I want to thank the overwhelming number of families who have contacted the Leader-Vindicator regarding the article we sent out in our last alert.  I have included the article again below.

It seems that the article was printed in the Courier Express, which also owns the Leader-Vindicator.  We apologize for the confusion.  So we are asking for you to send your emails to the Courier Express.  You can send them to letters@thecourierexpress.com

Keep your letters to under 250 words and include your contact information or they will not publish your letter.

Our friends at the Commonwealth Foundation sent us some very helpful information you can include in you letters to the editor.

Here are some facts from them regarding the St. Mary’s School District:

-   As the article states St. Mary’s enrollment dropped 13% since 2000 – but the district added classroom teachers (increase of 2, or 1.3%) and increased the number of support staff by 22% (20 staffers) during that time.

-   The cost of these additional staff are several times the “cost” of cyber school students.

-   The 26 cyber students represent 1.1% of the students in the district, but only receive 0.7% of the funding.

-   The cost of cyber schools, according to the article, would be $6,251 per cyber student—the district spent $9,720 per pupil in 2007-08.  That is, cyber schools saved taxpayers money.

I want to again thank all of you for contacting the paper.  I’m grateful to be the president of such a wonderful coalition of amazing families who are willing to help protect our wonderful public cyber schools!

Keep moving forward!

Cindy Strausburger

President