Penn-Trafford School District
Encyclopedia
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
and a small portion of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
. The district is governed by a locally elected, nine member school board who serve, staggered four year terms, the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
and 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 district neighbors 6 other school districts: Franklin Regional School District
Franklin Regional School District
Franklin Regional School District is a school district located in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, serving Murrysville and the neighboring towns of Delmont and Export.- School campus :...
, Greensburg Salem
Greensburg-Salem School District
Greensburg-Salem School District is a public school district in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The City of Greensburg as well as South Greensburg Boro, Southwest Greensburg Boro, and Salem Township are within district boundaries.-Schools:...
, Hempfield Area
Hempfield Area School District
Hempfield Area School District is a large school district in western PA. It is the largest in Westmoreland County with a resident population of over 50,000, and covers approximately and lies southeast of Pittsburgh...
, Jeannette City
Jeannette City School District
The Jeannette City School District is a small urban school district in Southwestern Pennsylvania. It is located in Westmoreland County and is surrounded by the Penn-Trafford and Hempfield Area School Districts. The district consists of three schools, with the elementary and middle schools located...
, Norwin
Norwin School District
The Norwin School District is a large, suburban public school district. It is located in the southwest corner of Westmoreland County. Norwin School District serves North Huntingdon, Irwin, North Irwin, Jacktown, Larimer, Hahntown, Sheridan Terrace, Sunset Valley, Westmoreland City, and Shafton,...
, and East Allegheny School District
East Allegheny School District
The East Allegheny School District is a midsized, suburban, public school district covering the Boroughs of East McKeesport, Wall and Wilmerding and North Versailles Township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The East Allegheny School District encompasses approximately 5 square miles. According...
. The district mascot is the Warrior.
The suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an Pittsburgh district serves the municipalities of Trafford
Trafford, Pennsylvania
Trafford is a borough in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania, the borough lies primarily in Westmoreland County; only a small portion extends into Allegheny County...
, Penn
Penn, Pennsylvania
Penn is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 460 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Penn is located at ....
, Penn Township
Penn Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Penn Township is a township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 30.5 square miles , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, Manor
Manor, Pennsylvania
Manor is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,796 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Manor is located at ....
, and Harrison City
Harrison City, Pennsylvania
Harrison City is a census-designated place in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 155 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Harrison City is located at ....
.
Schools
- Elementary
- McCullough
- Level Green
- Sunrise Estates
- Trafford
- Harrison Park
- Middle
- Penn Middle
- Trafford Middle
- High School
- Penn-Trafford High SchoolPenn-Trafford High SchoolPenn-Trafford High School is located in Harrison City, Pennsylvania in Westmoreland County, and is the secondary school serving the Penn-Trafford School District. It is the result of several mergers of smaller school districts and entities. It is the successor of Penn Joint High School and...
- Penn-Trafford High School
The Penn-Trafford School District is the public school system of the following County entities; Penn Township, Trafford Borough, Manor Borough and Penn Borough. The school district was created with the merger of the Penn Joint school system with Trafford Boro's in 1973. Previously, the Penn Joint school system comprised all of the above entities except for Trafford Boro. Also, Trafford Boro has a small area that includes part of Allegheny County. This portion is also part of the Penn-Trafford School District.
Penn Middle School and Trafford Middle School are the previous high schools before the school districts joined. Trafford Middle's boundaries now include a large area of Penn Township to roughly equalize the school sizes of the two middle schools.
McCullough Elementary won the "Boundless Playground" contest, receiving a free playground suitable for all children, including those with disabilities.
Academic achievement
Penn-Trafford School District was ranked 13th out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts in 2009 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on three years of student academic performance on the 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...
s for math, reading, writing and one year of science. In 2008, the school district ranked 16th out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts and 50th out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts that were ranked. In 2007, the district ranked 50th of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts.
Graduation Rate
2009 - 97%
2008 - 97%
2007 - 97%
High school
Penn-Trafford High School was ranked 18th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools for student academic achievement by the Ryan Hunton Association of Higher Learning (RHAHL).RHAHL.weebly.com
PSSA Results:
11th Grade Reading
2009 - 78% on grade level, In Pennsylvania, 65% of 11th graders on grade level.
2008 - 79%, State - 65%
2007 - 81%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math
2009 - 68%, In Pennsylvania, 56% of 11th graders are on grade level.
2008 - 70%, State - 56%
2007 - 69%, State - 53%
11th Grade Science:
2009 - 48% on grade level. State: 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 50%, State - 39%
College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 20% of Penn-Trafford 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
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a large public university system in the United States. It is the tenth-largest university system in the United States and 43rd largest in the world...
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.
Classroom of the Future
The Penn-Trafford School District recently accepted grants to fund "The Classroom of the Future." Each classroom is equipped with a Smart Board 600i and a projector mounted. Some teachers have portable Smart boards allowing mobility around the classroom. Selected core classes will be given a cart of laptops that teachers have to incorporate into their lessons.Dual enrollment
The high school offers a Dual EnrollmentDual enrollment
In education, dual enrollment involved students being enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions. It may also refer to any individual who is participating in two related programs, but such a general form of usage is uncommon....
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 both: high school graduation requirements and towards a college degree. The students continue to have full access to all clubs, activities and programs, at their high school including the graduation ceremony. 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 $13,378 for the program.
Penn Middle School
The middle school eighth grade ranked 24th out of 141 western Pennsylvania eighth grades, by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2009, for academic achievement as reflected by three years of results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science 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...
s.
8th Grade Reading:
2009 - 98% on grade level. State: 80.9% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 96%, State - 78% on grade level
2007 - 90%, State - 75%
8th Grade Math:
2009 - 91% on grade level. State: 71% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 91%, State - 70% on grade level
2007 - 80%, State - 67%
8th Grade Science:
2009 - 83% on grade level. State: 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 84%, State - 52% on grade level
Trafford Middle School
The middle school eighth grade ranked 26th out of 141 western Pennsylvania eighth grades, by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2009, for academic achievement as reflected by three years of results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science 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...
s.
8th Grade Reading:
2009 - 97% on grade level. State: 80.9% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 94%, State - 78% on grade level
2007 - 88%, State - 75%
8th Grade Math:
2009 - 92% on grade level. State: 71% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 82%, State - 70% on grade level
2007 - 80%, State - 67%
8th Grade Science:
2009 - 81% on grade level. State: 55% of 8th graders were on grade level.
2008 - 78%, State - 52% on grade level
Budget
In 2007, the district employed 252 teachers and the average teacher salary in the district was $54,200 for 180 days worked. The district ranked seventh in Allegheny County for average teacher salary in 2007.Penn-Trafford School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 were $650.46 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil.
The district received an extra $2,330,125 in ARRA
Arra
Arra is a census town in Puruliya district in the state of West Bengal, India.-Demographics: India census, Arra had a population of 19,911. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Arra has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 59% of the...
- Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students.
Race to the Top - School district officials did not apply for the Race to the Top
Race 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 hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement.
Governor Edward Rendell proposed that consolidation with adjacent school districts, in each county, would achieve substantial cost savings. The savings could be redirected to improving lagging reading and science achievement, to enriching the academic programs or to reducing residents' property taxes.
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).
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.
This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity. In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.
A proposal has been made by David Wassell, a prominent resident and leader in Allegheny County, to consolidate Allegheny County school districts to save tax dollars, focus dollars on student achievement, and improve student services. The plan calls for a proposed district that includes: East Allegheny School District
East Allegheny School District
The East Allegheny School District is a midsized, suburban, public school district covering the Boroughs of East McKeesport, Wall and Wilmerding and North Versailles Township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The East Allegheny School District encompasses approximately 5 square miles. According...
, Penn-Trafford School District and Gateway School District
Gateway School District
The Gateway School District is a large, suburban, public school district located in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. It also serves residents of Pitcairn. Gateway School District encompasses approximately 19 square miles. Per the 2000 federal census data, the district serves a resident population of...
.