The need for cyber charter tuition reform in Pa. is something we can all agree upon

The promise and hope that accompany the start of a new year feel a bit muted as 2024 hosts our 60th presidential election, and our current political climate trends more toward divisiveness than building upon what we all have in common and our shared interests. Although Fred Rogers, Dolly Parton, and BBQ (Memphis-style, of course) are true American treasures, they surely can't be the only things that we all agree upon.

Interestingly, there is a topic from the world of education that unifies across political party lines: the need to reform cyber charter tuition and the crippling impact it has on all taxpayers and public schools across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and here in the General McLane School District.

Despite near-universal agreement that the funding system is broken, legislation addressing this issue (House Bill 1422) remains in the Senate Education Committee. While cyber charter lobbyists and legislators chat, taxpayers and schools bear both the literal and figurative price.

What does that cost for taxpayers and the district look like in the General McLane district? In the current system, public schools pay vastly different taxpayer-funded cyber charter tuition for identical services. General McLane pays cyber charter schools $13,055 per non-special education student and $26,076 per special education student, despite legitimate questions about the special education services that cyber charter schools provide, and the reduced operational costs of cyber schools compared to brick-and-mortar schools.

Because of these costs, we've worked very hard over the last several years to reiterate and reinforce the value of a General McLane diploma while also enhancing our own cyber programming. These efforts have reduced our cyber charter enrollment by 61% in the last three years, which benefits both our budget and the district's taxpayers.

In General McLane, the graduation rate (96%) far exceeds the statewide average (87%) and our Future Ready Index Goal. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Cyber Charter (PA Cyber) and Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA), the top two recipients of cyber charter funds in the General McLane district, cost General McLane School District and taxpayers the most while earning graduation rates of 62.1% (PA Cyber) and 62% (CCA).

While GM is an annual top-three performer in Erie County for PSSA/Keystone results, PA Cyber and CCA earn the following PSSA/Keystone passing rates respectively, 31% and 14% in English language arts; 13% and 5% in math; and 35% and 17% in science. A conversation about the context of those scores is the subject of academic studies, but the percentages are not in question.

In General McLane, we have talked recently about the collective hard work by the district and school board that remains focused on sustainable efficiency, and we are proud to say that this focus has resulted in an 82% reduction in our anticipated deficit heading into the 2023-24 school year.

While we move our ledger from red to black without sacrificing academic achievement, PA Cyber has increased its unassigned fund balance to $63.3 million ($13.7 million just three years ago) on the backs of taxpayers and school districts with minimal accountability or oversight, in my view.

The future of House Bill 1422, which utilizes a universal flat rate for non-special education students and rates for special education students based on tiers of needs, remains uncertain after being passed by the state House of Representatives and now waits in the state Senate Education Committee, but the impact on school districts and taxpayers in General McLane and across the commonwealth is clear and quantifiable. The current version of the bill would annually save the General McLane School District and taxpayers over $500,000.

One thing that cyber charter schools do excel at, in my view, is hiring marketing firms to saturate us with (expensive) advertisements suggesting that cyber charter schools are "free," and we know in practice this couldn't be further from the truth for taxpayers and school districts.

This is not a Republican or Democratic issue, nor is even it a school choice issue.

This is, however, about the fact that there are limited resources for funding public education, and they should be used efficiently and effectively.

Related: Pa. school funding reforms shortchange districts like Erie, lawmakers must act

Until there is action, we will focus on controlling what we can control, which means building upon the best educational experiences and learning environments for our students while providing an exceptional return on investment for taxpayers. We continue to take seriously our responsibility and to earn the fiduciary trust that our school community deserves.

Matt Lane is the superintendent of the General McLane School District. It includes four public schools, educating Erie County students from Edinboro borough, Franklin Township, Washington Township, McKean borough and McKean Township. This column was first published in the West County Journal.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Gen. McLane superintendent calls for Pa. cyber charter tuition reform