Pennsylvania House Democrats passed an education spending plan this month that would increase state support of city school districts by billions over the next five years, however, the bill partially funds this expansion by capping spending on students at cyber charter schools, a move seen as controversial by some.
Cyber charter schools are public schools that educate fully online. Parents who choose to enroll a child at a cyber charter school typically receive support for a home internet connection, a computer, and any other associated technology the school deems necessary for delivering a quality education. Teachers and administrators of cyber charter schools work at one or several locations, leading classes via live video or recording.
The state Department of Education regulates and authorizes cyber charter schools to ensure the quality of the school. However, cyber charters receive their public funding from each student’s local school district, based on the spending in the district, with certain deductions taken for services which the student will not receive because of attending a cyber charter school. This transfer from public school district to cyber charter has become controversial as enrollment at cyber charters has grown.
As of 2023, Pennsylvania has fourteen cyber charter schools, receiving $455 million from school districts across the state to serve about 60,000 students. Democrats’ funding plan seeks to reduce these expenditures for cyber charter students by $530 million over the coming five years. The savings would come primarily by capping transfers to cyber schools at $8,000 per student. The average per-pupil spending in brick-and-mortar public charter and district schools in Pennsylvania for 2023 is $22,000.
Arguments from both Republicans and Democrats over education spending have centered around how to respond to a Commonwealth Court ruling from 2023 that found the state’s current education funding policies to be unconstitutional. The court made no prescriptions for resolution, leaving those decisions to the legislative process.
House Democratic Leader Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery) stated during the floor debate for the spending plan, “What we’re doing is what the court has told us to do, to give every child in this commonwealth an equitable and fair public education.”
House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) opposed the changes to cyber charter funding, saying, “These were the same schools that were applauded during the pandemic, schools that are safe learning environments for those who have been bullied or have different learning needs. Schools that cater to students in every legislative district and that can produce real and palpable education outcomes. These schools will likely be devastated.”
Another group opposed to the changes to the funding formula is Black Pastors United for Education, who defended cyber charter schools in an open letter to elected officials, stating “cyber charter schools educate and serve a higher percentage of low-income and non-white students than traditional school districts. Our parents are choosing cyber charter schools as the only free alternative educational option for their children.”
The state legislature faces a statutory deadline of June 30 for funding the government.
