|
 |
| Cyber Alert - As the School Year Ends |
June 11, 2010
Dear Families,
As we wind down our school year, the debate over the state budget is just warming up. There are going to be many voices in this debate and we need to make sure that our voices are heard as well. I wanted to take a moment and encourage you to call and write to your legislators. They need to hear from you! They need to know that our public cyber schools are providing a quality education to over 23,000 students.
There are several bills pending in the House and one is being introduced in the Senate which will affect cyber schools. Recently, The Intelligencer newspaper had an article discussing cyber schools and the bills which are being considered. I have included the article below for you.
The PSBA will be making a "full-court" press in the newspapers and on Capitol Hill. We need to be just as vocal. Our schools need to be protected and we need to let our legislators know how important they are to our children.
If you do not know who your legislator is, you can go to our website www.pacyberfamilies.org and click on useful links. Click on “Find Your Legislator”. On the next page enter your zip code in the upper right corner. It will bring up a listing of your representative and your senator.
When you write your letters, please keep in mind the following points:
* Tell a personal story about why public cybers are the best option for your family.
* Our schools are public schools.
* Our kids and their schools deserve to be treated fairly.
* They are a great option for 23,000 families.
* The state spends nearly $10 billion on public education. Less than one percent is spent on cyber schools.
* Our schools are subject to the same strict accountability standards as any other public school.
Thanks for helping to protect our public cyber schools! We will keep you posted about any changes in Harrisburg!
Keep moving forward!
Cindy Strausburger
President
Lawmakers push cyber school funding reform
By: HILARY BENTMAN
The Intelligencer
Bills could save school districts the money now spent on tuition for local students attending cyber charter schools.
State lawmakers are pushing to reform the funding of cyber charter schools and one local school district could reap the benefits.
A bill introduced in the House would relieve school districts of the burden of paying for students within their borders to attend cyber charter schools elsewhere if the school district or intermediate unit offered its own online school.
In this case, families would have to pay the tuition.
A similar measure will soon be introduced in the Senate, except it would require the state to pick up the costs.
If either of the measures passed, the Quakertown School District could save an estimated $800,000. That's because the Upper Bucks district runs its own cyber school.
This year, the district started Infinity Cyber Academy for high school students and plans to roll out an elementary and middle school version next year.
Still, there are students who live within the district who opt to attend one of the 11 state-sanctioned cyber charter schools. As with any charter school, Quakertown must pay their tuition - $11,000 a year for a regular education student and $21,000 for a special education student.
Under the bill proposed by state Rep. Dan Moul of Gettysburg, any family in Quakertown who chose to send their child to another cyber school would have to foot the bill.
Moul says that's only fair.
"I have nothing against cyber charter schools, but the funding formula is way out there," said the Republican, who estimates in his home county of Adams, the school districts could save as much as $2 million in total.
State Sen. Michael O'Pake, a Democrat from Berks County, plans to introduce a similar bill that would require the state to pay the students' tuition in these cases.
"When the school district is offering a like program, then they should be relieved of the cost," said the senator's spokesman Jim Hertzler.
The Pennsylvania Coalition for Public Charter Schools does not support these measures, fearing they will destroy school choice.
Larry Jones, president of the coalition's leadership council, argues it fails to recognize that each cyber charter school is different, offering different opportunities. He says it's like comparing Harvard University to the local college.
"Cyber charter schools compete with traditional brick and mortars and with each other," said Jones.
Officials in Quakertown support these measures but are not optimistic they will pass. Superintendent Lisa Andrejko said the cyber school community has a strong lobbyist movement.
Under the school code, charter schools are considered public schools. Any child who chooses to attend one may do so, but their local school district must pay the cost - about 80 percent of the state-calculated per pupil cost assigned to each district.
Figures for regular charter education range from as little as about $6,000 to as much as $14,000, depending on the district.
Districts can receive up to 30 percent in reimbursement of their per pupil costs from the state.
The same regulations apply for cyber charter schools, even though students take classes online and do not attend a traditional brick and mortar building.
Upper Bucks Rep. Paul Clymer, who chairs the House Republican Education Committee, says legislators must first determine how much it actually costs to educate a cyber charter student and how much a district should be reimbursed. He would like to see public hearings on cyber charter funding this summer.
"I don't think we have a handle on this. We need to air this issue and get some results," said Clymer.
As of January, there were 83 Quakertown students attending cyber charter schools and 24 attending traditional charters. The district expects to spend nearly $1.25 million on charter school costs next year.
Although there are only 11 state-chartered cyber schools, which accept students living anywhere in Pennsylvania, some schools, like Quakertown, or intermediate units, offer their own cyber programs, which are not overseen by the state.
Quakertown's program is only open to district residents. There are 94 students enrolled full or part time in the high school program. Opening the school brought 24 students back to Quakertown.
The district hopes the new middle and elementary cyber school programs will, similar to the high school version, bring some students back to the district, said Assistant Superintendent Kathy Metrick. There are no figures available yet on how many students will attend the lower level online programs.
The elementary cyber school will use a program called K12, which costs about $4,000 per student.
|
|
