Oswayo Valley School District

Oswayo Valley School District
Address
PO Box 610 Shinglehouse, Pennsylvania, Potter and McKean, 16748 United States
Information
School board	9 elected members regions - 3
Superintendent	Charles Wicker
Grades	K-12
Enrollment	516
Kindergarten	51
Grade 1	19
Grade 2	29
Grade 3	37
Grade 4	38
Grade 5	31
Grade 6	47
Grade 7	47
Grade 8	40
Grade 9	48
Grade 10	40
Grade 11	56
Grade 12	33
Other	Enrollment is projected to decline to 445 in 2019 [1]

Map of McKean County, Pennsylvania School Districts

The Oswayo Valley School District is a public school district in Potter County. The school serves the boroughs of Oswayo and Shinglehouse, as well as Clara Township, Sharon Township, and Oswayo Township. McKean County's Ceres Township is also within district boundaries. There is an elementary school (PreK - 5), middle school (6-8) and high school (9-12).

According to School Matters, the district has a 13.7 to 1 student - teacher ratio. It spent $11,275 per pupil in 2006.^[2]

Governance

The district is governed by a 9 member school board that is elected to serve four year terms, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania General Assembly.^[3] The federal government controls programs it funds like Title I funding for low income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind Act which mandates that the district focus its federal funding resources on student reading and math skills.

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration a "F" 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.^[4]

Academic achievement

Oswayo Valley School District was ranked 391st out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts for student academic achievement by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2010. The ranking is based on student results for four years of PSSAs for: reading, writing, mathematics and 2 years of science.

• 2009 - 430th
• 2008 - 421st
• 2007 - 458th out of 501 school districts

Graduation rate
2010 - 96% ^[5] (53 pupils)
2009 - 100%
2008 - 94%
2007 - 94%^[6]

HIgh School

PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
2010 - 79% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 67% of 11th graders on grade
2009 - 60%, State - 65%^[7]
2008 - 56%, State - 65%
2007 - 72%, State - 65%^[8]
2006 - 58%, State - 65%
2005 - 67%, State - 65%

11th Grade Math:
2010 - 81% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders on grade
2009 - 65%, State - 56%
2008 - 49%, State - 56%
2007 - 72%, State - 53%
2006 - 47%, State - 52%^[9]
2005 - 57%, State - 51%

11th Grade Science:
2010 - 66% on grade level. State 39% on grade level.^[10]
2009 - 31%, State - 40%
2008 - 31%, State - 39%

Graduation project

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.^[11] The board requires a student earn 27 credits to graduate.^[12]

Middle school

The district reports a 95% attendance rate for the 2008-09 school year at the middle school.

8th Grade Reading: (38 pupils)
2010 - 86% on grade level. State - 81% on grade level.
2009 - 82%, State - 80%^[13]
2008 - 82%, State - 78%
2007 - 82%, State - 75%

8th Grade Math:
2010 - 88% on grade level, State - 75% on grade level.
2009 - 70%, State - 71%
2008 - 79%, State - 70% ^[14]
2007 - 82%, State - 70%

8th Grade Science:
2010 - 73% on grade level. State - 57% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 70%. State - 54%
2008 - 63%, State - 52%

7th Grade Reading: {34 pupils)
2010 - 82% on grade level. State - 73% of 7th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 71%, State - 71%
2008 - 77%, State - 70%
2007 - 68%, State - 66%

7th Grade Math:
2010 - 73% on grade level. State - 77% of 7th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 66%, State - 75%
2008 - 77%, State - 70% ^[14]
2007 - 74%, State - 67%

6th Grade Reading: (38 pupils)
2010 - 52% on grade level. State - 68% of 6th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 62%, State - 67%
2008 - 68%, State - 67%
2007 - 75%, State - 63%

6th Grade Math:
2010 - 81% on grade level. State - 78% of 6th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 72%, State - 75%
2008 - 68%, State - 72%
2007 - 80%, State - 69%

Elementary School

5th Grade Reading: (28 pupils)
2010 - 76% on grade level. State - 64% of 5th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 53%, State - 64%^[15]
2008 - 52%, State - 61%
2007 - 55%, State - 60%

5th Grade Math:
2010 - 96% on grade level. State - 74% of 5th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 63%, State - 73%^[16]
2008 - 70%, State - 73%
2007 - 66%, State - 71%

4th Grade Reading: (32 pupils)
2010 - 78% on grade level. State - 72% of 4th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 73%, State - 72%
2008 - 59%, State - 70%
2007 - 65%, State - 60%

4th Grade Math:
2010 - 90% on grade level. State - 84% of 6th graders were on grade level.
2009 - 83%, State - 81%
2008 - 78%, State - 79%
2007 - 80%, State - 78%

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

3rd Grade Reading: (36 pupils)
2010 - 83% on grade level. State - 75% of 3rd graders were on grade level.
2009 - 83%, State - 77%
2008 - 69%, State - 77%
2007 - 47%, State - 72%

3rd Grade Math:
2010 - 100% on grade level. State - 84% of 3rd graders were on grade level.
2009 - 83%, State - 81%
2008 - 83%, State - 80%
2007 - 72%, State - 78%

PreK Counts Preschool
The district offers a preschool program with the intent to have every 4 year old attend at the taxpayer's expense regardless of their ability to pay.^[17][18][19]

Special Education

The district provides a wide variety of services to children with special needs.Some are provided through the region's Intermediate Unit. Children age three through the age of admission to first grade are also eligible if they have developmental delays and, as a result, need Special Education and related services. ^[20]

Budget

In 2007, the district employed 38 teachers who earned an average salary of $42,929 for 180 days worked.^[21] In 2010 the median teacher salary in Pennsylvania is $60,000.^[22]

The district administrative costs per pupil in 2008 were $1,153 per pupil. The district is ranked 28th among Pennsylvania's 500 districts for administrative spending. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. In 2008, the Oswayo Valley School District reported spending $22,315 per pupil. This was the 5th largest in the state. ^[23]

In January 2009 the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the school district. Multiple findings were cited including a board member violating the state ethics act. ^[24]

ARRA

The district received grants totaling $647,934 of ARRA - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students.^[25] According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Oswayo Valley School District had 245 students receiving free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year.

The district reports that 38% of students are eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch which is provided to children of families living in poverty. ^[26]

Race to the Top Grant

School district officials did not apply for the Race to the Top federal grant which would have brought the district hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement.^[27] 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.^[28] 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.^[29]

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. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax regardless the of individual's wealth.^[30]

Environmental Education Grant

The district is participating in a collaborative environmental education program called "Project Wet". Funding is from a federal grant. It will fund teacher preparation and be used to purchase water montoring equipment for the students to use in a hands on science curriculum^[31]

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. Oswayo Valley School District did not apply to participate in 2006-07. The district received $41,311 in 2007-08 and $45,413 in 2008-09 for a total of $86,724 in state funding. ^[32]

Common Cents state initiative

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. ^[33] After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

Real estate taxes

The school board levies a 13.5211 mill tax on real estate in 2010 for residents in McKean County. Property owners in Potter County have a 41.7635 mills property tax rate.^[34] A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property's assessed value. On the local level, Pennsylvania 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.^[35]

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.^[36]

The School District Adjusted Index for the Oswayo Valley School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.^[37]
2006-07 - 5.9%, Base 3.9%
2007-08 - 5.1%, Base 3.4%
2008-09 - 6.6%, Base 4.4%
2009-10 - 6.1%, Base 4.1%
2010-11 - 4.4%, Base 2.9%
2011-12 - 2.1%, Base 1.4%

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.^[38] For the 2010-11 school year, the Oswayo Valley School Board did not apply for exceptions to the Act 1 index.^[39]

Property tax relief

In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Oswayo Valley School District was $170 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 790 property owners applied for the tax relief. ^[40] 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 buildings used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 contiguous acres and must include the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption. In 2009, 68% of McKean County property owners applied for the property tax relief. In Potter County 79% applied for relief.^[41]

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, so people who make substantially more than $35,000 may still qualify for a rebate. Individuals must apply annually for the rebate.^[42]

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%).^[43]

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. This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity.^[44] In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the 49 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.^[45]

Enrollment

Pupil enrollment in the district has been sharply declining. Pennsylvania Department of Education projects it will to continue to decline for the next decade to 445 students total enrollment Pre K to 12th grade.^[46]

With limited resources, opportunities for students are limited. In a Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee study on school consolidation, 63% of the superintendents that responded expressed agreement that consolidation with another district could help them provide additional academic enrichment opportunities for their students.^[47] Consolidation with adjacent school districts would achieve substantial cost savings for people in all the impacted communities. The savings could be redirected to improve lagging academic achievement, to enrich the academic programs or to substantially reduce property taxes.

Over the next 10 years, rural Pennsylvania school enrollment is projected to decrease 8 percent.^[48] 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. This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity.^[49] In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the 49 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.^[50]

Extracurriculars

The district offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility to participate is set by school board Extracurricular 122 Policy and interscholastic Athletics 123 Policy.^[51]

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.^[52][53]

References

1. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education Enrollment and Projections for Oswayo Valley School District January 2009
2. ^ Standard and Poors, SchoolMatters.com. Retrieved April 2010.
3. ^ Pennsylvania Public School Code Governance 2010
4. ^ The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives. "The Pennsylvania Project". http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Pennsylvania_school_districts. Retrieved October 29, 2010. 
5. ^ Oswayo Valley School District Academic Achievement Report Card 2010 data table
6. ^ Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children- High School Graduation Rate 2007
7. ^ Oswayo Valley School District Academic Achievement Report Card 2009
8. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education PSSA Math and Reading 2007 by school and grade
9. ^ Oswayo Valley High School Academic Achievement Report Card 2006
10. ^ Pennsylvania Science Results 2010
11. ^ Pennsylvania Code §4.24 (a) High school graduation requirements
12. ^ Oswayo Valley School District Strategic Plan Academic Standards and Assessment Report, September 26, 2008
13. ^ Oswayo Valley Middle School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009
14. ^ ^{a b} Pennsylvania Department of Education PSSA Results Math and Reading School 2008
15. ^ Oswayo Valley Elementary School Academic Achievement Report Card 2009
16. ^ 2009 PSSA RESULTS Oswayo Valley School District
17. ^ [Oswayo Valley School District Strategic Plan Academic Standards and Assessment Report, September 26, 2008]
18. ^ 2008-09 Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Grantees – Enrollment Contacts
19. ^ 2009-10 Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Grantees – Enrollment Contacts
20. ^ Annual Public Notice of Special Education Services and Programs
21. ^ Fenton, Jacob, Average classroom teacher salaries in Potter County, 2006-07. The Morning Call. accessed March 2010.
22. ^ PSBA Public School Salaries Report 2009
23. ^ Per Pupil Spending in Pennsylvania Public Schools in 2008 Sort by Administrative Spending
24. ^ OSWAYO VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT POTTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA PERFORMANCE AUDIT REPORT January 2009
25. ^ Potter County ARRA FUNDING
26. ^ Poverty Level by School District
27. ^ Pennsylvania's 'Race to the Top' Fueled by Effective Reforms, Strong Local Support
28. ^ Pennsylvania's 'Race to the Top' Fueled by Effective Reforms, Strong Local Support
29. ^ Race to the Top Fund, U.S. Department of Education, March 29, 2010.
30. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Revenue - Personal Income Tax Information
31. ^ Schools receive $120,000 for environmental studies, Endeavor News. October 9, 2010
32. ^ Pennsylvania Auditor General CFF grants audit 12/22/08
33. ^ Common Cents program - Making Every Dollar Count
34. ^ Real Estate Tax Millage by School District, Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. 2009
35. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education, Act 511 Tax Report, 2004
36. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education 2010-11 Act 1 of 2006 Referendum Exception Guidelines.
37. ^ Special Session Act 1 of 2006 School District Adjusted Index for 2006-2007 through 2010-2011, Report prepared by Pennsylvania Department of Education, May 2010.
38. ^ Scarcella, Frank and Pursell, Tricia, Local school tax assessments exceed state averages. The Daily Item, May 25, 2010
39. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education Report on Act 1 Referendum Exceptions Report 2010
40. ^ Property Tax Allocations report 209
41. ^ Property Tax Relief in Pennsylvania Special Report, Pennsylvania Auditor General, Jack Wagner, Auditor General. February 2010.
42. ^ Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program
43. ^ New Census Data on Property Taxes on Homeowners, Tax Foundation, September 22, 2009.
44. ^ Rendell, E. & Soderberg, M. (2009). Pennsylvania school district consolidation. 2009-10 Executive Budget Fast Facts. Pennsylvania Office of the Governor.
45. ^ Study of the cost-effectiveness of consolidating Pennsylvania districts. New York: Standard & Poor’s School Evaluation Services. 2007, p. 6.
46. ^ Oswayo Valley School District Enrollment Projections 2009
47. ^ Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee Public School Consolidation Study. June 1, 2007
48. ^ "Research Analyzes Rural School District Enrollment and Building Capacity", The Center for Rural Pennsylvania. October 2009
49. ^ Rendell, E. & Soderberg, M. (2009). Pennsylvania school district consolidation. 2009-10 Executive Budget Fast Facts. Pennsylvania Office of the Governor.
50. ^ Study of the cost-effectiveness of consolidating Pennsylvania districts. New York: Standard & Poor's School Evaluation Services. 2007, p. 6.
51. ^ Oswayo Valley School Board Policy Manual
52. ^ Home-Schooled, Charter School Children Can Participate in School District Extracurricular Activities, Pennsylvania Office of the Governor Press Release, November 10, 2005
53. ^ Extracurricular Participation By Charter/Cyber Charter Students 140.1 Policy