HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -- Current and former board members of Pennsylvania school districts clashed with the Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA) during a virtual press conference.
Board members attempted to put the finishing touches on the state budget. Public schools will receive more money, however local districts are not satisfied with the amount of money they would pay cyber charters. The members asserted that districts are forced to pay the CCA too much and local taxpayers are getting too little.
Susan Spicka, the executive director of Education Voters of PA, said, "School districts are paying cyber charter schools more than $1 million a year, mostly from local property taxes."
"They hide their financial information, they show contempt for taxpayers they never have to face, and they steadfastly oppose every effort to find out how they make decisions," community school advocate Tim Potts says. "Test scores are far below state average, and their graduation rate is lower than even Philadelphia's. If community schools behave like this, the public officials in Harrisburg would have their hair on fire. This is a conspicuous scandal."
The CCA calls this a political stunt by anti-school choice activists intentionally misleading the public.
They say:
It is widely known that Education Voters of Pennsylvania is funded by anti-school choice organizations that want to dictate to families where their children are to be educated.
This orchestrated attack on CCA by Susan Spicka, Tim Potts, and Eric Epstein is nothing more than political grandstanding in their ongoing pursuit to influence state lawmakers during state budget negotiations.
It's important to set the record straight. Susan Spicka, Tim Potts, and Eric Epstein continue to intentionally mislead the public about CCA. As the second-largest public school entity in the state, we understand that our success may be threatening to some. However, we stand by our mission to provide a quality education and personalized learning programs that more and more families are choosing over traditional public schools.
As the most sought-after public cyber charter school in Pennsylvania, our educational programs and student- and family-centered support services are the reasons more than 94% of families return each year.
CCA follows all public school laws, including annual reports and audits, and responds to all Right-to-Know requests and, as permitted by law, will withhold from public disclosure any and all information that would violate the statutorily protected privacy of our students, families, and staff.
Timothy A. Eller | Senior Vice President of Outreach and Government Relations
Commonwealth Charter Academy
The question: isn't increasing cyber and charter enrollment proof that, for some parents, public schools are failing?
Potts continued, "If parents are unhappy with their schools the way they are now, how are they going to get any better if you keep taking money out of those schools to give it to cyber charters?"
A historic public school funding bill just passed the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, which includes charter reforms and capping a cyber tuition at $8,000 per year. Will Senate Republicans move it?
Eric Epstein, a former teacher and writer for Rock the Capital, added, "This is the moment. This is the intersection when opportunity and resources connect, and what we're lacking is political will."
Answers should be coming soon as part of the budget, which is due in just over a week.
