Mifflin County School District
Encyclopedia
The Mifflin County School District is located in the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania
. The district boundaries coincide with the boundaries of Mifflin County, minus the southwestern muicipalities of Kistler and Newton Hamilton boroughs and Wayne Township, which are part of the Mount Union Area School District. It consists of 5 elementary school
s, 2 intermediate
,1 middle school,1 junior highschool, and 1 high school
s and a distance learning program for grades 6 through 12. The superintendent is James Estep; and the Assistant Superintendent is Mr. Edward R. Curry.
Due to decreasing enrollment, rising operating costs, and aging facilities that require significant upgrades, on January 13, 2011, the Mifflin County School Board approved a consolidation plan to combine the high schools and reduce the total schools in the district from 15 to 10. These changes will go into effect for the 2011-2012 academic year.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education
, the enrollment currently stands at 5582 in 2009. The attendance rate is 94.8%. 32.6% of students are low income.
results in: reading, writing, mathematics and three years of science.
In 2009, the district was in the bottom 25th percentile for student academic achievement among Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. (0-99; 100 is state best)
PSSA Results:
8th Grade Reading:
8th Grade Math:
8th Grade Science:
7th Grade Reading:
7th Grade Math:
6th Grade Reading:
6th Grade Math:
PSSA Results:
8th Grade Reading:
8th Grade Math:
8th Grade Science:
7th Grade Reading:
7th Grade Math:
6th Grade Reading:
6th Grade Math:
8th Grade Reading:
8th Grade Math:
8th Grade Science:
7th Grade Reading:
7th Grade Math:
6th Grade Reading:
6th Grade Math:
Graduation rate:
PSSA Results:
11th Grade Reading:
11th Grade Math:
11th Grade Science:
Graduation rate:
PSSA Results:
11th Grade Reading
11th Grade Math
11th Grade Science:
College remediation:
According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 15% of Mifflin County 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. 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.
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.
Additionally, school aged residents of Pennsylvania are eligible to enroll in one of the 11 cyber charter schools.
In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815,000 for Special Education services. The funds were distributed to districts based on a state policy which estimates that 16% of the district's pupils are receiving special education services. This funding is in addition to the state's basic education per pupil funding, as well as, all other state and federal funding.
Mifflin County School District received a $3,162,989 supplement for special education services in 2010.
For the 2011-12 school year, all Pennsylvania public school districts received the same level of funding for special education that they received in 2010-11. This level funding is provided regardless of changes in the number of pupils who need special education services and regardless of the level of services the respective students required.
(42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq) "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006."
The legislation placed the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level so the individual needs of each district can be addressed. According to the requirements for the Local Wellness Policy, school districts must set goals for nutrition education and physical education that are aligned with the Pennsylvania State Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, districts were required to involve a broad group of individuals in policy development and to have a plan for measuring policy implementation. Districts were offered a choice of levels of implementation for limiting or prohibiting low nutrition foods on the school campus. In final implementation these regulations prohibit some foods and beverages on the school campus. The policy requires that the Superintendent or designee shall report to the Board on the district’s compliance with law and policies related to student wellness. The Pennsylvania Department of Education
required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.
The district administrative costs per pupil were $597.19 in 2008. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.
Per pupil spending The district reported spending $10,079 per pupil in 2008 which ranked 472nd in the state.
Reserves In 2008, the district reported having $2,126,725 in an Unreserved - Undesignated Fund Balance.
In January 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the Mifflin County School District. The findings were reported to the administration and school board.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax 1.35%, a local real property tax, a real estate transfer tax, and a per capita tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. 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 individual's wealth.
In 2010, the district reported that 2,485 pupils received a free or reduced lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level
.
For the 2010-11 school year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education provided the district with a 4.76% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $21,310,018. One hundred and fifty school districts received the base 2% increase. In Pennsylvania, the highest increase went to Kennett Consolidated School District
, which received a 23.65% increase in state funding.
In the 2009-2010 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided an increase in Basic Education Funding to the Mifflin County School District, for a total of $20,418,218. The district also received supplemental funding for: Title I (federal funding for low-income students), for district size, a poverty supplement from the Commonwealth and more. The highest increase in the state went to Muhlenberg School District
of Berks County which received a 22.31% increase. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation set in the state budget proposal made in February each year.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education
, 2,333 students in the Mifflin County School District received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year.
federal grant which would have brought the district up to one million additional federal dollars for improving 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.
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 Mifflin County School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.
For the 2011-12 school year, Mifflin County School Board sought 3 exceptions: Maintenance of Local Tax Revenue , Special Education Costs and Pension Costs. For the district's 2010-11 budget year, the Mifflin County School Board sought 2 exceptions: special education costs and pension costs. Each year, the school district 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.
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.
In 2010, the Mifflin County School Board did not apply for any exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. 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. Mifflin County School Board applied for a Grandfathered Debt exception to exceed the Act 1 index for the budget, in 2009-10.
in Delaware County
who got $632 in 2010 and in 2009. In February 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General, Jack Wagner reported that 70% of eligible MIfflin County property owners applied for the rebate.
In 2008, 10,446 MIfflin County School District property owners and farmers received a $184 rebate.
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, individuals with 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.
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%).
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.
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 that homeschool, are eligible to participate in the district's extracurricular programs including all athletics. These students must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.
Armagh Elementary School 283 Broad St. Ext., Milroy, Pennsylvania 17063. Built in 1962, Mascot: Armadillo. Closed June 2011
Brown Elementary School 96 Kish Rd., Reedsville, Pennsylvania 17084. Built in 1963, Mascot: Bear. Closed June 2011.
Buchanan Elementary School 100 Franklin Ave., Lewistown, Pennsylvania 17044. Built in 1951, Mascot: Bulldog. Closed June 2011.
Highland Park Area Elementary School 490 Sixth St., Lewistown, Pennsylvania 17044. Opened in 1989 as an Elementary School, Mascot: Penguin. Closed June 2011.
Strodes Mills Middle School closed June 2011.
Commonwealth (United States)
Four of the constituent states of the United States officially designate themselves Commonwealths: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia....
of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The district boundaries coincide with the boundaries of Mifflin County, minus the southwestern muicipalities of Kistler and Newton Hamilton boroughs and Wayne Township, which are part of the Mount Union Area School District. It consists of 5 elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s, 2 intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate means "occurring between two extremes, or in the middle of a range". It comes from the Latin word 'intermedia' which literally means 'among the middle' and may refer to:...
,1 middle school,1 junior highschool, and 1 high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s and a distance learning program for grades 6 through 12. The superintendent is James Estep; and the Assistant Superintendent is Mr. Edward R. Curry.
Due to decreasing enrollment, rising operating costs, and aging facilities that require significant upgrades, on January 13, 2011, the Mifflin County School Board approved a consolidation plan to combine the high schools and reduce the total schools in the district from 15 to 10. These changes will go into effect for the 2011-2012 academic year.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the executive department of the state charged with K-12 and adult educational budgeting, management and guidelines. As the state education agency, its activities are directed by Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education, Gerald L. Zahorchak...
, the enrollment currently stands at 5582 in 2009. The attendance rate is 94.8%. 32.6% of students are low income.
Academic achievement
In 2011, Mifflin County School District was ranked 418th out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on student academic performance on five years of PSSAPennsylvania System of School Assessment
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment is a standardized test administered to public schools in the state of Pennsylvania. Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 are assessed in reading skills and mathematics. Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 are assessed in writing skills...
results in: reading, writing, mathematics and three years of science.
- 2010 - 414th
- 2009 - 438th
- 2008 - 435th
- 2007 - 414th out of 501 Pennsylvania school Districts
In 2009, the district was in the bottom 25th percentile for student academic achievement among Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. (0-99; 100 is state best)
- Mifflin County School District Academic Achievement Report Card 2009 http://www.scribd.com/doc/37409273/Mifflin-County-School-District-Academic-Achievement-Report-Card-2009
Schools
In 2010, the Mifflin County School Board voted to reduce 15 schools to 10. The High schools will see the first change, 10th through 12th graders at Indian Valley High and Lewistown High will be placed at the new Indian Valley High for the 2011-12 school year. The current Lewistown Middle School will become an intermediate school for grades 4-5. The Career and Technology Center, a vocational-education building, will be closed along with: Strodes Mills Middle School, Buchanan, Highland Park, Armagh elementary schools and the district administration building.Elementary Schools
- East Derry Elementary School
2316 Back Maitland Rd., Lewistown, Pennsylvania 17044 - Built in 1969 and renovated/expanded in 2002., Mascot: Eagle
- Lewistown Elementary School
1 Manor Dr., Lewistown, Pennsylvania 17044 - Built in 2003, Mascot:
- Strodes Mills Elementary School
185 Chestnut Ridge Rd., McVeytown, Pennsylvania 17051 - Built in 1963, Mascot: Panther
- Union Elementary School
95 No. Penn St., Belleville, Pennsylvania 17004 - Built in 1958, Mascot: Bee
Indian Valley Middle School
The school is located at 125 Kish Rd., Reedsville, Pennsylvania 17084. It opened in 1989. The mascot is Warrior. In 2011, the school achieved AYP status, while in 2010 the school was in Warning status due to lagging student achievement. The attendance rate was 94% in both 2010 and 2011.PSSA Results:
8th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 86% on grade level. State - 81%
- 2010 - 76%, State - 81% (214 pupils)
- 2009 - 81%, State - 80% (231 pupils)
- 2008 - 73%, State - 78% (239 pupils)
8th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 79%, State - 76%
- 2010 - 75%, State - 75%
- 2009 - 82%, State - 71%
- 2008 - 61%, State - 70%
8th Grade Science:
- 2011 - 57% on grade level, State - 58%
- 2010 - 58%, State - 54%
- 2009 - 58%, State - 54%
- 2008 - 46%, State - 52%
7th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 71% on grade level. State - 76%
- 2010 - 79 % on grade level. State - 73% (235 pupils)
- 2009 - 67%, State - 71% (213 pupils)
- 2008 - 61%, State - 70% (217 pupils)
7th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 84% on grade level. State - 78%
- 2010 - 74%, State - 77%
- 2009 - 80%, State - 75%
- 2008 - 69%, State - 70%
6th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 69% on grade level, State - 70%
- 2010 - 63%, State - 68% (211 pupils)
- 2009 - 64%, State - 67% (235 pupils)
- 2008 - 50%, State - 67% (212 pupils)
6th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 73% on grade level, State - 78%
- 2010 - 70%, State - 78%
- 2009 - 73%, State - 75%
- 2008 - 68%, State - 72%
Lewistown Middle School
The school is located at 212 Green Ave., Lewistown, Pennsylvania 17044. Opened in 1989, Mascot: Panther. In 2011, the school declined to Warning status due to lagging student achievement. It achieved AYP status in 2010. The attendance rate was 93% in both 2010 and 2011. In June 2011, as a part of a mjor district wide reconfiguration, the school was changed to Lewistown Intermediate School that provides grades 4th and 5th.PSSA Results:
8th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 63% on grade level (22% below basic). State - 81%
- 2010 - 55%, (26% below basic). State - 81% (130 pupils)
- 2009 - 57%, State - 80% (114 pupils)
- 2008 - 51%, State - 78% (123 pupils)
8th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 53% on grade level, (31% below basic). State - 76%
- 2010 - 47%, (28% below basic). State - 75%
- 2009 - 42%, State - 71%
- 2008 - 40%, State - 70%
8th Grade Science:
- 2011 - 31% on grade level, (44% below basic). State - 58%
- 2010 - 36%, (48% below basic). State - 54%
- 2009 - 29%, State - 54%
- 2008 - 32%, State - 52%
7th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 66% on grade level, (19% below basic). State - 76%
- 2010 - 62%, (18% below basic). State - 73%
- 2009 - 48%, State - 71% (139 pupils)
- 2008 - 37%, State - 70% (110 pupils)
7th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 67% on grade level, (22% below basic). State - 78%
- 2010 - 67%, (19% below basic). State - 78%
- 2009 - 55%, State - 75%
- 2008 - 46%, State - 70%
6th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 56% on grade level, (26% below basic). State - 70%
- 2010 - 62%, (24% below basic). State - 68% (123 pupils)
- 2009 - 62%, State - 67% (117 pupils)
- 2008 - 45%, State - 67% (134 pupils)
6th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 46% on grade level, (30% below basic). State - 78%
- 2010 - 70%, (13% below basic). State - 78%
- 2009 - 70%, State - 75%
- 2008 - 41%, State - 72%
Strodes Mills Middle School
The school is located at 205 Chestnut Ridge Road, McVeytown, Pennsylvania 17051. It was built in 1978, Mascot: Panther. The school achieved AYP status in 2011 and 2010. The attendance rate was 95% in 2011, while it was 96% in 2010. Due to low student enrollment coupled with a significant budget shortfall the School Board voted to close Strode Mills Middle School effective the end of the 2010-11 school year. Students were reassigned to another middle school in the district.8th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 82% on grade level. State - 81%
- 2010 - 92%, State - 81% (64 pupils)
- 2009 - 96%, State - 80% (59 pupils)
- 2008 - 97%, State - 78% (68 pupils)
8th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 94% on grade level. State - 76%
- 2010 - 90%, State - 75%
- 2009 - 93%, State - 71%
- 2008 - 92%, State - 70%
8th Grade Science:
- 2011 - 65% on grade level. State - 58%
- 2010 - 70%, State - 57%
- 2009 - 80%, State - 54%
- 2008 - 78%, State - 52%
7th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 71% on grade level. State - 76%
- 2010 - 85%, State - 73% (55 pupils)
- 2009 - 76%, State - 71% (72 pupils)
- 2008 - 83%, State - 70% (62 pupils)
7th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 83% on grade level. State - 78%
- 2010 - 95%, State - 77%
- 2009 - 90%, State - 75%
- 2008 - 88%, State - 70%
6th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 78% on grade level, State - 70%
- 2010 - 74%, State - 68% (63 pupils)
- 2009 - 75%, State - 67% (57 pupils)
- 2008 - 73%, State - 67% (71 pupils)
6th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 77% on grade level, State - 78%
- 2010 - 84%, State - 78%
- 2009 - 92%, State - 75%
- 2008 - 88%, State - 72%
Indian Valley High School
700 Cedar St., Lewistown, Pennsylvania 17044. Opened in 1989, Mascot: Warrior. In June 2011, as a part of a major district wide reconfiguration, the school board changed the school to provide 8th and 9th grade and named it Mifflin County Junior High School. In 2011, Indian Valley Senior HIgh School declined to School Improvement II when it failed to achieve any of 6 academic performance levels under No Child Left Behind. In 2010, the school was in Making Progress: in School Improvement I status due to lagging student achievement.Graduation rate:
- 2011 - 89%
- 2010 - 88%
- 2009 - 87%
PSSA Results:
11th Grade Reading:
- 2011 - 55% on grade level. (27% below basic). State - 69%
- 2010 - 59%, State - 67%
- 2009 - 54%, State - 65%
- 2008 - 62%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
- 2011 - 45% on grade level, (35% below basic). State - 60%
- 2010 - 55%, (25% below basic). State - 59%
- 2009 - 52%, State - 56%
- 2008 - 46%, State - 56%
11th Grade Science:
- 2011 - 29% on grade level. (21% below basic). State - 40%
- 2010 - 27%, State - 39%
- 2009 - 35%, State - 40%
- 2008 - 34%, State - 39%
Lewistown Area High School
The school is located at 2 Manor Drive, Lewistown, Pennsylvania 17044. Built in 1976, Mascot: Panther. In 2011 the school declined to Warning status while in 2010 it achieved AYP status.Graduation rate:
- 2011 - 87%
- 2010 - 91%
- 2009 - 87%
PSSA Results:
11th Grade Reading
- 2011 - 54% on grade level, (24% below basic). State - 69% of 11th graders on grade level.
- 2010 - 64%, (19% below basic). State - 67%
- 2009 - 58%, State - 65%
- 2008 - 62%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math
- 2011 - 54%, (33% below basic). State - 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
- 2010 - 63%, State - 59%
- 2009 - 53%, State - 56%
- 2008 - 53%, State - 56%
11th Grade Science:
- 2011 - 24% on grade level, (26% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
- 2010 - 29%, (21% below basic). State - 39%
- 2009 - 37%, State - 40%
- 2008 - 29%, State - 39%
College remediation:
According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 15% of Mifflin County 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. 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
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the executive department of the state charged with K-12 and adult educational budgeting, management and guidelines. As the state education agency, its activities are directed by Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education, Gerald L. Zahorchak...
, 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 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. For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $11,094 for the program.Graduation requirements
Students must satisfy earn the following 23 credits to earn a diploma from the Mifflin County School District: English 4 credits, Mathematics 4 credits, Science 2 credits, Biology 1 credit, Social Studies 3 credits, Computer 0.5 credit, Fitness 2 credits, Health 0.5 credit, and Electives 6 credits. If a student successfully completes course work at the Career and Technology Center in 10th, 11th and 12th grades, he/she will be exempt from taking the senior year social studies and senior year math courses.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.
Distance Learning
The Mifflin County School District provides a distance learning program which is designed to provide the student with an alternative way to earn middle and/or high school education credits. MCSD goals are, and the student’s goals should be for him/her to complete satisfactorily all courses in which he/she enrolls, to perform at proficient or higher levels on the PSSA, and to graduate from high school. The student must be a resident of Mifflin County in order to be enrolled in the program. Students and parents must sign a contract agreeing to the terms of enrollment.Additionally, school aged residents of Pennsylvania are eligible to enroll in one of the 11 cyber charter schools.
Special Education
In 2008, the district reported that 14% of its pupils received a broad variety of services for all children with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws, rules, and regulations. Students were also provided with gifted education services. By law, parents may make a written request for their child to be evaluated for special education or gifted education services.In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815,000 for Special Education services. The funds were distributed to districts based on a state policy which estimates that 16% of the district's pupils are receiving special education services. This funding is in addition to the state's basic education per pupil funding, as well as, all other state and federal funding.
Mifflin County School District received a $3,162,989 supplement for special education services in 2010.
For the 2011-12 school year, all Pennsylvania public school districts received the same level of funding for special education that they received in 2010-11. This level funding is provided regardless of changes in the number of pupils who need special education services and regardless of the level of services the respective students required.
Gifted Education
The District Administration reported that 33 or .56% of its students were gifted in 2009. By law, the district must provide mentally gifted programs at all grade levels. The primary emphasis is on enrichment and acceleration of the regular education curriculum. 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.Wellness policy
Mifflin County School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006 - Policy 246. The policy deals with nutritious meals served at school, the control of access to some foods and beverages during school hours, age appropriate nutrition education for all students, and physical education for students K-12. The policy is in response to state mandates and federal legislation (P.L. 108 - 265). The law dictates that each school district participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch ActNational School Lunch Act
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act is a United States federal law signed by President Harry S. Truman in 1946. The act created the National School Lunch Program , a program to provide low-cost or free school lunch meals to qualified students through subsidies to schools...
(42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq) "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006."
The legislation placed the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level so the individual needs of each district can be addressed. According to the requirements for the Local Wellness Policy, school districts must set goals for nutrition education and physical education that are aligned with the Pennsylvania State Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, districts were required to involve a broad group of individuals in policy development and to have a plan for measuring policy implementation. Districts were offered a choice of levels of implementation for limiting or prohibiting low nutrition foods on the school campus. In final implementation these regulations prohibit some foods and beverages on the school campus. The policy requires that the Superintendent or designee shall report to the Board on the district’s compliance with law and policies related to student wellness. The Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the executive department of the state charged with K-12 and adult educational budgeting, management and guidelines. As the state education agency, its activities are directed by Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education, Gerald L. Zahorchak...
required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.
Budget
In 2007 the Mifflin County School District employed 419 teachers and the average teacher salary in the district was $46,152 for 180 days worked. In 2009, the district employes over 400 teachers with a salary range of $37,000 to $110,000. The faculty receives an extensive benefits package which includes: health insurance, life insurance, free college courses, fees to professional organizations and a defined benefit pension.The district administrative costs per pupil were $597.19 in 2008. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.
Per pupil spending The district reported spending $10,079 per pupil in 2008 which ranked 472nd in the state.
Reserves In 2008, the district reported having $2,126,725 in an Unreserved - Undesignated Fund Balance.
In January 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the Mifflin County School District. The findings were reported to the administration and school board.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax 1.35%, a local real property tax, a real estate transfer tax, and a per capita tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. 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 individual's wealth.
State basic education funding
In 2011-12, Mifflin County School District received $19,381,183 in state Basic Education Funding. Additionally, the district also received $390,435 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 uquesne City School District which got a 49% increase in state funding for 2011-12. Districts experienced a reduction in funding due to the loss of federal stimulus funding which ended in june 2011.In 2010, the district reported that 2,485 pupils received a free or reduced lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level
Poverty in the United States
Poverty is defined as the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. According to the U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday September 13th, 2011, the nation's poverty rate rose to 15.1% in 2010, up from 14.3% in 2009 and to its highest level...
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For the 2010-11 school year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education provided the district with a 4.76% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $21,310,018. One hundred and fifty school districts received the base 2% increase. In Pennsylvania, the highest increase went to Kennett Consolidated School District
Kennett Consolidated School District
The Kennett Consolidated School District,or KCSD for short, is a public school district serving portions of Chester County, Pennsylvania. It is centered on the borough of Kennett Square and also incorporates Kennett Township, New Garden Township, and the southern portion of East Marlborough Twp....
, which received a 23.65% increase in state funding.
In the 2009-2010 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided an increase in Basic Education Funding to the Mifflin County School District, for a total of $20,418,218. The district also received supplemental funding for: Title I (federal funding for low-income students), for district size, a poverty supplement from the Commonwealth and more. The highest increase in the state went to Muhlenberg School District
Muhlenberg School District
The Muhlenberg Area School District is a public school district serving parts of Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA. It encompasses the borough of Laureldale and the Muhlenberg Township. The district encompasses approximately 13 square miles. Per the 2000 federal census data it serves a resident...
of Berks County which received a 22.31% increase. The amount of increase each school district receives is determined by the Governor and the Secretary of Education through the allocation set in the state budget proposal made in February each year.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is the executive department of the state charged with K-12 and adult educational budgeting, management and guidelines. As the state education agency, its activities are directed by Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education, Gerald L. Zahorchak...
, 2,333 students in the Mifflin County School District received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year.
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, Mifflin County School District applied for and received $1,059,737, in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district used the funding to provide Full Day Kindergarten.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 state grant requires the district hire a part time technology coach, whose role is to assist the teachers in using the equipment and software effectively to improve their instruction. The salary is covered by the grant. The program was funded from 2006-2009. Mifflin County School District never applied for funding.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 Mifflin County School District received $334,609.Federal Stimulus Grant
For the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years the district received an extra $3,906,135. The dollars were to be used to improve academic achievement of economically disadvantaged children and special needs children. Some dollars were also provided to advance the district's technology infrastructure.Race to the Top grant
School district officials applied for the Race to the TopRace to the Top
Race to the Top, abbreviated R2T, RTTT or RTT, is a $4.35 billion United States Department of Education competition designed to spur innovation and reforms in state and local district K-12 education...
federal grant which would have brought the district up to one million additional federal dollars for improving 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.
Real estate taxes
The school board set property taxes for Mifflin County residents at 28.7636 mills for 2011-2012. 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. 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.- 2010-11 - 26.2300 mills.
- 2009-10 - 25.2000 mills.
- 2008-09 - 25.2000 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 StatisticsBureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and...
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 Mifflin County School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.
- 2006-07 - 5.5%, Base 3.9%
- 2007-08 - 4.8%, Base 3.4%
- 2008-09 - 6.2%, Base 4.4%
- 2009-10 - 5.8%, Base 4.1%
- 2010-11 - 4.1%, Base 2.9%
- 2011-12 - 2.0%, Base 1.4%
- 2012-13 - 2.4%, Base - 1.7%
For the 2011-12 school year, Mifflin County School Board sought 3 exceptions: Maintenance of Local Tax Revenue , Special Education Costs and Pension Costs. For the district's 2010-11 budget year, the Mifflin County School Board sought 2 exceptions: special education costs and pension costs. Each year, the school district 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.
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.
In 2010, the Mifflin County School Board did not apply for any exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. 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. Mifflin County School Board applied for a Grandfathered Debt exception to exceed the Act 1 index for the budget, in 2009-10.
Property tax relief
In 2010, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Mifflin County School District was set at $173 per approved permanent primary residence. The relief was subtracted from the total annual school property tax bill. In MIfflin County 11,111 property owners applied 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. The highest property tax relief was given to property owners in the Chester Upland School DistrictChester Upland School District
The Chester Upland School District is a public school district serving the City of Chester, the Borough of Upland and Chester Township in Delaware County, Pennsylvania...
in Delaware County
Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
who got $632 in 2010 and in 2009. In February 2010, the Pennsylvania Auditor General, Jack Wagner reported that 70% of eligible MIfflin County property owners applied for the rebate.
In 2008, 10,446 MIfflin County School District property owners and farmers received a $184 rebate.
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, individuals with 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.
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%).
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. After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.Extracurriculars
The Mifflin County School District offers a variety of clubs, activities and interscholastic athletics. The school board determines eligibility for participation in coordination with respective individual governing organizations. Varsity and junior varsity athletic activities are under the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletics Association. In some cases they collaborate with neighboring districts to offer programs together.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.
Indian Valley HS
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- Class AAA - BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Class AAA - BowlingBowlingBowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
- Class AAAA - Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- Class AAA - Girls Field HockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
- Class AA - FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- Class AAA - Boys GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- Class AAAA - Indoor Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- Class AAAA - Soccer - Class AAA
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- Class AAA - SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and DivingDivingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
- Class AA - TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Class AAA - Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- Class AAA - VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
- Class AA - WrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
- Class AA
Lewistown Area HS
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- Class AAA - BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Class AAA - BandSchool bandA school band is a group of student musicians who rehearse and perform instrumental music together. A concert band is usually under the direction of one or more conductors...
- Class AAA - BowlingBowlingBowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
- Class AAAA - Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- Class AAA - Girls Field HockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
- Class AA - FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- Class AAA - Boys GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- Class AAAA - Indoor Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- Class AAAA - Soccer - Class AAA
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- Class AAA - Marching BandMarching bandMarching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
- Class - AAAA - Indoor Color-guard - Class - Novas
- SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and DivingDivingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
- Class AA - Boys TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Class AAA - Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- Class AAA - VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
- Class AA - WrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
- Class AA
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 that homeschool, are eligible to participate in the district's extracurricular programs including all athletics. These students must meet the same eligibility rules as the students enrolled in the district's schools.
Closed schools
In June 2011, the district faced a major budget shortfall. As a result the Administration and School Board embraced a plan to realign the use of buildings and reconfigure several schools. Students were assigned to other schools within the district.Armagh Elementary School 283 Broad St. Ext., Milroy, Pennsylvania 17063. Built in 1962, Mascot: Armadillo. Closed June 2011
Brown Elementary School 96 Kish Rd., Reedsville, Pennsylvania 17084. Built in 1963, Mascot: Bear. Closed June 2011.
Buchanan Elementary School 100 Franklin Ave., Lewistown, Pennsylvania 17044. Built in 1951, Mascot: Bulldog. Closed June 2011.
Highland Park Area Elementary School 490 Sixth St., Lewistown, Pennsylvania 17044. Opened in 1989 as an Elementary School, Mascot: Penguin. Closed June 2011.
Strodes Mills Middle School closed June 2011.