1 1 - 1 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁the ▁district ▁reported ▁that ▁ 2 , 1 6 9 ▁students ▁received ▁free ▁or ▁reduced - price ▁l unch es , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁family ▁meeting ▁the ▁federal ▁pover ty ▁level . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 - 1 1 ▁budget ▁year , ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ▁provided ▁a ▁▁ 6 . 5 1 % ▁increase ▁in ▁Basic ▁Education ▁Fund ing ▁( BE F ) ▁for ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁$ 2 3 , 7 3 4 , 3 7 9 ▁to ▁New ▁Castle ▁Area ▁School ▁District ▁. ▁New ▁Castle ▁Area ▁School ▁District ▁received ▁the ▁highest ▁increase ▁in ▁BE F ▁among ▁the ▁districts ▁in ▁Lawrence ▁County . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 - 1 1 ▁the ▁District ▁received ▁ 6 5 % ▁of ▁its ▁annual ▁fund ing ▁from ▁the ▁Commonwealth . ▁One ▁hundred ▁fifty ▁Pennsylvania ▁school ▁districts ▁received ▁the ▁base ▁ 2 % ▁increase . ▁The ▁highest ▁increase ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 - 1 1 ▁went ▁to ▁Ken nett ▁Cons olid ated ▁School ▁District ▁in ▁Ch ester ▁County ▁which ▁received ▁a ▁ 2 3 . 6 5 % ▁increase ▁in ▁state ▁fund ing . ▁The ▁state ' s ▁hold ▁har ml ess ▁policy ▁regarding ▁state ▁basic ▁education ▁fund ing ▁continued ▁where ▁each ▁district ▁received ▁at ▁least ▁the ▁same ▁amount ▁as ▁it ▁received ▁the ▁prior ▁school ▁year , ▁even ▁when ▁en roll ment ▁had ▁significantly ▁decl ined . ▁The ▁amount ▁of ▁increase ▁each ▁school ▁district