Pennsylvania has more cyber charters than any other state (16 at last count). It also has a large charter sector that performs no better than public schools. The Governor took $1 billion out of the public schools’ budget, and he is allowing the public schools of Philadelphia to die.
Here is a good explanation:
“We cannot afford four separate school systems
“Pennsylvanians must decide if we want to continue to support public education or if we will allow those who want to privatize education to prevail. Pennsylvania taxpayers are now supporting four separate school systems – our traditional community-based public schools, bricks and mortar charter schools, cyber-charter schools and private schools. We simply cannot afford it. The funding being diverted from our community-based public schools to charters and private schools is killing public education.
“Pennsylvania taxpayers are spending $946 million on bricks and mortar charter schools, 71 percent of which did not meet the federal Adequate Yearly Progress standard (AYP), $366 million on cyber-charters, none of which met AYP. The Education Improvement Tax Credit program is diverting another $200 million from public schools to support private schools.
“The Philadelphia public school crisis shows us the future for many public schools around the Commonwealth if we do not recommit to adequate funding for our school districts.”
http://www.hangerforgovernor.com/we_cannot_afford_four_separate_school_systems”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Stupid parents. Don’t they know what’s good for their kids?
The cybercharters are failing schools. Why haven’t any reformers lobbied to close them? is it the reform position that parents should be permitted to “choose” schools that don’t meet standards? Why then did reformers close public schools in Chicago? Those parents CHOSE those schools. Parents may only choose the privatized schools reformers are selling?
The reason public schools are closing in Chicago is because they are half empty.
It is not true that Chicago is closing 50+ public schools because they are “half-empty.” Chicago is opening new charter schools. That’s the game plan. Close down public schools, privatize. http://www.suntimes.com/21908824-761/despite-closings-and-budget-cuts-cps-calls-for-new-charter-schools.html
They are opening new charter schools in Chicago because more parents want them. They are closing public schools because fewer parents want them.
“Pennsylvania taxpayers are spending $946 million on bricks and mortar charter schools, 71 percent of which did not meet the federal Adequate Yearly Progress standard (AYP), $366 million on cyber-charters, none of which met AYP.”
That can’t be true, Diane. We were told repeatedly by reformers that they were closing “failing schools”, not opening them.
I wonder why reformers don’t rush in and save all those children in failed and failing cybercharters in PA. Could it have something to do with the armies of for-profit reform lobbyists that have descended on state legislatures? You can’t swing a cat in Ohio without hitting a reform lobbyists selling one or another taxpayer-funded gimmick. The non-profit “reform advocacy groups” alone must employ tens of thousands of people at this point. NONE of that money is going into classrooms.
Reverse over $1 billion in K-12 and higher education funding cuts.
Hold BOTH public and charter schools accountable for performance. Any charter school that cannot establish basic financial accountability to protect against misuse of taxpayer dollars, including employee theft, will lose its charter.
Fix the funding formula for cyber charter schools to recognize that these schools pay no brick-and-mortar costs.
Oppose voucher programs which undercut the need to restore our investment in public education.”
Wow. A Democrat who isn’t afraid to support public education. This guy is an endangered species. The Walton family better step up and shower his opponent with cash, quick, before people hear from him.
http://www.hangerforgovernor.com/education_that_works/
Great succinct description of the problem and the solution to the public school crisis in Philadelphia. Thank you candidate Hanger and Diane for this important post. Now lets hear from Allyson Schwartz, the candidate for governor who actually represents Phila. Is she with us or not? It would be good to know.
Yes, lets see what Allyson Schwartz has to say about education and COMMON CORE? What is your position Rep.Schwartz?
It’s more than Philadelphia. They’re cutting full-day kindergarten all over the state:
“Without increased state support and meaningful relief from mandated retirement contributions, charter school and cyber-charter school tuition payments, non-public transportation, prevailing wage requirements and property tax collection, the already challenging academic and fiscal situation [in school districts] will continue to worsen in 2012-13 and beyond,” said the 2012 PASBO report.
What a disaster for parents. Cut existing public school programs to pay for cybercharters and non-public transportation. Working parents will of course now have to pay for day care to fill the hole left by half-day kindergarten.
They have school reformers to thank.
Candidate Hanger sounds as if he is education friendly; although I only have that one flyer to go by. This is the type of person we need to be voting into every position/office.
Interestingly, in the next county over from mine, the public school system is considering creating their own all digital high school rather than building a new traditional high school to accommodate the influx of new residents to the county. I am curious as to if they have stopped to think about the effects that could possibly have on their traditional high schools.
Someone on the main Badass Teachers Association page raised the question of how cyber charters work for families with working parents, a good question to raise! Parents and families are not well served by the patchwork of odd school “choices” on offer: if children are not in “brick and mortar” schools, other arrangements need to be made, at the expense and discretion of parents. Hopefully they will recognize that this proliferation of bad choices is not in their best interests, nor their childrens’. The staggering amount of money siphoned off from public schools to support failing charters is criminal; the failure of the commonwealth to provide free public education to all of its children is unconstitutional. The experimental schools that are truly supported by research and the experience of continued success should be part of the public schools: there is no reason (except for the profit of charter owners and computer sales) why these should be removed into a system of their own.
The advertising by cyber charter schools is disheartening. “Free” tuition. “Free” books and supplies and laptops. “Free” from “distractions” at regular public schools. Kiosks at Hershey Park, millions in TV ads in major markets. When do the regular public schools get to to this?
Everything is “free” because it is paid for by taxpayers. The same thing are free in public schools. The difference is that cyber charters get paid for homeschooling, and they make big profits for investors. From your taxes.
This just in from Philadelphi,PA
The School Reform Commission of the School District of Philadelphia will hold a special meeting to consider suspension of selected requirements of the Public School Code and applicable Regulations on Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 3:00pm in the Second Floor Auditorium, Education Center, 440 N. Broad Street.