Pa. Renews Charter As 9,000 Now Attend A Pioneer Cyber School

BillLawrenceOnline.Com ^ | 7-23-10

[Tribune7]

The state Department of Education has renewed the charter for five years for The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School , which was the first and is the largest cyber charter school in the state.

Pa Cyber, founded in 2000, now provides free public education to 9,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It is one of 11 cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania.

PA Cyber started when the small Midland Borough SchoolDistrict on the Ohio border was forced to close its high school due to economic conditions and began busing students across the state line for classes.

District officials expecting an enrollment of 50 local students were shocked to find applications from 500 throughout the state

[Tribune7]

A good news ping.

9,000 students would make PaCyber a fair size school district.

[Persevero]

I am basically for anything but a typical public school, but,

How do they know who is doing the lessons?

I home school, I am the one who attests to the fact that my kids do their work.

I guess I see a big opportunity for cheating, but then again, there is nowhere to go but up.

[Tribune7]

It's been around for 10 years so those issues have had to come up.

I don't know if this answers your questions specifically but here is the school's FAQ

[AGreatPer]

"I home school,"

Very proud of you.

All it takes is time, knowledge, caring, patients, mind reading and a bit of chutzpah.

[Abby4116]

I attended PA Cyber's East graduation last month and each student's "resume" was read when he/she received their diploma and I doubt there is much cheating going on. One student (graduating HS senior, remember) had completed 84 credits at community college and had 2 associate degrees at the time he received his HS diploma. Many had 24+ community college credits. These aren't the kids who cheat. The school can tell if you are logged on at the proper time, there is 2 way communication, tests are given and homework has to be submitted.

[Glenn]

My wife is a director at this school. They do an incredible job. Dr. Trombetta is amazing.

[Reddy]

Isn’t this still “public school”? You don’t go to a building, but you get indoctrinated into the State’s mindset.

I believe home school parents should be allowed a CHOICE of curriculum (what is best for their child and family), not be forced to use a public school curriculum in the home.

Just my opinion.

[Brouhaha]

“Pa Cyber, founded in 2000, now provides free public education to 9,000 students...”

This service is not free. What an absurd statement.

[finnsheep]

My grandson is in this cyber school. As I understand it the cost per student is less than half what the regular public school costs per year in our school district.

[Tribune7]

I support school choice too, but cyber schools and charter schools are a big improvement over the traditional school that the NEA and PSEA so stridently defend.

We can't let imperfection be the enemy of progress.

[WOSG]

“Isn’t this still “public school”? You don’t go to a building, but you get indoctrinated into the State’s mindset.”

No. You cannot kneejerk assume that ‘the State’s mindset’ is being taught without looking at the school.
Charter schools are free of many of the strings of public schools, have better curriculum that is better for children, and as a result often out-perform public schools.

[WOSG]

Yup. Charter schools are just on type of school choice. NONE of these should be used as a reason to preclude any other ones:
- public school choice
- charters
- scholarship programs
- voucher programs
- homeschooling
- private schools

[Tribune7]

Mega Dittos!!!

[Tribune7]

Mega Dittos!!!

[Reddy]

I just know that in my state we have a k-12 program that is considered “home-schooling”.

I am just concerned that the State has entered this arena for their own good ($), not for the benefit of the student.

[WOSG]

People should get more informed before dismissing another form of school choice.

The fact that you have and enjoy one form of school choice should NOT cause you to dismiss and oppose another valuable, useful and child-saving form of school choice.(which btw has zero impact on homeschooling, except to make it more acceptable for parents to make education choices, which helps understanding of homeschooling families.)

Why would you want millions of school kids currently in public schools to NOT have this opportunity/benefit?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703574604574499592392782438.html

“Stanford economist Caroline Hoxby recently found that poor urban children who attend a charter school from kindergarten through 8th grade can close the learning gap with affluent suburban kids by 86% in reading and 66% in math. And now Marcus Winters, who follows education for the Manhattan Institute, has released a paper showing that even students who don’t attend a charter school benefit academically when their public school is exposed to charter competition.”

“I am just concerned that the State has entered this arena for their own good ($), not for the benefit of the student.”
charter schools were put together to help kids learn better.

[Reddy]

I’m not dismissing or opposing State run cyber schools.... but it is sad that we have to say, “Well, it beats the alternative!”

State run public school is the worst, and State run cyber schools are a step up. But having government run ANYTHING usually results in poorer quality. Like I said, JMO.