Cyber attack!

Friday, April 28, 2006

Rep. Karen Beyer's proposed legislation to cut public cyber school funding should outrage parents across Pennsylvania ("Cyber schools face possible tuition limit," April 24 and TribLIVE.com).

If state lawmakers were moving to cut funding to our traditional public school districts -- especially while making claims that they didn't need that much money without offering any data, proof or alternative -- there would be a media explosion and public outrage.

Public cyber charter schools, and all charter schools, are an important part of our public school system. Public cyber schools are tuition-free, are open to all families residing in Pennsylvania, and currently serve about 13,000 students. Public cybers already receive less funding than traditional brick-and-mortar public schools. As the state law currently stands, school districts must give a public cyber school 80 percent of the money it receives from the state to educate a student. The districts get to keep 20 percent of the funding, plus a reimbursement from the Department of Education of about 27 percent, which is a great deal for the district and taxpayers. Our cyber school system is considered the finest in the nation. But further cuts in funding will reduce the quality of their educational programs and risk their very survival.

Perhaps that is the real issue. Are Rep. Beyer and the public education establishment trying to guarantee failure of an alternative that has the ability to provide a quality education?

If they get their way, Pennsylvania will return to its antiquated 20th-century public education model. If that's the case, everyone loses.

Lynn Rodden

Springdale