Pa. and N.J. Public School Districts

Bucks

» READ MORE: www.bensalemsd.org

The basics:

Serves Bensalem Township; 6,017 students; $109.2 million budget.

Points of pride:

Two full-day kindergarten classes; world language for middle school students; balanced literacy; inclusion of secondary special-education students; Classrooms for the Future participant; new physical education facility approved.

» READ MORE: www.bbsd.org

The basics:

Serves Bristol Borough; 1,256 students; $19.7 million budget.

Points of pride:

Bristol High participates in the Virtual High School online learning program, and students can choose from more than 200 courses.

» READ MORE: www.btsd.us

The basics:

Serves Bristol Township; 6,347 students; $114 million budget.

Points of pride:

Award-winning theater program, choral program, debate and forensics; produced the only high school performance of

Rent: High School Edition

in the nation in November 2007.

» READ MORE: www.centennialsd.org

The basics:

Serves Warminster and Upper Southampton Townships and Ivyland Borough; 6,224 students; $83.6 million budget.

Points of pride:

Dedicated teachers and staff; community partnerships; district attentive to diversity, technology, inclusion needs of students; district analyzes student achievement and adjusts programming accordingly.

» READ MORE: www.cbsd.org

The basics:

Serves Chalfont, Doylestown and New Britain Boroughs, Buckingham, Doylestown, New Britain, Plumstead, Warrington and Warwick Townships; 20,394 students; $255.2 million budget.

Points of pride:

Ranked fourth in state on reading, math and writing assessments; outstanding student performance; award-winning staff development program; highly qualified staff; numerous AP classes; dual-enrollment, night school opportunities.

crsd.org

The basics:

Serves Northampton, Newtown, Wrightstown and Upper Makefield Townships, Newtown Borough; 12,532 students; $186.5 million budget.

Points of pride:

Named 2006-07 District of the Year for work with Pennsylvania Special Olympics; district recognized for energy-management efforts; graduation rate consistently above 99 percent; CR graduates pursue higher education at rate of more than 94 percent; CRHS-North choir invited to pre-Olympics festival in China.

» READ MORE: www.mv.org

The basics:

Serves Morrisville Borough; 910 students; $20.5 million budget.

Points of pride:

Interact Club participates in community service projects; Peace Award from Bucks County Peace Center; elementary schools received Keystone Award for academic achievement for fourth year; Delaware Valley Minority Student Achievement Consortium member.

» READ MORE: www.neshaminy.org

The basics:

Serves Middletown and Lower Southampton Townships, Hulmeville, Langhorne, Langhorne Manor and Penndel Boroughs; 9,003 students; $164.2 million budget.

Points of pride:

A family-oriented district with a proud history of multiple National Blue Ribbon schools, award-winning athletic and performing arts programs, and numerous community service projects.

» READ MORE: www.nhsd.org

The basics:

Serves New Hope Borough and Solebury Township; 1,509 students; $30.4 million budget.

Points of pride:

Strong student achievement and commitment to aligning curriculum, instruction and assessment with Pennsylvania academic standards, to differentiated instruction and to initiatives recognizing diversity.

» READ MORE: www.palisadessd.org

The basics:

Serves Bridgeton, Durham, Nockamixon, Springfield and Tinicum Townships; 2,042 students; $34.7 million budget.

Points of pride:

All Palisades schools have earned a Keystone Achievement Award for fourth consecutive year; two students received recognition in Merit Scholarship program.

» READ MORE: www.pennridge.org

The basics:

Serves Dublin, Perkasie, Sellersville and Silverdale Boroughs and Bedminster, Hilltown, East Rockhill and West Rockhill Townships; 7,315 students; $103.2 million budget.

Points of pride:

Co-teaching allows special-education youngsters to be educated within regular-education classrooms with the support of special-education staff; differentiation ensures every student receives appropriate instruction, maximizing achievement.

» READ MORE: www.pennsbury.k12.pa.us

The basics:

Serves Falls and Lower Makefield Townships, Tullytown and Yardley Boroughs; 11,657 students; $167.5 million budget.

Points of pride:

Strong National Merit showing; K-12 academic-standards initiative; comprehensive building renovations; award-winning athletic, thespian, music and forensics programs; more than 1,000 partners from business and industry; three Pennsbury foundations.

» READ MORE: www.qcsd.org

The basics:

Serves Milford, Haycock and Richland Townships and Richlandtown, Quakertown and Trumbauersville Boroughs; 5,433 students; $81.9 million budget.

Points of pride:

Met NCLB goals for multiple years; dual-enrollment opportunities; teacher incentive program; differentiated instruction; K-8 antibullying program; high-quality special-education program; community service and cultural-awareness activities.

Chester

» READ MORE: www.avongrove.org

The basics:

Serves Franklin, London, Britain, London Grove, New London and Penn Townships and Avondale and West Grove Boroughs; 5,462 students; $66.1 million budget.

Points of pride:

Expanded AP, foreign language and music programs; well-rounded educational programs including instruction in art, music, sciences, humanities, health and wellness, and PE; varied extracurricular programs; strong sense of school pride, community and parent involvement.

» READ MORE: www.coatesville.k12.pa.us

The basics:

Serves City of Coatesville, South Coatesville and Modena Boroughs, and West Caln, West Brandywine, Caln, East Fallowfield, Sadsbury and Valley Townships; 6,781 students; $134 million budget.

Points of pride:

Seeking to meet the needs of all its students by raising the academic bar including an increase in number of AP courses, articulation agreements with local colleges, expanded middle-school foreign-language program and development of all-day kindergarten.

» READ MORE: www.dasd.org

The basics:

Serves East Brandywine, East Caln, Uwchlan, Upper Uwchlan, Wallace, West Bradford and West Pikeland Townships and Downingtown Borough; 11,724 students; $165.6 million budget.

Points of pride:

Wide variety of courses and activities; academic teams, marching band, girls soccer and boys lacrosse teams all have recently won state championships; recognition in the arts, photography, writing, history, science and the languages; active alumni association; supportive community.

» READ MORE: www.gvsd.org

The basics:

Serves Malvern Borough and Willistown, Charlestown and East Whiteland Townships; 4,084 students; $74 million budget.

Points of pride:

Repeat achievement of NCLB goals; strong community and business-based partnerships benefiting students; majority of staff holds advanced degrees; rigorous curriculum; strong student performance on SATs; all buildings are new or renovated; buses use B20 biodiesel.

kcsd.org

The basics:

Serves Kennett and New Garden Townships, Kennett Square Borough; 4,110 students; $61.8 million budget.

Points of pride:

Outstanding students and staff; excellent community support and collaboration; newly renovated high school and athletic complex; award-winning academic, artistic and athletic programs.

» READ MORE: www.octorara.k12.pa.us

The basics:

Serves Highland, Londonderry, West Fallowfield and West Sadsbury Townships and Atlglen, Parkesburg and Christiana Boroughs; 2,665 students; $40.2 million budget.

Points of pride:

Well-regarded reading program sets a firm foundation for success; district consistently meets NCLB goals and shows steady growth in student achievement; AP courses and dual-enrollment opportunities with multiple colleges.

» READ MORE: www.ojrsd.com

The basics:

Serves East Coventry, East Nantmeal, East Vincent, North Coventry, South Coventry, Warwick and West Vincent Townships; 4,739 students; $71.9 million budget.

Points of pride:

Challenging academic curriculum offers rigorous core subject courses, 19 AP courses, four world languages, and diverse electives that collectively provide students with a well-rounded academic experience, and 85 percent of graduates attend postsecondary schools.

oxford.k12.pa.us

The basics:

Serves Oxford Borough and Lower Oxford, Upper Oxford, East Nottingham, West Nottingham and Elk Townships; 3,650 students; $47.9 million budget.

Points of pride:

Thirteen of our middle-school students recognized by Johns Hopkins for scoring with distinction on the SATs, equalling or exceeding average scores of college-bound seniors.

» READ MORE: www.pasd.com

The basics:

Serves Phoenixville Borough and East Pikeland and Schuylkill Townships; 3,261 students; $67.8 million budget.

Points of pride:

A secure, technologically advanced high-achieving school district in a caring, thoughtful community; music, athletic and activities programs are first-rate and support a diverse curriculum.

» READ MORE: www.tesd.net

The basics:

Serves Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships; 6,111 students; $96.9 million budget.

Points of pride:

High level of student achievement; music and art programs; student involvement in community service; athletic team championships; fund-raising to support worthy causes.

» READ MORE: www.tvsd.org

The basics:

Serves Honey Brook and West Nantmeal Townships and Honey Brook and Elverson Boroughs in Chester County and Robeson and Caernarvon Townships and New Morgan Borough in Berks County; 3,475 students; $46.3 million budget.

Points of pride:

Project Lead the Way offers high school students a hands-on, project and problem-based approach to learning math and science; K-12 inclusion program; Physics First.

» READ MORE: www.ucfsd.org

The basics:

Serves East Marlborough, West Marlborough, Newlin, Birmingham, Pocopson and Pennsbury Townships in Chester County and Birmingham Township in Delaware County; 4,122 students; $64 million budget.

Points of pride:

Exemplary student achievement in academics, the arts and athletics; strong home-and-school partnerships and parent volunteerism; antibullying program; nationally recognized speech and debate team and marching band; 96 percent of graduates continue on to college.

» READ MORE: www.wcasd.net

The basics:

Serves West Chester Borough and East Bradford, East Goshen, Thornbury, West Goshen, West Whiteland and Westtown Townships in Chester County and Thornbury Township in Delaware County; 11,655 students; $185.6 million budget.

Points of pride:

Named a Technology Leadership Salute District by the National School Boards Association in 2007; extended-day kindergarten; mathematics and literacy coaches; advanced and remedial mathematics in the middle schools.

Delaware

» READ MORE: www.chesteruplandsd.org

The basics:

Serves Chester City, Chester Township and Upland Borough; 4,227 students; $94.5 million budget.

Points of pride:

The high school's Robotics Team took second place in the Philadelphia Robotics Best Hub competition; Stetser Elementary School received a third consecutive Keystone Award for student achievement; Junior ROTC.

» READ MORE: www.chichesterschools.net

The basics:

Serves Upper and Lower Chichester Townships and Marcus Hook and Trainer Boroughs; 3,499 students; $56.2 million budget.

Points of pride:

Districtwide full-day kindergarten; elementary literacy coaches; full Internet access in all classrooms; tutoring in reading and mathematics; extended school-year programs; 100 Book Challenge; Study Island, Kid Biz 3000 and Teen Biz 3000 in grades 3-11.

» READ MORE: www.garnetvalleyschools.com

The basics:

Serves Bethel and Concord Townships and Chester Heights Borough; 4,711 students; $72.7 million budget.

Points of pride:

Mandarin Chinese language class offered in dual enrollment with Widener University; programming and student achievement are driven by district's extensive use and analysis of data.

haverford.k12.pa.us

The basics:

Serves Haverford Township; 5,481 students; $79.3 million budget.

Points of pride:

Haverford High's National Honor Society raises funds, solicits gifts and brings a real holiday to 40 or more families in need each year; middle school organizes a friendly competition with Marple Newtown's Paxon Hollow Middle School, raising more than $20,000 annually for Alex's Lemonade Stand.

» READ MORE: www.interborosd.org

The basics:

Serves Glenolden, Norwood and Prospect Park Boroughs and Tinicum Township; 3,806 students; $51.6 million budget.

Points of pride:

Bucs to Elders program, in which life-skills students provide support to the elderly; peer mediation; laptop mobile labs; STOP (Students Taking On Problems) program; TV studio; Student/Teacher Book Clubs in grades 3-8; Nova Scotia Whale Camp for seventh and eighth graders; environmental-education camping trip for sixth graders.

» READ MORE: www.mnsd.net

The basics:

Serves Marple and Newtown Townships; 3,500 students; $58 million budget.

Points of pride:

Academic excellence; elementary foreign language; award-winning middle school; exemplary high school AP and honors courses; 11th-grade career initiative program and 12th-grade senior project; award-winning Hi-Q, music and athletic programs.

» READ MORE: www.pdsd.org

The basics:

Serves Aston Township and Brookhaven and Parkside Boroughs; 3,478 students; $46.9 million budget.

Points of pride:

By providing advanced technologies, district offers an exceptional educational experience; $300,000 Classrooms for the Future grant; foreign-language instruction in elementary schools; antibullying program promotes equality, tolerance and respect; Northley Middle School hosts "Don't Hate, Communicate" event.

» READ MORE: www.rtsd.org

The basics:

Serves Radnor Township; 3,594 students; $69.5 million budget.

Points of pride:

Outstanding academic program meets the needs of all learners; 95 percent of graduates go on to postsecondary education; 22 AP courses; opportunity for dual high school and college course enrollment; full range of extracurricular activities; districtwide collaboration on a diversity initiative and honor code.

» READ MORE: www.ridleysd.k12.pa.us

The basics:

Serves Ridley Township and Eddystone and Ridley Park Boroughs; 5,935 students; $76.9 million budget.

Points of pride:

Award-winning athletic, drama, music, and student publications programs; nationally recognized technology programs.

» READ MORE: www.rtmsd.org

The basics:

Serves Media Borough and Edgmont, Middletown and Upper Providence Townships; 3,993 students; $72.5 million budget.

Points of pride:

Created in partnership with the nonprofit Simon Youth Foundation, the Educational Resource Center is an alternative school program for students at risk of dropping out that provides mentoring, partnerships with businesses and scholarship opportunities.

» READ MORE: www.sedelco.org

The basics:

Serves Darby Township and Collingdale, Folcroft and Sharon Hill Boroughs; 4,191 students; $55 million budget.

Points of pride:

Using state and local funding, district this year opened a full-day kindergarten program to significantly support the many students who enter first grade developmentally behind.

» READ MORE: www.ssdcougars.org

The basics:

Serves Springfield Township and Morton Borough; 3,411 students; $51.4 million budget.

Points of pride:

Reading initiatives with 99.3 percent of fourth graders reading on grade level; every school makes NCLB progress goals annually; rigorous academic programming with focus on literacy; 50 percent of high school students have school-issued laptops; annual Celebration of the Arts program.

» READ MORE: www.upperdarby.org

The basics:

Serves Upper Darby Township and Clifton Heights and Millbourne Boroughs; 12,044 students; $135.4 million budget.

Points of pride:

Finalists for 2008 Pennsylvania teacher of the year, school psychologist of the year and assistant principal of the year; Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation national teacher of the year; Central League boys basketball champions; dedicated staff.

» READ MORE: www.wssd.org

The basics:

Serves Nether Providence Township and Swarthmore, Rose Valley and Rutledge Boroughs; 3,539 students; $57.3 million budget.

Points of pride:

Of students taking AP exams, 68 percent earned 4s and 5s; 94 percent of students in the Class of 2007 attend institutions of higher learning; 2008 National Merit data show 14 commended National Merit scholars and eight National Merit semifinalists; 2007 Relay for Life raised $171,000 for cancer research.

» READ MORE: www.wpsd.k12.pa.us

The basics:

Serves Aldan, Colwyn, Darby, East Lansdowne, Lansdowne and Yeadon Boroughs; 5,405 students; $78.1 million budget.

Points of pride:

All Del-Val Boys Soccer League champions; award-winning Cyber Academy; Safe Schools/Healthy Students Parent Resource Center; student-operated federal credit union at high school; Twilight School for students who have dropped out; Parent Academy for parents of ESL students.

Montgomery

» READ MORE: www.abington.k12.pa.us

The basics:

Serves Abington Township and Rockledge Borough; 7,445 students; $119.7 million budget.

Points of pride:

All elementary schools received Pennsylvania Achievement Awards for meeting NCLB goals; innovative Opportunities to Learn initiative provides rigorous college-preparatory education for students, eliminates tracking, and is helping to close the achievement gap; nationally recognized service-learning programs contributed more than 90,000 student hours last year.

» READ MORE: www.boyertownasd.org

The basics:

Serves Colebrookdale, Douglass, Earl and Washington Townships and Bally, Bechtelsville and Boyertown Boroughs in Berks County and Douglass, New Hanover and Upper Frederick Townships in Montgomery County; 7,013 students; $81.3 million budget.

Points of pride:

"No Place for Hate" program in all schools; emphasis on curriculum and academic goals, instructional practices, monitoring of student performance, strong staff and leadership in quest to become a high-performing school system.

» READ MORE: www.cheltenham.org

The basics:

Serves Cheltenham Township; 4,365 students; $85.3 million budget.

Points of pride:

Ninth-grade Future Problem Solving team won first in state and third in international competition; multiple awards in academic, robotic and science fair competitions; girls basketball team won the state championship; 24 plays by elementary, middle and high school students were winners in the Philadelphia Young Playwrights 20th-anniversary competition.

» READ MORE: www.colonialsd.org

The basics:

Serves Conshohocken Borough and Plymouth and Whitemarsh Townships; 4,739 students; $84.8 million budget.

Points of pride:

First district in Pennsylvania to implement AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program; first district in Montgomery County to receive a Schools of Excellence in Technology award from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.

» READ MORE: www.hatboro-horsham.org

The basics:

Serves Hatboro Borough and Horsham Township; 5,355 students; $79.5 million budget.

Points of pride:

Strong PSSA performance; met NCLB benchmarks for two consecutive years; improved SAT and AP scores at the high school; wide array of community services and involvement in charitable causes; Trouble Free Playground initiative.

» READ MORE: www.jenkintown.org

The basics:

Serves Jenkintown Borough; 555 students; $12.7 million budget.

Points of pride:

Outstanding, highly qualified staff; small class sizes; high-performing students (89 percent proficient or above on PSSAs, depending on grade level).

lmsd.org

The basics:

Serves Lower Merion Township and Narberth Borough; 6,902 students; $175.2 million budget.

Points of pride:

Renowned art and music programs; 15 percent of graduating seniors attend art or music school; state champion tech/engineering and Science Olympiad teams (2007); two new high schools to open 2009 and 2010.

» READ MORE: www.lmtsd.org

The basics:

Serves Lower Moreland Township and Bryn Athyn Borough; 2,053 students; $32.4 million budget.

Points of pride:

The district focuses on excellence through individualization, and partners with the community to stimulate learning, inspire creativity, develop independence and embrace and understand a global society.

» READ MORE: www.methacton.org

The basics:

Serves Lower Providence and Worcester Townships; 5,440 students; $81.4 million budget.

Points of pride:

All schools worked to raise funds to build a school in Kenya, with handmade ornament sales, dress-down days and contributions from local businesses; effort raised more than $13,000, enough to build the school and accommodations for teachers, and to provide furnishings, textbooks and school supplies.

» READ MORE: www.nasd.k12.pa.us

The basics:

Serves Norristown Borough and West Norriton and East Norriton Townships; 6,657 students; $114.4 million budget.

Points of pride:

Teacher and system flexibility to differentiate instruction for students; small learning communities with career themes provide course content with a personal touch; extensive instructional technology including smart rooms and laptops at all levels.

» READ MORE: www.npenn.org

The basics:

Serves Montgomery, Hatfield, Upper Gwynedd and Towamencin Townships and Hatfield, Lansdale and North Wales Boroughs; 12,967 students; $188.7 million budget.

Points of pride:

Schools have adopted Family Friendly Schools program and have formed teams of parents and staff members who have developed building-specific goals to engage more parents.

» READ MORE: www.pvsd.org

The basics:

Serves Collegeville, Trappe and Schwenksville Boroughs and Perkiomen, Skippack and Lower Frederick Townships; 5,646 students; $78.7 million budget.

Points of pride:

District makes every effort to have all students grow intellectually and socially and strongly encourages all students to become involved in extracurricular activities; athletics, the arts, community service, student government, environmental interests, and foreign-exchange opportunities.

» READ MORE: www.pgsd.org

The basics:

Serves Upper Pottsgrove, Lower Pottsgrove and West Pottsgrove Townships; 3,262 students; $50.4 million budget.

Points of pride:

All schools participate in "No Place for Hate" program; Chinese high school exchange; online courses through virtual high school; dual-enrollment partnership with Montgomery County Community College; Middle School Exploratory Foreign Language Program; Elementary Club Program; Jingle Bell Jog (to collect food and clothing for local shelters).

pottstownschools.com

The basics:

Serves Pottstown Borough; 3,147 students; $46.7 million budget.

Points of pride:

Pottstown Early Action for Kindergarten Readiness Program is a collaboration with child-care providers to help ensure a student's transition to the public school setting.

» READ MORE: www.soudertonsd.org

The basics:

Serves Souderton and Telford Boroughs and Franconia, Lower Salford, Upper Salford and Salford Townships; 6,910 students; $96.3 million budget.

Points of pride:

Souderton is a community where character counts; educational programs strengthen and reinforce the traits of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, fairness and citizenship; nine National Merit scholars (three semifinalists and six commended students).

» READ MORE: www.spring-ford.net

The basics:

Serves Royersford Borough and Limerick and Upper Providence Townships in Montgomery County and Spring City Borough in Chester County; 7,456 students; $110.1 million budget.

Points of pride:

Commitment to academic excellence and empowering students of diverse needs to become lifelong learners and contributing citizens; student PSSA scores are consistently above state average; Community Education Program; partnerships with local businesses; a new exchange program with a sister school in Limerick, Ireland.

» READ MORE: www.sdst.org

The basics:

Serves Springfield Township ; 2,058 students; $41.4 million budget.

Points of pride:

District addresses the whole child with small class sizes, academic rigor, technology and an array of extracurricular activities; students explore multiple avenues to display their talents; Classrooms for the Future recipient.

» READ MORE: www.udsd.org

The basics:

Serves Upper Dublin Township; 4,363 students; $66.3 million budget.

Points of pride:

High SAT scores, with an average 10 National Merit semifinalists each year; full-day kindergarten; outstanding theater, art and music programs; planetarium and an environmental center provide opportunities for students as well as community.

» READ MORE: www.umasd.org

The basics:

Serves Upper Merion Township and Bridgeport and West Conshohocken Boroughs; 3,624 students; $70.9 million budget.

Points of pride:

Mission is to inspire excellence in every student every day; Community of Caring Schools; 100 percent of faculty is rated highly qualified; Roberts Elementary School member of National Network of Partnership Schools; artist-in-residence programs in all schools; middle school received 2006/2007 PIAA District One Sportsmanship Award.

» READ MORE: www.umtsd.org

The basics:

Serves Upper Moreland Township; 3,050 students; $45.6 million budget.

Points of pride:

District's Framework for Continuous Improvement provides first-rate focus on curriculum renewal, extensive professional development and top-quality instruction; full-day kindergarten set for 2008-09; new facilities for all students grades K-5; high school undergoing new construction and renovation; fifth-grade PSSA writing score was seventh highest in state in 2007.

» READ MORE: www.upsd.org

The basics:

Serves Upper Hanover and Marlborough Townships and East Greenville, Pennsburg, Red Hill and Green Land Boroughs; 3,286 students; $43.3 million budget.

Points of pride:

District arts festival; elementary school parent participation (98 percent attendance at parent conferences and parent-teacher organization activities throughout the year); new elementary- and middle-schools grade configuration to be implemented 2008-09.

wsdweb.org

The basics:

Serves Ambler Borough and Whitpain and Lower Gwynedd Townships; 4,534 students; $83.5 million budget.

Points of pride:

Twenty-three seniors recognized as National Merit Scholars; award-winning staff-development program; student and community diversity; major technology initiative; AP success rate; SAT participation.

Philadelphia

» READ MORE: www.phila.k12.pa.us

The basics:

Serves Philadelphia County; 167,128 students; $2.5 billion budget.

Points of pride:

District continues to show academic achievement; 2006-07 PSSA results showed a record fifth consecutive year of growth in math and reading scores for all students; five high schools were named by U.S. News and World Report to its list of America's Best High Schools 2008 (Masterman placed in the top 100; Bodine, Central, and Girls in the second tier; and Carver High School in the third tier); M. Hall Stanton and Samuel Powel Elementary Schools were highlighted for academic achievement on state tests; a record 10,000 children attending prekindergarten; students can choose from among 84 public and charter high schools.