Crawford Central School District

Schools

Governance

Crawford Central School District is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serve four-year terms), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The federal government controls programs it funds like Title I funding for low-income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act, which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the Crawford Central School Board and school district administration a "D-" for transparency based on a review of "What information can people find on their school district's website". It examined the school district's website for information regarding; taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, public records information and more.

Academic achievement

Crawford Central School District was ranked 423rd out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2013. The ranking was based on student academic achievement as demonstrated on the last three years of the PSSAs for: reading, writing, math and science. The PSSAs are given to all children in grades 3rd through 8th and the 11th grade in high school. Adapted examinations are given to children in the special education programs.

In 2013, the Pittsburgh Business Times also reported an Overachievers Ranking for 498 Pennsylvania school districts. Crawford Central School District ranked 382nd. In 2012, the district was ranked 471st. The editor describes the ranking as: "a ranking answers the question - which school districts do better than expectations based upon economics? This rank takes the Honor Roll rank and adds the percentage of students in the district eligible for free and reduced-price lunch into the formula. A district finishing high on this rank is smashing expectations, and any district above the median point is exceeding expectations."

In 2009, the academic achievement of the students of the Crawford Central School District was in the bottom 8th percentile of Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best)

Low achieving status In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, in a School Improvement Grant application to the US Department of Education, identified Meadville Area Senior High School, Second District Elementary School and East End Elementary School were among the 144 lowest-performing schools in the Commonwealth. The District received an extra $80,676 to address issues in the elementary school.

In July 2012, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) released a report identifying several Crawford Central School District schools as among the lowest achieving schools for reading and mathematics in 2011. Cochranton Area Elementary School, East End Elementary School, First District Elementary School, Neason Hill Elementary School and Meadville Senior High School are all among the 15% lowest achieving schools in the Commonwealth. Parents and students may be eligible for scholarships to transfer to another public or nonpublic school through the state's Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program passed in June 2012. The scholarships are limited to those students whose family's income is less than $60,000 annually, with another $12,000 allowed per dependent. Maximum scholarship award is $8,500, with special education students receiving up to $15,000 for a year's tuition. Parents pay any difference between the scholarship amount and the receiving school's tuition rate. Students may seek admission to neighboring public school districts. Each year the PDE publishes the tuition rate for each individual public school district. Fifty-three public schools in Allegheny County are among the lowest-achieving schools in 2011. According to the report, parents in 414 public schools (74 school districts) were offered access to these scholarships. For the 2012-13 school year, eight public school districts in Pennsylvania had all of their schools placed on the list including: Sto-Rox School District, Chester Upland School District, Clairton City School District, Duquesne City School District, Farrell Area School District, Wilkinsburg Borough School District, William Penn School District and Steelton-Highspire School District. Funding for the scholarships comes from donations by businesses which receive a state tax credit for donating.

College remediation According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 14% of Crawford Central 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.

District AYP status history

In 2012, Central Crawford School District declined to District Improvement I AYP status due to a low graduation rate and low student academic achievement in reading and mathematics. It was one of 12 public school districts to decline to this level in Pennsylvania. In 2011, Crawford Central School District was in Warning level Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status. In 2011, 94 percent of the 500 Pennsylvania public school districts achieved the No Child Left Behind Act progress level of 72% of students reading on grade level and 67% of students demonstrating on grade level math. In 2011, 46.9 percent of Pennsylvania school districts achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) based on student performance. An additional 37.8 percent of Pennsylvania public school districts made AYP based on a calculated method called safe harbor, 8.2 percent on the growth model and 0.8 percent on a two-year average performance. School District achieved AYP status each year from 2004 to 2010, while in 2003 the District was in Warning status due to lagging student achievement.

Graduation rate

In 2012, Crawford Central School District's graduation rate declined to just 81%. In 2012, the district wide graduation rate was 84%. The Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate in 2010. Crawford Central School District's rate was 84% for 2010.

Cochranton Area Junior Senior High School

Cochranton Area Junior Senior High School is located at 105 Second Street, Cochranton. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 401 pupils in grades 7th through 12th, with 156 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. The school employed 30 teachers yielding a student-teacher ratio of 13:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.

In 2012, Cochranton Area Junior Senior High School was in Warning AYP status due to lagging achievement in reading and mathematics. In 2011, the school achieved AYP Status. In 2010, the school is in Making Progress: in School Improvement I due to ongoing low student achievement. In 2009, the school was in School Improvement I chronic, low student achievement.

In 2012, the graduation rate at the Cochranton Area Junior Senior High School was 92%.

Eleventh Grade

Science in Motion Cochranton Junior Senior High School did not take advantage of a state program called Science in Motion which brought college professors and sophisticated science equipment to the school to raise science awareness and to provide inquiry-based experiences for the students. The Science in Motion program was funded by a state appropriation and cost the school nothing to participate. Westminster College worked with schools in the region to provide the enrichment experiences.

Eighth Grade

SAT scores

In 2012, 46 Cochranton Junior Senior High School students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 478. The Math average score was 483. The Writing average score was 462. The statewide Verbal SAT exams results were: Verbal 491, Math 501, Writing 480. In the USA, 1.65 million students took the exams achieving scores: Verbal 496, Math 514, Writing 488. According to the College Board the maximum score on each section was 800, and 360 students nationwide scored a perfect 2,400.

In 2011, 26 Cochranton Junior Senior High School students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 485. The Math average score was 462. The Writing average score was 452. Pennsylvania ranked 40th among states with SAT scores: Verbal - 493, Math - 501, Writing - 479. In the United States, 1.65 million students took the exam in 2011. They averaged 497 (out of 800) verbal, 514 math and 489 in writing.

Meadville Area High School

Meadville Area High School is located at 930 North Street, Meadville. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010, the school reported an enrollment of 960 pupils in grades 9th through 12th, with 358 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. The school is a federally designated Title I school. The school employed 67 teachers yielding a student-teacher ratio of 14:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.

In 2012, Meadville Area High School was in Making Progress: in School Improvement II AYP level. In 2011, the Meadville Area High School declined to School Improvement II AYP status due to chronic, low student achievement. In 2010, the Meadville High School was in School Improvement I due to chronic, low student achievement. In 2009, the high school was in Warning AYP status. Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, the Meadville Area High School school administration was required to notify parents of the school's poor achievement outcomes and to offer the parent the opportunity to transfer to a successful school within the District. Additionally the school administration was required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, to develop a School Improvement Plan to address the school's low student achievement. Under the Pennsylvania Accountability System, the school district must pay for additional tutoring for struggling students. Meadville Area High School is eligible for additional targeted, federal funding under School Improvement Grants which the school must apply for each year.

In 2012, Meadville Area High School's graduation rate declined to 78%. In 2011, the school's graduation rate was 82.7%. In 2010 - 90%. In 2009 - 86%.

Science in Motion Meadville Area High School did not take advantage of a state program called Science in Motion which brought college professors and sophisticated science equipment to the school to raise science awareness and to provide inquiry-based experiences for the students. The Science in Motion program was funded by a state appropriation and cost the school nothing to participate.

SAT scores

In 2012, 157 Meadville Area High School students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 475. The Math average score was 476. The Writing average score was 452.

In 2011, 146 Meadville Area School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 479. The Math average score was 480. The Writing average score was 453.

Meadville Area Middle School

Meadville Area Middle School is located at 974 North Street, Meadville. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2011, the school reported an enrollment of 447 pupils in grades 7th and 8th, with 220 pupils receiving a federal free or reduced price lunch due to family poverty. The school employed 37 teachers yielding a student-teacher ratio of 12:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.

In 2012, Meadville Area Middle School declined to School Improvement I AYP level due to chronic, low student achievement. In 2011, Meadville Area Middle School declined to Warning AYP Status due to lagging student achievement in reading and mathematics. In both 2010 and 2009, Meadville Area Middle School achieved AYP status.

Cochranton Elementary School

Cochranton Elementary School is located at 225 South Franklin Street, Cochranton. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2011, the school reported an enrollment of 461 pupils in grades kindergarten through 6th, with 156 pupils receiving a federal free or reduced price lunch due to family poverty. The school is not a Title I school. The school employed 32 teachers yielding a student-teacher ratio of 14:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.

In 2012, Cochranton Elementary School achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status. In 2011, Cochranton Elementary School was in Warning AYP status due to chronic, low student achievement in reading and mathematics. Cochranton Elementary School achieved AYP in both 2009 and 2010.

First District Elementary School

First District Elementary School is located at 725 North Main Street, Meadville. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2011, the First District Elementary School reported an enrollment of 361 pupils in grades kindergarten through 6th, with 145 pupils receiving a federal free or reduced price lunch due to family poverty. The school is a federally designated Title I school. The school employed 30 teachers yielding a student-teacher ratio of 12:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of its teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.

First District Elementary School declined to School Improvement level I AYP status. The school missed all academic metrics measured in both reading and mathematics. In 2011, the School was in Warning AYP status due to low achievement in reading an mathematics. It was listed by the PDE as one of the lowest achieving schools in the Commonwealth. First District Elementary School made AYP in 2009 and 2010 using Safe Harbor. Under No Child LEft BEhind, the administration was required to notify parents of the low student achievement at the school and to offer them the opportunity to transfer their child to a better achieving school within the District. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Department of Education required the school's administration to write a School Improvement plan to improve student achievement.

Second District Elementary School

Second District Elementary School is located at 1216 South Main Street, Meadville. In 2012, the pupils of East End Elementary School were moved to Second District Elementary School as a cost saving measure.

In 2012, Second District Elementary School declined to Warning AYP status due to lagging student achievement in reading and mathematics. In 2011, Second District Elementary School achieved AYP status. Second District Elementary School achieved AYP in 2009 and 2010 using Growth Model. The attendance rate was 93% in 2009 and 2010. In 2009, the school's enrollment as 260 students K-6th grade. In 2008, the school's enrollment as 252 students K-6th grade. In 2007 enrollment was 245 students.

In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education released a report noting that Second District Elementary School as one of the 144 lowest-achieving schools in the Commonwealth. It reported that 42.80% of the school's 3rd-6th grade students were on grade level in both reading and math.

Special education

In December 2009, the district administration reported that 752 pupils or 18.5% of the district's pupils received Special Education 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 or Student Assistance 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 verbally 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.

Crawford Central School District received a $2,443,455 supplement for special education services in 2010.

Gifted education

The District Administration reported that less than 10 of its students were gifted in 2009. By law, the district must provide mentally gifted programs at all grade levels. 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. Through the strategic planning process, the Superintendent must ensure that Crawford Central School District provides a continuum of program and service options to meet the needs of all mentally gifted students for enrichment, acceleration, or both. The Crawford Central School District gifted curriculum focuses on complex and in-depth study of major ideas, key concepts and themes that integrate knowledge within and across disciplines.

Bullying Policy and school safety

The Crawford Central School Administration reported five incidents of bullying occurring in the schools in 2009 There were 35 incidents of fighting the schools.

The school board prohibits bullying by district students and employees. The Board directs that complaints of bullying shall be investigated promptly, and corrective action shall be taken when allegations are verified. No reprisals or retaliation shall occur as a result of good faith reports of bullying. All Pennsylvania schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy incorporated into their Code of Student Conduct. The policy must identify disciplinary actions for bullying and designate a school staff person to receive complaints of bullying. The policy must be available on the school's website and posted in every classroom. All Pennsylvania public schools must provide a copy of its anti-bullying policy to the Office for Safe Schools every year, and shall review their policy every three years. Additionally, the district must conduct an annual review of that policy with students. District administration are required to annually provide the following information with the district's Safe School Report: the board’s bullying policy, a report of bullying incidents in the school district, and information on the development and implementation of any bullying prevention, intervention or education programs. The Center for Schools and Communities works in partnership with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency and the Pennsylvania Department of Education to assist schools and communities as they research, select and implement bullying prevention programs and initiatives.

Education standards relating to student safety and antiharassment programs are described in the 10.3. Safety and Injury Prevention in the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education.

Budget

Pennsylvania public school districts budget and expend funds according to procedures mandated by the General Assembly and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). An annual operating budget is prepared by school district administrative officials. A uniform form is furnished by the PDE and submitted to the board of school directors for approval prior to the beginning of each fiscal year on July 1.

Under Pennsylvania’s Taxpayer Relief Act, Act 1 of the Special Session of 2006, all school districts of the first class A, second class, third class and fourth class must adopt a preliminary budget proposal. The proposal must include estimated revenues and expenditures and the proposed tax rates. This proposed budget must be considered by the Board no later than 90 days prior to the date of the election immediately preceding the fiscal year. The preliminary budget proposal must also be printed and made available for public inspection at least 20 days prior to its adoption. The board of school directors may hold a public hearing on the budget, but are not required to do so. The board must give at least 10 days’ public notice of its intent to adopt the final budget according to Act 1 of 2006.

In 2012, the average teacher salary in Crawford Central School District was $52,960 a year, while the cost of the benefits teachers received was $19,048 per employee, for a total annual average teacher compensation of $73,471. In 2011, the District employed 331 teachers with an average salary of $55,716 and a top salary of $130,000. Fourteen employees were paid over $90,000 a year seven earned over $100,000 a year.

In 2009, Crawford Central School District employed 356 teachers. The average teacher salary was $55,053 and the top salary was 4129,555. The teacher’s work day is 7 hours 30 minutes with a duty-free 30-minute lunch and daily preparation period. There are 185 days in the contract year. Crawford Central School District teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, professional development reimbursement, paid personal days, 10 paid sick days which accumulate without limit, and other benefits. Retired teachers and their spouses receive District paid health insurance for 10 years after retirement. Teachers receive additional pay for work done outside of the school day.

In 2007, the Crawford Central School District employed 314 teachers working 180 days of pupil instruction. The average teacher salary in the district was $49,124. 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. In 2011, Crawford Central School district provides a salary and benefits package to the teachers which exceeds what the average recent college graduate receives working for local human services agencies, private companies and other organizations. The starting salary for a first-year teacher right out of college, in Crawford Central is $46,714. This is over $8,000 a year higher than the state average starting teacher pay and far exceeds what neighboring districts pay. The health insurance monthly premium the teacher pays is $25 a month for the PPO (preferred provider organization) plan. Most teachers who start teaching right out of college can retire at age 57 with 35 years of service with a state defined benefit pension that equals 100 percent of their final take-home pay.

Per pupil spending In 2008, per pupil spending at Crawford Central School District was $11,073 for each child. This ranked 390th among Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. In 2011, Pennsylvania’s per pupil spending was $13,467, ranking 6th in the United States. In 2007, the Pennsylvania per pupil total expenditures was reported as $12,759.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that Pennsylvania spent $8,191 per pupil in school year 2000-01. In 2007, the Pennsylvania per pupil total expenditures was reported as $12,759. Among the fifty states, Pennsylvania’s total per pupil revenue (including all sources) ranked 11th at $15,023 per student, in 2008-09. Pennsylvania’s total revenue per pupil rose to $16,186 ranking 9th in the nation in 2011.

Crawford Central School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $687 per pupil. This is ranked 333rd among in the 500 school districts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. The Pennsylvania School Board Association tracks salaries for Pennsylvania public school employees. It reports that the average superintendent salary in Pennsylvania was $122,165, in 2008.

Reserves In 2008, the Crawford Central School District reported an unreserved designated fund balance of $550,895 and an unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $3,788,557. In 2010, the board had increased the District's unreserved-undesignated reserves to $5,340,392.00. By 2012, the Administration reported reserves of $7,241,588. Pennsylvania public school district reserve funds are divided into two categories – designated and undesignated. The undesignated funds are not committed to any planned project. Designated funds and any other funds, such as capital reserves, are allocated to specific projects. School districts are required by state law to keep 5 percent of their annual spending in the undesignated reserve funds to preserve bond ratings. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, from 2003 to 2010, as a whole, Pennsylvania school districts amassed nearly $3 billion in reserved funds. By 2013, reserves held by Pennsylvania public school districts, as a whole, had increased to over $3.8 billion.

Audits In January 2009, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit on the district. Several serious findings were reported to the school board and administration. The auditors noted that Board violated the Sunshine Laws of Pennsylvania and improper use of capital reserve funds.

In 2013, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene Depasquale audited the district and levied many serious accusations including accusing the Board of failure to properly manage the District, employing teachers who had Certification Deficiencies leading to the District being fined by the PDE, the School Board President violating the Pennsylvania Public School Code, ethics violations by officials and more.

Tuition Students who live in the Crawford Central School District's attendance area may choose to attend one of Pennsylvania's 157 public charter schools. A student living in a neighboring public school district or a foreign exchange student may seek admission to Crawford Central School District. For these cases, the Pennsylvania Department of Education sets an annual tuition rate for each school district. It is the amount the public school district pays to a charter school for each resident student that attends the charter and it is the amount a nonresident student's parents must pay to attend the Crawford Central District's schools. The 2012 tuition rates are Elementary School - $8,332.06, High School - $9,048.62.

Crawford Central School District is funded by a combination of: a local tax on income, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants have provided an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. Interest earnings on accounts also provide nontax income to the District. 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 level of the individual’s personal wealth. The average Pennsylvania public school teacher pension in 2011 exceeds $60,000 a year plus they receive federal Social Security benefits: both are free of Pennsylvania state income tax and local income tax which funds local public schools.

State basic education funding

For the 2013-14 school year, Crawford Central School District will receive a 1.9% increase or $15,382,093 in Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding. This is $281,421 more than its 2012-13 state BEF to the District. Additionally, Crawford Central School District will receive $241,353 in Accountability Block Grant funding to focus on academic achievement and level funding for special education services. Among the public school districts in Crawford County, Crawford Central School District received the highest percentage increase. The District has the option of applying for several other state and federal grants to increase revenues. The Commonwealth’s budget increased Basic Education Funding statewide by $123 million to over $5.5 billion. Most of Pennsylvania’s 500 public school districts received an increase of Basic Education Funding in a range of 0.9% to 4%. Eight public school districts received exceptionally high funding increases of 10% to 16%. The highest increase in state funding was awarded to Austin Area School District which received a 22.5% increase in Basic Education Funding. The state funded the PSERS (Pennsylvania school employee pension fund) with $1,017,000,000 and Social Security payments for school employees of $495 million.

For the 2012-13 school year, Crawford Central School District received $15,100,672. The Governor's Executive Budget for 2012-2013 included $9.34 billion for kindergarten through 12th grade public education, including $5.4 billion in basic education funding, which was an increase of $49 million over the 2011-12 budget. In addition, the Commonwealth provided $100 million for the Accountability Block Grant (ABG) program. Crawford Central School District received $241,353 in Accountability Block Grant funding. The state also provided a $544.4 million payment for School Employees’ Social Security and $856 million for School Employees’ Retirement fund called PSERS. This amount was a $21,823,000 increase (0.34%) over the 2011-2012 appropriations for Basic Education Funding, School Employees' Social Security, Pupil Transportation, Nonpublic and Charter School Pupil Transportation. Since taking office, Corbett’s first two budgets have restored more than $918 million in support of public schools, compensating for the $1 billion in federal stimulus dollars lost at the end of the 2010-11 school year.

In 2011-12 Crawford Central School District will receive $15,099,149 in state Basic Education Funding. Additionally, the District received $241,353 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 Duquesne 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 2011.

In 2010, the district reported that 1,878 pupils received a free or reduced-price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level.

For the 2010-11 budget year, the Crawford Central School District received a 5.13% increase, in state basic education funding, for a total of $15,877,543.49. This was the highest increase in state funding, among Crawford County public school districts. One hundred fifty school districts in Pennsylvania received the 2% base increase for budget year 2010-11. The highest increase in the state was given to Kennett Consolidated School District of Chester County which was awarded a 23.65% increase in state basic education funding. Fifteen (15) Pennsylvania public school districts received a BEF increase of greater than 10%. The state's hold harmless policy regarding state basic education funding continued where each district received at least the same amount as it received the prior school year, even when enrollment had significantly declined. The amount of increase each school district received was set by Governor Edward Rendell and then Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak, as a part of the state budget proposal given each February. This was the second year of Governor Rendell’s policy to fund some public school districts at a far greater rate than others.

In the 2009-10 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 7.64% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $15,877,543 to Crawford Central School District. This was the highest increase in state funding awarded to Crawford County school districts. In Pennsylvania, 15 school districts received Basic Education Funding increases in excess of 10% in 2009. Muhlenberg School District in Berks County received the highest with a 22.31% increase in funding. The amount of increase each school district received was determined by then Governor Edward G. Rendell and the Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak through the allocation set in the state budget proposal made in February each year.

The state's Basic Education Funding to the Crawford Central School District in 2008-09 was $14,751,009.72. In 2008, the district reported that 1,668 pupils received a free or reduced-price lunch due to their family meeting the federal poverty threshold of $22,050 for a family of four. Many state and federal programs use the threshold to calculate benefits.

Accountability Block Grant

The state provides additional education funding to schools, in the form of Accountability Block Grants. The use of these funds is strictly targeted on specific state approved uses designed to improve student academic achievement. Crawford Central School District used its $655,094 to fund all day kindergarten for the seventh year. These funds are in addition to the state's basic education funding and all federal funding. School Districts must apply each year for Accountability Block Grants. In 2009-10, the state provided $271.4 million in Accountability Block grants, with $199.5 million of it going to providing all-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, Mathematics) and paid for mandatory teacher training to optimize the computers' use in the classroom for improving instruction. The program was funded from 2006-2009. Crawford Central School District administration did not apply for the grant in 2006-07. In 2007-08, the District's application was rejected by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. For the 2008-09 school year, the District received $214,474. Of the 501 public school districts in Pennsylvania, 447 of them received Classrooms for the Future grant awards. The highest funding statewide was awarded to Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. The grant program was discontinued by Governor Edward Rendell as part of the 2009-10 state budget.

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 Crawford Central School District received $132,697.

Other grants

Crawford Central School District did not participate in: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Environmental Education annual grants, PA Science Its Elementary grants (discontinued effective with 2009-10 budget by Governor Rendell), 2012 Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy grant, nor the federal 21st Century Learning grants.

Federal stimulus grant

The Crawford Central School District received $5.9 million in ARRA - Federal stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low-income students. Of the money, $3,773,281 is from the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) program. The fund is a one-time appropriation of $53.6 billion distributed directly to states to: help stabilize state and local government budgets in order to minimize and avoid reductions in education and other essential public services; help ensure that school districts have the resources to avert cuts and retain educational personnel and staff; help support the modernization, renovation, and repair of schools. School district received multiple notices form the state that this was a limited time grant that would terminate in 2 years.

Race to the Top grant

School district officials did not apply for the federal Race to the Top grant which would have brought the district over $1 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. According to then Governor Rendell, failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved.

School Improvement Grant

In the summer of 2011, Crawford Central School District was notified that Second District Elementary School was eligible for a School Improvement Grant for the second year. In 2010, East End Elementary School and Meadville Area Senior High School were also eligible. The District administration did not apply for the additional federal funding. 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. 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. In 2010, Meadville Area High School was also identified as eligible for a School Improvement Grant.

21st Century learning grant

In July 2003, Crawford Central School District received a federal grant which is run by the PDE. The grant calls for the establishment and sustainability of community learning centers that provide additional educational services to students in high-poverty and low-performing schools. The grant was competitive. Applications for the grants were reviewed and scored by a panel of representatives from the educational field and professional grant writers. The school received $135,000. While 101 entities applied for the funding, only 66 were approved including eight charter schools. The funding is for the 2003-04 fiscal year.

Common Cents state initiative

The Crawford Central School District School Board chose 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.

Real estate taxes

In 2013, the Crawford Central School Board set the property taxes rate at 50.81 mills in Crawford County and 88.4000 mills in Mercer County. A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property's assessed value. Property taxes, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, apply only to real estate - land and buildings. The property tax is not levied on cars, business inventory, or other personal property. Certain types of property are exempt from property taxes, including: places of worship, places of burial, private social clubs, charitable and educational institutions and government property. 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. Additionally, service related, disabled US military veterans may seek an exemption from paying property taxes. 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, which are around 15% of revenues for school districts.

Crawford County, Pennsylvania has one of the highest median property taxes in the United States. The average yearly property tax paid by Crawford County residents amounts to about 3.46% of their yearly income. Crawford County ranked 392nd out of the 3143 United States counties for property taxes as a percentage of median income. According to a report prepared by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the total real estate taxes collected by all school districts in Pennsylvania rose from $6,474,133,936 in 1999-00 to $10,438,463,356 in 2008-09 and to $11,153,412,490 in 2011. 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%).

Act 1 Adjusted index

Act 1 of 2006 Index regulates the rates at which each school district can raise property taxes in Pennsylvania. Districts are not permitted to raise taxes above that index, unless they allow voters to vote by referendum, or they seek an exception from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The base index for the 2011-2012 school year is 1.4 percent, but the Act 1 Index can be adjusted higher, depending on a number of factors, such as property values and the personal income of district residents. Act 1 included 10 exceptions, including: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, a catastrophe like a fire or flood, increase in health insurance costs for contracts in effect in 2006 or dwindling tax bases. The base index is the average of the percentage increase in the statewide average weekly wage, as determined by the PA Department of Labor and Industry, for the preceding calendar year and the percentage increase in the Employment Cost Index for Elementary and Secondary Schools, as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the U.S. Department of Labor, for the previous 12-month period ending June 30. For a school district with a market value/personal income aid ratio (MV/PI AR) greater than 0.4000, its index equals the base index multiplied by the sum of .75 and its MV/PI AR for the current year. With the 2011 state education budget, the General Assembly voted to end most of the Act 1 exceptions leaving only special education costs and pension costs. The cost of construction projects will go to the voters for approval via ballot referendum. The legislature also froze the payroll amount public school districts use to calculate the pension-plan exception at the 2012 payroll levels. Further increases in payroll cannot be used to raise the district’s exception for pension payments.

The School District Adjusted Index for the Crawford Central School District 2006-2007 through 2011-2012.

For the 2013-14 budget year, Crawford Central School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed their Act 1 Index limit. For the school budget year 2013-14, 311 Pennsylvania public school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index. Another 171 school districts adopted a preliminary budget leaving open the option of exceeded the Index limit. For the exception for pension costs, 89 school districts received approval to exceed the Index in full while others received a partial approval of their request. For special education costs, 75 districts received approval to exceed their tax limit. For the pension costs exception, 169 school districts received approval to exceed the Index. Eleven Pennsylvania public school districts received an approval for grandfathered construction debts.

For the 2012-13 budget year, Crawford Central School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. For 2012-2013, 274 Pennsylvania public school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; 223 school districts adopted a preliminary budget leaving open the option of exceeded the Index limit. For the exception for pension costs, 194 school districts received approval to exceed the Index. For special education costs, 129 districts received approval to exceed the tax limit.

For the 2011-12 school year, the Crawford Central School Board applied for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index, including Maintenance of Local Tax Revenue and Pension Obligations. Each year the Crawford Central School Board 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.

According to a state report, 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.

Crawford Central School Board applied for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budget in 2010-11. The exceptions requested included Special Education costs and pension costs. They also applied for exceptions in 2009, including Maintenance of Local Tax Revenue. 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.

Property tax relief

In 2011, property tax relief for 7,083 approved residents of Crawford Central School District was set at $205. In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Crawford Central School District was $205 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 7,071 property owners applied for the tax relief. The relief was subtracted from the total annual school property tax bill. Property owners apply for the relief through the county Treasurer's office. Farmers can qualify for a farmstead exemption on building used for agricultural purposes. The farm must be at least 10 contiguous acres (40,000 m²) and must be the primary residence of the owner. Farmers can qualify for both the homestead exemption and the farmstead exemption.

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 who have 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%).

Extracurriculars

Crawford Central School District offers a variety of clubs, activities and an extensive costly sports program. Eligibility to participate is determined by school board policies and in compliance with standards set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletics Association (PIAA).

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.

Sports

The District runs duplicate teams due to having 2 high schools. The programs are uneven in that Meadville Schools have far more sports offered. Crawford Central School District is in PIAA District ten.

The District funds:

According to PIAA directory July 2013