Yough School District - Governance

Governance

The district is governed by 9 individually elected board members (serve four year terms), the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The federal government controls programs it funds like Title I funding for low income children in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act which mandates the district focus resources on student success in acquiring reading and math skills.

The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives Sunshine Review gave the school board and district administration a "F" for transparency based on a review of "What information can people find on their school district's website". It examined the school district's website for information regarding; taxes, the current budget, meetings, school board members names and terms, contracts, audits, public records information and more.

In 2008, a group of five candidates ran together promising to reopen a closed elementary school - West Newton Elementary School. They won election and did reopen the school. In 2011, a new group of candidates ran in the Spring Primary election. Three of the five incumbent board members, who were elected in 2008, were defeated. According to the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, there was an 18 percent turnover of school directors in 2008. While some of the seats were open because the board members were ending their service, 13% of incumbent board members lost reelection. This was a record high in Pennsylvania. Of the 72 percent of incumbents who ran, 87 percent were re-elected.