South Fayette Township School District

South Fayette Township School District is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serves without compensation for a term of four years), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.[12] 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 each public school 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 Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the South Fayette Township School Board and District Administration a "C-" for transparency based on a review of "What information can people find on their school district's website". It examined the school district's website for information regarding; taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, public records information and more.[13]

South Fayette Township School District was ranked 7th among Pennsylvania school districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2014[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.

• 2014 - 7th [16]
• 2013 - 8th
• 2012 - 10th
• 2011 - 12th [17]
• 2008 - 15th [18]
• 2007 - 15th out of 501 school districts.[19]

Overachiever statewide ranking

In 2013, the Pittsburgh Business Times also reported an Overachievers Ranking for 498 Pennsylvania school districts. South Fayette Township School District ranked 44th. In 2012, the district was 50th. [20] 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."[21]

In 2009 the 8th grade was ranked 6th out of 141 western Pennsylvania middle schools based on three years of student academic achievement in PSSAs in: reading, math writing and one year of science.[22] (Includes schools in: Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Westmoreland County, and Washington County)

District AYP status history

In 2011 and 2012, South Fayette Township School District achieved AYP status.[23] In 2011, 94 percent of the 500 Pennsylvania public school districts achieved the No Child Left Behind Act progress level of 72% of students reading on grade level and 67% of students demonstrating on grade level math. In 2011, 46.9 percent of Pennsylvania school districts achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) based on student performance. An additional 37.8 percent of Pennsylvania public school districts made AYP based on a calculated method called safe harbor, 8.2 percent on the growth model and 0.8 percent on a two-year average performance.[24] South Fayette Township School District achieved AYP status each year from 2003 to 2010.[25]

The following statewide rankings (out of 676 public school districts) are based solely on the PSSA results of the high school's junior class:[45]

• 2017- 31st of 659
• 2016- 69th
• 2015- 21st
• 2014- 19th
• 2013- 16th
• 2012- 37th

The District offers a variety of clubs, activities and an extensive, costly sports program. Eligibility for participation is determined by school board policy and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania interscholastic Athletics Association (PIAA).

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students residing in the district, including those who attend a private nonpublic school, cyber charter school, charter school and those homeschooled, are eligible to participate in the extracurricular programs, including all athletics. They must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.[57]

In April 2014, it was reported that Christian Stanfield, a sophomore at South Fayette High, was brought up on charges of disorderly conduct after he recorded several people bullying him. When he reported it to school officials, they forced him to delete the video and called police to report that Stanfield may have violated the state's wiretapping law; Pennsylvania law requires all parties to consent to being recorded. The police opted to charge him with disorderly conduct, a charge that was upheld by a judge. However, the charges were later dropped by the Allegheny County District Attorney.[58]

Former wrestling head coach Michael Ladick was fired in 2011 after 3 season as coach due to increasing demand from parents.[59]

In 2017, former South Fayette High School assistant football coach Patrick Onesko was found guilty after soliciting two students of South Fayette through Snapchat. Patrick had been working at California University of Pennsylvania when the messaging began. Patrick told the boys that he was a 15-year-old girl from Bethel Park. He used the screen name ALAINABP5. The messages between the boys and Patrick included Patrick asking about the boys genitals and the boys calling Patrick a pedophile. The jurors found that Mr. Onesko was guilty of all counts against him: solicitation, unlawful contact with a minor and two counts of corruption of minors.[60]