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| Cyber charter schools vie with districts for funding |
November 18, 2007
The (Johnstown) Tribune-Democrat
Every day, thousands of Pennsylvania students log into classrooms from the comfort of their own homes.
With 11 charter cyber schools operating in the state and an enrollment estimated at close to 20,000, it's evident this learning approach has become a viable alternative to brick-and-mortar schools.
As part of the public school system, cyber charter schools receive about 75 percent of the per-pupil funding of a student's district of residence. When parents enroll their child in a public charter school, the resident district no longer has any responsibility for the education of that child.
Students are required to meet all state education standards and testing requirements.
"Cyber schools are meeting the needs of the individual student," said Sharon Williams, head of Philadelphia County-based Agora Cyber Charter School, which opened in 2005. "They have been an optimal choice for some families when they have no other options left for their child."
Reasons vary for why parents choose a cyber school education. Some cite bullying or dissatisfaction with the local school's environment. Students may be enrolled because of learning disabilities, such as autism, or as advanced learners who don't feel challenged in a traditional classroom.
"Parents decide which of the schools they want to enroll their child in," Williams said.
"It's one of the great options of cyber schools, because you can choose which one you like best."
Of the 11 cyber schools, six have programs for kindergarten through 12th grade. The others have varying focuses.
Core classes consist of language arts, math, science, history, art and music.
Other courses, such as physical education, are offered depending on grade level.
Students must attend a minimum of 180 days, and parents are responsible for ensuring attendance is recorded daily. Too many unexcused absences or tardies could result in expulsion.
All materials, including a computer, textbooks and instructional lessons, are provided to each enrolled student at Agora, Williams said.
"This is a commitment that both parents and students have to make," Williams said. "Cyber school isn't for everyone."
For 2006-07, the state cyber schools as a whole met 90 percent of their "adequate yearly progress," or AYP, academic performance targets.
AYP, a requirement of the federal No Child Left Behind law, is used to determine whether public districts are on track to achieve 100 percent proficiency by 2013-2014.
Three Pennsylvania cyber schools met all the targets, but they won't be listed as meeting AYP until they meet the targets for a second consecutive year.
Two schools missed only one AYP target.
All schools met the test participation requirement.
"I think this is a strong testament to the strength of our schools," Williams said.
By comparison, 802 of the roughly 3,100 public schools in the state did not meet AYP for 2006-2007, an increase of 156 schools.
Cyber schools function with less funding per student than traditional schools, yet have higher technology, curriculum and material costs, Williams said.
"Operating costs of online programs are about the same (per student) as operating brick-and-mortar schools," Williams said. "The cost for a full-time cyber education ranges from about $7,200 to $8,300."
Local school administrators say students in cyber schools should be held to the same standards as those in traditional schools.
Susan Anderson, superintendent of the Westmont Hilltop School District, said her district has fewer students enrolled in cyber schools than it had last year, although she did not provide specific numbers.
"The quality of education is essential," she said.
Anderson suggests finding an alternative way to assist in funding other than through the home district.
In the Rockwood Area School District, acting superintendent and high school Principal Mark Bower said the district has spent nearly $200,000 on cyber students this year. Last year's total was $130,000.
"I see this as a problem, because there is no way to predict how this number will change from year to year," he said. "We didn't budget for that much, and since we are in an emergency budget right now, this is a huge impact on us."
Twenty students from the district are enrolled in cyber schools, and Bower said the district has a good working relationship with the cyber school community.
Bower said that with more students moving online for education, Rockwood must find ways to compete.
"To be competitive with cybers, we need to offer our own type of cyber program that would attract kids back into the district," he said.
For most cyber school graduates, the next step is college.
Jim Gyure, the assistant to the president for enrollment management and director of admissions at Pitt-Johnstown, said eight freshmen at the university graduated from a cyber school.
"At this point, the numbers are small," he said. "But it's probably the largest number we have had to date."
Gyure said there is no information yet as to how cyber students are performing at UPJ, but he's hopeful that will change.
"We are expecting in upcoming years we'll probably be able to look at their progress."
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