Pennsylvania's new budget delivers on some long-promised reforms, but also offers some incremental steps towards greater accountability and transparency in the state's education system.
One of the most significant changes is its increased oversight of cyber charter schools, which have faced intense scrutiny for years over allegations of financial mismanagement and lax accountability. The new budget bars students with high truancy rates from transferring to cyber charters unless a judge decides it's in their best interest, and requires students to be visible on webcam during synchronous instruction.
Cyber charters will also be required to conduct weekly wellness checks on students and undergo training in recognizing signs of child abuse. These measures come after the death of one cyber charter student who was subjected to severe abuse at home, which was not reported by teachers.
In addition, the budget institutes a policy that makes it easier for public school districts to dispute paying cyber charter tuition for students who are no longer residents. This move comes in response to reports that public schools faced an onerous process for disputing tuition payments for students who moved during the school year.
The new budget also tweaks the state's adequacy formula, which is designed to provide additional funding to the least funded school districts. The changes include a $50,000 minimum distribution for all school districts, ensuring that even those with dwindling enrollment numbers receive some level of support. Over 130 districts will benefit from this move.
Meanwhile, the budget aims to address teacher shortages by increasing funding for student teacher stipends and creating an experience-based teaching certificate program. This program allows professionals who want to transition into teaching in fields related to their work to do so more easily.
The new budget also includes a significant boost to school facility repairs, including $25 million for the Solar for Schools program and $100 million for school safety and mental health grants.
Overall, while some advocates caution that there is still much work to be done, Pennsylvania's new budget represents a step forward in prioritizing students' needs and improving accountability within the state's education system.
One of the most significant changes is its increased oversight of cyber charter schools, which have faced intense scrutiny for years over allegations of financial mismanagement and lax accountability. The new budget bars students with high truancy rates from transferring to cyber charters unless a judge decides it's in their best interest, and requires students to be visible on webcam during synchronous instruction.
Cyber charters will also be required to conduct weekly wellness checks on students and undergo training in recognizing signs of child abuse. These measures come after the death of one cyber charter student who was subjected to severe abuse at home, which was not reported by teachers.
In addition, the budget institutes a policy that makes it easier for public school districts to dispute paying cyber charter tuition for students who are no longer residents. This move comes in response to reports that public schools faced an onerous process for disputing tuition payments for students who moved during the school year.
The new budget also tweaks the state's adequacy formula, which is designed to provide additional funding to the least funded school districts. The changes include a $50,000 minimum distribution for all school districts, ensuring that even those with dwindling enrollment numbers receive some level of support. Over 130 districts will benefit from this move.
Meanwhile, the budget aims to address teacher shortages by increasing funding for student teacher stipends and creating an experience-based teaching certificate program. This program allows professionals who want to transition into teaching in fields related to their work to do so more easily.
The new budget also includes a significant boost to school facility repairs, including $25 million for the Solar for Schools program and $100 million for school safety and mental health grants.
Overall, while some advocates caution that there is still much work to be done, Pennsylvania's new budget represents a step forward in prioritizing students' needs and improving accountability within the state's education system.
especially for those affected by cyber charter schools... I can only imagine how frustrating it must've been to deal with all that uncertainty and lack of transparency 
but at least now we're taking steps towards making things right, like requiring more accountability and safety measures in place 
it's amazing to see the state prioritizing students' needs, especially when it comes to mental health and school safety 
and I'm glad they're addressing teacher shortages too... those student teacher stipends can make all the difference for aspiring teachers who just need a little boost 
yay! finally some positive changes for those cyber charters 
they need to get their act together 
bar those high truancy students from transferring 
webcam requirements are a good start, but like, how much monitoring can they really do? 
still lots of work to be done 
but at least the state is prioritizing student needs 
teacher shortages need more funding 
and school facility repairs are long overdue 
$25 million for Solar for Schools is a great start, let's see what else we get 
. I mean, those cyber charter schools have been a problem for ages, so it's about time they got some extra oversight 
. The webcam thing might seem invasive, but if it prevents another kid from getting hurt, I'm all for it 
. And the fact that public schools can dispute cyber charter tuition payments is a huge win – those schools were being taken advantage of 
. It's also great to see some love for our underfunded districts with the $50k min distribution 
. And, yeah, those facility repairs are long overdue 
. Overall, it's not perfect, but this budget takes some real steps in the right direction 
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. The new policy for public school districts disputing cyber charter tuition payments also sounds like a win-win 
. I'm hoping this new budget marks the start of some real change in our education system 
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The fact that cyber charters are finally being held accountable for their students' well-being is totally necessary - we can't keep ignoring those kids who get lost in online learning 
. I'm loving the idea of increased oversight and mandatory wellness checks...let's make sure our kiddos are safe and happy! 
It's about time we support those who wanna share their passion with others. The $50k min distribution to school districts? That's a huge win too - no more struggling schools stuck in the dark ages 
. And can you imagine having to dispute tuition payments for students who move schools mid-year? That's just not right 
, it's about time someone made teachers report abuse 
. i also love that they're making it easier for public schools to dispute cyber charter tuition payments - it seems like common sense, right? 
increasing student teacher stipends and creating an experience-based teaching certificate program will definitely make it easier for people to get into teaching, especially in fields related to their existing work. and who doesn't want better school facilities? $25 million for Solar for Schools is a great start 
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the increased oversight of cyber charter schools is a total game changer - those places have been getting away with some pretty shady stuff for years. the new rules around webcam checks and wellness checks are seriously needed, especially after what happened to that poor student who was abused at home 
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. On a more positive note, increasing oversight and making schools accountable sounds like a win-win for kids and teachers alike 
. It's insane that some of these schools were basically operating like for-profit companies with no regard for student well-being. The webcam requirement is a good start, but we need to see more serious changes in the long run.