In their Nov. 19 commentary, members of the Board of Trustees for Reach Cyber Charter School discussed the benefits of cyber charter schools and suggested they are a viable alternative to traditional public schools. However, while the authors make fair points about some benefits of remote learning - particularly for high-risk demographic groups - it is important to have the full picture. What the authors of the Nov. 19th commentary leave out is that Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools are hindered by a severe lack of accountability and have abysmal academic achievement records.
Cyber schools are typically lauded by families with extenuating circumstances, including those affected by frequent moving, long-term illness, or severe bullying. Many turn to cybers as a possible escape from the upheaval and turmoil traditional schooling causes for some students. However, there is no evidence that cyber schools are any better at reaching these students than traditional schools are.
Under the current PA School Code, there is nothing stipulating that cyber schools need to keep or report data on things like attrition or attendance. While the schools themselves often claim they are serving hard-to-reach students who might otherwise dropout or fail, there is no public, verifiable data to prove this.
What is more troubling, though, is the academic record of most cyber charter schools. In PA, no cyber charter school is successfully meeting academic standards set by the state or federal government. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s records database, the Future Ready Index, all 15 cyber charter schools in the state are not meeting standards, and all have been designated for some type of state intervention. Eleven of the 15 have been designated for comprehensive support and improvement, which is reserved for only the most severe cases.
Reach Cyber Charter School, itself, has been classified for comprehensive support and improvement, and during the 2018-19 school year, only 14.2% of its students met proficiency standards in math - 31% lower than the statewide average.
While cyber charter schools are not the only type of schools struggling with accountability and academics, the systemic nature of their underperformance raises serious questions about their effectiveness overall. School choice advocates often argue cyber schools are a viable alternative to “failing” public schools, but how can they be when they, too, are “failing”?
Like most issues in education, these issues are complicated, and there is no one, right answer. At the heart of the issue are children, children whose entire lives could be shaped by how and where they go to school. Because of this, it is important that we keep open minds when we consider reforming cyber charter schools. However, it is also important that we do what is best for students, and as they stand right now, cyber charter schools are not the best choice for most students. As a public school student and future educator myself, I urge every parent, student, and public school ally to reach out to your state representative and ask them to push for reform of Pennsylvania’s cyber charter school system.
Meghan Buchle, The Pennsylvania State University, College of Education | Class of 2021