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AASB discusses state of the district

Fewer teachers, lower population affecting school, economy

Blair County’s declining population is having ripple effects on schools and on the local economy, Altoona Area Superintendent Charles Prijatelj told school board members last week.

Prijatelj referenced an item from the Nov. 25 Pittsburgh Business Times that said Generation Z comes with a unique set of characteristics and challenges, namely the generation’s relatively small size.

“Everyone has help wanted signs out there. The reality is Generation Z is not going to meet our employment needs moving forward because there are just not enough of them,” he said.

Prijatelj attributed it to middle-class families not having two kids and some not having any children at all.

The population decline was one of the stressors on the district outlined by the superintendent.

Other issues are the availability of qualified candidates for employment, a possible influx of immigrants or refugees, cyber school and inflation.

Fewer teachers available

In terms of qualified candidates, Prijatelj said 17,000 teachers graduated five years ago compared to 5,000 from this year.

“They had more emergency certifications in the state of Pennsylvania for teaching positions than we had certified graduates last year,” he said. “The demand is there.”

While at a Blair County Executive Roundtable meeting, Prijatelj recalled an economist saying that the only significant growth in population will come through immigration and refugees.

“Right now we have huge manpower issues and we have to be prepared,” Prijatelj said.

Blair County needs to gain a thousand people a year just to sustain its population and run its established businesses, Phil Devorris, CEO of Blair Companies, said at the roundtable.

“He said this county is losing 1,000 people a year to old age,” Prijatelj said. Cambria, Huntingdon County and Bedford counties lost 2.5% of their population in 10 years, with Blair losing 1.25%.

Prijatelj said Blair is not shrinking as fast because of social services and the low cost of housing available in Altoona.

Altoona currently has two English as a Second Language teachers.

“Chambersburg, where we play in football, has 700 ESL students and they have approximately 30 ESL teachers,” Prijatelj said.

Local businesses in the area are trying to make money and will need the manpower to do it even with some things planned on the boulevard.

“I’m talking about things like the Carol Cable building,” Prijatelj said. “There is a big company looking into moving there, and it is still on track to happen.”

When this business does open, Prijatelj expects it will need 300 to 400 employees.

He also mentioned Rural King plans to move into the former Kmart, as the Mirror reported in September 2021.

Whether immigrants come in to fill those positions or when it will happen, Prijatelj cannot say for sure, but he wanted to make the school board members realize that all that necessary manpower needed might be coming from outside.

He used the example of large immigration centers in the state such as Pittsburgh, Reading, Allentown and Lancaster.

“East of (I-81), you will find anything you can possibly imagine because they are sucking up every person they possibly can,” Prijatelj said.

What those cities are seeing might also happen in the Blair County area because of its opportunities.

“Maybe I’m being overly optimistic or pessimistic depending on your opinion of the topic but somewhere down the road we can expect an influx of immigrants and refugees that will gobble up cheap housing and take advantage of the opportunities we have for labor,” Prijatelj said.

Prijatelj said it might not be a bad thing economically because people working 40 hours a week pay taxes.

The two ways to increase district revenue is to raise taxes or grow the economic base, he said.

That means employing people, and it could be a reason for adding more ESL teachers in the future, Prijatelj said.

“It might not be right away, but at some point it is going to be a topic because that is where the economists are saying our businesses are going to thrive and we have a need,” he said.

Cyber school costly

Outside cyber charters schools are also a concern, with the district paying a minimum between $10,000 to $11,000 per student.

Prijatelj said it could save the district about $5 million per year if more students choose the district’s cyber program.

Currently 400 students are in the district’s in-house cyber program. “There is a huge difference there in the cost,” he said.

Inflation — 7.2% in November — also is a concern for Prijatelj.

He is starting to see inflation beginning to fall and supply chain issues being elevated.

“Things are coming back into line. It’s going to take some time, but we are going to see the benefits,” Prijatelj said.

Revenue from taxes

Tax collections through November 2022 are level with the prior year with collections year to date increasing approximately $250,000, Prijatelj reported.

This increase is offset by decrease in transfer tax and business related taxes.

Median property value has also increased to $106,600.

In about two years, the district will see a nice jump in real estate tax revenue when the Grand Palazzo fully comes on the tax rolls, he said.

“When the other two properties being built on both sides of the Grand Palazzo come on, it will be worth more than the Logan Valley Mall at its peak,” Prijatelj said. “It is easily going to be worth $80-$90 million when it’s done.

The assessed value of real estate in the District has increased $1.9 million over the prior year with $848,000 of this increase being a change in exempt status.

Mirror Staff Writer Cati Keith can be reached at 814-946-7535.

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