Here’s what Centre County school board candidates said about charter school reform
Editor’s note: The Centre Daily Times recently sent a survey to all school board candidates with questions about a number of issues. Twenty four candidates responded and 18 did not. We have published their unedited responses, which were limited to 1200 characters. We will publish additional responses in other stories.
Charter schools are an ever-growing part of Pennsylvania’s education system, with both cyber and brick-and-mortar schools. Charter schools have a direct impact on local districts, costing local schools millions per year in charter tuition.
Many school boards across Pennsylvania have called for charter funding reform in recent years. Critics of Pennsylvania’s charter system cite lessened guidelines, lower test scores and unfair funding formulas. Proponents of the system say that charter schools offer parents increased choices for students’ education.
Candidates were asked how charters affected local districts and if reform was needed.
State College Area School District candidates
Amy Bader — Cyber and brick-and-mortar charter schools have on-going and growing impact on school district budgets. This is a result of outdated and unfair funding formulas that hurt districts when they make improvements and can create risks for special education students. Reform is long overdue and the state’s districts have overwhelmingly called for funding to be addressed. This is a complex issue, but simplistically: 1) The calculation for charter tuition includes costs that charters are not required to provide, like athletics. Additionally, when a district makes an investment in new programming this inflates tuition unfairly and disincentivizes district improvements. 2) The calculation for cyber charters is identical to brick-and-mortar charters when their costs are nowhere near comparable. 3) The special education tuition rate is fixed and unrelated to costs. This incentivizes the over-identification of low-need students while discouraging charters from accepting high-need students. This phenomenon is well documented. 4) Districts gain no savings when students leave to attend charters due to their dispersal across grade levels.
Nathan Bish — They use the same funding source as SCASD which decreases SCASD funds. Cyber/Charter Students can participate in SCASD activities but none of their funding support SCASD. If Cyber and Charter Schools need funding transparency and accountability.
Gretchen Brandt — Cyber and Brick & Mortar Charter schools do not have to follow and of the rules or guidelines that public schools do. Charters must be held to the same standards as public schools.
Anne Demo — We’ve always been a public school family, so my perspective on cyber and charter schools has been most focused on how the unfair state funding formula impacts school districts and taxpayers. Although public school districts like SCASD have no financial oversight or authority over academic standards in cyber and charter schools, state law mandates that districts cover student tuition and transportation costs. In 2021-2022, the costs were $5.8 million (3% of the SCASD budget), which equates to 62 teaching positions. Since 2011, SCASD payments to charter schools have increased by 48%. Such increases are not unique to SCASD. The significant need for reform led over 450 school boards in PA to call for reforming the unfair funding formula. In the case of cyber schools, the state-mandated funding formula requires that SCASD send more money than cyber charter schools even require to operate their programs. In addition to increasing the tax burden, cyber and charter schools have limited accountability to taxpayers. For these reasons, I support the 2021 resolution calling for charter school legislation reform.
Daniel Kolbe — Charter schools operate with less regulation and funding is diverted from public schools. This creates an unfair advantage. They should be held to the same rules and regulations as public schools to ensure accountability and a level playing field.
John Krajcovic — Cyber and Charter Schools (C&C) use the same funding source as the SCASD which decreases funding to the SCASD and the number of students. C&C students can participate in extra-curricular activities at SCASD, yet they contribute none of their funding allotment towards activities. C&C need to be transparent with accounting. I’ve heard from families and teachers about classroom disruptions being ignored by the Administration. Teachers have been encouraged to pass students that give no effort. Students that cause continuous distractions should be evaluated, provided an Aide, or considered for placement. Current SCASD policy lacks a definitive and comprehensive discipline matrix that states infractions and specifies the consequences. Violations of policy need tracked in a database that states which policy was broken and what discipline was given. Kids can’t learn in an unsatisfactory learning environment, when they don’t feel safe, or are being harassed or bullied. The best option is to address issues in the school and make SCASD a better place to learn. If efforts aren’t made to improve these issues, I would consider options like C&C as they could benefit certain students.
Aaron Miller — The funding design of charters and cyber charters makes our district less efficient and less able to adapt to the needs of all children. State-level reform in both funding an oversight is badly needed.
Michelle Young — I support charter schools. Go to facebook.com/young4scasd2023 for more information.
Laurel Zydney — Charter tuition is a major financial expense that affects districts’ ability to offer programs, but charters aren’t funded based on reimbursing actual educational expense. Instead, they are given a different amount for each student based on the student’s home district’s budget. The SpecEd funding formula provides an incentive for charters to underserve children with significant needs and over-identify other children. Cybercharters get the same $/student as building charters though virtual education costs less. It’s hard to follow the dollars because charters don’t have publicly elected boards and aren’t held to the same standards of governance and financial transparency as districts. Reforms should ensure charter tuition is spent transparently on education. While charters can provide alternative educational models and specialized programs, a better solution is providing support that encourages districts to develop targeted programs based on local interest— SCASD’s Delta program is a good example. That would provide greater flexibility and oversight and serve the community better.
Barry Fenchak and Megan Layng did not respond to the survey.
Bellefonte Area School District candidates
Jennifer Barnhart — They have a strong impact on the stretch of resources that school district has available. This is something that I intend to evaluate further prior to suggesting feasible action.
Patrick Buck — Cyber and charter schools provide families with options to meet their specific needs. The school should be working with these families to understand why they are choosing these alternatives and develop solutions to address the root cause.
Nate Campbell — Cyber schools are taking resources from every student in the district, the unfair funding that takes tax dollars from Bellefonte and sends them to schools with little to no oversight. This must be fixed.
Julie Fitzgerald — School choice is important but in their current form, cyber and charter schools are not on a level playing field with regard to oversight and funding. All students are entitled to an education that successfully prepares them for their future. However, the report card on student achievement at many cyber and charter school is abysmal. Yet many parents are unaware that cyber and charter schools do not need to meet the same standards as public schools. In many cases, our district dollars are leaving to pay tuition for an inferior education. In the past 8 years approximately 15 million dollars have left our district to pay for cyber and charter school tuitions. Reform at the state level is needed not only with regard to the funding formula used to determine what tuition school districts pay but also in the oversight of these schools and their academic standards. As a school board member, I will continue to strongly advocate for this reform so that more Bellefonte tax dollars stay in Bellefonte.
Darrell Sharp — Charter schools should drive educational competition and induce improvements in public schools. The funding calculations for charter schools are not fair and that needs addressed. The improvements can only occur with a level financial playing field.
Donna Smith — Improper funding of cyber-charters particularly has cost our taxpayers millions and has led directly to tax increases. The performance of cyber-charters is abysmal. I will continue to advocate for charter funding change and academic improvement.
Kimberly Weaver — Cyber/Charter schools take away millions of dollars from our district. We also need to hold cyber/charter schools to the same academic standards and funding as our public schools. So yes, reform is needed and we have been pushing our legislators for charter/cyber school funding reform.
Joe Yech — Charter and cyber schools siphon funding from our public schools when students and parents choose to move away from public schools to them. We need to work on the issues that cause them to leave our school so that they choose to stay with us.
Denelle Korn, Timothy Kessling and Paul Dombrowski did not respond to the survey.
Bald Eagle Area School District candidates
Erica Danneker — Cyber and charter schools have had a big impact on public education, namely funding as they drain resources often creating financial challenges. Both options can provide greater flexibility with curriculum, staffing and funding than public schools. However, cyber and charter schools are not held to the same standards as public schools which can result in an inequitable education, and lack of accountability for academic performance, teaching methods and management. Reforms could be considered to ensure that cyber and charter schools are held to the same standards. Funding formulas could also be adjusted to ensure public schools are not disadvantaged by the presence of charter and cyber schools. Bald Eagle Area School District’s vision is to be the “School of Choice” for all stakeholders in the community. As a public educator myself and having been a parent at private schools and a public school in another district, I can attest to the superior experience and education at Bald Eagle Area School District.
Gary Heverly Jr. — It’s bothersome to see advertisements for cyber charter and charter schools stating they are free. When students leave our district, taxpayers foot the bill to the tune of $13,000 to $30,000 per student depending on their needs. Further tuition can be increased by those schools without cause. While the upper end of the tuition scale is for special education students or students who need accommodations, many cyber charters do not provide these service in –full with no true oversight to ensure accommodations occur. It seems these school are profiting from taxpayer money because the amount permitted in their yearly fund balances exceeds what brick and mortar schools are permitted. Additionally, 13 of the largest cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania failed to meet any of the state averages on English, Math and Science exams and one cyber charter school with the greatest number of students, had scores among the lowest in the state. While school choice may be a good idea, cyber charters are not held to the same academic, ethical, or financial standards as brick and mortar schools which can only be remedied with reform.
Jason Penland — We pay more to cyber and charter schools than we receive for those respective students. When many of those students return we have to spend more to get them to proficiency due to poor rigor of schools elsewhere. Low standards mean poor outcomes.
Molly Hoover and Brandi Bartley did not respond to the survey.
Penns Valley Area School District candidates
Kim Kellerman-Domin — The greatest impact to the schools in reference to cyber and charter schools is that the schools are missing out on having those students present in the classroom. All students make valuable contributions to the classroom. That being said though, I understand that the public school setting is definitely not for every child. Every child should have the opportunity to receive the type of education that supports their needs. Parents should have the choice as to where they send their children to school. The local public schools are not the ones who should determine (or try to limit) the accessibility.
Michael Pase — They do take money from the district, however, cyber and charter schools need to be available to provide families a choice that best fits their needs. At the same time, they must meet the same standards set forth by their local school district.
Celesta Powell, Molly Miller, Dan Hall, Karla Groy, Daniel Pick, Domer Smeltzer, Nickelaus Engle and Scott Butler did not reply.
Philipsburg Osceola Area School District candidates
Tiffany Warlow — Reform in Harrisburg is needed; Keeping our students in the public-school setting is imperative. Millions of our taxpayer dollars are lost each year because the local school districts must pay for the students who choose to attend the “tuition free” cyber schools or charter schools. Although it can be good for some students, depending on various situations, parents really need to do their research. Protocols and guidelines for students attending these schools also need to be in place to ensure student success. Oftentimes, students end up eventually returning to the public-school setting only to find out they’ve fallen behind academically. It is then up to the school district to figure out how to catch these students up, which often results in more money spent.
Tim Bainey, Todd Jeffries and Alexander Boumerhi did not respond to the survey.
