Camp Hill School District

Camp Hill School District
Address
2627 Chestnut Street Camp Hill , Cumberland County , Pennsylvania 17011 United States
Information
Type	Public
School board	9 locally elected members
Superintendent	Dr. David Reeder, salary $130,000 (June 2011)
Director	Christine B. Hakes, PRSBA, Director of Business Administration/School Board Secretary
Principal	Mark Ziegler (acting principal), HS
Principal	Daniel Roesch, MS
Principal	Dr. Sandra Fauser, EES
Principal	Patricia Craig, HES
Faculty	86 teachers (2010)
Grades	K-12
Number of pupils	1168 pupils
• Kindergarten	84
• Grade 1	94
• Grade 2	83
• Grade 3	83
• Grade 4	95
• Grade 5	89
• Grade 6	98
• Grade 7	88
• Grade 8	110
• Grade 9	79
• Grade 10	108
• Grade 11	72
• Grade 12	85
• Other	Enrollment projected to be 1215 in 2020.
Mascot	Lions
Budget	$14,069,434 (2012-13)
Tuition	for nonresident and charter school students ES - $8,482.12, HS - $9,717.89
Per pupil Spending	$12,709 (2008)
Per pupil Spending	$11,795.23 (2010)
Website	http://www.camphillsd.k12.pa.us/

The Camp Hill School District, is a suburban public school district serving the Borough of Camp Hill in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. At just 2 square miles (5.2 km²), Camp Hill is the smallest school district in the county and it is one of the smallest in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The district is so small it does not offer school bus transportation. According to the July 1, 2007 local tax rolls, it serves a resident population of 6,367. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income was $28,256, while the median family income was $61,578. Per District officials, in school year 2007-08 the Camp Hill School District provided basic educational services to 1,137 pupils through the employment of 94 teachers, 81 full-time and part-time support personnel, and 6 administrators.

The district operates Camp Hill High School (9th-12th), Camp Hill Middle School (6th-8th) and two Elementary Schools (K-5th). Total enrollment as of 2005-06 is 1,127 students. Camp Hill Middle School is the only public school in Pennsylvania to offer Open Campus Lunch.

Governance

The district is governed by 9 individually elected board members (who serve four-year terms), under the Pennsylvania State Board of Education.

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review examined the school district's website for information regarding the following: taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, and public records information. On the basis of this, it gave the Camp Hill School Board and school district administration a "D-" for transparency.

The district is served by the Capital Area Intermediate Unit 15, which offers a variety of services, including a completely developed K-12 curriculum that is mapped and aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards (available online), shared services, a group purchasing program, and a wide variety of special education and special needs services.

Schools

• Camp Hill High School
• Camp Hill Middle School
• Hoover Elementary School k-2nd grade
• Eisenhower Elementary School and Grace Milliman Pollock Performing Arts Center 3rd-5th
• Schaeffer Elementary School (Closed in June 2011)

Academic achievement

The Camp Hill School District was ranked 48th out of 500 Pennsylvania school districts, in 2013, by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on student academic achievement on the last 3 years of PSSAs in: reading, writing, mathematics 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.

• 2012 - 42nd
• 2011 - 29th
• 2010 - 34th
• 2009 - 35th
• 2008 - 34th
• 2007 - 22nd of 501 school districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times.

In 2009 the academic achievement of the pupils in the district was in the 85th percentile among Pennsylvanian's 500 school districts. Scale (0-99; 100 is state best)

In 2012, the Pittsburgh Business Times reported an Overachievers Ranking for 498 Pennsylvania school districts. Camp Hill School District ranked 366th. The paper 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."

• 2011 - 368th
• 2010 - 415th
• 2009 - 407th

District AYP status history

In 2012 and 2011, Camp Hill School District achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). 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 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 2003 to 2009.

US News and World Report ranked 21,000 public high schools, in the United States, based on three factors. First, the schools were analyzed for the number of students who achieved above the state average on the reading and math tests. Then they considered how the economically disadvantaged students performed against the state average. Finally, they considered the participation rate and the performance of students in college readiness by examining Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate test data. Camp Hill High School was ranked Silver. Seventy Pennsylvania high schools achieved ranking bronze, silver or gold rating. Fifteen Pennsylvania high schools achieved silver. The High school was also listed as silver in 2010.

Graduation rate

In 2012, Camp Hill School District had a 96% graduation rate. In 2011, the graduation rate at Camp Hill School District declined to 97%. In 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new, 4-year cohort graduation rate. Camp Hill High School's rate was 95% for 2010.

According to traditional graduation rate calculations

• 2010 - 99%
• 2009 - 96%
• 2008 - 97%
• 2007 - 97%
• 2006 - 97%
• 2005 - 92%

High school

Camp Hill High School is located at 100 S 24th Street, Camp Hill. According to the National Center for Education Statistics the school had 367 student enrolled in grades 9th through 12th, with 19 receiving a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to family poverty. The school employed 30 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 12:1.

In 2012, Camp Hill Senior High School declined to Warning AYP Status due to declining math achievement. In 2011 and 2010, the Camp Hill Senior High School achieved AYP status.

PSSA Results

11th Grade Reading:

• 2012 - 75% on grade level, (6% below basic). State - 67% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2011 - 84%, (7% below basic). State - 69.1%
• 2010 - 82.6%, State - 67%
• 2009 - 93%, State - 65%
• 2008 - 91%, State - 65%

11th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 67% on grade level (17% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 59% of 11th graders are on grade level.
• 2011 - 72%, (15% below basic). State - 60.3%
• 2010 - 86%, State - 59%
• 2009 - 84%, State - 56%
• 2008 - 84%, State - 56%

11th Grade Science:

• 2012 - 61% on grade level (5% below basic). State - 42% of 11th graders were on grade level.
• 2011 - 64%, (8% below basic). State - 40%
• 2010 - 74%, State - 39%
• 2009 - 78%, State - 40%
• 2008 - 70%, State - 39%

College remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 24% of Camp Hill High School 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.

SAT scores

From January to June 2011, 61 Camp Hill students took the SAT exams. The district's Verbal Average Score was 553. The Math average score was 567. The Writing average score was 535. 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.

Graduation requirements

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.

By Pennsylvania School Board regulations, for the graduating class of 2017, students must demonstrate successful completion of secondary level course work in Algebra I, Biology, English Composition, and Literature for which the Keystone Exams serve as the final course exams. Students’ Keystone Exam scores shall count for at least one-third of the final course grade. 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.

Dual enrollment

The high school offers a dual enrollment program. This state-funded 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. The state offers a small grant to assist students in costs for tuition, fees and books. Under the Pennsylvania Transfer and Articulation Agreement, many Pennsylvania colleges and universities accept these credits for students who transfer to their institutions. The Pennsylvania College Credit Transfer System reported in 2009, that students saved nearly $35.4 million by having their transferred credits count towards a degree under the new system. For the 2009-10 funding year, the school district received a state grant of $2,660 for its dual enrollment program.

Other students, that reside in the district, who attend a private nonpublic school, charter school or are homeschooled are eligible to participate in this program.

Camp Hill Middle School

Camp Hill Middle School is located at 2401 Chestnut Street, Camp Hill. In 2010, it had 286 pupils enrolled in grades 6th through 8th, with 18 receiving a federal free or reduced-price lunch due to family poverty. The school employed 20 teachers, yielding a student–teacher ratio of 14:1. In 2011 and 2010, the school achieved AYP status. The attendance rate was 96% in 2011 and 97% in 2010.

PSSA Results

8th Grade Reading:

• 2012 - 95% on grade level (2% below basic). In Pennsylvania, 79% of 8th graders on grade level
• 2011 - 76% (8% below basic). State - 81.8%
• 2010 - 92.5%, State - 81%
• 2009 - 93%, State - 80%
• 2008 - 89%, State - 78%

8th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 89% on grade level (5% below basic). State - 76%
• 2011 - 90%, (2% below basic). State - 76.9%
• 2010 - 80%, State - 71%
• 2009 - 83%, State - 71%
• 2008 - 76%, State - 70%

8th Grade Science:

• 2012 - 82% on grade level (4% below basic). State - 59% of 8th graders were on grade level.
• 2011 - 69% (12% below basic). State – 58.3%
• 2010 - 72%, State - 57%
• 2009 - 74%, State - 55%
• 2008 - 74%, State - 52%

7th Grade Reading

• 2012 - 92% on grade level, 60% advanced. State – 76%
• 2011 - 94%, 69% advanced. State – 76%
• 2010 - 88%, State - 73%
• 2009 - 78%, State - 71%
• 2008 - 86%, State - 70%

7th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 86% on grade level, 68% advanced. State - 80%
• 2011 - 86%, 63% advanced. State - 78.6%
• 2010 - 85.5%, State - 77%
• 2009 - 81%, State - 75%
• 2008 - 83%, State - 70%

6th Grade Reading:

• 2012 - 81% (8% below basic). State - 68%
• 2011 - 83%, (4% below basic). State - 69.9%
• 2010 - 83%, State - 68%
• 2009 - 78%, State - 67%
• 2008 - 83%, State - 67%

6th Grade Math:

• 2012 - 84%, (5% below basic). State - 77%
• 2011 - 92%, (2% below basic). State - 78.8%
• 2010 - 89%, State - 78%
• 2009 - 85%, State - 75%
• 2008 - 85%, State - 72%

Special education

In December 2010, the district administration reported that 131 pupils or 10% of the district's pupils received Special Education services, with 41% of identified students having a specific learning disabilities.

In 2010, the state of Pennsylvania provided $1,026,815,000 for 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 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 Camp Hill School District received a $455,230 supplement for special education services in 2010. For the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years, 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.

Gifted education

The District Administration reported that 97 or 8.37% of its students were gifted in 2009. The highest percentage of gifted students reported among all 500 school districts and 100 public charter schools in Pennsylvania was North Allegheny School District with 15.5% of its students identified as gifted. 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.

Budget

In 2011, the average teacher salary in Camp Hill School District was $56,378.29 a year, while the cost of the benefits teachers receive was $14,288 per employee, for a total annual average teacher compensation of $70,666.73. 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 Camp Hill School District reported employing 109 teachers with a salary range of $41,000 to $141,500. In 2009, the average teacher salary, in Pennsylvania was $58,122 which was 115% of the states' median income.

In 2007, Camp Hill School District employed 90 teachers. The average teacher salary in the District was $53,491 for 180 days worked. This is the second highest teacher salary in Cumberland County. In Pennsylvania, the average salary of the 124,100 public school teachers was $54,977. As of 2007, Pennsylvania ranked in the top 10 states in average teacher salaries. When adjusted for cost of living Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the nation for teacher compensation. Additionally, the teachers receive a defined benefit pension, health insurance, professional development reimbursement, personal days, sick days, and other benefits. According to Rep. Glen Grell, a trustee of the state teacher retirement fund, a 40-year educator can retire with a pension equal to 100 percent of their final salary.

Per pupil spending Camp Hill School District administrative costs per pupil was $838.48 in 2008. This ranked 153rd out of 501 school district in PA. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. In 2009, Camp Hill Superintendent, Connie R. Kindler renewed her five year contract with a base salary of $141,500. In 2011, Kindler tendered her retirement resignation. The Pennsylvania School Board Association tracks salaries for Pennsylvania public school employees. It reports that in 2008 the average superintendent salary in Pennsylvania was $122,165. In June 2011, the Board hired David Reeder as Superintendent at a starting salary of $130,000 a year plus an extensive benefits package.

In 2008, the Camp Hill School District administration reported that per pupil spending was $12,709 which ranked 196th among Pennsylvania's then 501 public school districts. In 2010, the District’s per pupil spending had increased to $12,978.52. 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.

Reserves In 2008, the district reported a $3,096,776.00 in an unreserved-designated fund balance. By 2010, the District's reserves were 3,751,395. In 2012, Camp Hill School District's reserves were reported as $5,734,875. 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.

The School Board adopted the 2010-2011 Preliminary Budget at the February 12, 2010 Board Meeting in the amount of $16,826,793.

Tuition Students who live in the Camp Hill 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 Camp Hill 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 2012 tuition rates are Elementary School - $9,273.23, High School - $10,171.77.

Camp Hill School District is funded by a combination of: a local earned income tax 1.5%, Local Services Tax $10 a per capita taxes, a property tax, a real estate transfer tax, coupled with substantial funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the federal government. Grants can provide an opportunity to supplement school funding without raising local taxes. 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.

Basic Education Funding

For the 2013-14 school year, the School District received a 4.7% increase or $1,285,175 in Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding. This is $57,256 more than its 2012-13 state BEF to the District. Additionally, Camp Hill School District received $18,305 in Accountability Block Grant funding to focus on academic achievement and level funding for special education services. Among the public school districts in Cumberland County, Camp Hill School District received the highest percentage increase in BEF from the state. 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, the Camp Hill School District will receive $1,246,204. The Governor's Executive Budget for 2012-2013 includes $9.34 billion for kindergarten through 12th grade public education, including $5.4 billion in basic education funding, which is an increase of $49 million over the 2011-12 budget. The state also provides $100 million for the Accountability Block grant. Camp Hill School District received $18,305 in Accountability Block Grant funding to focus on academic achievement. The state will also provide $544.4 million for School Employees’ Social Security and $856 million for School Employees’ Retirement fund called PSERS.  This amount is 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, Camp Hill School District received $1,227,652 in state Basic Education Funding. Additionally, the district will receive $18,306 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 89 pupils received a free or reduced-price lunch due to the family meeting the federal poverty level.

In 2010-11 school year, Camp Hill School District received the highest increase in Cumberland County a 13.99% increase ($164,263) in Basic Education Funding for a total of $1,338,031. Four county school districts received increases of less than 6% in Basic Education Funding in 2010-11. In Pennsylvania, 15 school districts received Basic Education Funding increases in excess of 10% in 2010. Kennett Consolidated School District in Chester County received the highest with a 23.65% increase in funding. One hundred fifty school districts were allotted the base 2% state funding increase in 2010-11. 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 where 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 districts at a far greater rate than others.

In the 2009-10 budget year, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 2.28% increase in Basic Education funding for a total of $1,172,769. This was the lowest percentage point increase, in Basic Education Funding, for the school districts in Cumberland County. Two school districts, in Cumberland County, received increases of over 8% in Basic Education Funding in 2009. Ninety school districts in the commonwealth were given the base 2% increase. Among the 500 school districts in Pennsylvania, 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 set by Governor Edward G. Rendell and the Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak, as a part of the state budget proposal. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Pennsylvania spent $7,824 Per Pupil in the year 2000. This amount increased up to $12,085 by the year 2008.

The state Basic Education funding to the Camp Hill School District in 2008-09 was $1,147,618.

Pennsylvania school districts also receive additional funding from the state through several other funding allocations, including Reimbursement of Charter School Expenditures; Special Education Funding; Secondary Career & Technical Education Subsidy; PA Accountability Grants - $47,495 to Camp Hill in 2010; and Educational Assistance Program Funding. Plus all Pennsylvania school districts receive federal dollars for various programs including Special Education and Title I funding for children from low income families. In 2010, Pennsylvania spent over $24 billion for public education - local, state and federal dollars combined.

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 Camp Hill School District applied for and received $49,686 in addition to all other state and federal funding. The district used the funding to reduce class size (less than 22 pupils) in K-3rd grade.

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. The School District received $29,603 in 2006-07. In 2007-08 it received a $250,000 grant. The district did not apply for funding in 2008-09. The highest amount of funding among Cumberland County school districts was awarded to the Big Spring School District. The highest funding state wide was awarded to Philadelphia City School District in Philadelphia County - $9,409,073. In 2010, Classrooms for the Future funding was curtailed statewide due to a massive state financial crisis.

Environmental Education Grant

The Environmental Education Grant Program was established by the Environmental Education Act of 1993, which mandates that 5 percent of all pollution fines and penalties collected annually by the Department of Environmental Protection be set aside for environmental education. In 2010, Camp Hill School District was awarded $3,000 for sixth grade students to participate in a hands-on outdoor education program focused on various environmental science topics, including energy and water conservation, alternative energy, ornithology, ecology, geology and more.

Other grants

The district did not participate in the Science Its Elementary grants or the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy grant.

Federal Stimulus grant

The District received an extra $299,542 in ARRA - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low-income students. This was the lowest amount received in Cumberland County. Carlisle Area School District received the most ARRA funding at $2,618,458.

Race to the Top grant

School district officials did not apply for the Race to the Top federal grant which would have brought the district hundreds of thousands of additional federal dollars for improving student academic achievement. Participation required the administration, the school board and the local teachers' union to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In Pennsylvania, 120 public school districts and 56 charter schools agreed to participate. Pennsylvania was not approved in the first round of the grant. The failure of districts to agree to participate was cited as one reason that Pennsylvania was not approved. A second round of state RTTT application judging will occur in June 2010.

Common Cents state initiative

The Camp Hill 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

Property tax rates in 2011–12 were set at 13.1622 mills. The district had just gone through a reassessment of property. Under the old assessment, the tax rate would have been 16.21 mills. 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. 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.

• 2011-12 - 12.5925 mills.
• 2010–11 – 16.2100 mills.
• 2009–10 – 14.8000 mills
• 2008-09 - 14.2200 mills.
• 2007-08 - 13.3900 mills.

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. The average yearly property tax paid by Cumberland County residents amounts to about 2.8% of their yearly income. Cumberland County is ranked 724th of the 3143 United States counties for property taxes as a percentage of median income.

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. 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 School District Adjusted Index for the Camp Hill School District 2006–2007 through 2011–2012.

• 2006–07 – 3.9%, Base 3.9%
• 2007–08 – 3.4%, Base 3.4%
• 2008–09 – 4.4%, Base 4.4%
• 2009–10 – 4.1%, Base 4.1%
• 2010–11 – 2.9%, Base 2.9%

• 2011–12 – 1.4%, Base 1.4%
• 2012-13 - 1.7%, Base 1.7%
• 2013-14 - 1.7%, Base 1.7%

For the 2012-13 budget year, Camp Hill School Board applied for two exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index: teacher pension costs and special education costs. For 2012-2013, 274 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 Camp Hill School Board applied for exceptions to exceed the Act 1 Index for pension costs and special education costs. Each year the Camp Hill 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.

Property Tax relief

In 2009, the Homestead/Farmstead Property Tax Relief from gambling for the Camp Hill School District was $113 per approved permanent primary residence. In the district, 2,236 property owners applied for the tax relief. In Cumberland County, the highest amount of tax relief in 2009, went to Mechanicsburg Area School District at $140. The highest property tax relief went to the residents of Chester Upland School District of Delaware County who received $632 per approved homestead. The tax 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 Cumberland County, 75.93% of eligible property owners applied for property tax relief in 2009.

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, so people who make 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%).

Enrollment and Consolidation

A Standard and Poors study found that an optimal school district size, to conserve administrative costs, was 3000 pupils. The Pennsylvania Department of Education projects enrollment at Camp Hill School District to remain low through 2019. Consolidation of the administration with an adjacent school district would achieve substantial administrative cost savings for people in both communities. According to a proposal made in 2009 by Governor Edward G Rendell, the excessive administrative overhead dollars could be redirected to improve lagging academic achievement and to enrich the academic programs or to substantially reduce property taxes. Consolidation of two central administrations into one would not require the closing of any schools.

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, 42% of the 49 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.

Wellness policy

Camp Hill School Board established a district wellness policy in 2006 - 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 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 policy requires that the Superintendent or designee shall report to the Board on the district’s compliance with law and policies related to student wellness.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education required the district to submit a copy of the policy for approval.

Extracurriculars

Varsity and junior varsity athletic activities are under the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. Eligibility to participate is set by school board policy.

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 funds:

Boys

• Baseball - AA
• Basketball- AA
• Cross Country - Class A
• Football - A
• Golf - AA
• Soccer - A
• Tennis - AA
• Track and Field
• Wrestling - AA

Girls

• Basketball - AA
• Cross Country - Class A
• Field Hockey - AA
• Golf - AA
• Soccer (Fall) - A
• Softball - AA
• Girls' Tennis - AA
• Track and Field - AA

Middle School Sports

Boys

• Basketball
• Football
• Soccer
• Wrestling

Girls

• Basketball
• Field Hockey

According to PIAA directory July 2012

See also

• List of school districts in Pennsylvania

External links

• Official website