2010 - 83%[24]

In 2011, the school declined to "Warning" status, under the federal No Child Left Behind law, due to low student academic achievement.[25]

11th Grade Reading

• 2007 - 61% (19% below basic). State - 65%[26]
• 2008 - 68% (17% below basic). State - 65%[27]
• 2009 - 69% (17% below basic). State - 65%[28]
• 2010 - 65% (18% below basic). State - 66%[29]
• 2011 - 73% on grade level, (10% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.[30]

11th Grade Math:

• 2007 - 41%, (38% below basic). State - 53%
• 2008 - 49%, (30% below basic). State - 56%
• 2009 - 56%, (22% below basic). State - 56%.
• 2010 - 55%, (25% below basic). State - 59%
• 2011 - 61%, on grade level (20% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders were on grade level.

11th Grade Science:

• 2008 - 27%, (18% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 37% (13% below basic). State - 40%[31]
• 2010 - 31% (17% below basic). State - 39%
• 2011 - 38% on grade level (14% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.[32]

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 24% of the 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.[33] 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.[34] 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 high school offers a dual enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books[35] Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.[36]

For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $14,910 for the program.[37]

The Challenge Program, Inc. offers $250.00 cash incentives to Senior High School students who excel in the categories of: Academic Improvement, Attendance, Community Service and Academic Excellence. The program partners with businesses to motivate students both in and out of the classroom by encouraging good habits in students that will last throughout their education and into their future careers. For the 2010-2011 school year, the top 10% of students in each of the categories will be eligible to win $250.00.[38]

The Laurel Highlands School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 25.5 credits to graduate, including: Math 4 credits, including: Algebra 9, Algebra 10, Geometry 11, and Algebra 12; English 4 credits; social studies 4 credits; science 4 credits (Biology and three Science Electives; Health and Physical Education 2.5 credits; Arts/Humanities 2 credits, freshman seminar - 0.5 credit and electives.[39]

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.[40] Beginning with the Class of 2009, students are also required to complete a Career Portfolio in order to be eligible for graduation. The portfolio includes: Freshman Discovery Plan, Sophomore Exploration Plan, Junior Experience Plan Packet and a Senior Implement Plan.[39]

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating classes of 2015 and 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.[41]

AFJROTC is a 3- or 4-year program offered in grades 9-12. Students (cadets) receive elective credit toward high school graduation by successfully completing Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) classes. Cadets are introduced to the Air Force organizational structure; uniform wear; military customs and courtesies; flag etiquette; citizenship in the United States; basic drill and ceremonies; and effective communications.

Students participating in the Advanced Placement Academy must take at least six of the Advanced Placement classes offered at the High School. The high school offers 13 AP courses in a wide variety of subjects.

In 2010-2011, 142 students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 482. The Math average score was 486. The Writing average score was 458.[42] Pennsylvania ranked 40th among state with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479.[43] 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.[44]

In 2011, the Laurel Highlands Middle School declined into "Warning" status due to lagging student achievement. In 2010, the school achieved AYP status.[45] The attendance rate was 91% in 2010 and 95% in 2011.[46]

PSSA Results:

8th Grade Science:

• 2008 - 51%, (21% below basic). State - 52%[51]
• 2009 - 46% (25% below basic). State - 55%[52]
• 2010 - 55% (26% below basic). State – 57%[53]
• 2011 - 59% on grade level (18% below basic). State – 58.3% of 8th graders were on grade level.

The District Administration reported that 89 or 2.47% of its students were gifted in 2009.[63] 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.[64]

In the 2009-2010 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 4.23% increase in basic education funding for a total of $13,620,698. Among the districts in Fayette County, the highest increase went to Laurel Highlands School District. The state basic education funding to the district in 2008-09 was $13,067,933.08. 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.[75] The amount of increase each school district receives is set by the Governor and the Secretary of Education as a part of the state budget proposal given each February.[76]

For the 2010-11 budget year, Laurel Highlands School District received the highest increase, in Fayette County, a 6.29% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $13,620,698. 150 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.[77]

In 2011-12, the district received a $13,091,281 allocation, of state basic education funding.[78] Additionally, the Laurel Highlands School District received $239,090 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.[79] 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.[80] In 2010, the district reported that 1,891 students received free or reduced-price lunches, due to the family meeting the federal poverty level.[81]

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 $648,950 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district uses the funding to provide full-day kindergarten.[82]

The district received an extra $1,450,000 in ARRA - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low-income students.[83] The funding is for the 2009–10 and 2010-2011 school years.[84]

District officials did not apply for the federal Race to the Top grant which would have provided over one million dollars in additional federal funding to improve 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, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate.[85] 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.[86]

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 2006-2009. The Laurel Highlands School District did not apply to participate in 2006-07. In 2007-08 the district received $370,652. The district received $67,581 in 2008-09, for a total funding of $438,233.[87]

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.[88] After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

Property tax rates in 2011-12 were set by the school board at 14.2109 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.[89] 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 75-85%) of local revenues; and 2) Act 511 tax collections, which are around 15% of revenues for school districts.[90]

• 2010-11 - 13.9323 mills[91]
• 2009-10 - 13.3965 mills.[92]
• 2008-09 - 13.3965 mills.[93]
• 2007-08 - 13.0000 mills.[94]

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 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.[95] In June 2011, the Pennsylvania General Assembly eliminated six of the ten the exceptions to the Act 1 Index.[96] The following 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 taking into account on the PSERS contribution rate.[97]

The School District Adjusted Index for the Laurel Highlands School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.[98]

• 2006-07 - 5.4%, Base 3.9%
• 2007-08 - 4.7%, Base 3.4%
• 2008-09 - 6.1%, Base 4.4%
• 2009-10 - 5.8%, Base 4.1%
• 2010-11 - 4.0%, Base 2.9%
• 2011-12 - 2.0%, Base 1.4%
• 2012-13 - 2.4%, Base 1.7%[99]

For the 2011-12 school year, the Laurel Highlands School Board did not apply for an exception to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year, the 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.[100]

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.[101]

The Laurel Highlands School Board did not apply for any exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budget in 2011.[102] For 2009-10 school budget, the board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Index.[103] 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.[104]

In 2010, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the School District was $152 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 6.700 property owners applied for the tax relief.[105] 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 Fayette County, 71% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009.[106] In Fayette County, the highest amount of tax relief in 2010, went to property owners in Uniontown Area School District which received $198. The highest property tax relief in Pennsylvania went to the residents of Chester Upland School District of Delaware County who received $632 per approved homestead.[107] This was the third year they were the top recipient.

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, individual with income much 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.[108]

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%).[109]