House bill under fire from school choice proponents

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

National School Choice Week has begun, and cyber-charter school leaders in Pennsylvania are pushing to stop state lawmakers from “taking away choice” from their students.

Agora Cyber Charter School, a public cyber school based in King of Prussia, Pa., that educates students from all parts of the state, is making a push to recruit students by advocating for school choice while simultaneously trying to defeat a state House bill.

The School District Cyber Education Law, formally known as House Bill 1897, was posted in September by state Rep. Curtis G. Sonney, R-Erie.

In a memo attached to the bill, Sonney writes that its passage would “require all school districts in the Commonwealth to offer full-time cyber education programs accountable to local communities.”

In 2002, the General Assembly authorized the creation of cyber charter schools.

“None of these schools are accountable to local communities, even though local taxpayer dollars are used to support them,” Sonney wrote. “Under my legislation, the constant tension between school districts and cyber charter schools will be eliminated.

“Cyber charter schools, instead of being separate school entities, will be able to serve as third-party vendors and work with school districts to offer full-time cyber education programs.

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