Blairsville-Saltsburg School District - Enrollment and Consolidation

Enrollment and Consolidation

In March 2011, district officials reported that enrollment has declined 20% since 2000, to a low of 1,766 pupils. In June 2006, enrollment had been 2,335. District enrollment declined to 1,841 by June 2010. The steady decline in enrollment has been attributed to several causes including the district's property tax rate. In May 2011, More than 18 teachers, aides and support staff were furloughed due to declining enrollment.

At a meeting on August 21, 2006, the nine members of the school board, including three from Saltsburg, voted 9-0 on a plan to consolidate the entire school district. The consolidation plan would bus students in grades 7 through 12 to the Blairsville campus. The current Blairsville Middle-High School building would be renovated in order to hold the students from Saltsburg. Blairsville students grades K-6 would still attend Blairsville Elementary, which would see some minor renovations. Students of the same age in Saltsburg would still attend school in Saltsburg, in the building that is currently Saltsburg Middle-High School, which would be converted and renovated to serve the younger students. In all, an estimated 9.5 teaching jobs district-wide would be eliminated, many through early retirement plans. The plan was set to go into effect at the start of the 2010-2011 school year.

During the 2007 elections, the first to see new voting regions decided in the Indiana County courts, a Saltsburg majority was elected, with 4 new members taking office, bringing the total members representing what is considered the Saltsburg end of the school district to 5, while 4 members remained representating the Blairsville region. Immediately upon taking office the new school board voted 5-4 to halt any consolidation measures in effect, as well as quickly hiring a new solicitor. The newly-elected board members, after deciding to keep the bond despite canceling consolidation plans rather than selling it back, must determine how to spend a portion of the 23.7 million dollars. By law, at least a portion of the bonds must be used for a construction project.