Duquesne City School District
Encyclopedia
The Duquesne City School District is a tiny, suburban public school district
in the state
of Pennsylvania
. It is located in the east hills of Allegheny County, and serves the City of Duquesne (upwards of 7,000 residents), a former mill town
on the banks of the Monongahela River
. Duquesne City School District encompasses approximately 2 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it served a resident population of 7,352. Per capita income was $12,067, while the
median family income was $25,898. District officials report that in school year 2005-06, the Duquense City School District provided basic educational services to 913 pupils through the employment of 80 teachers, 60 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 9 administrators. The student teacher ratio was reported as 11:1.
As of 2007, students who live in Duquesne attend Duquesne City schools from grades K to 8. Students in grades 9 to 12 are given the choice to bid to attend either the West Mifflin Area School District
or the East Allegheny School District
. This state-controlled initiative was a response to low standardized test scores, and a dearth of extra-curricular activities and sports programs at Duquesne City. The district's operations are now run by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit
.
Attendance Rate:
2010 - 89%
2009 - 90%
2008 - 87%
The high school ranked 116th of 123 high school in western Pennsylvania for academic achievement based on three years of PSSA results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science, by Pittsburgh Business Times in May 2009.
Duquesne City School District Academic Achievement Report Card 2009
In 2010, the school district is in School Improvements II. The scores fell from the 2008-09 to 2009-10.
The eighth grade ranked 141st 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 PSSAs.
8th Grade Reading:
8th Grade Math:
8th Grade Science:
7th Grade Reading:
7th Grade Math:
6th Grade Reading:
6th Grade Math:
In 2009, Duquesne City's 5th grade was ranked 289th out of 291 fifth grades in the western region of Pennsylvania by the Pittsburgh Business Times.
5th Grade Reading: on grade level
2010 - 6% on grade level. State - 64% on grade level.
2009 - 17%, State - 64%
2008 - 13%, State - 61%
2007 - 17%
5th Grade Math:on grade level
2010 - 18% on grade level. State - 74% on grade level.
2009 - 19%, State - 73%
2008 - 30%, State - 73%
2007 - 40%
4th Grade Reading:on grade level
2010 - 17.4% on grade level. State - 72% on grade level.
2009 - 23%, State - 72%
2008 - 17%, State - 70%
2007 - 28%, State - 70%
4th Grade Math:on grade level
2010 - 47%, State - 84% on grade level.
2009 - 50%, State - 82%
2008 - 31%, State - 80%
2007 - 52%, State - 78%
4th Grade Science:on grade level
2010 - 34% on grade level. State - 81% on grade level.
2009 - 20%, State - 83%
2008 - 20%, State - 81% on grade level
2007 - tested, results were not made public
In 2009, Duquesne City's 3rd grade was ranked 325th out of 327 third grades in the western region of Pennsylvania by the Pittsburgh Business Times.
3rd Grade Reading:on grade level
2010 - 13.3% on grade level. State - 75% on grade level.
2009 - 35%, State - 77%
2008 - 25%, State - 77%
2007 - 26%, State - 72%
3rd Grade Math:on grade level
2010 - 48% on grade level. State - 84% on grade level.
2009 - 48%, State - 81%
2008 - 37%, State - 80%
2007 - 40%, State - 78%
services.
The District engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law; and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress. To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Instructional Support Team. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the District seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the District or contact the Special Education Department.
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.
Duquesne City School District received a $617,037 supplement for special education services in 2010.
In 2007, the district employed 54 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $45,733 for 180 days worked. As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension
, health insurance
, professional development reimbursement, personal days, sick days, and other benefits. According to State Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System Board, a 40-year educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.
Under the direction of PASBO, a team of school business officaals, conducted a total study and analysis of the Business Department of the Duquesne City School District in 2006. This review was requested by the School District of Pittsburgh as part of their intergovernmental agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to manage the Duquesne City School District. It noted a deficit of over $4 million, a sharp decline (24%) in student enrollment, and a declining tax base as challenges for the district.
Duquesne City administrative costs in 2008 were $818.11 per pupil which ranked 175th in the Commonwealth. The lowest administrative cost per pupil, in Pennsylvania, was $398 in 2008.
In 2008, Duquesne City School District reported spending $18,021 per pupil. This ranked 21st in the commonwealth.
Reserves
In 2008, the school district reported an unreserved designated fund balance of zero and a unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $1,334,796.00.
In 2010, the board decided to borrow funds to make facility upgrades costing $645,000.
In October 2009, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. Multiple significant findings were reported to the administration and school board. Two teachers were employed whose certifications had expired.
In 2010, the district faced serious financial issues which prompted the state to take over the district. In 2011, the district faced another budget crisis. The tax base can no longer sustain the district. The state agreed to fund the district for the 2011-12 school year. In 2012, the children will be reassigned to neighboring districts and the Duquesne City Schools will be closed.
In 2011, the state board of Control which governs the district approved a $14 million budget which included furloughing 19 teachers. This will raise class sizes to 20 students per teacher. Also furloughed were four janitors, the parent liaison and the technology specialist. The extracurricular and sports programs were not cut for 2011-12. It will be the district's last year for athletics programs. The state anticipates sending children to other school district starting 2012-13 on a tuition basis.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax regardless of the individual's wealth.
For 2010-11 the Duquesne City School District received a 2% increase in state Basic Education Funding resulting in a $6,427,396 payment. South Fayette Township School District
received a 11.32% increase, which was the highest increase in BEF in Allegheny County. Kennett Consolidated School District
in Chester County
received the highest increase in the state at 23.65% increase in funding for the 2010-11 school year. One hundred fifty school districts received the base 2% increase in 2010-11. 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.
In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 2% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $6,302,414. The state Basic Education funding to the district in 2008-09 was $5,897,045.35. The district also received supplemental funding for English language learners, Title 1 federal funding for low income students, for district size, a poverty supplement from the commonwealth and more. Chartiers Valley School District
received an 8.19% increase, the highest increase in Allegheny County for the 2009-10 school year. Among the 500 school districts in Pennsylvania, Muhlenberg School District
in Berks County received the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding.
- Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low income students. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 890 students received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year.
federal grant. The district is identified as a turnaround district due to the chronically low academic achievement of its students. When approved for the grant, the district will receive hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Turnaround status also brings an extra $700 per student, in supplemental funding above the basic grant amount. 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.
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 Duquesne City School District 2006-2007 through 2010-2011.
Duquesne City School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budgets in 2009-10 or in 2010-11. 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.
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
in the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
. It is located in the east hills of Allegheny County, and serves the City of Duquesne (upwards of 7,000 residents), a former mill town
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
on the banks of the Monongahela River
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
. Duquesne City School District encompasses approximately 2 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it served a resident population of 7,352. Per capita income was $12,067, while the
median family income was $25,898. District officials report that in school year 2005-06, the Duquense City School District provided basic educational services to 913 pupils through the employment of 80 teachers, 60 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 9 administrators. The student teacher ratio was reported as 11:1.
As of 2007, students who live in Duquesne attend Duquesne City schools from grades K to 8. Students in grades 9 to 12 are given the choice to bid to attend either the West Mifflin Area School District
West Mifflin Area School District
West Mifflin Area School District is a suburban, public school district in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in the south hills of Allegheny County. It serves the boroughs of West Mifflin, and Whitaker. West Mifflin Area School District encompasses approximately 15 square miles. ...
or the 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...
. This state-controlled initiative was a response to low standardized test scores, and a dearth of extra-curricular activities and sports programs at Duquesne City. The district's operations are now run by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit
Allegheny Intermediate Unit
The Allegheny Intermediate Unit is a branch of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and is the largest of the 29 intermediate units in Pennsylvania...
.
Academic achievement
Duquesne City School District was ranked 105th 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 PSSAs for: math, reading, writing and one year of science. In 2008 the school ranked 105th of the Western Pennsylvania school districts and 496th out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts.Attendance Rate:
2010 - 89%
2009 - 90%
2008 - 87%
The high school ranked 116th of 123 high school in western Pennsylvania for academic achievement based on three years of PSSA results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science, by Pittsburgh Business Times in May 2009.
Duquesne City School District Academic Achievement Report Card 2009
In 2010, the school district is in School Improvements II. The scores fell from the 2008-09 to 2009-10.
Eighth Grade
In 2010, Duquesne City's 8th grade was ranked 105th out of 105 district 8th grades, in the western region of Pennsylvania by the Pittsburgh Business Times.The eighth grade ranked 141st 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 PSSAs.
8th Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 37% on grade level. State - 81% of 8th graders were on grade level.
- 2009 - 44%, State - 80.9%
- 2008 - 34%, State - 78% on grade level
- 2007 - 20%, State - 75%
8th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 26% on grade level. State - 71% of 8th graders were on grade level.
- 2009 - 14%, State - 71%
- 2008 - 31%, State - 70%
- 2007 - 45%, State - 67%
8th Grade Science:
- 2010 - 2.9% on grade level. State - 57% on grade level.
- 2009 - 6%, State - 55%
- 2008 - 2%, State - 50%
Seventh grade
In 2010, Duquesne City's 7th grade was ranked 105th out of 105 district 7th grades, in the western region of Pennsylvania by the Pittsburgh Business Times.7th Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 21% on grade level. State - 73% on grade level.
- 2009 - 14%, State - 71%
7th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 28% on grade level. State - 77% on grade level.
- 2009 - 28%, State - 75%
Sixth grade
In 2010, Duquesne City's 6th grade was ranked 105th out of 105 district 6th grades, in the western region of Pennsylvania by the Pittsburgh Business Times.6th Grade Reading:
- 2010 - 8% on grade level. State - 68% on grade level.
- 2009 - 17%, State - 67%
6th Grade Math:
- 2010 - 16% on grade level. State - 78% on grade level.
- 2009 - 45%, State - 72%
Fifth Grade
In 2010, Duquesne City's 5th grade was ranked 105th out of 105 district 5th grades, in the western region of Pennsylvania by the Pittsburgh Business Times.In 2009, Duquesne City's 5th grade was ranked 289th out of 291 fifth grades in the western region of Pennsylvania by the Pittsburgh Business Times.
5th Grade Reading: on grade level
2010 - 6% on grade level. State - 64% on grade level.
2009 - 17%, State - 64%
2008 - 13%, State - 61%
2007 - 17%
5th Grade Math:on grade level
2010 - 18% on grade level. State - 74% on grade level.
2009 - 19%, State - 73%
2008 - 30%, State - 73%
2007 - 40%
Fourth Grade
In 2010, Duquesne City's 4th grade was ranked 105th out of 105 district 4th grades, in the western region of Pennsylvania by the Pittsburgh Business Times.4th Grade Reading:on grade level
2010 - 17.4% on grade level. State - 72% on grade level.
2009 - 23%, State - 72%
2008 - 17%, State - 70%
2007 - 28%, State - 70%
4th Grade Math:on grade level
2010 - 47%, State - 84% on grade level.
2009 - 50%, State - 82%
2008 - 31%, State - 80%
2007 - 52%, State - 78%
4th Grade Science:on grade level
2010 - 34% on grade level. State - 81% on grade level.
2009 - 20%, State - 83%
2008 - 20%, State - 81% on grade level
2007 - tested, results were not made public
Third Grade
In 2010, Duquesne City's 3rd grade was ranked 105th out of 105 district 3rd grades, in the western region of Pennsylvania by the Pittsburgh Business Times.In 2009, Duquesne City's 3rd grade was ranked 325th out of 327 third grades in the western region of Pennsylvania by the Pittsburgh Business Times.
3rd Grade Reading:on grade level
2010 - 13.3% on grade level. State - 75% on grade level.
2009 - 35%, State - 77%
2008 - 25%, State - 77%
2007 - 26%, State - 72%
3rd Grade Math:on grade level
2010 - 48% on grade level. State - 84% on grade level.
2009 - 48%, State - 81%
2008 - 37%, State - 80%
2007 - 40%, State - 78%
Special Education
In December 2009, the district administration reported that 118 pupils or 23% of the district's pupils received Special EducationSpecial education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
services.
The District engages in identification procedures to ensure that eligible students receive an appropriate educational program consisting of special education and related services, individualized to meet student needs. At no cost to the parents, these services are provided in compliance with state and federal law; and are reasonably calculated to yield meaningful educational benefit and student progress. To identify students who may be eligible for special education, various screening activities are conducted on an ongoing basis. These screening activities include: review of group-based data (cumulative records, enrollment records, health records, report cards, ability and achievement test scores); hearing, vision, motor, and speech/language screening; and review by the Instructional Support Team. When screening results suggest that the student may be eligible, the District seeks parental consent to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation. Parents who suspect their child is eligible may request a multidisciplinary evaluation from a professional employee of the District or contact the Special Education Department.
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.
Duquesne City School District received a $617,037 supplement for special education services in 2010.
Budget
In 2009, the district employed over 70 teachers. The beginning salary is $35,226 and the top salary of $74,984 paid to several teachers and administrators. The district is managed by the Pittsburgh School District.In 2007, the district employed 54 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $45,733 for 180 days worked. As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension
Pension
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. According to State Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System Board, a 40-year educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.
Under the direction of PASBO, a team of school business officaals, conducted a total study and analysis of the Business Department of the Duquesne City School District in 2006. This review was requested by the School District of Pittsburgh as part of their intergovernmental agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to manage the Duquesne City School District. It noted a deficit of over $4 million, a sharp decline (24%) in student enrollment, and a declining tax base as challenges for the district.
Duquesne City administrative costs in 2008 were $818.11 per pupil which ranked 175th in the Commonwealth. The lowest administrative cost per pupil, in Pennsylvania, was $398 in 2008.
In 2008, Duquesne City School District reported spending $18,021 per pupil. This ranked 21st in the commonwealth.
Reserves
In 2008, the school district reported an unreserved designated fund balance of zero and a unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $1,334,796.00.
In 2010, the board decided to borrow funds to make facility upgrades costing $645,000.
In October 2009, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit of the district. Multiple significant findings were reported to the administration and school board. Two teachers were employed whose certifications had expired.
In 2010, the district faced serious financial issues which prompted the state to take over the district. In 2011, the district faced another budget crisis. The tax base can no longer sustain the district. The state agreed to fund the district for the 2011-12 school year. In 2012, the children will be reassigned to neighboring districts and the Duquesne City Schools will be closed.
In 2011, the state board of Control which governs the district approved a $14 million budget which included furloughing 19 teachers. This will raise class sizes to 20 students per teacher. Also furloughed were four janitors, the parent liaison and the technology specialist. The extracurricular and sports programs were not cut for 2011-12. It will be the district's last year for athletics programs. The state anticipates sending children to other school district starting 2012-13 on a tuition basis.
The district is funded by a combination of: a local income tax, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax regardless of the individual's wealth.
State basic education funding
In 2011-12, the Duquesne City School District will receive $8,502,012 in state Basic Education Funding. The exceptionally high increase in funding is part of a state plan to see the district through the 2011-12 school year and then close it completely. Additionally, the district will receive $179,723 in Accountability Block Grant funding.For 2010-11 the Duquesne City School District received a 2% increase in state Basic Education Funding resulting in a $6,427,396 payment. South Fayette Township School District
South Fayette Township School District
The South Fayette Township School District is a public school district serving the Pittsburgh suburb of South Fayette Township, Pennsylvania. The district features three schools: South Fayette High School , South Fayette Middle School , and South Fayette Elementary School .-Academic achievement and...
received a 11.32% increase, which was the highest increase in BEF in Allegheny County. 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....
in Chester County
Chester County, Pennsylvania
-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
received the highest increase in the state at 23.65% increase in funding for the 2010-11 school year. One hundred fifty school districts received the base 2% increase in 2010-11. 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.
In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 2% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $6,302,414. The state Basic Education funding to the district in 2008-09 was $5,897,045.35. The district also received supplemental funding for English language learners, Title 1 federal funding for low income students, for district size, a poverty supplement from the commonwealth and more. Chartiers Valley School District
Chartiers Valley School District
-Schools:Chartiers Valley School District operates four schools. They are:*Chartiers Valley Primary school - serving approximately 750 students in kindergarten through 2nd grade....
received an 8.19% increase, the highest increase in Allegheny County for the 2009-10 school year. Among the 500 school districts in Pennsylvania, 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...
in Berks County received the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding.
Accountability Block Grants
Beginning in 2004-2005, the state launched the Accountability Block Grant school funding. This program has provided $1.5 billion to Pennsylvania’s school districts. The Accountability Block Grant program requires that its taxpayer dollars are focused on specific interventions that are most likely to increase student academic achievement. These interventions include: teacher training, All Day Kindergarten, lower class size K-3rd grade, literacy and math coaching programs that provide teachers with individualized job-embedded professional development to improve their instruction, before or after school tutoring assistance to struggling students. For 2010-11 the Duquesne City School District applied for and received $304,041 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district used the funding to provide full day kindergarten for the 5th year.School Improvement grant
In 2010 the Duquesne Consolidated School was awarded a School Improvement grant - Transformation, of $1,391,872. As a part of the federal stimulus program, Pennsylvania received $141 million from the US Department of Education, to turn around its worst-performing schools. The funds were dispersed via a competitive grant program. The Pennsylvania Department of Education identified 200 Pennsylvania schools as "persistently lowest achieving," making them eligible for this special funding. Pennsylvania required low performing schools to apply or provide documentation about why they had not applied. The funds must be used, by the district, to turn around schools in one of four ways: school closure, restart - close the school and reopen it as a charter school. The other two options involve firing the principal. One would require at least half the faculty in a chronically poor performing school be dismissed. The second involves intensive teacher training coupled with strong curriculum revision or a longer school day.Classrooms for the Future
The district did not qualify for any funding because it did not operate a high school.Federal Stimulus Grant
Duquesne City School District received $1,505,902 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. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 890 students received free or reduced lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year.
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. The district is identified as a turnaround district due to the chronically low academic achievement of its students. When approved for the grant, the district will receive hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Turnaround status also brings an extra $700 per student, in supplemental funding above the basic grant amount. 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.
Real estate taxes
The school board set property tax rates in 2010-2011 at 21.1000 mills. A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property's assessed value. Irregular property reassessments have become a serious issue in the commonwealth as it creates a significant disparity in taxation within a community and across a region. Pennsylvania school 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 (Local Tax Enabling Act), which are around 15% of revenues for school districts.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 authorized 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 Duquesne City School District 2006-2007 through 2010-2011.
- 2006-07 - 6.2%, Base 3.9%
- 2007-08 - 5.5%, Base 3.4%
- 2008-09 - 7.1%, Base 4.4%
- 2009-10 - 6.7%, Base 4.1%
- 2010-11 - 4.6%, Base 2.9%
- 2011-12 - 2.3%, Base 1.4%
Duquesne City School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budgets in 2009-10 or in 2010-11. 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.