About Allentown School
District: Educating for America’s Future
Mission Statement
To provide
safe and rigorous educational experiences that motivate all
students to excel in learning and life.
Key
Information
·
Founded in
1866, ASD was the Commonwealth’s 3rd school district.
·
Today, it
is the fourth largest school system of 501 districts in the
Commonwealth.
·
A diverse
district of 18,500+ students, the student population comes from
43 countries and speaks 26 languages.
·
67%
students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
·
17% of the
students are enrolled in ESOL programs (English Speaker of Other
Languages).
·
Per pupil
expenditure of $8,739 in 2004-2005 was the lowest 9 percent in
the Commonwealth (ASD 460/501 all districts).
Major
Initiatives
Comprehensive Facilities Expansion Plan
·
From 1998
to 2005, enrollment grew by 1,998 students.
·
Seventeen
of our city schools are over 50 years old, with eight of them at
least 75 years old.
·
ASD has
not expanded or built new facilities since the construction of
Sheridan Elementary School in 1985.
·
Capital
spending by ASD per student in 2004-2005 was $348/student,
ranking ASD in the lowest 5 percent in the state (ASD 478/501
all districts).
·
All 22
educational facilities will be upgraded and most will be
expanded over the next 10-15 years.
·
The
proposed plan includes construction of a new middle school on
the city’s east side.
·
The
District is now proceeding with the $120-million Phase I of the
facility plan, upgrading and expanding two high schools, two
middle schools and two elementary schools.
Strategic
Plan for Academic Gains
·
In 2006,
nearly 2/3 of all students have reached PSSA Basic, Proficient
or Advanced levels of performance.
·
44% of the
students are at Proficient or Advanced levels of performance in
mathematics.
·
41% of the
students are at Proficient or Advanced levels of performance in
reading.
·
Allentown
School District is designated by the Pennsylvania Department of
Education as a school system “Making Progress” under Adequate
Yearly Progress government guidelines.
·
Eight of 22 ASD schools have achieved 2006
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmarks, as mandated by No
Child Left Behind federal legislation and administered
through the PA Department of Education,
and five others are “making progress.”
·
All of the
elementary and middle schools met the 2005 attendance target of
90 percent.
What
We Offer
·
Best practices in closing the achievement gap
·
Inquiry-based science practices
·
Comprehensive student support services
·
Business/education partnerships
·
Research-based middle and high school reform
·
Staff commitment to all students
Our Legislators at Work
The Hon.
Charles Dent, US Representative, 202-225-6411 (Washington),
610-861-9734 or
carol.halper@mail.house.gov
The Hon.
Pat Browne, PA State Senator, 717-787-1349 (Harrisburg),
610-821-8468 (Allentown) or
pbrowne@pasen.gov
The Hon.
Jennifer Mann, PA State Representative, 610-821-5577 or
jlmann@pahouse.net
The Hon.
Joseph F. Brennan, PA State Representative, 610-882-1510 or
jbrennan@pahouse.net
The Hon.
Steve Samuelson, PA State Representative, 610-867-3890 or
ssamuels@pahouse.net
The Hon.
Karen D. Beyer, PA State Representative, 610-791-6270 or
kbeyer@pahousegop.com
For your
monthly update on ASD progress, visit
www.allentownsd.org/Communicator.htm and subscribe to
the ASD Communicator.
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