Leechburg Area School District

Leechburg Area School District
Address
210 Penn Avenue Leechburg, Pennsylvania, Armstrong, Westmoreland, 15656 United States
Information
School board	9 members elected at large
Grades	PreK-12
Kindergarten	61
Grade 1	55
Grade 2	63
Grade 3	62
Grade 4	62
Grade 5	58
Grade 6	61
Grade 7	66
Grade 8	63
Grade 9	68
Grade 10	70
Grade 11	54
Grade 12	48
(2008) Graduates	46
Website	http://www.leechburg.k12.pa.us

Leechburg Area School District region in Westmoreland County

The Leechburg Area School District is a public school district serving K–12 students from Leechburg Borough and Gilpin Township in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, and West Leechburg Borough in Westmoreland County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

The school district consists of David Leech Elementary School, located on Siberian Avenue in Leechburg, and Leechburg Area Middle/High School, located on First Street in Leechburg.

The high school building was originally built in 1922, and the elementary building in 1955. Both school facilities underwent a major renovation in the mid-1990s. This work combined the separate elementary and high school buildings into one building. The Baker building was also connected by using a sky walk. Afterward, it was possible to reach any part of the 3 buildings without traveling outside, increasing security and keeping students from having to cross a public road to get into the Baker Building. The renovation also included new doors that were not able to be opened from the outside during school hours. The renovation of the facilities cost approximately $12 million.

Governance

The school district is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serve four year terms), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania General Assembly. 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 Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration a "D" 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.

Academic achievement

Leechburg Area School District was ranked 400th out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts in 2010 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on four years of student academic performance on the PSSAs for: math, reading, writing and two years of science.

• 2009 - 342nd out of 500 school districts
• 2008 - 252nd out of 500 Pennsylvania school districts.
• 2007 - 177th out of 501 school districts

Leechburg Area School District was ranked 83rd out of 105 Western Pennsylvania School Districts in 2010 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on four years of student academic performance on the PSSAs for: math, reading, writing and two years of science.

• 2009 - 76th out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts.
• 2008 - 62nd out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts.

In 2009, the academic achievement of the students of Leechburg Area School DIstrict was in the 26th percentile among 500 Pennsylvania School Districts. Scale - (0-99; 100 is state best)

High school

Ranked 82nd out of 123 high school in western Pennsylvania for academic achievement based on four years of PSSA results on: math, reading, writing and two years of science, by Pittsburgh Business Times in April 2010. Ranked 62nd of 123 high school in western Pennsylvania for academic achievement by Pittsburgh Business Times in May 2009.

Graduation rate

• 2010 - 100%
• 2009 - 93%
• 2007 - 90%

In 2006, 47% of the graduates from the district high school did not achieve proficient or better on the PSSA's for Mathematics and Reading.

PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
2010 - 67% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 67% of 11th graders on grade level.
2009 - 78%, State - 65%
2008 - 63%, State - 65%
2007 - 85%, State - 65%

11th Grade Math:
2010 - 57% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
2009 - 56%, State - 55%
2008 - 54%, State - 56%
2007 - 57%, State - 53%

11th Grade Science:
2010 - 74% on grade level. State - 39% of 11th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 51%, State - 40%
2008 - 43%, State - 39%

College Remediation Rate

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 23% of the Leechburg Area 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. 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. 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.

Dual enrollment

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. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions.

• 2010-11 state grant of $4,214 for the program.

• 2009-10 - $3,997

Graduation requirements

The Leechburg School Board has determined that a pupil must earn 25 credits to graduate including: English 4 credits, Social Studies 4 credits, Science 3 credits, Math 4 credits must take Algebra 1, Physical Education 1 credit, health 0.5 credits, Art/Humanities 2 credits, Graduation Project and Community service 0.5 credits and electives 5 credits.

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.

Beginning with the class of 2015, students must take the Keystone Exams in reading and math.

Eighth grade

In 2010, the 8th grade was ranked 107th out of 155 local western Pennsylvania middle schools based on three years of student academic achievement in PSSAs in: reading, math writing and one year of science. (Includes schools in: Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Westmoreland County, and Washington County

• 2009 - 105th out of 141 western Pennsylvania eight grades

Reading
2010 - 76% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 81% of 8th graders on grade level. (56 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 78%, State - 80%
2008 - 74%, State - 78%

Math:
2010 - 63% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 75% of 8th graders are on grade level.
2009 - 67%, State - 71%
2008 - 64%, State - 70%

Science:
2010 - 61% on grade level. State - 57% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 58%, State - 55%.
2008 - 58%, State - 52%

Seventh Grade
In 2010, the 7th grade was ranked 109th out of 153 local western Pennsylvania middle schools based on three years of student academic achievement in PSSAs in: reading, math writing and one year of science.

Reading:
2010 - 68% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 73% of 7th graders are on grade level. (70 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 61%, State - 71%
2008 - 58%, State - 70%

Math:
2010 - 68% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 77% of 7th graders are on grade level.
2009 - 64%, State - 75%
2008 - 63%, State - 70%

David Leech Elementary School

6th Grade:
Reading:
2010 - 74% on grade level. State: 68% of 6th graders were on grade level. (59 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 65%, State - 67%
2008 - 66%, State - 67%

Math:
2010 - 77% on grade level. State - 78% of 6th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 85%, State - 75%
2008 - 74%, State - 72%

5th Grade Reading:
2010 - 67% on grade level. State - 64% of 5th graders were on grade level. (56 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 70%, State - 64%
2008 - 62%, State - 61%

5th Grade Math:
2010 - 82% on grade level. State - 74% of 5th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 75%, State - 73%
2008 - 76%, State - 73%

4th Grade Reading:
2010 - 66% on grade level. State - 72% of 4th graders were on grade level. (62 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 63%, State - 72%
2008 - 76%, State - 70%

4th Grade Math:
2010 - 79% on grade level. State - 84% of 4th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 79%, State - 81
2008 - 84%, State - 79%

4th Grade Science:
2010 - 77% on grade level. State - 81% of 4th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 84%, State - 83%
2008 - 87%, State - 81%

3rd Grade Reading:
2010 - 70% on grade level. State - 75% of 3rd graders were on grade level. (57 pupils enrolled)
2009 - 72%, State - 77%
2008 - 71%, State - 77%

3rd Grade Math:
2010 - 87% on grade level. State - 84% of 3rd graders were on grade level.
2009 - 73%, State - 81%
2008 - 76%, State - 80%

Bullying policy

In 2009 the administrative reported there were zero incidents of bullying in the district.

The Leechburg School Board prohibits bullying by district students and faculty. The policy defines bullying and cyberbullying. The Board directs that complaints of bullying shall be investigated promptly, and corrective action shall be taken when allegations are verified. No reprisals or retaliation shall occur as a result of good faith reports of bullying. The board expects staff members to be responsible to maintain an educational environment free from all forms of bullying. All Pennsylvania schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy incorporated into their Code of Student Conduct. The policy must identify disciplinary actions for bullying and designate a school staff person to receive complaints of bullying. The policy must be available on the school's website and posted in every classroom. All Pennsylvania public schools must provide a copy of its anti-bullying policy to the Office for Safe Schools every year, and shall review their policy every three years. Additionally, the district must conduct an annual review of that policy with students. The Center for Schools and Communities works in partnership with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist schools and communities as they research, select and implement bullying prevention programs and initiatives.

Education standards relating to student safety and antiharassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.

Budget

In 2009, the district reported employing over 100 teachers with a salary range of $40,000 to $110,000 for 187 days. The average teacher salary in the district is $58,153 in 2009. Teachers also receive a benefits package that includes: paid sick days, paid personal days, reimbursement for college courses, a health insurance and a defined benefit pension.

In 2007, the district employed 66 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $56,684 for 180 days worked. As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance, professional development reimbursement, personal days, sick days, and other benefits.

Leechburg Area School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $707.15 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps 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. Leechburgh Area School district superintendeet contract contains a buyout clause. In September 2010, the school board voted to retain Superintendent James Budzilek for 5 years beginning in 2011, at a salary of $121,600.

In 2008, the district administration reported spending $21,352 per pupil which ranked 9th among Pennsylvania's 501 school districts.

In March 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. The findings were reported to the administration and the school board.

Reserves In 2008, the district reported a $911,752 balance in unreserved-undesignated funds. The designated fund balance was repoted as zero.

The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. 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 person's wealth.

State basic education funding

For the 2010-11 budget year, the Leechburg Area School District was allotted a 2.05% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $4,227,068. The highest increase in Armstrong County was provided to Freeport Area School District in a 5.43% 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.

In the 2009-2010 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided the district a 3.21% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $4,137,166. Apollo-Ridge School District got a 5.38% increase in BEF. The state Basic Education Funding to the district in 2008-09 was $4,008,356. Ninety Pennsylvania school districts received the base 2% increase. Muhlenberg School District in Berks County received a 22.31% increase in state basic education funding in 2009. 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.

Accountability Block Grants

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 $135,234 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district uses the funding to provide Increased Instructional Time for 87 pupils through before and after school tutoring and to pay teachers to write new curriculum and course offerings.

In 2009-10, the grant was used to reform the high school curriculum, to increase instruction time through tutoring, and to fund social and emotional wellness and school safety programs.

Education Assistance Grant

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 Leechburg Area School District received $24,734.

Federal Stimulus Grant

The district received an extra $555,519 in ARRA - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. The funding is for the 2009-10 and 2010-2011 school years.

Race to the Top grant

District officials did not apply for the federal Race to the Top grant which would have provided hundreds of thousands in additional federal dollars 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. 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.

Classrooms for the Future grant

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. Leechburg Area School District did not apply for funding in 2006-07 or 2007-08. In 2008-09 the district received $74,691.

Common Cents state initiative

The Leechburg Area School Board decided 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. After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

Real estate taxes

Property tax rates in 2010-11 were set by the school board at 64.4900 mills for resident in Armstrong County. For district residents in Westmoreland County the levy is 102.8000 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.

• 2009-10 - Armstrong County - 62.8600 mills. Westmoreland County - 97.6700 mills.
• 2008-09 - Armstrong County - 60.6100 mills. Westmoreland County - 98.9100 mills.

Act 1 Adjusted Index

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.

The School District Adjusted Index for the Leechburg Area School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.

2006-07 - 5.8%, Base 3.9%
2007-08 - 5.1%, Base 3.4%
2008-09 - 6.6%, Base 4.4%
2009-10 - 6.2%, Base 4.1%
2010-11 - 4.4%, Base 2.9%
2011-12 - 2.1%, Base 1.4%

The Leechburg Area School Board did not apply for any exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budget in 2008-09, 2009-10 or 2010-2011 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.

Property tax relief

In 2010, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Leechburg Area School District was $238 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 1,875 property owners applied for the tax relief. 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. In Armstrong County, 77% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009. In Westmoreland County, 62% of property owners applied for relief in 2009. In Armstrong County, the highest amount of tax relief in 2010, went to Apollo-Ridge School District at $319. In Westmoreland County, the highest relief was $300 to the residents of New Kensington–Arnold School District. 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. This was the third year they were the top recipient.

Enrollment

The enrollment at Leechburg Area School district is projected, by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, to remain below 800 students for the next decade.

A study was done by the Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, examining consolidating Leechburg Area School District with neighboring Freeport Area School District. It was estimated that over $2 million dollars in savings would be achieved. The study noted that consolidation could significantly decrease administrative costs for both communities while improving offerings to students. Consolidation of school district administrations does not require the consolidation of schools.

Over the next 10 years, rural Pennsylvania school enrollment is projected to decrease 8 percent. The most significant enrollment decline is projected to be in western Pennsylvania, where rural school districts may have a 16 percent decline. More than 40 percent of elementary schools and more than 60 percent of secondary schools in western Pennsylvania are projected to experience significant enrollment decreases (15 percent or greater). Statewide, there are 187 districts that are projected to have an enrollment decline of 15 percent or greater. Geographically, these districts are clustered in western Pennsylvania and in the state’s northern tier.

Pennsylvania has one of the highest numbers of school districts in the nation. In Pennsylvania, 80% of the school districts serve student populations under 5,000, and 40% serve less than 2,000. Less than 95 of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts have enrollment below 1250 students, in 2007.

Extracurriculars

The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility to participate is set through school board policy.

By Pennsylvania law, all K-12 students 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.

Sports

In March 2007, the boys basketball team, The Blue Devils, won against the California Trojans in the WPIAL championship. The score was 60-59. This was the first WPIAL championship win for Leechburg in the history of the school district.

External links

• Leechburg Area School District website