Families are preparing for a school year that will be unlike any other.

Because Pennsylvania provides grossly inadequate funding to public education, school administrators have spent their summers operating within the constraints of very tight budgets and uncertain funding as they make plans to educate children in a way that will keep students and staff safe during a global pandemic.

School board members have logged countless hours in virtual meetings listening to the recommendations of their administrations and the concerns of their constituents. Teachers have spent long days redesigning classes and learning how to use new technologies to connect with student who will be learning remotely. And parents have been faced with impossible choices as they try to figure out how they will work if their children are learning at home.

None of this is easy. For anyone. Patience, grace, and kindness will serve us all well as we navigate these uncharted waters.

And we need to remember that in spite of the challenges we face right now, our public schools are irreplaceable centers of our communities, where our children build relationships with caring adults who are trained to help them develop their potential in ways that extend far behind classroom instruction.

Teachers, support staff, and administrators in our local public schools will continue to do this vital work, even if they are connecting with student through screens instead of in person for part of the school year.

Check Before You Choose

Many parents are learning about what school will look like for their children this fall. This can be overwhelming. If you have questions about your district’s virtual school offerings, check your school district website and follow up with your child’s building principal with questions.

If you are considering a cyber charter school, our PA Schools Work partners have set up a page where you can find the resources you need to help you learn more about what a cyber charter education actually looks like. A lot of this information may surprise parents.

An op-ed written by a former cyber charter school student lifts the curtain on his experience:

“While I attended CCA (Commonwealth Charter Academy), there was a common practice among my classmates of literally skipping weeks of school at a time and then completing the backlogged assignments in one day, clicking through the lessons quickly and Googling the answers. All my classmates from ninth to 12th grade at CCA’s Harrisburg Family Support Center were aware and often guilty of doing this throughout all four years of high school.”

More than 90% of Pennsylvania public school districts are offering their own online learning program for students. This option keeps students connected to school district teachers, curriculum, and community, while allowing for a seamless return to school when the time is right. Be sure to check before you choose; ask the right questions, especially when it comes to the virtual/distance learning options on the table in your district.

A webinar you don’t want to miss!

On Wednesday, August 26 at 1:00 pm, join PA Auditor General, Eugene DePasquale, Philadelphia Councilmember Helen Gym, Public Citizens for Children and Youth, and the Education Law Center for a webinar about cyber charter schools, their academic performance, and their impact on your local school district. This event is free and open to the public. This webinar will not disappoint!

Click HERE to RSVP and submit questions to the experts.

There is going to be a lot going on in the upcoming days/weeks that will impact public education. Please stay tuned and thank you for your continued support of public education.