Big Beaver Falls Area School District
Encyclopedia
The Big Beaver Falls Area School District covers the City of Beaver Falls
, the Boroughs of Big Beaver
, Eastvale
, Homewood
, Koppel
and New Galilee
and White Township
in Beaver County, Pennsylvania
. The district enrolls approximately 2000 students in two elementary school
s, a middle school
and a high school
.
s on: math, reading, writing and one year of science. In 2008, the district ranked 75th out of 105 regional school districts. Big Beaver Falls Area School District students also ranked 348th out of 498 Pennsylvania School Districts for academic achievement, in 2008, by the Pittsburgh Business Times. In 2007, the district ranked 364 out of 500 school districts.
Graduation Rate:
2009 - 91%
2008 - 87%
2007 - 87%
PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
2009 - 60% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 65% of 11th graders on grade level.
2008 - 66%, State - 65%
2007 - 52%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
2009 - 52% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 56% of 11th graders are on grade level.
2008 - 51%, State - 56%
2007 - 55%, State - 53%
11th Grade Science:
2009 - 45% on grade level. State: 40% of 11th graders on grade level.
2008 - 27%, State - 39%
In 2009, US News and World report ranked 21,000 public high schools, in the United States, based on three factors. First, the schools were analyzed for the number of students who achieved above the state average on the reading and math tests in 2008. Then they considered how the economically disadvantaged students performed against the state average. Finally, they considered the participation rate and the performance of students in college readiness by examining Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate test data. Seventy Pennsylvania high schools achieved ranking bronze, silver or gold rating. Fifty three Pennsylvania high schools achieved bronze. Beaver Falls Area High School achieved Bronze ranking. Two high schools in Beaver County achieved inclusion in the ranking.
College Remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 33% of Big Beaver Falls Area 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.
program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school, 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 $19,577 for the program.
s in: reading, math writing and one year of science. (Includes schools in: Allegheny County
, Beaver County
, Butler County
, Fayette County
, Westmoreland County
, and Washington County
)
, health insurance
, professional development reimbursement, personal days, sick days, and other benefits.
The district administrative costs in 2008 were $830.02 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007-08 school year was $122,165. Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.
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 income and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless the of income level.
- Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. The funding is for 2009-2011.
federal grant which would have brought the district over one million dollars in 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 in the first round of the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved. A second round of state RTTT application judging will occur in June 2010.
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.
for the district athletic teams is the Tiger and their colors are orange and black. Big Beaver Falls Area is a PIAA
District 7 school, and most sports compete at the class AA division level (with the exception of golf, which competes at the class AAAA level).
The Tigers compete in the following sports:
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Beaver Falls is a city in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,987 at the 2010 census. It is located 31 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, and on the Beaver River, six miles from its confluence with the Ohio River...
, the Boroughs of Big Beaver
Big Beaver, Pennsylvania
Big Beaver is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,186 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Big Beaver is located at ....
, Eastvale
Eastvale, Pennsylvania
Eastvale is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 293 at the 2000 census.-History:Originally known as "Fetterman," Eastvale was incorporated from parts of North Sewickley and Pulaski townships on July 1, 1892. The population was 256 at the 1900 census, the...
, Homewood
Homewood, Pennsylvania
Homewood is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 147 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Homewood is located at ....
, Koppel
Koppel, Pennsylvania
Koppel is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 856 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Koppel is located at ....
and New Galilee
New Galilee, Pennsylvania
New Galilee is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 424 at the 2000 census.-Geography:New Galilee is located at ....
and White Township
White Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania
White Township is a township in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 0.7 square miles , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were...
in Beaver County, Pennsylvania
Beaver County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 181,412 people, 72,576 households, and 50,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 418 people per square mile . There were 77,765 housing units at an average density of 179 per square mile...
. The district enrolls approximately 2000 students in two 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, a middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
and a 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....
.
Schools
- Big Beaver Elementary School (K-5th)
- Central Elementary School (K-5th)
- Beaver Falls Middle School (6th-8th)
- Beaver Falls High SchoolBeaver Falls High SchoolBeaver Falls High School, located in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States, is the high school for the Big Beaver Falls Area School District...
(9th-12th)
Academic achievement
Big Beaver Falls Area School District was ranked 70th 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 on: math, reading, writing and one year of science. In 2008, the district ranked 75th out of 105 regional school districts. Big Beaver Falls Area School District students also ranked 348th out of 498 Pennsylvania School Districts for academic achievement, in 2008, by the Pittsburgh Business Times. In 2007, the district ranked 364 out of 500 school districts.
Graduation Rate:
2009 - 91%
2008 - 87%
2007 - 87%
High school
In 2009, Big Beaver Falls Area High School's 11th grade ranked 89th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools based on three years of results in PSSAs on: reading, math writing and one year of science.PSSA Results
11th Grade Reading
2009 - 60% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 65% of 11th graders on grade level.
2008 - 66%, State - 65%
2007 - 52%, State - 65%
11th Grade Math:
2009 - 52% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 56% of 11th graders are on grade level.
2008 - 51%, State - 56%
2007 - 55%, State - 53%
11th Grade Science:
2009 - 45% on grade level. State: 40% of 11th graders on grade level.
2008 - 27%, State - 39%
In 2009, US News and World report ranked 21,000 public high schools, in the United States, based on three factors. First, the schools were analyzed for the number of students who achieved above the state average on the reading and math tests in 2008. Then they considered how the economically disadvantaged students performed against the state average. Finally, they considered the participation rate and the performance of students in college readiness by examining Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate test data. Seventy Pennsylvania high schools achieved ranking bronze, silver or gold rating. Fifty three Pennsylvania high schools achieved bronze. Beaver Falls Area High School achieved Bronze ranking. Two high schools in Beaver County achieved inclusion in the ranking.
College Remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 33% of Big Beaver Falls Area 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.
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 high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities and programs at their high school, 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 $19,577 for the program.
Middle school
In 2009, the 8th grade was ranked 113th out of 141 western Pennsylvania middle schools based on three years of results in 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 in: reading, math writing and one year of science. (Includes schools in: Allegheny County
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...
, Beaver County
Beaver County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 181,412 people, 72,576 households, and 50,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 418 people per square mile . There were 77,765 housing units at an average density of 179 per square mile...
, Butler County
Butler County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...
, Fayette County
Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the2010 census, the population was 136,606. The county is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Westmoreland County
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 Washington County
Washington County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 152,534 registered voters in Washington County .* Democratic: 89,027 * Republican: 49,025 * Other Parties: 14,482...
)
Fifth Grade
In 2009, 291 western Pennsylvania fifth grades were ranked based on three years of results in PSSAs on: reading, math and writing.- Big Beaver Elementary School ranked 85th.
- Central Elementary School ranked 126th.
Third Grade
In 2009, 325 western Pennsylvania third grades were ranked based on three years of results in PSSAs on: reading, math and writing.- Big Beaver Elementary School ranked 85th.
- Central Elementary School ranked 125th.
Budget
In 2007, the district employed 144 teachers with the average teacher salary in the district at $47,830 for 180 days worked. As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pensionPension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
, health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
, professional development reimbursement, personal days, sick days, and other benefits.
The district administrative costs in 2008 were $830.02 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association keeps statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. According to the association, the average salary for a superintendent for the 2007-08 school year was $122,165. Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.
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 income and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless the of income level.
School Improvement Grant
In the summer of 2011, the district applied for and was awarded over $3 million in School Improvement grants. The school district will receive $1 million a year for 3 years. The grant stipulates the funds be used for improving student achievement using one of four federally dictated strategies. The strategies are: transformation, turnaround, restart with new faculty and administration or closure of failing schools. Allentown School District schools received funding for transformation of Beaver Falls High School. Transformation calls for a change in faculty and administration evaluations, mandated training in proven teaching techniques and rigorous curriculum change that focuses on student achievement. The district hired Mary Beth Leeman as chief turnaround officer at the high school. Two other administrators will be hired using the grant funding.Federal Stimulus Grant
The district received $1,875,019 in ARRAArra
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. The funding is for 2009-2011.
Race to the Top grant
School district officials did not apply 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 over one million dollars in 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 in the first round of the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved. A second round of state RTTT application judging will occur in June 2010.
Extracurriculars
The district offers a variety of clubs, activities and sports.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.
Athletics
The athletic director for the men's and women's programs is James Carbone. The main mascotMascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
for the district athletic teams is the Tiger and their colors are orange and black. Big Beaver Falls Area is a PIAA
Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. is one of the governing bodies of high school and junior high school sports for the state of Pennsylvania, United States....
District 7 school, and most sports compete at the class AA division level (with the exception of golf, which competes at the class AAAA level).
The Tigers compete in the following sports:
- Men's 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...
- Men's 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....
- Men's 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...
- Men's 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...
- PIAA state champions in 1970, 1994, 2005 - Men's 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...
- Men's 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... - Men's and Women's 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...
- Men's and Women's Bowling-(started in 2007)
- Women's 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...
- Women's 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...
- Women's Cross Country
- Women's Basketball
- Women's 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...
- Women's Swimming and Diving