2010 asd annual report
DESCRIPTION
Highlights from the 2010 Academic YearTRANSCRIPT
2011 graduates from Louis E. Dieruff High School Below | An aspiring William Allen High School student
Allentown School District 2010-2011 Annual Report
Clockwise from top | Lunch at Dominican diner in Allentown | All in for Allentown Latino leadership celebration in July 2010 | Working with ASD Board Member Debra Lamb at administrative retreat | Breakfast meeting with Allentown clergy in spring 2011 | Talking with William Allen High School students about safety | Addressing Lehigh Carbon Community College graduates at commencement in June 2011
Background | Presentation to all ASD faculty and staff in August 2010
Every child needs a quality education to make it in today’s world. The economic reasons to regain our country’s preeminent standing amongst world powers are tied directly to classrooms in Allentown, Atlanta, Albuquerque, or any town in Alaska. Sheer population shifts (the large boomer population retiring, more and poorer immigrants seeking citizenship here, etc.) over the next two decades will impede this country’s ability to thrive if business conditions here on this continent don’t improve. As we are competing with other countries for jobs, our collective focus must shift to highly educate MORE of our people as we will need every one of them. Think of it this way:
In 2007, the United States graduated 131,676 engineers with bachelor’s degrees. In China, in 2006, almost 600,000 engineers received degrees. In India, there were over 210,000 students who received engineering diplomas. While China and India are working to bring 400,000,000 of their citizens out of dire poverty, with low-paying manual labor jobs their focus, we in the United States offer creative, innovative job opportunities with high-reward, the kinds of jobs we’ve been importing really smart people to do for our companies or government. We must step up to the plate to keep Americans working for America.
One Student at a Time, By Name
On Leadership
Dear Members of the ASD Community,
While the world may appear flat to some, we in America are acutely aware that it’s tilted against us.
For poor districts like Allentown, with inadequate funding to adequately address achievement gaps, this past year has put a wrinkle in planning with resources for us to quickly close the achievement gap here. However, ASD has been able to reach beyond and accomplish goals established as part of the Pathways to Success plan. Goals like more students graduating (up 9.8 percent), fewer dropping out (down 18.2 percent), more schools making AYP (even though the targets increased) and more students prepared to do college work or attempt attainment of trade credentialing (up by over 800).
ASD’s goal over the past year has been to institute change in the Allentown School District not for change’s sake. The shared vision instituted with support of your Allentown School District’s Board of School Directors is by design:
• to improve systems and practices so that more of our students can reach proficiency and plan for meaningful careers and college.
• to create a competency-based system that provides incentives for students to perform and treats every student as an individual, meeting their very distinct needs in order to achieve.
While the academic challenges will never be resolved without sincere support by parents and guardians helping their children to understand the importance of learning, we believe that we can make significant progress doing these simple things:
• build resiliency in the classroom, or protective layers for our students to be able to learn without distortion and discord.
• train teachers to abide by SAS (Standards Aligned System) a collaborative PDE process based on research and best practices with benchmarks for progress.
• provide professional development for teachers to practice excellent classroom management for maximum teaching time each and every day.
• offer a value-added course of instruction where we motivate staff and students to acquire 1-1/2 years of progress in one year.
• involve the Lehigh Valley community, a truly remarkable community that has been helping a lot.
• figure out together, as we have been, how to do all of this with less funding and staffing than last year.
The skills necessary to be successful in college and careers are almost identical today. The board approved very specific goals in 2010-2011 with the vision that a framework be instituted for students to be able to early Gerald L. Zahorchak, D.Ed.
Superintendent
on develop a goal-oriented personal program to graduate and know that there is a future waiting for them.
We have called this process Pathways to Success and it incorporates three specific pathways: college-bound, professional and technology careers and apprenticeship programs for industry-specific jobs.
As we completed this most challenging year with financial woes and faculty furloughs, the program of studies had been altered to channel our limited resources into academic programs at the secondary level to successfully implement the Pathways to Success, which we are doing.
Many other new programs are under construction: Career and College Access Network, Newcomer Academy, increased enrollments at the Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, new and improved Code of Conduct, before- and after-school programs, to name a few.
I would like to express my gratitude to the thousands of individuals who have communicated with me this year, with passion, commitment and sometimes sheer wonder, anger or awe at the amount of work we are attempting to surmount. We are poised to overcome extremely objectionable obstacles only if we work harder and smarter than everyone else with clear ends in mind.
We hope you will join us.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve,
If you are working for Allentown School District, you probably carry with you the following qualifications:
• A capacity to adapt to rapid change; • A copious amount of passion for students; • A daily dose of pride for the students that advance each day; • A tremendous amount of patriotism, sheer pride in knowing what being
an American means; • The understanding that the job is much more than 40 hours per week; • The confidence that you know what you are doing and the credentials
to prove it; • The belief that you can really make a difference.
In the past year, Allentown School District has been working toward a new district design that will address the needs of not just some of our students, but all of our students, no matter the ethnicity, length of stay in the district, life challenges or language barriers.
As an urban district, we believe that all students can learn, can make progress and can achieve the American dream. As caretakers of these tender young lives, we must daily put aside any personal priorities in order to provide unconditional support to each and every student. While this is the goal of every public education institution in our country, it is amplified in urban settings where diversity, poverty, multi-culturalism and language deficits are huge. Further, we must provide care and support for each other.
If you are a student in Allentown, you are likely striving to make a difference for your family, figuring out ways that you can excel at home and at school, and for many of you, on the job. Allentown’s clean, bright schools with good cafeteria food and strong safety nets should make you feel safe. Your own initiatives to express yourself to let people know your needs and desires, to communicate with your teachers every day, will be advantageous to you in the long run. Plan on going to college, and expect your counselors to help you (as well as your family, if they can).
I’ve been a part of the Allentown School District family since 2004. The past year has been especially rewarding, and challenging. I am looking forward to
2011-2012 as we continue with the implementation plans for Pathways to Success.
C. Russell Mayo, Ed.D., Deputy SuperintendentDr. Mayo was named acting superintendent of Allentown School District effective August 18, 2011 after the resignation of Dr. Gerald L. Zahorchak.
From the Deputy Superintendent
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Vision & Goals
Clockwise from top | Group shot of the entire Board of Directors | Group photo (left to right) of Board Vice-President Julie Ambrose, Board members Donna Daday, Esq., Andrew Weiss and Robert E. Smith, Jr. providing student recognition at January’s monthly meeting | Board member Andrew Weiss with Deb Hartman, director, special education, at 2010 Administrative Retreat | President Jeff Glazier with Trexler students and Principal Karen Gabryluk | Dr. Zahorchak with Board members Holly Edinger (left) and Debra Lamb | Board member Robert E. Smith, Jr. | Board member and Vice-President Julie Ambrose
ViSion
Pathways to Success provides every student in the Allentown School District with an individualized academic plan that leads to graduation and success in post-secondary education or a job paying a family-sustaining wage.
GoALS
The 2010-2014 goals are aligned with the Pathways to Success framework. The Board of Directors identified the following goals as achievable as the School District of the City of Allentown tackles middle and high school reform:
Academic Performance
• The district is adding value to students performance (PVAAS) in both reading and math.
• Progress is being made on the district’s graduation rate to be at least 90% at 2014.
• Increasing student proficiency with 83% of students proficient or above in math and 78% in reading is a priority.
• The number of students below basic will decline by 78%.
• The number of students below grade level will decline by 12%.
• The gap between white and minority students in both reading and math across all grade levels will decrease by 60%.
• In our efforts to ensure excellence for all students, the district will increase the number of white students at grade level in both math and reading from 72% in 2010 to 92% in 2014 and minority students from 55% in 2010 to 82% in 2014.
• All students will successfully participate in hands-on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning.
Safety and Climate
• The district has been establishing a safe school culture.
College
• 475 more students will earn college credits in high school.
• 53% more high school students will complete at least one Advanced Placement (AP) course successfully, and doubling the percent minority students taking AP (successfully = scoring three or higher on AP exams).
• Increase post-secondary commitments with 80% of students furthering their education.
• Monitor post-secondary students so that 79% of them successfully complete their first year.
ASD Board Invests in Progress
Luis A. Ramos Elementary School students2
newcomer Academy opens for High Schoolers new to the U.S.
Calling all estudiantes, , étudiantes, sinh viên, , studenten, studenti, students! Located on the east side at Midway Manor School, ASD’s new Newcomer Academy will serve as a first year high school experience for students new to the United States. Annually, ASD enrolls 120-150 students from around the world. The program offers focused English language instruction with specially-supported courses so students are able to achieve the skills necessary for successful immersion into either William Allen High School or Louis E. Dieruff High School. Jane Schreiber, director, Office of English Language Acquisition (ELA), is leading the program.
Enrollment is based upon placement tests and other parameters such as: • Home language survey
• WIDA-ACCESS placement test (WAPT) • Math placement test • Previous school records
Once students are enrolled, they will be scheduled with the following courses: • English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses • Math courses in algebra and geometry
• Courses in physical and survey of science • United States history courses • Breakfast and lunch • Extracurricular activities and tutoring • Monthly parental involvement activities
ASD’s focused English language instruction will benefit students socially, culturally and academically.
Vietnam native ngan Duong, a sophomore at William Allen High School, is taking ESL Intensive Reading in the dual enrollment program at Lehigh Carbon Community College’s Donley Center in Allentown. She is seen here with Abe Karahoca, ESL facilitator.
One of the lessons we seek to instill in our students is that they need to be lifelong learners if they expect to be successful. The same is true for school board members. Few of us are educators and we have plenty to learn to do our jobs well. It’s not just pedagogy: it’s building construction; it’s finance; it’s personnel policy; etc. While I have learned to speak with confidence about the intricacies of school funding and finance, it is the larger lessons I’ve learned that inform my outlook on education and guide my actions. The three most important lessons I’ve learned are: money well spent matters; there are no silver bullets; it takes a community to educate our students.
During the 2006-2009 period, the state began to invest more resources in Allentown to address our historical funding shortfall. We used these funds to expand pre-kindergarten, to implement more full-day kindergarten, to purchase current textbooks and to update almost 1/3 of our antiquated schools in order to reduce class size and improve the learning environment. This money, well spent, has positively impacted student achievement.
Americans always like simple solutions for complex problems. Consider public education: for years charter schools and vouchers have been loudly touted as the solutions for its urban ills.
However, recent research, like the CREDO study, has shown that they fall far short of being the panacea their promoters promised. Our efforts to improve urban education would be better spent by implementing a rigorous and rich curriculum, more training and better paying for our professionals, and more thorough engagement of our students, parents and our community.
We increasingly rely on our committed community partners to help us meet our students’ needs. This appears to be the case as we look to the future with less state and federal support available in an economy that will expect us to do more with less. Communities in Schools, the Foundation for Allentown City Schools and the United Way of the Greater
Lehigh Valley are just three of the hundreds of organizations and volunteers that lend a hand each and every day.
As I leave this board at the end of 2011, I know we have made sure and steady
progress and am proud of our staff and students for doing so. I wish current and future board members the courage to identify and support the right priorities that will help our students the most and keep Allentown on the right track. Thank you for the honor and privilege to serve.
Jeff Glazier President, ASD Board of School Directors, 2004-2008 and 2009-2011 Board Tenure 1999-2011
Letter from Board President
Lessons Learned
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Academic Performance
Focused on the Ends
Clockwise from top | Reading Teacher Eleanor Urban at Raub Middle School | Lincoln ECC teacher Susan Bonnie reading to students | Students in Lincoln ECC’s listening center | ASD Administrators (left to right): Union Terrace Elementary School Principal David Hahn, Cleveland Elementary School Principal Robert Wheeler, ii, Executive Director PreK–12 Karen Boardman, Director of Literacy Carol Hagenbuch, STEM Director Kelly Rosario, and Mosser Elementary School Principal Peter Mayes | A civic education lesson in action | Louis E. Dieruff High School new academic team (left to right): Operations Assistant Principal Patrick Mcnulty, Academic Principal Susan Bocian and Assistant Principal Michael Marcks
With the formation of the Standards-Aligned System (SAS) Committee in fall 2010, ten ASD administrators and ten teacher members of the Allentown Education Association meet monthly to plan for teacher and principal evaluation and professional development to ensure that ongoing district curriculum and instruction are aligned and
focused. The professional development focus on the SAS Committee is in six areas: SAS, comprehension checks, higher order thinking skills, quality teaching for English learners, resiliency and responsive classroom management.
Academic goals defined by the board are focused on efforts to align the system.
ACADEMIC GOALS
The district is adding value to students’ performance (PVAAS) in both reading and math.
Progress is being made on the district’s graduation rate to be at least 90% at 2014.
Increase student proficiency with 83% of students proficient or above in math and 78% in reading by 2014.
The number of students below basic will decline by 78%.
The number of students below grade level will decline by 12%.
The gap between white and minority students in both reading and math across all grade levels will decrease by 60%.
In our efforts to ensure excellence for all students, we will increase the number of white students at grade level in both math and reading from 72% in 2010 to 92% in 2014 and minority students from 55% in 2010 to 82% in 2014.
All students will successfully participate in hands-on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning.
PROGRESS 2010-2011
www.allentownsd.org/valueadded
www.allentownsd.org/graduationrate
www.allentownsd.org/proficiency
www.allentownsd.org/belowbasic
www.allentownsd.org/belowgradelevel
www.allentownsd.org/closethegap
www.allentownsd.org/atgradelevel
www.allentownsd.org/stem
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Robert Culp, Ed.D., Chief Academic Officer
Karen Boardman, Executive Director of PreK-12 Education
Ann Marie Breidenbach, Teacher
Kim Burke, Teacher
Deb Tretter, President, AEA
Karen Gabryluk, Principal, Trexler Middle School
Mary Ellen Gamble, Principal’s Aide, Lincoln ECC
Anthony Greitzer, Teacher
Deborah Hartman, Director of Special Education
Trevor Jackson, Chief Financial Officer
Susan Lozada, Executive Director of Community & Student Services
Jill Meitzler, Teacher
Lisa Miller, Teacher
Frank nickischer, Teacher
Rita Perez, Director of Human Capital Management & Talent Development
Michele Ryan, Principal, Sheridan Elementary School
Jonathan Schultz, Teacher
Cynthia Wenner, Teacher
David Wildonger, Executive Director of High School Graduation Initiatives
“ Please congratulate the ASD team for a wonderful step forward this year! I believe they are going in the right direction.”
— Jane Ervin Executive Director Community Services for Children (Headstart) Allentown, Pa.
——————————————————————————————————— It’s Elementary Inside SAS: Building Today’s Teachers and Leaders by Design
A performance-driven framework, Standards-Aligned System is a Pennsylvania Department of Education tool that emphasizes six key ingredients: clear standards, fair assessments, instruction, curriculum framework, materials & resources and interventions. SAS performance responsibilities for teachers in order for
them to provide leadership include student-teacher mentoring, teamwork, new teacher mentoring, board certification support and principals-in-training. Measured results of students’ efforts can be highly effective in directing a child’s education plan with the right metrics and knowledge of differentiated instruction.
ASD PRoGRESS
MATH % 2002-2003 2004-2005 2006-2007 2008-2009 2010-2011
Black 31% 37% 52% 54% 56% +25 pts.
Hispanic 26% 39% 49% 54% 56% +30 pts.
White 54% 56% 68% 71% 71% +17 pts.
READING % 2002-2003 2004-2005 2006-2007 2008-2009 2010-2011
Black 35% 32% 43% 47% 47% +12 pts.
Hispanic 27% 30% 39% 44% 45% +18 pts.
White 57% 55% 63% 66% 63% + 6 pts.
# students Adv + Prof / total number = % proficiency Despite No Child Left Behind targets, ASD students in all ethnic categories have improved, some significantly.
SAS Committee 2010-2011The Public View
SAS is one of two strategic priorities in the district.
ASD DEMoGRAPHiCS
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Safety & Climate
Resiliency for Effective Classroom Management
Clockwise from top | The “Start Your Day Right ” program, a before-school program for elementary students, begins September 2011 | Louis E. Dieruff and William Allen High School students attending a multicultural conference in Kennett Square, Pa. | On September 30, 2010, Russell “Rooster” Valentini, ASD homeless educational liaison officer, received the Children’s Advocate award from the Weller Health Education Center | Allentown Police Department officials with ASD elementary principals refereeing intra-championship game | Central Elementary students touring Blue Cross dental van | Washington Elementary students with Allen High School basketball players celebrating their winter championship against McKinley, Jefferson, Mosser, Dodd and Ramos Elementary Schools
In 2010-2011, Allentown School District took a comprehensive approach to improving classroom management with several tools, all aimed at improving resiliency for our students, teachers and staff who work in this diverse school district. Highlights and priorities of several new programs include:
HiGHLiGHTS 2010-2011 ____
• Planning for a well-defined strategy and team approach at the school level to improve the graduation rate and decrease the dropout rate;
• The introduction of a $300,000 grant-funded Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Initiative that integrates the PATHS program with Olweus anti-bullying best practices for kindergartners through second grade to improve student interpersonal skills;
• Instituting a middle school protocol that develops responsible behavior starting with self-awareness and self-management and tackling interpersonal skills and decision-making using both Olweus anti-bullying practices and a program called Second Step;
• For high school students, Olweus will be more greatly integrated into the secondary program;
• Introduction of the IBEAM alternative education program at Jackson School, in addition to the Success Academy offered by Communities in Schools and the Vista I and Vista II programs;
Left | Cleveland Elementary School Boy Scouts proudly displaying their derby car
• Increased support by the area’s three major hospital systems: Lehigh Valley Health Network; St. Luke’s Health Network; and Sacred Heart Health System;
• Increased outreach efforts to include six outreach workers assigned to the 15 elementary schools;
• Added two parent liaisons for a total of eight serving five secondary schools and one elementary school;
PRioRiTiES 2011-2012
• A new districtwide Comprehensive Suspension Program (CSP) for better understanding of the role of detention through expulsion incorporating more systematic reporting methods;
• An increase in the number of full-day kindergartners to 725, or almost 50% of the total kindergarten population;
• Preliminary investigation of school uniforms;
• Hiring one outreach worker for each secondary school so that all of the schools have social emotional support in 2011-2012.
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Congratulations to Allentown’s 2010-2011 Outstanding Educators, who were selected by their peers and were recognized during a reception at the Holiday Inn, Allentown, on May 24.
Jessie Armbuster | Autistic Support Teacher, Francis D. Raub Middle School | “Working for the Allentown School District presents many unique challenges. These challenges…are responsible for making me who I am today. It takes a village to raise a teacher.”
Cathy Eck | Learning Support Teacher (retired), Hiram W. Dodd Elementary School | “Teaching in the Allentown School District has been my singular passion. The implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), at the beginning of my career, gave me the opportunity to be part of this sweeping change…”
Robin Hohe | Third Grade Teacher, Jefferson Elementary School | “Working with inner city children is the most challenging and rewarding job ever. I love the students and parents I work with and value the positive influence I make on their lives.”
Peter iles | English Teacher, William Allen High School | “I am proud of Allen High School and the work my colleagues do at Allen High School each day. We move kids in the right direction every day. We see improvement each day, and we take care of our kids each day. I am proud to be a part of that.”
Below | Dorothy “Dorrie” Stauffer (retired) | Kindergarten Teacher, Midway Manor Early Childhood Center | “Being nominated as an Outstanding Educator is an honor but I feel I am the teacher that I am because of the staff and leadership that I have been privileged to work along side. Kindergarten is an important step…”
AEA outstanding Educators Awards 2010-2011
There is evidence based on several formal and informal studies over the past year that clear and consistent boundaries are being defined in the classrooms across Allentown. This yields more fairness and equity in the understanding of rules and guidelines for better compliance by students and staff.
The Safe Schools/Healthy Students Grant Initiative research in 2010-2011 reported these key findings by staff:
• 93.9% of staff reported that ASD elementary schools are a safe place for staff.
• 97.5% agree that ASD elementary schools set high standards for academic performance for all students.
SAFETY & CLIMATE GOAL
The district has established a safe school culture.
PROGRESS 2010-2011
www.allentownsd.org/safeschools
Left | Executive Director of Community & Student Services Susan Lozada with ASD Outreach Workers & Parent Liaisons:
(Front row, left to right) Haronis Tavarez, Karim Brown, Susan Lozada, Maria Surita, Tania Brannon;
(Back row, left to right) Paula Espinal, ivette Yunez, Daisy Andujar, Ana Martinez, Veronica Jarvis, Dan
Brown, Fe Candelario, James Colon-Sanchez, Jaime Cruz-Ramos, Grisel Cruz de Alvarez, Marbel Solano, Yazmin Velez, Meg Silverman, Ruth Fiorito
The Public View
• 0.3% of ASD middle schoolers use tobacco or alcohol and drugs.
• 8.6% believe that gang-related activity is a problem in the middle schools, down from 11.9% last year.
• 51.6% agree that disruptive student behavior in middle schools is a problem.
• 74.5% agree that ASD middle schools are safe places for students.
There is much to do, but in 2010-2011, many programs have been implemented to systematically monitor progress and identify the gaps more quickly for interventions to improve conditions. Additional research can be found for every school in the Key Performance Indicator (kpi) links found on pages 11, 13 and 15.
“ I’m excited about the before-school program, Start Your Day Right. One of our main ACHIEVE goals increases physical activity before, during and after school. We couldn’t ask for anything better than this for before school physical exercise.”
— Tina Amato, MS, LDN, RD Nutrition & Physical Activity Manager Allentown Health Bureau
“ We received good news at the volunteer recognition breakfast at McKinley Elementary School that the grade level literacy rate for the kids my church works with went up from 31 percent to 66 percent! We are including reading in all our summer programs because just because it is summer, literacy does not take a break. So when they come to Vacation Bible School, they will be reading!”
— Rev. Woody Maxon Pastor, Christ Lutheran Church Allentown
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College & Career Focus
Building a System to Nurture, Tutor & Provide Hope for Success
Heavy emphasis on college throughout the district this year:
Clockwise from top | Local professionals mentoring ASD students interested in the architectural, construction and engineering (ACE) industry | One of 540 Jefferson Elementary School students attending Field Day at Muhlenberg College in May 2011 | Central Elementary teachers proudly displaying their college pride for students early in the year | William Allen High School students attending football camp at Princeton University in spring 2011 | Travis Holihan, William Allen High School senior, appointed to U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY | Farah Vallera, farm educator, Flint Hill Farms, talking with Raub students on Career Day in May 2011
Below | Lehigh University Football player reading to Cleveland Elementary School students in fall 2010
How do educators gauge a student’s preparedness for college and career readiness, in an America that now needs every single child working toward a productive and happy future? According to the U.S. Department of Education (2010), increasing numbers of states
are tracking student data on college readiness indicators, showing both that states see the importance of such data in judging school quality and that they have already laid the groundwork for including such indicators in public reporting and accountability systems:
CoLLEGE-READinESS inDiCAToRS
► Advanced Placement (AP) course-taking 31 states ► Dual credit courses 25 states ► Percentage of high school graduates who go to college 21 states ► College remediation rates of public high school graduates 32 states ► College GPA, credit attainment, or other academic indicators 14 states ► SAT, ACT or AP scores 9 states ► One-year college retention rates 9 states Sources: U.S. Department of Education (2010); Aldeman and Carey (2009);
Data Quality Campaign (2010). These indicators will be the new, more relevant aligned goals for the future.
The need for a common standardization of core programs of studies and assessment tools across all 50 states is painfully obvious. At the local level across the state and the country, parents, educators and politicians spend time arguing over what is the right program when there are professionals at much higher levels with more data results to create and provide the consistent core standards for excellence for children. When these national standards are imposed, this presents an opportunity for schools and communities to truly align teaching, tutoring and supports to common curriculum goals. “Because of this lack of uniformity, students with the same actual achievement levels could be considered “proficient” in one state, but may not be in another,” says the report (see www.ed.gov). In fact, we all know that
proficient in science in one school district is different than proficient in another. That is why as many valid quality indicators as we can deploy are useful to us in making value-added classrooms work for our students.
While Allentown has one of the broadest AP programs, with more than 20 offerings, in the region, the number of ASD students taking these courses and passing these tests in the past is low. These courses, when passed, will help students be accepted to college — and will reduce the cost of that education. More parents and guardians need to be encouraged to assist in enrolling more students in these classes. This is the wave of the future. ASD is continuing the tradition of paying for ASD students to take AP tests.
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COLLEGE & CAREER GOALS
Increase student commitments to post-secondary colleges and programs to 80% of students graduating.
Monitor post-secondary students so that 79% successfully complete their first year.
475 more students will earn college credits in high school.
53% more high school students will complete at least one Advanced Placement (AP) course successfully, with many minority students succeeding, all scoring three or higher on AP exams.
PROGRESS 2010-2011
www.allentownsd.org/postsecondarycommitment
www.allentownsd.org/postsecondarymonitor
www.allentownsd.org/collegecredit
www.allentownsd.org/ap
In fall 2010, the ASD administration developed a framework for success for ASD students. Seen here is that educational model called Pathways to Success. The high school program of studies was modified to adapt to this plan which students, achieving success in core ninth grade courses, are able to select career paths at that point in their studies to follow college, technical or trade routes for success.
The requirements for students taking AP courses are the same as for all the Pathways to Success. Students are required to successfully complete the Keystone Exams or equivalent in English Composition and Algebra I and the appropriate lead-up courses. More ASD middle school students will be challenged to take high school courses to ensure they are on track for the higher level high school courses. (See www.collegeboard.com/student).
The dual enrollment part of ASD Pathways to Success provides students with opportunities to take college course offerings from either Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) or The Pennsylvania State University. Students are simultaneously enrolled at both their home high school and either LCCC or Penn State. The benefits for students successfully completing dual enrollment courses include:
• Students are able to receive college credit while in high school at no cost, saving students and parents’ significant tuition costs before attending college.
• High school students are able to experience the dynamics of a college classroom before actually entering college.
• Students easily transition from high school to college with a working knowledge of what to expect.
• Successful completion of dual enrollment courses can shorten the time to college degree completion.
• College credit is earned at the same time as high school credit, helping students narrow down their career interests by giving them the chance to explore a variety of fields at the college level.
• Please see www.lccc.edu or www.psu.edu for more information.
ASD kids, like other kids in the world, can do this work, but only if the adults in the community expect them to do so. Expectations matter most.
If you would like to learn more on the Common Core State Standards Initiative, please go to www.corestandards.org. Governors and state commissioners from 48 states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories have collaborated with educators for a state-led initiative. The more consistent a national standard, the more educators in America can provide academic focus and success for MORE students.
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Elementary Schools
With 8,800 elementary students, almost half of Allentown School District’s population, it is heartening to know that outstanding academic performance is the foundation for excellence. The charts below reveal two key points:
• Our elementary students continue to improve in the area of mathematics.
The Foundation for Excellence
Clockwise from top | Fifth grade teacher Becky Landis, semi-finalist in the Pennsylvania Department of Education Teacher of the Year contest, with her Cleveland Elementary classroom | Allentown Center City Rotary women with ASD students on Dictionary Day in September 2010 | Second grade reading sessions at Muhlenberg Elementary | The Allentown Fire Department rewarding Sheridan Elementary students with a surprise fire truck ride for excellence in academics and citizenship; all elementary schools participate every spring | Students from Union Terrace Elementary celebrating spring | PA AYP Keystone principals (left to right): Betty Shankweiler, Lehigh Parkway; Robert Wheeler, Cleveland Elementary; Tina Belardi, Ph.D., Hiram W. Dodd; nicolas Perez, Jefferson; Heather Bennett, Roosevelt; Marybeth Kornfeind-Ralston, Ramos; Melissa Marcks, Ritter; and Phil Turton, Muhlenberg | Roosevelt Elementary students visiting a KNBT bank branch
In addition to a districtwide core program and research-based intervention programs, two ASD schools, Central and McKinley, also implemented Success for All (SFA) a comprehensive core literacy program, and Reading Recovery, an intensive, individualized intervention program for first grade students. This schoolwide, comprehensive, research-based program implemented in grades 1-5 provides focus with 90-minute blocks for reading instruction that includes phonemic awareness, conventions of print, comprehension skills, vocabulary and fluency. Power teaching and the creation of Solution Teams are other SFA strategies for success.
The district continued to implement and strengthen the use of Guided Math across all of its elementary schools. Guided Math allows teachers to differentiate instruction and target individual student needs. During Guided Math instruction, students have the opportunity to be engaged with grade level standards for a portion of the class; in small groups, they then focus on their individual gaps and needs for another portion of the math class. In addition, students practice previously learned concepts and skills for greater retention and understanding while they are learning new concepts.
MATHEMATiCS: PROFICIENT + ADVANCED PSSA
LEVEL 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
TARGET SCORE 45 45 56 56 56 67
District Grades 3-5 64 64 65 67 67 70
READinG: PROFICIENT + ADVANCED PSSA
LEVEL 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
TARGET SCORE 54 54 63 63 63 72
District Grades 3-5 47 48 49 54 50 54
• A Balanced Literacy Approach, which provides whole group, small group and independent instruction, is helping the district improve in reading. In addition, a variety of supplemental intervention literacy programs provide support to all students in ASD, who speak over 25 native languages and come from more than 40 countries.
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Central Moves into the ASD Winners’ Circle
With one principal leaving and a new one taking the reins in December 2010, Central Elementary School’s 700 students proved they were poised to continue academic growth despite administrative changes. The elementary school, which has never reached any Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmarks, stole the show this year with a Making AYP designation and improved 2010-2011 PSSA results. Look at this progress: • Central met all 25 of its AYP targets, as stipulated by the No Child Left
Behind federal legislation including monitoring subgroup testing. • The school exceeded its PSSA test participation target of 95%. • Its annual attendance target of 90% was surpassed. • Math scores increased from 11% to 58.3%. • A new reading program at Central helped increase scores from 34%
proficient to 39.5%. • The past principal of Central Elementary, Michael Rodriquez,
built a value-added environment. • New Central principal Jeffrey Fries has expanded community
involvement and increased the structure for learning. • It’s the first time Central moves into the winners’ circle.
An amazingly improved performance in math, 45 percentage points since 2002, reveals that Central is just 8.7 points from the 2011 proficiency goal of 67. That big leap moves the school into the realm of Making Progress. Reading scores, too, continue a steady climb, but much more progress in reading needs to happen. English Language Learners (ELL) at Central are among the highest in the district. Central families are classified 96.6 percent low income; 91.9 percent minorities; 16.9 percent ELL.
Above, top to bottom | Second graders from Dodd Elementary School working together | McKinley Elementary students participate in the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart event
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education Color Key for Adequate Yearly Progress:
Made AYP Making Progress Warning Corrective Action
ELEMEnTARY SCHooLS
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AYP PA VALUE-ADD ASSESSMENT SYSTEM (PVAAS) PSSA RESULTS www.allentownsd.org/central/kpi Central www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/central www.allentownsd.org/pssa/central www.allentownsd.org/cleveland/kpi Cleveland www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/cleveland www.allentownsd.org/pssa/cleveland
Hiram W. www.allentownsd.org/dodd/kpi Dodd www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/dodd www.allentownsd.org/pssa/dodd www.allentownsd.org/jefferson/kpi Jefferson www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/jefferson www.allentownsd.org/pssa/jefferson
Lehigh www.allentownsd.org/lp/kpi Parkway www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/lp www.allentownsd.org/pssa/lp www.allentownsd.org/mckinley/kpi McKinley www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/mckinley www.allentownsd.org/pssa/mckinley www.allentownsd.org/mosser/kpi Mosser www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/mosser www.allentownsd.org/pssa/mosser www.allentownsd.org/muhlenberg/kpi Muhlenberg www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/muhlenberg www.allentownsd.org/pssa/muhlenberg
Luis A. www.allentownsd.org/ramos/kpi Ramos www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/ramos www.allentownsd.org/pssa/ramos www.allentownsd.org/ritter/kpi Ritter www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/ritter www.allentownsd.org/pssa/ritter www.allentownsd.org/roosevelt/kpi Roosevelt www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/roosevelt www.allentownsd.org/pssa/roosevelt www.allentownsd.org/sheridan/kpi Sheridan www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/sheridan www.allentownsd.org/pssa/sheridan
Union www.allentownsd.org/ut/kpi Terrace www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/ut www.allentownsd.org/pssa/ut www.allentownsd.org/washington/kpi Washington www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/washington www.allentownsd.org/pssa/washington
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Middle Schools
Building Better Bridges
Clockwise from top | South Mountain students presenting childhood obesity project for Project Citizen | Raub students at PSSA pep rally | Fundraising at Trexler Middle School for victims of Allentown gas explosion | South Mountain students named “Best New School” Mathletes at Math Counts Competition | Technology teacher Jennifer Walz and student Loren Groenewold in the Dr. John A. McAdams, Jr. Space Center at Harrison-Morton Middle School | Students from the four middle schools play after the Allentown School District Foundation’s Summer Arts Celebration
Building better bridges from elementary to high school is the priority for Allentown School District’s middle school administrators. Taking the lead is South Mountain Middle School (SMMS). With its designation as a Community School, SMMS has dedicated itself to increased levels of parent and community involvement. “At SMMS, we focused on raising all students’ higher level mathematics abilities,” says Frank Derrick, principal. “We implemented a sixth grade pre-algebra program and doubled our amount of honors math classes in seventh and eighth grades. We also tried to involve all of our students in sports, clubs and activities. We had winning records in most of our sports and had full attendance in all of our clubs and activities. We also expanded our connection with local colleges, bringing hundreds of pre-service teachers to help within our instructional classrooms and support individual tutoring.” New leadership at Harrison-Morton Middle School and an expanded new team
MATHEMATiCS: PROFICIENT + ADVANCED PSSA
LEVEL 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
TARGET SCORE 45 45 56 56 56 67
District Grades 6-8 46 51 51 51 52 54
READinG: PROFICIENT + ADVANCED PSSA
LEVEL 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
TARGET SCORE 54 54 63 63 63 72
District Grades 6-8 43 43 46 44 46 44
at Raub Middle School will provide renewed energy and focus for these two historic Allentown schools. Trexler Middle School, with its active PTA and arts activities, remains committed to responding to the language arts challenge with strong intervention programs as all the middle schools are doing. In all four middle schools, READ 180, which is a comprehensive research-based intervention program, was implemented to support struggling readers. In addition, middle school social studies teachers received ongoing professional development in Reading Apprenticeship, enabling them to incorporate inquiry, collaboration and reading strategies into content area lessons. In addition to the establishment of the Greater Allentown Math Science Partnership for educators in grades 4-8, middle school science educators began to create a curriculum consistent across the middle schools.
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More than 1,000 Mountaineers continue the climb as they make academic progress almost every year, doubling student PSSA proficiency scores in mathematics from 33 percent to 63 percent over the past nine years.
South Mountain is the only middle school to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). It is no coincidence that South Mountain is also the first middle school to implement a community school model so far. The transformation of SMMS into a “Community School” is a collaborative effort among the school administrators and teachers, the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and Communities in Schools of the Lehigh Valley (CISLV), monitoring student and family needs and providing extended day programs and services that specifically target literacy, parental engagement and safety.
“In February 2011, Community School Director Wendy Seiffert and I issued a challenge to the community to get connected by donating one hour of their time before the end of the school year,” says Frank Derrick, principal. “The community responded and we are grateful.”
Over 95 percent of teachers agree and claim that the school climate is welcoming; parent and guardian involvement has increased.
In this type of environment, teachers can thrive. Take for example, Juan Enriquez, teacher, social studies (right). Enriquez was recognized as this year’s recipient of the Howard L. Klopp Exemplary Teacher Award by Cedar Crest College.
Even with ample communal support and excellent teaching, there are bound to be plateaus. Progress in reading continues slowly, from 41 percent in 2002 to 49.4 percent in 2011. Twelve percent of students require ESL classes; 86.4 percent are classified as low income.
Recent evidence from the Pennsylvania Department of Education is hopeful and suggests that the Mountaineers are poised to lead the secondary program all the way to the top. A School Improvement Grant for $1 million per year for three years (based on compliance and availability of funds) was awarded in August 2011 and will go a long way to achieving the academic goals of this large Allentown middle school.
South Mountain Middle School Making Progress
South Mountain Middle School block party
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education Color Key for Adequate Yearly Progress:
Made AYP Making Progress Warning Corrective Action
MiDDLE SCHooLS KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
AYP PA VALUE-ADD ASSESSMENT SYSTEM (PVAAS) PSSA RESULTS
Francis D. www.allentownsd.org/raub/kpi Raub www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/raub www.allentownsd.org/pssa/raub
Harrison- www.allentownsd.org/hmms/kpi Morton www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/hmms www.allentownsd.org/pssa/hmms
South www.allentownsd.org/smms/kpi Mountain www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/smms www.allentownsd.org/pssa/smms www.allentownsd.org/trexler/kpi Trexler www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/trexler www.allentownsd.org/pssa/trexler
“ Dear Lyssa: I am in tears as I reply to your email!!!! Words can’t express how grateful I am for you and your help over the summer!!! It has been a difficult road over the past 12 years, one I refuse to give up on. Isaiah had a very rough time with his mom and has struggled to realize just how amazing and smart he is!!!! It wasn’t an easy or well-received decision to make him attend summer school, but we knew it was the right one. And the results are even more than we could have ever hoped for. He is like a different child, one that is understanding his worth. Now that he has tasted success, he will only hunger for it more. Again, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!! Many blessings to you!!!”
— Wil & Cheryl Scott, Parents Sent to Lyssa Busolits Sixth Grade Learning Support Teacher South Mountain Middle School
“ I am the mother of two boys (photo right), Griffin (left) and Tanner, who attend Trexler Middle School. Tanner (#52) is in 7th and Griffin is in 6th grade. My two boys have completed two full years in the Allentown School District and I am absolutely certain I made the right choice in their education path.”
— Tracy Schurawlow, Mother Trexler Middle School
“ Thank you for the lovely note on Mira’s report card, Principal Gabryluk. Mira was so touched to read your note of encouragement after working hard all year. All in all, Mira had a terrific year. Thank you and your dedicated staff at Trexler Middle School.”
— Cathy Kim, Mother Trexler Middle School
The Public View
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High Schools
Struggling and Hoping Small Learning Communities are the Answer
William Allen High School (clockwise from above left) | Edgardo Torres, winner of the 15th Congressional District Art Award, with Congressman Charles Dent | The William Allen High School mascot, the Canary | Canary men’s District XI championship basketball team | William Allen Dance Academy’s annual concert | Michael Rodriguez, new academic principal, William Allen High School | WAHS Latino Leadership Club | Proud 2011 William Allen High School graduates
While Allentown School District’s two high schools struggle to make AYP, consistently unable to meet targets, the administration is taking significant steps to restructure the curriculum in order to maximize achievement potential and cultivate the motivation needed for improvement.
The development of small learning communities at both high schools will
provide better support to staff and students with a clear focus on academics as priority. These communities include the Ninth Grade Academy, the Lehigh Career & Technical Institute (LCTI) program and, new in 2011-2012, the introduction of PODs. In addition, GEAR UP Funding provides enrichment opportunities for a select class year of ninth grade students to help them on their pathways to success.
The Reading Apprenticeship Framework continues to be used in all English and social studies classes, helping teachers to plan lessons that focus on engaging students in inquiry and collaboration. In addition, the READ 180 program provides extra support in reading skills and was expanded this year in both high schools.
Allentown School District instituted a three week Gaming Academy summer enrichment program for high school students, developing STEM skills in computer programming, mathematics and design. Teachers working on improvements to begin in September 2011 include algebra and geometry curricula-aligned with Keystone Exams and Common Core standards.
MATHEMATiCS: PROFICIENT + ADVANCED PSSA
LEVEL 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
TARGET SCORE 45 45 56 56 56 67
District Grades 9-12 28 32 39 37 34 31
READinG: PROFICIENT + ADVANCED PSSA
LEVEL 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
TARGET SCORE 54 54 63 63 63 72
District Grades 9-12 44 43 43 45 49 40
Angel Arroyo, a junior heavy equipment operations student from William Allen
High School, earned a Safety Award from the Lehigh Career & Technical
Institute (LCTI) Safe School Committee for his role in helping to save a woman’s life. Arroyo is a NJROTC student whose skilled training taught him to remain calm in emergency situations. Arroyo also received the Meritorious Achievement ribbon, the highest
honor bestowed to a NJROTC cadet.
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ASD Modernizes High School Curriculum with College offerings
Earning college credit while in high school helps students prepare for the transition from high school to college, can save students and parents significant tuition costs and can shorten the time to college degree completion. Allentown School District provides opportunities for students to earn college credit with two options:
• Advanced Placement (AP): AP courses allow high school teachers to provide college level courses on-site. Students who score high enough on the end-of-course exam earn college credit for the course. In 2009-2010, 319 ASD students were enrolled in AP courses and took 700 AP tests.
• Dual Enrollment: The dual enrollment program provides students with opportunities to take college course offerings from both Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) and Penn State University. Students are simultaneously enrolled at both their home high school and either LCCC or Penn State. New in 2011, the dual enrollment program at ASD has 794 students enrolled for 2011-2012.
ASD GRADUATion RATES SELECTED SCHooL YEARS 2004-2005 2005-2006 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 Improvement
Louis E. Dieruff 56.10 60.32 69.02 70.33 70.54 .21 pts.
William Allen 66.73 64.43 65.37 68.64 71.88 3.24 pts.
ASD was one of 29 school districts — and the only one in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania — to receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education for High School Graduation Initiative (HSGI), targeting high schools with high dropout rates or middle schools that feed into schools with high dropout rates. In its first year of implementation, the initiative successfully:
• Lowered the dropout rate by 18.2%; • Increased the graduation rate;• Increased dual enrollment opportunities;• Increased the number of students attending
LCTI.
The U.S. Department of Education approved a continuation award for the second year of the Initiative to help Allentown School District further tackle high school reform in 2011-2012.
Louis E. Dieruff High School (left to right) | DHS varsity cheerleading squad, winners of two first place awards at competitions in January | Former Dieruff principal, James E. Moniz, ii, being honored at graduation | Dieruff High School mascot, Kiska IV | Student artists with the Husky Artchives program | Pennsylvania Representatives Jerry Stern and Jennifer Mann addressing DHS students | DHS Senior Choir at Graduation 2011
Graduation Rate: Dieruff High School met the graduation target by showing improvement with 71.88 percent in 2011 vs. 68.64 percent in 2009. William Allen High School shows a slight increase in the graduation percentage with 70.54 percent in 2010 vs. 70.33 percent in 2009, but did not meet the graduation target for improvement. Combined, these two high schools missed the graduation target by .02 percent, a vast improvement from years past.
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education Color Key for Adequate Yearly Progress:
Made AYP Making Progress Warning Corrective Action
HiGH SCHooLS KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
AYP PA VALUE-ADD ASSESSMENT SYSTEM (PVAAS) PSSA RESULTS
Louis E. www.allentownsd.org/dieruff/kpi Dieruff www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/dieruff www.allentownsd.org/pssa/dieruff
William www.allentownsd.org/allen/kpi Allen www.allentownsd.org/pvaas/allen www.allentownsd.org/pssa/allen
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Financial Outlook
Doing More with Less
The state’s education budget for 2011-2012 hit the neediest school districts the hardest in this Commonwealth. With regard to the basic education subsidy from the state, Allentown School District had the fifth highest loss per household in state funding at –$566.00; the average Lehigh County loss per household not including ASD was –$116.56.
In preparing the 2011-2012 budget, Allentown School District took a very deliberate and transparent approach in informing and educating the public about the most challenging budget in its history. In October, Allentown finance officials began meeting with local legislators and officials to raise awareness of ASD’s financial situation heading into FY 2011-2012. In doing so, ASD’s special case for additional state funding in order to reach adequacy and raise student achievement was made known. It was also critical to early on understand the realities facing ASD with reduced expenditures and the need to
generate new revenue, knowing that a new Governor was taking office and the loss of federal stimulus funding was imminent.
A number of new activities focused on high leverage adjustments were implemented. The activities include:
• A new five-year budgeting process;
• A human resources capability for the first time identifies every employee by name, building, job, salary, benefits and up-to-date expenditures;
• Rationalizing student busing schedules to maximize PDE transportation reimbursement. Approximately $1 million in funds will be used for district instruction instead of transportation for next year. Savings: bell schedule adjustment $985,000; carryover savings $795,000; and $250,000 in IU transportation savings;
Above | Roosevelt Elementary School’s 2009-2010 expansion has been awarded a LEED Gold designation (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). This is an internationally-recognized green building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in March 2000.
Right | Practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions have also helped the new Luis A. Ramos Elementary School (top right) achieve gold award status and one for the Bartholomew Ninth Grade Center at William Allen High School (bottom right) as well. Fourteen ASD schools also received Energy Star
designations through the PPL Electric Utilities program.
Left, top to bottom | A new bell schedule changed the bus transportation routes for students within ASD and saved the district almost $1 million | A young student learning the value of money | ASD’s Child Nutrition Services Department not only offers free breakfasts and
lunches to all ASD students (over 80 percent of children come from low-income homes), but it also delivers high-quality nutritious menus that meet rigorous FDA requirements
GEnERAL FUnD FiSCAL GAP
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• Thoroughly billing Access, a state medical reimbursement, to make sure provided services are reimbursed. In 2009-2010 ASD billed Access for $16,000; in 2010-2011, $200,000; and in 2011-2012 the district will bill $500,000;
• Utilizing IDEA’s “15% rule” to add $350,000 to the general education fund;
• Working with the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit (IU), ASD will pay the IU $950,000 less, providing funds for 14 teachers by moving work-based special education services ($370,000), moving occupational therapy services ($250,000), and medical disability services ($300,000);
• ASD received multiple competitive grants: • High School Graduation Initiative ($2.5 million;
five years); • School Improvement Grant ($2.6 million; three years); • GEAR UP ($687,262; six years); • Lehigh University Principal Leadership Grant
($3 million; five years); • Safe Schools /Healthy Students ($4,640,081;
four years);
• A community budget task force was recruited and tasked to find operational savings. Two-three million dollars savings identified and implemented.
All of the above were major school finance adjustments critical for the district to keep the deficit as low as possible with the state government cutting public education of the state budget.
In the final analysis, the Allentown School Board of Directors approved the final operating budget for the district’s 2011-2012 school year at a special public meeting held on Thursday, June 30, 2011 at the administration center. The budget called for expenditures of $228,509,124, a decrease over the prior year of $4,627,670 or 1.98 percent decrease. The planned expenditures for next year translate into a 5.64 percent tax increase per taxable property, at a millage of 48.082. The total state government contribution to the budget reflects a loss of $10,674,668 from levels provided for operation of the 2010-2011 school year.
In delivering the proposed 2011-2012 school budget to the ASD Board of Directors back in December 2010, Superintendent Zahorchak revealed expenditure estimates of $247.7 million on revenues of $223.3 million with a $24.4 million shortfall (state, federal and local) that had to be reconciled. Through major cost savings efforts that included recommendations from a community task force, furloughs of ASD faculty and changes in scheduled busing, for instance, the district closed that deficit to $5,092,027.
A commitment to more timely and accurate information disseminated with greater transparency is available on the new $50,000 ASD website at www.allentownsd.org.
A commitment to greater communication between the teachers and students and parents is now possible with the $200,000 installation of a new K-12 student information system called Sapphire.
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Gifts & Grants Funding
Supplementing Local Revenue: Gifts & Grants
In order to reach the goal of graduating more students meeting or exceeding proficiency, the district requires an enormous amount of support from federal and state departments of education. The basic education funding allotment, for instance, is 36.26 percent of the budget. This includes funds above the per student allotment to take into account the additional needs of the district due to its population of students who are economically disadvantaged, in special education programs and English language learners.
In 2010-2011, ASD students were classified as follows:• Economically disadvantaged/low income: 87.8% (PA average: 12.5%) • Enrolled in special education programs: 14.8% (PA average: 15.2%) • Identified as an English language learner: 11.8% (PA average: 8.4%) Sources: U.S. Census and Pennsylvania Department of Education
ASD’s budget is comprised of 52 percent state revenue, 34 percent local revenue and 11 percent federal revenue.
This has been an exceedingly difficult financial year with funding from the state significantly cut. The lack of growth in local revenue and the loss of funds for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the federal stimulus program, has been a root cause for ASD’s inability to maintain a balanced budget for the first time in the district’s history. Investing in critical educational reforms designed to increase student achievement require outside funding.
Grants — formula or competitive — have become important to the financial lifeblood of the institution. There were some significant awards made, namely School Improvement Grants and High School Graduation Initiative grant totaling $5.1 million. The resources these grants bring are critical to helping ASD’s secondary program achieve Adequate Yearly Progress and out of Corrective Action.
Clockwise from top | Pennsylvania Senator Pat Browne and Chief of Staff Ellen Kern read proclamations during a Bucky Boyle Park event in July 2011 to South Mountain Middle School teacher Marjorie Huber and students for the civic education Project Citizen awards they received this year | Sally West, Executive Director, Planning & External Funding for Allentown | The Foundation for Allentown City Schools “Get the Scoop” affair on “Sundae,” September 26, 2010 was a huge success | Dieruff High School student Sebastian Castano, who graduated in 2011 and is attending The Pennsylvania State University | The gala was held at Muhlenberg College Trexler Pavilion | Gala guests included (left to right): Dr. Diane Scott, ASD superintendent 1992-2002 and Mr. and Mrs. Don Bernhard with son, ASD graduate Spencer Bernhard
Below | ASD thespians from two high schools and four middle schools pose for applause at the end of the High Notes Gala in March 2011. Photo by Lee Butz.
“ High degree of implementation. Program is administered extremely well. Monitor found all of the individuals who were interviewed to be positive and knowledgeable about both the schools and the Title I program.”
— In a letter from the 2010 TITLE I Monitoring Team Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Public View
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MiSSion STATEMEnT ——————————
The mission of the Foundation is to encourage and fund innovative programs that enhance educational and cultural opportunities for the students of the Allentown School District.
ViSion ————————————————
A quality public education for every student in the Allentown School District.
Established in 2009, the foundation (ASDF) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit public charity established for the benefit of ASD students. By working collaboratively with the district, the foundation has tackled myriad projects in the past year, important in that they would not exist without this assistance from the community:
• Senior College Scholarships • Teacher Innovation Grants • First Annual High Notes Gala • William Allen LIVE! High School communication curriculum • Summer Arts Celebration on PPL Plaza • A Capella Music Initiative • Science Olympiad Initiative
A total of $60,500 has been raised in the past year alone. To learn more: www2.allentownsd.org/ASDFoundation
Learning, Enriching, Growing
The goals of the High School Graduation Initiative, directed by Executive Director David Wildonger, are basic: lower the dropout rate and increase the graduation rate, the dual enrollment opportunities and the number of students attending the Lehigh Career & Technical Institute. All four goals were met this past school year.
2010-2011 GRAnT SUMMARY BY CATEGoRY
FUNDING TYPE NUMBER OF AWARD % of TOTAL AWARDS FUNDING
Federal through State Formula 2 $15,635,016 36.71%
Federal Formula through State 6 $14,069,791 33.03%
Federal Competitive District 4 $6,955,146 16.33%
State Formula 2 $5,146,182 12.08%
Federal Competitive through State 1 $453,211 1.06%
State Competitive 3 $261,516 0.61%
Federal Formula 1 $65,650 0.15%
Federal Formula Direct 1 $7,094 0.02%
TOTAL Number of Grants 20 $42,593,606 100%
www.allentownsd.org/grants
2010-2011 GRAnT HiGHLiGHTS
High School Graduation Initiative $2,546,687 Year 1 of 5
School Improvement Grants $2,600,000 Year 1 of 3
GEAR-UP Grant $687,263 Year 3 of 6
Lehigh University Principal Leadership Grant $481,016 Year 1 of 5
Greater Allentown Math Science Partnership $490,663 Year 1 of 3
Safe Schools/Healthy Schools $1,242,667 Year 3 of 4
Refugee Grant $51,401 Year 1 of 2
TOTAL $8,099,696
——————— It’s Elementary “ Concerning the entitlement or formula grants which we receive, these are quite different from the competitive grants and although it would appear that receiving these should be a simple process, they also require the submission of a detailed plan with budget and narrative. It takes quite a bit of work to properly focus these grants on the district plan to ensure maximum impact for our students and staff. Multi-year grants need annual re-applications with pre-approval for revisions. We have a federal requirement to coordinate our grants with other federal, state and local funds to eliminate duplication, gaps or overlap. This sometimes requires careful restructuring of pre-existing grants within the confines of the specific grant parameters as well as regulations from Pennsylvania Department of Education, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and our local district plans. It would not be unusual to have to organize five or more programs to get everything in sync. This is all being done to achieve the greatest possible impact for our students.”
— Dr. John R. Clark Director of Grants and Development Allentown School District
The City Orchestra playing at March 26, 2011 ASDF gala19
Adequate, Equitable Funding Needed
The inequity of funding from one school district to another in the Commonwealth ranges from $8,000 to $23,000 per student, suggesting that funding is neither thorough nor efficient.
Definitions of Adequacy: Adequacy is the amount of state funding needed to enable districts to ensure every student can pass the core subjects (reading, writing, arithmetic, science, history) with proficiency. An adequacy system bases spending on what it costs to educate a child to an acceptable performance level. The debate — and for decades sometimes there was no debate — on what is fair, equitable and adequate funding from one school district to the next, remains unresolved. Although Pennsylvania made progress in the past decade, the recent cuts in balancing the Pennsylvania 2011-2012 state budget leave public education back to funding levels three years ago, 2008.
Commonwealth History of Education Funding: Public education has been a state responsibility since Pennsylvania first joined the union. The state first started giving funds for public schools in 1834. At that time, the state required school districts to raise two dollars from local taxes for every dollar of state funding. Local school districts would have access to very different levels of funding based largely on the amount of money they could raise on their own. This led to tremendous inequity among Pennsylvania districts.
Over time, however, the state began to contribute more support to public schools, which helped to even out funding. From 1965 to 1983, the General Assembly required the state to pay for at least half of the total cost of public education. The state’s contribution at the district level reached its peak of 55 percent in 1974. The
high share of state spending was intended to ensure that all students received a quality education, even if they lived in a low wealth school district. Since 1985, state support proportionally decreased significantly.
Between 1991 and 2008, Pennsylvania did not have a functional school finance formula (or system). Hundreds of the 500 school districts lacked sufficient funding to provide their students with a quality education. Members of the General Assembly who voted on budgets had no objective way of knowing which districts had adequate resources. Pennsylvania’s school districts continue to be highly dependent on local wealth to support students’ academic achievement. As a result, children in low and moderate wealth districts have fewer resources, despite the fact that many of these districts’ residents carry a high tax burden. This over-reliance on local property taxes creates inequities for both students and taxpayers across the Commonwealth.
national Comparison: Most states pay a larger percentage of overall public education costs than Pennsylvania. On average, other states contribute 48 percent of total education funding, but Pennsylvania contributes only 36 percent. This low state share means that Pennsylvania’s local school districts must pay 57 percent of all public education costs, compared to the national average of 44 percent. As a result, Pennsylvania ranks fourth highest among the 50 states in our dependency on local taxes to support public education (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2010). Forty-four percent of all school revenues come from local property taxes in Pennsylvania, compared with just 28 percent nationally; the difference equates to $4 billion in additional local taxes in Pennsylvania paid by property owners every year. This heavy reliance on the
“The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth.”
— Constitution of PA, Article III, Sec. 14
An Equal Measure
Allentown elementary students presenting during the Civic Celebration culminating activities at their individual schools year-end (top to bottom): Jefferson, Ritter, Hiram W. Dodd, Roosevelt (2 photos) and Luis A. Ramos. Photos by Terry Haas.
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local tax base causes huge inequities for students; current expenditures per pupil in Pennsylvania range from $8,029 to $20,253. This difference can equate to over $305,000 per year in a classroom of 25 students.
Plan for a Solution to inadequacy: In July 2006, the General Assembly called for an independent statewide Costing-Out Study to determine the resources needed to help all students achieve the state’s academic standards. That study, completed in December 2007, concluded that Pennsylvania was under-funding K-12 education by more than $4 billion and that the system then in place relied too heavily on local property taxes (APA Report to the State Board of Education, December 2007). In response to the study, the Commonwealth took historic action aimed at fixing the problems of the state’s ineffective and unfair school finance system by establishing a rational basic education funding formula based on the Costing-Out Study and making a significant investment in that formula for 2008-2009.
Legislation enacting the new funding system — Act 61 of 2008 — established a plan for the state to review and meet state adequacy funding targets by 2013-2014. That plan would increase the state share of public education funding by about $2.6 billion between 2008-2009 and 2013-2014. In 2009 and 2010, the General Assembly continued to use the formula to distribute funds to districts, much of it through federal economic stimulus money, now no longer available.
Due to the great recession, the state reduced its own support of K-12 education but had used temporary federal stimulus funds to help schools continue making progress. These funds have now expired, and the estimated cut in public education funding of $1 billion ended up at $683 million, still painful.
Now that the 2011-2012 budget has passed, the state is contributing 33.3 percent for PreK-12 public education funding. And, Section 2502.48 (c)(2) of the school code which stipulated funding goals has been repealed with no new establishment of guidelines for adequacy.
Allentown’s Predicament: In wrestling with its 2011-2012 budget, the Allentown School District pursued an amazing amount of options to reduce a $24-27 million deficit. It reduced operational expenditures and increased revenues through new transportation schedules, increasing administrators’ responsibilities, eliminating administrator positions and furloughing 112 faculty. It restructured debt, sold off tax liens and raised local school taxes. Even with all of this, Allentown’s budget is $5 million less than one year ago.
In the final analysis, the Allentown School Board of Directors approved on June 30, 2011 the final operating budget for the district’s 2011-2012 school year calling for expenditures of $228,509,124, a decrease over the prior year of $4,627,670 or a 1.98 percent decrease. The planned expenditures for next year translate into a 5.46 percent tax increase per household, at a millage of 48.082. The total state government contribution to the budget reflects a loss of $10,674,668 from levels provided for operation of the 2010-2011 school year.
ASD had reached Making Progress before the costing out study, in 2006, proving that an efficiently run organization can make a difference. At the time, the No Child Left Behind targets were significantly lower than today. Between 2003 and 2009 school years, PSSA results statewide jumped from 57.6 percent in math to 76.3 percent and 65.6 percent in reading to 72 percent. Many educational leaders point to the relationship between funding and state support from the PDE and the increase in education outcomes for students.
Advocate for Adequate State Funding needed While Doing More With Less: Allentown remains an impoverished district in critical condition. Going forward, ASD projections reveal a daunting financial future. Despite implementing significant operational efficiencies and lowering administrative overhead, ASD will exhaust its fund balance in 2013-2014 and have an unfunded deficit of over $5 million. The following year the unfunded deficit is projected to be over $20 million (see chart below).
For low-wealth, high needs school districts like Allentown, adequate state funding remains key to solving our financial burden while increasing our chances to create meaningful careers for our students.
Diverse, legitimate, long-term funding sources outside of property tax revenues will help. To achieve this, Allentown must build a national reputation for excellence beyond our state for foundations and other grant-holding organizations to desire to invest in our winning ways.
Allentown School District Five-Year Gap: The chart left illustrates the ASD financial dilemma. A quick look shows growing expenditures, even after a major restructuring of program and staff in 2011, and small increases in state, federal and local revenues. It powerfully demonstrates the GAP between the revenue/expenditure lines and the state’s adequacy targets of 2008.
Sources: Allentown School District Education Law Center of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Department of Education Pennsylvania League of Urban Schools (PLUS)
$320,000,000
$300,000,000
$280,000,000
$260,000,000
$240,000,000
$220,000,000
$200,000,000
$180,000,000 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016
ASD GEnERAL FUnD FiSCAL GAP AnALYSiS, FY 2008-2016
Total Revenues Total Expenditures Adequacy Target
21
——————— BoARD oF SCHooL DiRECToRS ———————Jeff Glazier President
Julie Ambrose Vice-President
Ellen B. Bishop, M.D. Debra H. Lamb Donna-Marie Daday, Esq. Robert E. Smith, Jr. Holly Edinger Andrew J. Weiss
David F. Zimmerman
Debra M. DeCaro John E. Freund, iii Trevor S. Jackson Secretary Solicitor Treasurer
C. Russell Mayo, Ed.D. Deputy Superintendent
Trevor S. Jackson Chief Financial Officer
Karen J. Boardman Executive Director of
PreK-12 EducationSusan Lozada
Executive Director of Community & Student Services
Mary Theresa Taglang Director of Human Resources
John R. Clark, Ed.D. Director of Grants & Development
Carol A. Hagenbuch Director of Literacy Jane A. Schreiber
Director of English Language Acquisition Kelly Rosario
Director of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
———————— CEnTRAL ADMiniSTRATion ————————
The Allentown School District is an equal rights and equal opportunity agency. It does not discriminate
against individuals or groups because of race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital status
or qualified disabilities as defined by law.
The Allentown School District will take steps to assure that lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation
in all educational and vocational programs.
For information about this policy, please contact the Title IX, Sec. 504, ADA Coordinator at the
ASD Administration Center, 31 South Penn Street, P.O. Box 328, Allentown, PA 18105.
School District of the City of Allentown
31 South Penn Street, P.O. Box 328, Allentown, PA 18105484-765-4000 | 484-765-4239 fax | www.allentownsd.org
Robert W. Culp, Ed.D. Chief Academic Officer
Sally S. West Executive Director of Planning & External Funding
David M. Wildonger Executive Director of
High School Graduation InitiativesBrian Cote
Executive Director of Accountability/ Technology
José Rosado Director of Community & Student Services
Rita D. Perez Director of Human Capital Management &
Talent Development Deborah W. Hartman
Director of Special EducationThomas Derhammer
Director of TechnologyKris James
Director of Child Nutrition Services
Gerald L. Zahorchak, D.Ed. Superintendent of Schools
Robert E. Sperling, Jr. Director of Facilities Services
Left to right | Trevor Jackson and Karen Boardman listening to Rita Perez in discussion | Brian Cote and David Wildonger conferring