the municipal secretary desktop reference manual - Southwestern ...

The very limited service agenda is best illustrated by the lack of full-time police protection
funded with local fiscal resources. Fifty-eight percent of the State=s jurisdictions do not employee
full-time police officers. Public safety protection is provided by State Police, at no cost to the
residents. For the most part, jurisdictions without full-time police officers have relatively small
populations. However, there are municipalities where populations exceed 10,000 which rely upon
the State for police protection.
School Districts
The Commonwealth=s Constitution mandates that the State provide for the maintenance and
fiscal support of a public school system. To comply with this mandate, the State=s General Assembly
has adopted a Public School Code and annually provides fiscal support to all public school districts.
The Code establishes and regulates the functioning of these units through a primary and
secondary system. It is comprised of three levels: school districts, intermediate units and the State
Education Department.
Similar to local governments, the State=s 501 school districts are divided into five classes
according to population. Except for the City of Philadelphia, these districts are governed by elected
boards of nine members who serve four year overlapping terms. The Philadelphia board is appointed
by the City mayor. A district=s chief administrative office, appointed by the board, is the district
school superintendent.
Twenty-nine intermediate units provide consultative, advisory and educational program
services to component school districts. Responsibility for administration, supervision and program
operation rests with the school districts.
The State Department of Education is responsible for the overall administration of the public
school system. If districts become fiscally distressed, the Department is empowered to take over the
district and manage the local school program.
Although their functions and responsibilities are different, school districts and local
governments have many things in common. They share the same base, impose similar types of taxes
and often cooperate in providing services, such as recreation. Both units can have a significant
impact upon the Aquality of life@ in the communities.
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