Ranked in the top 165 school districts in the United States out of 10,500, CRSD covers five municipalities - Newtown Township, Newtown Borough, Upper Makefield and Wrightstown in lower Central Bucks County, PA. It spends over $12,000 a year per student, making it one of the highest paid teacher corps in the country. Property taxes go primary to the school district to educate their 12,000 students. In the Commonwealth the school districts have taxing authority and are not dependent on the local government for their funding. The idea was to keep our kid's education away from the politicians and in the hands of professionals. In truth, it just makes the school board more political.
Still, if quality education is what you seek for your children, it is what you receive here. More than 90% of the two high schools send graduates on to colleges and universities. As a result, these towns are very popular with young families willing and able to pay the local school taxes, which remain lower than surrounding states despite the almost annual increases and the related rising home prices.
CRSD is the primary draw for people moving to the area. It has made these communities very desirable places to live. My family arrived long enough ago to afford a nice home here.
These days it might well be unaffordable. read more