Butler Area School District was ranked 45th out of 105 western Pennsylvania school districts in 2009 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on three years of student academic performance on the PSSAs for math, reading, writing and one year of science. In 2008 the school ranked 41st of 105 high schools. The district was ranked 147th out of the 498 ranked Pennsylvania School Districts in 2008 by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking was based on student academic performance as demonstrated in 3 years of PSSA results.
High school
The senior high school ranked 37th out of 123 western Pennsylvania high schools, by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2009, for academic achievement as reflected by three years of results on: math, reading, writing and one year of science PSSAs. Graduation Rate: 2009 - 92% 2008 - 91% 2007 - 91% PSSA Results 11th Grade Reading 2009 - 70% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 65% of 11th graders on grade level. 2008 - 68%, State - 65% 11th Grade Math: 2009 - 70% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 56% of 11th graders are on grade level. 2008 - 70%, State - 56% 11th Grade Science: 2009 - 46% on grade level. In Pennsylvania, 40% of 11th graders were on grade level. 2008 - 40%, State - 40% College Remediation: According to a Pennsylvania Department of Education study released in January 2009, 27% of Butler Area School District graduates required remediation in mathematics and or reading before they were prepared to take college level courses in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education or community colleges. Less than 66% of Pennsylvania high school graduates, who enroll in a four-year college in Pennsylvania, will earn a bachelor's degree within six years. Among Pennsylvania high school graduates pursuing an associate degree, only one in three graduate in three years. Per the Pennsylvania Department of Education, one in three recent high school graduates who attend Pennsylvania's public universities and community colleges takes at least one remedial course in math, reading or English.
Dual enrollment
The high school does not offer Pennsylvania's dual enrollment program. This state program permits high school students to take courses, at local higher education institutions, to earn college credits. Students remain enrolled at their high school. The courses count towards high school graduation requirements and towards earning a college degree. The students continue to have full access to activities at their high school. The college credits are offered at a deeply discounted rate. 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.
Legal Issues
In 2001 the district was involved in a dispute over the validity of state charted cyberschools. In October of that year, a judge ordered the Einstein Academy not to collect over $43,000 for services to ten students of the district.
Budget
In 2007, the district employed 507 teachers. The average teacher salary in the district was $50,073. Butler Area School District administrative costs per pupil in 2008 was $586.04 per pupil. The lowest administrative cost per pupil in Pennsylvania was $398 per pupil. Race to the Top - 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. The administration, school board and teachers' union were required to sign an agreement to prioritize improving student academic success. In 2008, the district reported $5,632,000.00 in an unreserved-undesignated fund balance. The designated fund balance was over $8.8 million. In the 2009-2010 budget year the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a 4.22% increase in Basic Education Funding for a total of $24,815,923. The state Basic Education funding to the district in 2008-09 was $23,811,450.48. Fifteen school districts in Pennsylvania received an increase of funding of over 10% in 2009-10 school year. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Butler Area School District had 2086 students receiving free or reduced-price lunches due to low family income in the 2007-2008 school year. The district also received $5,586,922 in ARRA - Federal Stimulus money to be used in specific programs like special education and meeting the academic needs of low-income students.
