Glendale School District (Pennsylvania)

Glendale School District
Map of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts
Address
1466 Beaver Valley Road Flinton, Pennsylvania, Clearfield County and Cambria County 16640 United States
Information
Type	Public
School board	9 elected members
Superintendent	Edward G DiSabato, M'ED, (contract July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2019) Arnold Nandonley, M'ED former superintendent salary $108,500 (2014) $104,000 (2009)
Administrator	Jeffrey Westover, Business Manager Ginger Bakaysa, Director of Special Education Eric Frank, Director Technology Charlie Chilcote, Maintenance Supervisor
Principal	Richard Stackhouse (Jr.-Sr. High School)
Principal	Kate Bacher (Elementary School)
Staff	57 non teaching staff members
Faculty	65 teachers (2012)
Grades	K-12
Age	5 years old to 21 years old for special education
Pupils	851 pupils (2014) 802 pupils (2012) 809 pupils (2011) 863 pupils (2006)
• Kindergarten	68 (2014), 68 (2010)
• Grade 1	49 (2014), 52
• Grade 2	56 (2014), 59
• Grade 3	64 (2014), 62
• Grade 4	61 (2014), 61
• Grade 5	66 (2014), 59
• Grade 6	64 (2014), 61
• Grade 7	69 (2014), 60
• Grade 8	60 (2014), 73
• Grade 9	74 (2014), 69
• Grade 10	57 (2014), 63
• Grade 11	66 (2014), 53
• Grade 12	61 (2013), 69 (2010)
• Other	Enrollment projected to decline by over 100 students to 723 by 2020.
Language	English
Color(s)	Blue and Gold
Team name	Vikings
Budget	$12.9 million (2015-16) $12,506,021 (2014-15) $11,650,153 in 2012-13
Per pupil spending	$12,321 (2008)
Per pupil spending	$15,034.23 (2012-13)
Website	Glendale School District

Glendale School District region in Clearfield County

The Glendale School District is a rural, public school district in Flinton, Cambria County, Pennsylvania and Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. It serves Irvona Boro, Coalport Boro, and Beccaria Township in Clearfield County, and Reade Township and White Township in Cambria County. Glendale School District encompasses approximately 60 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 5,582. Per 2010 US Census Bureau data, the resident population declined to 5,407 people. The educational attainment levels for the School District population (25 years old and over) were 86.3% high school graduates and 6.9% college graduates. The District is one of the 500 public school districts of Pennsylvania.

According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, 50.5% of Glendale School District’s pupils lived at 185% or below the Federal Poverty Level [1] as shown by their eligibility for the federal free or reduced price school meal programs in 2012. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income was $12,955, while the median family income was $32,764. In the Commonwealth, the median family income was $49,501 and the United States median family income was $49,445, in 2010. In Clearfield County, the median household income was $37,130. By 2013, the median household income in the United States rose to $52,100.

According to District officials, Glendale School District provided basic educational services to 802 pupils in 2011-12. The District employed: 73 teachers, 44 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 6 administrators during the 2011-12 school year. The District received $8,058,798 in state funding in the 2011-12 school year. Per school district officials, in school year 2005-06 the Glendale School District provided basic educational services to 866 pupils. It employed 77 teachers, 48 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 6 administrators. Glendale School District received more than $6.7 million in state funding in school year 2005-06. All of the students (K-12) attend school in the same building.

Glendale School District operates two schools: Glendale Junior/Senior High School and Glendale Elementary School. High school students may choose to attend Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center for training in the construction and mechanical trades. The Central Intermediate Unit IU10 provides the District with a wide variety of services like: specialized education for disabled students and hearing; background checks for employees; state mandated recognizing and reporting child abuse training; speech and visual disability services and professional development for staff and faculty.

Governance

The Glendale 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 Superintendent and Business Manager are appointed by the school board. The Superintendent is the chief administrative officer with overall responsibility for all aspects of operations, including education and finance. The Business Manager is responsible for budget and financial operations. Neither of these officials are voting members of the School Board. The School Board enters into individual employment contracts for these positions. In Pennsylvania, public school districts are required to give 150 days notice to the Superintendent regarding renewal of the employment contract.

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration a "F" 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

In 2015, Glendale School District ranked 371st out of 493 Pennsylvania public school districts, by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking is based on the last 3 years of student academic achievement as demonstrated by PSSAs results in: reading, writing, math and science and the three Keystone Exams (literature, Algebra 1, Biology I) in high school. Three school districts were excluded because they do not operate high schools (Saint Clair Area School District, Midland Borough School District, Duquesne City School District). The PSSAs are given to all children in grades 3rd through 8th. Adapted PSSA examinations are given to children in the special education programs. Writing exams were given to children in 5th and 8th grades.

• 2014 - 342nd
• 2011 - 413th
• 2010 - 459th
• 2009 - 454th
• 2008 - 461st
• 2007 - 460th of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts.

In 2009, the academic achievement of the students of the Glendale School District was in the 9th percentile of Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best)

Graduation rate

In 2014, Glendale School District's graduation rate was 93.9%.

• 2013 - 90%
• 2012 - 89%
• 2011 - 90%.
• 2010 - 91%, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate.

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

• 2010 - 91%
• 2009 - 93%
• 2008 - 90%
• 2007 - 90%

Junior Senior High school

Glendale Junior Senior High School is located at 1466 Beaver Valley Road, Flinton. In 2014, enrollment was reported as 387 pupils in 7th through 12th grades, with 52.7% of pupils eligible for a free lunch due to family poverty. Additionally, 25% of pupils received special education services, while 8% of pupils were identified as gifted. The school employed 33 teachers. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2012, the school reported an enrollment of 390 pupils in grades 7th through 12th, with 195 pupils eligible for a federal free or reduced price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level. In 2012, the School employed 33 teachers yielding a student-teacher ratio of 11:1. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of teachers were rated "Highly Qualified" under No Child Left Behind.

2014 School Performance Profile

Glendale Junior Senior High School achieved 65.6 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 70% were on grade level. In Math/Algebra 1, 70% showed on grade level skills. In Science/Biology, 60% demonstrated on grade level science understanding at the end of the course. In 8th grade, only 37% of pupils demonstrated on grade level writing skills. Statewide, the percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in Algebra I increased to 39.7% to 40.1%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in reading/literature declined to 52.5%. The percentage of high school students who scored proficient and advanced in biology improved from 39.7% to 41.4%.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,134 of 2,947 Pennsylvania public schools (72 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher. Fifty-three percent of schools statewide received lower SPP scores compared with last year's, while 46 percent improved. A handful were unchanged.

2013 School Performance Profile

Glendale Junior Senior High School achieved 60.9 out of 100. Reflects on grade level reading, mathematics and science achievement. In reading/literature - 65% were on grade level. In Math/Algebra 1, 71% showed on grade level skills. In 8th grade Science/Biology, 65% showed on grade level science understanding. In 8th grade, 50% of pupils showed on grade level writing skills. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,181 public schools (less than 73 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher. Pennsylvania 11th grade students no longer take the PSSAs. Instead, beginning in 2012, they take the Keystone Exams at the end of the associated course.

AYP history

In 2012, Glendale Junior Senior High School declined again to Warning Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status due to missing all 8 academic metrics measured. The scores sharply declined in both reading and mathematics.

• 2011 and 2010 - achieved AYP status.
• 2009 - remained in Warning AYP status.
• 2008 - remained in Warning status due to lagging achievement.
• 2007 - declined again to Warning status due to lagging achievement.
• 2006 - achieved AYP status
• 2005 - declined to Warning status due to lagging achievement.
• 2004 - achieved AYP status
• 2003 - achieved AYP status

PSSA results

Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, commonly called PSSAs are No Child Left Behind Act related examinations which were administered from 2003 through 2012, in all Pennsylvania public high schools. The exams were administered in the Spring of each school year. The goal was for 100% of students to be on grade level or better in reading and mathematics, by the Spring of 2014. The tests focused on the state's Academic Standards for reading, writing, mathematics and science. The Science exam included content in science, technology, ecology and the environmental studies. The mathematics exam included: algebra I, algebra II, geometry and trigonometry. The standards were first published in 1998 and are mandated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education. In 2013, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania changed its high school assessments to the Keystone Exams in Algebra 1, Reading/literature and Biology1. The exams are given at the end of the course, rather than all in the spring of the student's 11th grade year.

11th Grade Reading

• 2012 - 60% on grade level, (15% below basic). State - 67% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2011 - 73% on grade level, (16% below basic). State - 69.1% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2010 - 63% (21% below basic). State - 66%
• 2009 - 65% (13% below basic), State - 65%
• 2008 - 57% (24% below basic), State - 65%
• 2007 - 57% (22% below basic), State - 65%

11th Grade Math

• 2012 - 52% on grade level (22% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2011 - 65% on grade level (14% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 60.3% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2010 - 61% (19% below basic). State - 59%
• 2009 - 43% (35% below basic). State - 56%.
• 2008 - 47% (23% below basic), State - 56%
• 2007 - 45% (28% below basic), State - 53%

11th Grade Science

• 2012 - 38% on grade level (6% below basic). State - 42% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2011 - 54% on grade level (6% below basic). State - 40% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2010 - 43% (9% below basic). State - 39%
• 2009 - 42% (13% below basic). State - 40%
• 2008 - 27%, State - 39%

College remediation

According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 10% of Glendale 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, earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduates 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.

SAT scores

In 2014, 29 Glendale School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 494. The Math average score was 502. The Writing average score was 448. Statewide in Pennsylvania, Verbal Average Score was 497. The Math average score was 504. The Writing average score was 480. The College Board also reported that nationwide scores were: 497 in reading, 513 in math and 487 in writing. In 2014, 1,672,395 students took the SATs in the United States.

In 2013, 33 Glendale School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 446. The Math average score was 458. The Writing average score was 426. The College Board reported that statewide scores were: 494 in reading, 504 in math and 482 in writing. The nationwide SAT results were the same as in 2012.

In 2012, 39, Glendale School District students took the SAT exams. The District's Verbal Average Score was 468. The Math average score was 480. The Writing average score was451 . 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, 37 Glendale students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 474. The Math average score was 482. The Writing average score was 444. Pennsylvania ranked 40th among state 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.

Dual enrollment

The high school offers a dual enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. Mount Aloysius College and Penn Highlands Community College are open to the students. 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 must accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions. For the 2009-10 funding year, the Glendale School District received a state grant of $4,628 for the program.

Graduation requirements

The Glendale School Board has determined that a high school student must earn 24.50 credits in order to graduate, including: English 4 credits, Social Studies 3 credits, combined 7 credits in Mathematics and Science, Physical Education and Health 2 credits, Arts and Humanities 2 credits and 8.2 elective credits. Students must take a course in Environmental Science and Computer Science.

By law, all Pennsylvania secondary school students must complete a project as a part of their eligibility to graduate from high school. The type of project, its rigor and its expectations are set by the individual school district. Effective with the graduating class of 2017, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education eliminated the state mandate that students complete a culminating project in order to graduate.

By Pennsylvania State School Board regulations, beginning with the class of 2017, public school students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, and English Literature by passing the respective Keystone Exams for each course. The exam is given at the end of the course. Keystone Exams replace the PSSAs for 11th grade.

Students have several opportunities to pass the exam. Schools are mandated to provide targeted assistance to help the student be successful. Those who do not pass after several attempts can perform a project in order to graduate. For the class of 2019, a Composition exam will be added. For the class of 2020, passing a civics and government exam will be added to the graduation requirements. In 2011, Pennsylvania high school students field tested the Algebra 1, Biology and English Lit exams. The statewide results were: Algebra 1 38% on grade level, Biology 35% on grade level and English Lit - 49% on grade level. Individual student, school or district reports were not made public, although they were reported to district officials by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Students identified as having special needs and qualifying for an Individual Educational Program (IEP) may graduate by meeting the requirements of their IEP.

AP Courses

In 2014, Glendale Senior High School offered 2 Advanced Placement (AP) courses at a higher cost than regular courses. The fee for each AP Exam is $91 (2014). The school normally retains $9 of that fee as a rebate to help with administrative costs. In 2012, the fee was $89 per test per pupil. Students have the option of taking College Board approved courses and then taking the College Board's examination in the Spring. Students, who achieve a 3 or better on the exam, may be awarded college credits at US universities and colleges. Each higher education institution sets its own standards about what level of credits are awarded to a student based on their AP exam score. Most higher education give credits for scores of 4 or 5. Some schools also give credits for scores of 3. High schools give credits towards graduation to students who take the school's AP class. At Glendale Senior High School less than 10% of students who took an AP course earned a 3 or better on the exam.

Eighth Grade

Eighth graders are tested in: reading, writing, mathematics and Science. Beginning in the Spring of 2013, eighth graders, who are enrolled in Algebra I take the Keystone Exam for Algebra I at the end of the course. The testing of 8th grade in reading and mathematics began in 1999, as a state initiative.

8th Grade Reading:

• 2012 - 73% on grade level (10% below basic). State - 79%
• 2011 - 88% (3% below basic). State - 81.8%
• 2010 - 89% (2% below basic). State - 81%
• 2009 - 68% (15% below basic). State - 80%
• 2008 - 81% (9% below basic). State - 78%
• 2007 - 76% (8% below basic). State - 75%

8th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 84% on grade level (12% below basic). State - 76%
• 2011 - 88% (3% below basic). State - 76.9%
• 2010 - 95% (2% below basic). State - 75%
• 2009 - 59% (26% below basic), State - 71%
• 2008 - 73% (12% below basic), State - 70%
• 2007 - 62% (16% below basic), State - 68%

8th Grade Science:

• 2012 - 59% on grade level (20% below basic). State - 59%
• 2011 - 56% (14% below basic). State – 58.3%
• 2010 - 63% (18% below basic). State - 57%
• 2009 - 40% (31% below basic), State - 55%
• 2008 - 61%, State - 52%

Seventh Grade

Seventh grades have been tested in reading and mathematics since 2006. Seventh grade testing is mandated by No Child Left Behind.

7th Grade Reading:

• 2012 - 85% (3% below basic). State - 76%
• 2011 - 63% (19% below basic). State – 76%
• 2010 - 72% (9% below basic). State - 73%
• 2009 - 82% (0% below basic), State - 71%
• 2008 - 56% (21% below basic), State - 70%
• 2007 - 59% (19% below basic), State - 67%

7th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 92% (5% below basic). State - 80%
• 2011 - 87% (10% below basic). State - 78.6%
• 2010 - 91% (2% below basic). State - 77%
• 2009 - 93% (2% below basic), State - 75%
• 2008 - 78% (10% below basic), State - 71%
• 2007 - 70% (16% below basic), State - 67%

Elementary School

Glendale Elementary School is located at 1500 Beaver Valley Road, Flinton. In 2014, the School's enrollment was 428 pupils in grades kindergarten through 6th, with 53% of pupils receiving a federal free or reduced price meals due to family poverty. Additionally, 20% of the pupils receive special education services, while 7% are identified as gifted. According to a report by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 100% of the teachers were rated highly qualified under No Child Left Behind. The school has provided full day kindergarten since 2004. The school is a federally designated Title I school.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2012, enrollment was 412 pupils in grades kindergarten through 6th, with 217 pupils receiving a free or reduced price lunch. The School employed 31 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 the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Glendale Elementary School has provided full-day kindergarten for more than a decade. and preschool. Proponents of full day kindergarten claim it will reduce special education numbers and it will raise primary student academic achievement especially in reading and math. Those outcomes have not been realized in the School District. Reading achievement in particular has not improved.

2014 School Performance Profile

Glendale Elementary School achieved a score of 73.5 out of 100. The score reflects on grade level: reading, science, writing and mathematics achievement. In 2013-14, only 59% of the students were reading on grade level in grades 3rd through 6th. In 3rd grade, just 68% of the pupils were reading on grade level. In math, 71% were on grade level (3rd-6th grades). In 4th grade science, 82% of the pupils demonstrated on grade level understanding. In writing, only 61% of 5th grade pupils demonstrated on grade level skills.

2013 School Performance Profile

Glendale Elementary School achieved a score of 71.3 out of 100. The score reflects on grade level: reading, science, writing and mathematics achievement. In 2012-13, only 58% of the students were reading on grade level in grades 3rd through 6th. In 3rd grade, 76% of the pupils were reading on grade level. In math, 76.9% were on grade level (3rd-6th grades). In 4th grade science, 85% of the pupils demonstrated on grade level understanding. In writing, only 45% of 5th grade pupils demonstrated on grade level skills. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2,181 public schools (less than 73 percent of Pennsylvania public schools), achieved an academic score of 70 or higher.

AYP History

In 2010 through 2012, Glendale Elementary School achieved AYP status. In 2009, the School was in Warning Status due to low student achievement. The attendance rate was 95% in 2010 while it was 94% in 2011.

PSSA History

Each year, in the Spring, the 3rd graders and sixth graders take the PSSAs in math and reading. The fourth grade is tested in reading, math and science. The fifth grade is evaluated in reading, mathematics and writing. Pennsylvania System of School Assessments, commonly called PSSAs are No Child Left Behind Act related examinations which were administered beginning 2003 to all Pennsylvania public school students in grades 3rd-8th. The goal was for 100% of students to be on grade level or better in reading and mathematics, by the Spring of 2014. The tests focused on the state's Academic Standards for reading, writing, mathematics and science. The Science exam is given to 4th grades and includes content in science, technology, ecology and the environmental studies.

6th Grade Reading:

• 2012 - 64% (16% below basic). State - 68%
• 2011 - 78% (8% below basic). State - 69.9%
• 2010 - 48% (29% below basic). State - 68%
• 2009 - 56% (12% below basic). State - 67%
• 2008 - 69% (7% below basic). State - 67%
• 2007 - 43% (21% below basic). State - 63%

6th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 83% (9% below basic). State - 77%
• 2011 - 87% (10% below basic). State - 78.8%
• 2010 - 75% (11% below basic). State - 78%
• 2009 - 77% (6% below basic). State - 75%
• 2008 - 84% (9% below basic). State - 72%
• 2007 - 67% (14% below basic). State - 69%

5th Grade Reading:

• 2012 - 76% (5% below basic). State - 65%
• 2011 - 60% (18% below basic). State - 67.3%
• 2010 - 66% (11% below basic). State - 64%
• 2009 - 41% (32% below basic), State - 64%
• 2008 - 52% (27% below basic), State - 62%
• 2007 - 69% (14% below basic), State - 60%

5th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 87% (8% below basic). State - 73%
• 2011 - 70% (14% below basic). State - 74%
• 2010 - 78% (9% below basic). State - 74%
• 2009 - 56% (24% below basic). State - 73%
• 2008 - 75% (4% below basic). State - 73%
• 2007 - 74% (9% below basic). State - 71%

4th Grade Reading

• 2012 - 70% (15% below basic). State - 72%
• 2011 - 70% (15% below basic), State – 73.3%
• 2010 - 68% (17% below basic), State - 73%
• 2009 - 65% (13% below basic), State - 72%
• 2008 - 53% (23% below basic), State - 70%
• 2007 - 64% (16% below basic), State - 60%

4th Grade Math

• 2012 - 88% (7% below basic). State - 82%
• 2011 - 85% (5% below basic), State – 85.3%
• 2010 - 72% (13% below basic), State - 84%
• 2009 - 75% (12% below basic), State - 81%
• 2008 - 58% (21% below basic), State - 80%
• 2007 - 64% (14% below basic), State - 78%

4th Grade Science

• 2012 - 94%, (2% below basic). State - 82%
• 2011 - 89%, (2% below basic), State – 82.9%
• 2010 - 85%, (5% below basic), State - 81%
• 2009 - 89%, (2% below basic), State - 83%
• 2008 - 75%, State - 81%

3rd Grade Reading;

• 2012 - 71%, (8% below basic). State - 74%
• 2011 - 70%, (20% below basic), State – 77%
• 2010 - 78%, (12% below basic), State - 75%
• 2009 - 67%, (18% below basic), State - 77%
• 2008 - 66%, (8% below basic), State - 70%
• 2007 - 50%, (27% below basic), State - 72%

3rd Grade Math

• 2012 - 86%, (5% below basic). State - 80%
• 2011 - 80%, (8% below basic), State – 83%
• 2010 - 90%, (0% below basic), State - 84%
• 2009 - 72%, (8% below basic), State - 81%
• 2008 - 78%, (6% below basic), State - 80%
• 2007 - 54%, (11% below basic), State - 78%

Special education

In December 2013, Glendale School District administration reported that 190 pupils or 23.2% of the district's pupils received Special Education services, with 69.5% of the identified students having a specific learning disability. In December 2011, Glendale School District administration reported that 184 pupils or 22.9% of the district's pupils received Special Education services, with 73.9% of the identified students having a specific learning disability. In December 2009, the district administration reported that 169 pupils or 20% of the district's pupils received Special Education services.

In 2007, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak testified before the Pennsylvania House Education Committee regarding full day kindergarten. He claimed that districts which offered the program would see a significant decrease in special education students due to early identification and early intervention. He asserted the high cost of full day kindergarten would be recouped by Districts in lower special education costs. Glendale School District has seen an increase in the percentage of special education students it serves, yielding no savings.

In order to comply with state and federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act rules and regulations, the school 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 services, 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 Special Education administration. 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 district's Special Education Department. The IDEA 2004 requires each school entity to publish a notice to parents, in newspapers or other media, including the student handbook and website regarding the availability of screening and intervention services and how to access them.

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. The Special Education funding structure is through the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds and state appropriations. IDEA funds are appropriated to the state on an annual basis and distributed through intermediate units (IUs) to school districts, while state funds are distributed directly to the districts. Total funds that are received by school districts are calculated through a formula. The Pennsylvania Department of Education oversees four appropriations used to fund students with special needs: Special Education; Approved Private Schools; Pennsylvania Chartered Schools for the Deaf and Blind; and Early Intervention. The Pennsylvania Special Education funding system assumes that 16% of the district’s students receive special education services. It also assumes that each student’s needs accrue the same level of costs. The state requires each district to have a three-year special education plan to meet the unique needs of its special education students. Overidentification of students, in order to increase state funding, has been an issue in the Commonwealth. Some districts have more than 20% of its students receiving special education services while others have 10% supported through special education. The state requires each public school district and charter school to have a three-year special education plan to meet the unique needs of its special education students. In 2012, the Obama Administration's US Department of Education issued a directive requiring schools include students with disabilities in extracurricular activities, including sports.

Glendale School District received a $511,038 supplement for special education services in 2010. For the 2011-12, 2012–13 and 2013-14 school year, all Pennsylvania public school districts received the same level of funding for special education that they received in 2010-11. This level funding is provided regardless of changes in the number of pupils who need special education services and regardless of the level of services the respective students required. For the 2014-2015 school year, Glendale School District received an increase to $533,010 from the Commonwealth for special education funding. Additionally, the state provides supplemental funding for extraordinarily impacted students. The District must apply for this added funding each school year.

In 2013, the state's Special Education Funding Reform Commission provided a report on the state of funding for special education in the Commonwealth. Funding for special education programs is borne largely on a local basis at 60%, with the state contributing $1 billion or 30% and the federal government providing 10% of the funding.

Gifted education

The Glendale School District Administration reported that 42 or 4.82% 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.

Wellness policy

Glendale School Board established a districtwide wellness policy in 2007 - Policy 246. The policy deals with nutritious meals served at school, the control of access to some foods and beverages during school hours, age appropriate nutrition education for all students, and physical education for students K-12. The policy is in response to state mandates and federal legislation (P.L. 108 - 265). The law dictates that each school district participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq) "shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006." The Superintendent annually reports to the Board on the district’s compliance with law and policies related to student wellness. The district also established a Wellness Advisory Board.

The legislation placed the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level so the individual needs of each district can be addressed. According to the requirements for the Local Wellness Policy, school districts must set goals for nutrition education and physical education that are aligned with the Pennsylvania State Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, districts were required to involve a broad group of individuals in policy development and to have a plan for measuring policy implementation. Districts were offered a choice of levels of implementation for limiting or prohibiting low nutrition foods on the school campus. In final implementation these regulations prohibit some foods and beverages on the school campus. The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.

The Glendale School District offers both a free school breakfast and a free or reduced-price lunch to children in low income families. All students attending the school can eat breakfast and lunch. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level are provided a breakfast and lunch at no cost to the family. Children from families with incomes between 130 and 185 percent of the federal poverty level can be charged no more than 30 cents per breakfast. A foster child whose care and placement is the responsibility of the State or who is placed by a court with a caretaker household is eligible for both a free breakfast and a free lunch. Runaway, homeless and Migrant Youth are also automatically eligible for free meals. The meals are partially funded with federal dollars through the United States Department of Agriculture.

In 2013, the USDA issued new restrictions to foods in public schools. The rules apply to foods and beverages sold on all public school district campuses during the day. They limit vending machine snacks to a maximum of 200 calories per item. Additionally, all snack foods sold at school must meet competitive nutrient standards, meaning they must have fruits, vegetables, dairy or protein in them or contain at least 10 percent of the daily value of fiber, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin D. In order to comply with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 all US public school districts are required to raise the price of their school lunches to $2.60 regardless of the actual cost of providing the lunch. The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 mandates that Districts raise their full pay lunch prices every year until the price of non-subsidized lunches equals the amount the federal government reimburses schools for free meals. That subsidy in 2013-2014 was $2.93.

In 2014, President Obama ordered a prohibition of advertisements for unhealthy foods on public school campuses during the school day. The Food and Drug Administration requires that students take milk as their beverage at lunch. In accordance with this law, any student requesting water in place of milk with their lunch must present a written request, signed by a doctor, documenting the need for water instead of milk.

Glendale School District provides health services as mandated by the Commonwealth and the federal government. Nurses are available in each building to conduct annual health screenings (data reported to the PDE and state Department of Health) and to dispense prescribed medications to students during the school day. Students can be excluded from school unless they comply with all the State Department of Health’s extensive immunization mandates. School nurses monitor each pupil for this compliance. Nurses also monitor each child's weight.

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 2013, the average teacher salary in Glendale School District was $44,643.82 a year. The District employed 96 teachers and administrators with atop salary of$108,500. Glendale School District teacher and administrator retirement benefits are equal to at least 2.00% x Final Average Salary x Total Credited Service. (Some teachers benefits utilize a 2.50% benefit factor.) After 40 years of service, a teacher can retire with 100% of the average salary of their final 3 years of employment. According to a study conducted at the American Enterprise Institute, in 2011, public school teachers’ total compensation is roughly 50 percent higher than they would likely receive in the private sector. The study found that the most generous benefits that teachers receive are not accounted for in many studies of compensation including: pension, retiree health benefits and job security.

In 2009, the district reported employing 80 teachers and administrators with a salary range of $29,480 to $104,000. The average teacher salary was $47,545 in 2009. The teacher’s work day is 7 hours, with 180 days in the contract year. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance, professional development reimbursement, paid personal days, 10 paid sick days, and other benefits.

In 2007, the district employed 65 teachers and the average teacher salary in the district was $41,233 for 180 days worked.

Per pupil spending In 2008, per pupil spending at Glendale School District was $12,321 for each child. This ranked 239th among Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. In 2010 the per pupil spending had increased to $18,436.98 which ranked 27th in the state. Among the states, Pennsylvania’s total per pupil revenue (including all sources) ranked 11th at $15,023 per student, in 2008-09. In 2007, the Pennsylvania per pupil total expenditures was $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.

Administration costs Glendale School District administrative costs was $973.88 per pupil in 2008. This ranked 69th among Pennsylvania's 500 school districts. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association collects and maintains statistics on salaries of public school district employees in Pennsylvania. Superintendents and administrators receive a benefit package commensurate with that offered to the district's teachers' union.

Reserves In 2008, the Glendale School District reported an unreserved designated fund balance of zero and an unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $988,631. In 2010, the District reported an unreserved designated fund balance of $873,000 and an unreserved-undesignated fund balance of $977,839. PA 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. In 2005, the total reserve funds held by Pennsylvania public school districts was $1.9 billion.

Audit In January 2011, the Pennsylvania Auditor General conducted a performance audit on the district. Multiple serious findings were reported to the school board and administration. The auditors noted several violations of state law, including entering into contracts without board approval. Teachers had certification deficiencies. On October 5, 2007, the superintendent, elementary principal, and secondary principal each received $5,750 stipend as a site administrator. At the time of audit, the grant education contact person from the US DOE stated to the auditor that no stipends were to be paid from grant funds since the site coordinators were District employees that were performing these duties during their standard work day. Additionally, the stipends were not listed on the program budget.

Tuition Students who live in the 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 Glendale 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 District's schools. The 2013 tuition rates are Elementary School -$8,564, High School - $10,103.

The Glendale School District is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax - 1%, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax 0.5%, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pension income and Social Security income are exempted from state personal income tax and local earned income tax, regardless of the 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

According to a report from Representative Todd Stephens office, Glendale School District receives 67.5% of its annual revenue from the state. This exceeds the goal of the state providing 50% of district funding.

For the 2014-15 school year, Glendale School District received $5,354,070 in State Basic Education funding. The District received $68,524 in new Ready To Learn Block grant. The State’s enacted Education Budget includes $5,526,129,000 for the 2014-2015 Basic Education Funding. The Education budget also includes Accountability Block Grant funding at $100 million and $241 million in new Ready to Learn funding for public schools that focus on student achievement and academic success. The State is paying $500.8 million to Social Security on the school employees behalf and another $1.16 billion to the state teachers pension system (PSERS). In total, Pennsylvania’s Education budget for K-12 public schools is $10 billion. This was a $305 million increase over 2013-2014 state spending and the greatest amount ever allotted by the Commonwealth for its public schools.

In the 2013-2014 school year, the Glendale School District received a 1.3% increase or $5,353,335 in Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding. This is $68,793 more than its 2012-13 state BEF to the District. Additionally, Glendale School District received $69,737 in Accountability Block Grant funding to focus on academic achievement and level funding for special education services. Among the public school districts in Clearfield County, Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District received the highest percentage increase in BEF at 6.1%. The Glendale School District had 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 highest percent of state spending per student is in the Chester-Upland district, where roughly 78 percent comes from state coffers. In Philadelphia, it is nearly 49 percent. As a part of the education budget, the state provided 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, the Glendale School District received $5,284,542. 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. Glendale School District received $69,737 in ABG funds. 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 the 2011-12 school year, Glendale School District received a $5,284,420 allocation, of state Basic Education Funding. Additionally, Glendale School District received $69,737 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. In 2010, the district reported that 421 students received free or reduced-price lunches, due to the family meeting the federal poverty level.

In the 2010-2011 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 4.04% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $5,539,075.91. Among the districts in Clearfield County, the highest increase went to Dubois Area School District which got a 7.76% increase. One hundred fifty Pennsylvania school districts received the base 2% increase. The highest increase in 2010-11 went to Kennett Consolidated School District in Chester County which received a 23.65% increase in state funding.

In the 2009-2010 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 4.82% increase in Basic Education Funding to Glendale School District, for a total of $5,539,076. Among the districts in Clearfield County, the highest increase went to Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District which got a 5.57% increase. The state Basic Education Funding to the district in 2008-09 was $5,284,419.83. Ninety Pennsylvania public school districts received a 2% increase. Muhlenberg School District in Berks County received a 22.31% increase in state basic education funding, in 2009. The amount of increase each school district received was set by the Governor Edward G. Rendell and Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak, as a part of the state budget proposal given in February. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, 403 district students received free or reduced-price lunches due to low family income in the 2007–2008 school year.

Accountability Block Grants

Beginning in 2004-2005, the state launched the Accountability Block Grant school funding. This program has provided $1.5 billion to Pennsylvania’s school districts. The Accountability Block Grant program requires that its taxpayer dollars are focused on specific interventions that are most likely to increase student academic achievement. These interventions include: teacher training, all-day kindergarten, lower class size K-3rd grade, literacy and math coaching programs that provide teachers with individualized job-embedded professional development to improve their instruction, before or after school tutoring assistance to struggling students. For 2010-11, the district applied for and received $189,283 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district uses the funding to provide full-day kindergarten.

Classrooms for the Future grant

The Classroom for the Future state program provided districts with hundreds of thousands of extra state funding to buy laptop computers for each core curriculum high school class (English, Science, History, Math) and paid for teacher training to optimize the computers use. The program was funded from 2006-2009. Glendale School District applied to participate in 2006-07 and in 2007-08. It was denied funding both years. The district received $17,975 in 2008-09.

Literacy Grant

Glendale School District was awarded a $652,176 competitive literacy grant. It is to be used to improve reading skills birth through 12th grade. The district was required to develop a lengthly literacy plan, which included outreach into the community. The funds come from a Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy grant, also referred to as the Keystones to Opportunity grant It is a five-year, competitive federal grant program designed to assist local education agencies in developing and implementing local comprehensive literacy plans. Of the 329 pre-applications by school districts reviewed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, School District was one of only 148 entities that were invited to submit a full application. In County 5 school districts and one charter school were awarded funding for one year. The funds must be used for teacher training, student screening and assessment, targeted interventions for students reading below grade level and research-based methods of improving classroom instruction and practice. Districts must hire literacy coaches. The coaches work with classroom teachers to enhance their literacy teaching skills. Pennsylvania was among six other states, out of the 35 that applied, to be awarded funding. Pennsylvania received $38 million through the federal program. The Department of Education reserved 5% of the grant for administration costs at the state level. The top Pennsylvania grant recipient was Pittsburgh School District which was awarded $1,9983,014.

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, Glendale School District received $22,620.

Other grants

Glendale 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); 2013 Safe Schools and Resource Officer grants; 2012 and 2013 Pennsylvania Hybrid Learning Grants; nor the Project 720 High School Reform grants (discontinued effective with 2011-12 budget); nor the federal 21st Century Learning grants.

Federal Stimulus grant

Glendale School District received an extra $2.5 million in ARRA - Federal Stimulus money to be used to cover the interest costs for planned building improvements. Eligibility was based on district need, considering in part the number of children eligible for free and reduced-price lunches. Statewide, 46 districts received a total of more than $600 million to help with 101 building projects.

Glendale School District also received $1,830,443 in stimulus money for use in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low-income students. The funding was limited to the 2009-10 and 2010-2011 school years. Due to the temporary nature of the funding, schools were repeatedly warned to use the funds for one-time expenditures like acquiring equipment, making repairs to buildings, training teachers to provide more effective instruction or purchasing books and software.

Race to the Top grant

Glendale School District officials applied for the federal Race to the Top grant which would have provided over one million dollars in additional federal funding to improve student academic achievement. Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate. Pennsylvania was not approved for the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved.

Technology grant

In 2010, the district was eligible for a federal Enhancing Education through Technology grant. The district did not apply for the funding.

Common Cents state initiative

Glendale School Board elected to not participate in the Pennsylvania Department of Education Common Cents program. The program called for the state to audit the district, at no cost to local taxpayers, to identify ways the district could save tax dollars. After the review of the information, the district was not required to implement the recommended cost savings changes.

Real estate taxes

Property tax rates in 2014-15 were set by the school board at 62.8300 mills for residents in Cambria County and 93.2300 mills for residents in Clearfield County. 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. 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. 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. The school district includes municipalities in two counties, each of which has different rates of property tax assessment, necessitating a state board equalization of the tax rates between the counties. In 2010, miscalculations by the board were widespread in the Commonwealth and adversely impacted funding for many school districts.

• 2013-14 - 61.0500 mills for residents in Cambria County and 89.3000 mills for residents in Clearfield County.
• 2012-13 - 59.5300 mills for residents in Cambria County and 86.9000 mills for residents in Clearfield County.
• 2011-12 - 59.8100 mills for residents in Cambria County and 59.8100 mills for residents in Clearfield County.
• 2010-11 - 60.0000 mills for residents in Cambria County and 83.0300 mills for residents in Clearfield County.
• 2009-10 - 57.4900 mills for residents in Cambria County and 79.8300 mills for residents in Clearfield County.
• 2008-09 - 56.6400 mills for residents in Cambria County and 87.2300 mills for residents in Clearfield County.
• 2007-08 - 56.6400 mills for residents in Cambria County and 87.2300 mills for residents in Clearfield County.
• 2006-07 - 55.6400 mills for residents in Cambria County and 86.2300 mills for residents in Clearfield County.
• 2005-06 - 55.6500 mills for residents in Cambria County and 87.5000 mills for residents in Clearfield County.

The average yearly property tax paid by Cambria County residents amounts to about 2.4% of their yearly income. Cambria County ranked 1048th out of the 3143 United States counties for property taxes as a percentage of median income. The average yearly property tax paid by Clearfield County residents was 2.83% of their yearly income . Clearfield County ranked 707th of the 3143 USA 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%). Pennsylvania's 2011 tax burden of 10.35% ranked 10th highest out of 50 states. The tax burden was above the national average of 9.8%. Pennsylvania's taxpayers paid $4,374 per capita in state and local taxes, including school taxes.

Act 1 Adjusted Index

The Act 1 of 2006 Index regulates the rates at which each school district can raise property taxes in Pennsylvania. Districts are not allowed to raise taxes above that index unless they allow voters to vote by referendum, or they seek an exception from the state Department of Education. The base index for the 2011-2012 school year is 1.4 percent, but the Act 1 Index can be adjusted higher, depending on a number of factors, such as property values and the personal income of district residents. Act 1 included 10 exceptions, including: increasing pension costs, increases in special education costs, a catastrophe like a fire or flood, increase in health insurance costs for contracts in effect in 2006 or dwindling tax bases. The base index is the average of the percentage increase in the statewide average weekly wage, as determined by the PA Department of Labor and Industry, for the preceding calendar year and the percentage increase in the Employment Cost Index for Elementary and Secondary Schools, as determined by the Bureau of Labor 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. In June 2011, the Pennsylvania General Assembly eliminated six of the ten the exceptions to the Act 1 Index. The following exceptions were maintained: 1) costs to pay interest and principal on indebtedness incurred prior to September 4, 2004 for Act 72 schools and prior to June 27, 2006 for non-Act 72 schools; 2) costs to pay interest and principal on electoral debt; 3) costs incurred in providing special education programs and services (beyond what is already paid by the State); and 4) costs due to increases of more than the Index in the school’s share of payments to PSERS (PA school employees pension fund) taking into account the state mandated PSERS contribution rate.

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

• 2006-07 - 5.9%, Base 3.9%
• 2007-08 - 5.1%, Base 3.4%
• 2008-09 - 6.7%, Base 4.4%
• 2009-10 - 6.2%, Base 4.1%
• 2010-11 - 4.4%, Base 2.9%

• 2011-12 - 2.1%, Base 1.4%
• 2012-13 - 2.6%, Base 1.7%
• 2013-14 - 2.6%, Base 1.7%
• 2014-15 - 3.2%, Base 2.1%
• 2015-16 - 2.9%, Base 1.9%

For the 2014-15 budget year, Glendale School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed their Act 1 Index limit. In 2014-15, all Pennsylvania school districts were required to make a 21.4% of payroll payment to the teacher’s pension fund (PSERS). For the school budget 2014-15, 316 Pennsylvania public school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above its Act 1 Index limit. Another 181 school districts adopted a preliminary budget leaving open the option of exceeding the Index limit. Districts may apply for multiple exceptions each year. For the pension costs exception, 163 school districts received approval to exceed the Index in full, while others received a partial approval of their request. For special education costs, 104 districts received approval to exceed their tax limit. Seven Pennsylvania public school districts received an approval for the grandfathered construction debts exception.

For the 2013-14 budget year, Glendale School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed their Act 1 Index limit. In 2013-14, all Pennsylvania school districts were required to make a 16.93% of payroll payment to the teacher’s pension fund (PSERS). 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 pension costs exception, 169 school districts received approval to exceed the Index. For special education costs, 75 districts received approval to exceed their tax limit. Eleven Pennsylvania public school districts received an approval for grandfathered construction debts.

For the 2012-13 budget year, Glendale School Board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index. In 2012-13, all Pennsylvania school districts were required to make a 12.36% of payroll payment to the teacher’s pension fund (PSERS). For 2012-2013 budget year, 274 school districts adopted a resolution certifying that tax rates would not be increased above their index; while 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, Glendale School Board did not apply for an exception to exceed the Act 1 Index. Each year, the Glendale 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 published annually, 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.

Glendale School Board did not apply for any exceptions to exceed the Act 1 index for the budget in 2011. For 2009-10 school budget, the board did not apply for exceptions to exceed the Index. In the Spring of 2010, 135 Pennsylvania school boards asked to exceed their adjusted index. Approval was granted to 133 of them and 128 sought an exception for pension costs increases.

Property tax relief

In 2014, Glendale School District approved 1,605 homestead properties received $194. The decline in amount was related to more residents applying for tax relief and a decline in table games tax revenues. The amount received by the District must be divided equally among all approved residences. In 2012, Glendale School District approved 1,599 homestead properties received $196.

In 2010, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Glendale School District was not reported to the state. The district received $313,700.59 to provide tax relief to property owners. 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. In Cambria County, 54.33% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief, in 2009. In Clearfield County, 70.82% property owners applied. The highest property tax relief in Pennsylvania went to the residents of Chester Upland School District of Delaware County who received $632 per approved homestead. Chester Upland School District has been the top recipient every year since the inception of the program.

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 in Glendale School District. 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, individual with income much 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.

Enrollment

According to Pennsylvania Department of Education enrollment reports, there are less than 840 students enrolled in K-12 in 2009–10 school year at Glendale School District. There were 67 students in the Class of 2009. The district's class of 2010 had 59 students. Enrollment is projected to decline to 680 students by 2020. In 2008, the district administrative costs were among the highest in the state at $973.88 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. A study of Pennsylvania public school spending, conducted by Standard and Poor's, examined the consolidation of Glendale School Administration with 3 neighboring districts: Cambria Heights School District, Harmony Area School District and Penn Cambria School District. The study found that consolidation of the administration with an adjacent school district would achieve substantial administrative cost savings which varied by district. Consolidation of administration with Penn Cambria School District would have saved taxpayers $2,796,544. Consolidation of administrations with Harmony Area School District would have saved $1,316,270. Finally, consolidation of the administration with Cambria Heights School District was projected to have saved $2,455,115 a year since 2004.

According to a 2009 school district administration consolidation proposal by Governor Edward Rendell, the excessive administrative overhead dollars could be redirected to improve lagging academic achievement, to enrich the academic programs or to reduce property taxes. Consolidation of two central administrations into one would not require the closing of any schools. The Governor's proposal called for the savings to be redirected to improving lagging reading and science achievement, to enriching the academic programs or to reducing residents' property taxes.

From 2000 through 2010, rural Pennsylvania school enrollment decreased by over 8 percent. As the enrollment declined, per pupil administrative costs of the schools continue to rise. In March 2011, the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants released a report finding that the state would save hundreds of million by cutting the number of school administrations in half through consolidation, with no impact on programs offered to students.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has one of the highest numbers of school districts in the nation. In Pennsylvania, 80% of the school districts serve student populations under 5,000, and 40% serve less than 2,000. This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity. In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, many stated that consolidation of administrations would save money without closing any schools.

Extracurriculars

Glendale School District offers a wide variety of clubs, activities and sports. Eligibility for participation is determined by Glendale School Board policies.

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.

According to PA Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Act 126 of 2014, all volunteer coaches and all those who assist in student activities, must have criminal background checks. Like all school district employees, they must also attend an anti child abuse training once every three years.

Clubs and activities

• Marching Band
• Jazz Band
• Academic Decathlon
• National Honor Society
• America's Pride
• Drama Club
• SADD

• Science Club
• Student Council
• Tri M
• Viking Voyager
• Varsity Club
• Yearbook

Athletics

Glendale is in PIAA District 6. Coaches receive compensation as outlined in the teachers' union contract. When athletic competition exceeds the regular season, additional compensation is paid.

All school entities with grades 7-12 are required to annually collect data concerning team and financial information for all male and female athletes beginning with the 2012-13 school year and submit the information to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, all non-school (booster club and alumni) contributions and purchases must also be reported to PDE.

According to Pennsylvania’s Safety in Youth Sports Act, all sports coaches, paid and volunteer, are required to annually complete the Concussion Management Certification Training and present the certification before coaching.

Varsity

• Basketball - Class A
• Basketball - Class A
• Football - Class A
• Wrestling - Class AA

Girls

• Basketball - Class A
• Softball - Class A
• Volleyball - Class A

Junior High School Sports

• Basketball - Class A
• Football - Class A
• Wrestling - Class AA

Girls

• Basketball - Class A
• Softball - Class A

According to PIAA directory July 2015

External links

• Glendale School District
• Penna. Inter-Scholastic Assn.