LANCASTER, PA — The Pennsylvania House Education Committee began a statewide series of hearings on Friday, addressing concerns surrounding cyber charter school oversight and performance. The initial session, held at Lincoln Middle School in Lancaster, focused on the academic outcomes and accountability of the state’s cyber charters.
Majority Chair of the House Education Committee, Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, explained the purpose of these sessions. “Today, we kicked off a series of meetings to have an honest and open discussion on Pennsylvania’s cyber charters as the recent Auditor General’s report on cyber charters has raised some serious questions and concerns,” Schweyer said. “It is my hope that these hearings can both educate Pennsylvanians on cyber charter schools and lead to increased transparency and accountability for these online institutions.”
The hearing brought together representatives from the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA), Education Voters of Pennsylvania, school district officials, and stakeholders from the cyber charter sector, including administrators from Commonwealth Charter Academy.
Highlighting a pressing issue, Dr. Sherri Smith, Executive Director of PASA, remarked, “The performance of Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools continues to lag far behind that of traditional public schools and brick-and-mortar charter schools. As a state, we should be very concerned about the ongoing issue of low performance and participation compliance of cyber charter schools.”
The hearing is part of a larger effort to examine cyber school practices and propose reforms aimed at improving oversight and outcomes. Two additional hearings are planned in the coming weeks. The next session will take place in Johnstown, followed by another in Stroudsburg. Details for these events will be released soon.
This tour spotlights the urgency to address growing concerns about Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools and their role in the broader educational landscape. Committee leaders hope these discussions will lead to meaningful reform, fostering a system that ensures better performance and accountability for online learners statewide.
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