It may be part of a bigger plan to gradually push public
opinion to fund more of these type of schools.
School boards group wants to halt witholding for cyber tuition
Harrisburg (AP)- The Pennsylvania School Boards Association asked Commonwealth Court on Tuesday to bar the state from witholding money from school districts for unpaid online charter school bills.
The association made its request following a Thursday court ruling that said the Department of Education should give districts notice and the opportunity for a hearing before witholding money for "cyber" schools.
The decision affected nine southeastern Pennsylvania school districts. In its request, PSBA argues that all school districts, including those whose subsidies have already been witheld, should be entitled to hearings to challenge the bills.
PSBA also wants the state to restore any funding it has already witheld from school districts while they await an opportunity for any hearings.
"This injunctive relief will ensure that all districts have the ability to ask basic questions such as: Are the students actually residents of the district receiving the invoice? Are they really enrolled in the cyber school?" said PSBA Executive Director Thomas J. Gentzel.
Department officials have said that more than 300 districts refused to pay $10 million in bills this year from Einstein Academy Charter School and Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School. The districts contend "cyber schools," which deliver instruction over the Internet, are illegal and their bills questionable. There are seven cyber schools in the state.
A department spokeswoman had no immediate comment on Tuesday.