PRINTER'S NO. 2635
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
578
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY ROEBUCK, THOMAS, RABB, MILLARD, DEAN, O'NEILL,
GAINEY, LONGIETTI, SCHLOSSBERG, D. COSTA, V. BROWN,
D. MILLER, PASHINSKI, DONATUCCI, MURT, NEILSON AND ROZZI,
OCTOBER 25, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, OCTOBER 25, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Urging the State Board of Education to conduct a study and issue
a report outlining the best academic and financial practices
of high-performing charter schools and the unsuccessful
academic and financial practices of low-performing charter
schools.
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Charter School Law (Act 22 of 1997)
became law more than 20 years ago, making Pennsylvania the 27th
state to enact a charter school law; and
WHEREAS, Publicly funded charter schools are independent
public schools that are typically governed by a group or
organization under a legislative contract with the authorizing
entity, usually a school district; and
WHEREAS, The Cyber Charter School Law (Act 88 of 2002) was
enacted in response to the creation of cyber charter schools,
schools that provide educational programs through technology
online and are able to enroll students from school districts
across this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Education authorizes cyber charter
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schools; and
WHEREAS, During the 2016-2017 school year, 152 charter
schools, 14 cyber charter schools and 10 regional charter
schools operated in this Commonwealth, enrolling 132,860
students out of a total student population of 1,731,588,
equivalent to 7% of Pennsylvania students; and
WHEREAS, In 2016, a new charter school oversight body was
created through the Department of Education and tasked with
ensuring compliance with charter school laws and processes and
that data submitted by charter schools to the Department of
Education is accurate and timely; and
WHEREAS, The Charter School Law began as an educational
experiment and was crafted to exempt charter schools from many
of this Commonwealth's statutory and regulatory requirements in
exchange for higher performance outcomes and innovation in
teaching and learning; and
WHEREAS, At the heart of the Charter School Law is the idea
that charter schools would serve as laboratories of innovation
on behalf of all of Pennsylvania's schools; and
WHEREAS, Charter schools are intended to provide innovative
and unique educational opportunities for students beyond what is
currently available; and
WHEREAS, Charter schools are expected to offer students an
alternative means of achieving academic proficiency; and
WHEREAS, The educational programs offered by a charter school
should emphasize the development and broad dissemination of best
practices, in the context of ensuring the flexibility and
innovative atmospheres that are inherent in charter schools; and
WHEREAS, A number of charter schools in this Commonwealth are
high-performing charter schools; and
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WHEREAS, However, many more charter schools struggle
academically and financially, resulting in poor student learning
gains and closures due to fraud, waste and mismanagement; and
WHEREAS, Numerous studies have shown that the learning gains
for students in charter schools in this Commonwealth are not
significantly different from charter schools' traditional public
school counterparts; and
WHEREAS, Results under the system used in rating the
performance of this Commonwealth's public schools, the School
Performance Profile (SPP) growth measures, indicate that charter
schools continue to academically underperform; and
WHEREAS, In the years since the Charter School Law was
enacted, no legislative or other measures have been made to
bridge the gap between the concept of the charter school
experiment in 1997 and the reality of charter school education
in 2017; and
WHEREAS, After 20 years of experimenting, it is time for the
General Assembly to examine and reevaluate the direction of
charter school education in this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Given the rising enrollments in charter schools, the
substantial funding levels associated with charter schools and
the mix of State policy proposals being considered, it is
imperative that the General Assembly take action; therefore be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the State
Board of Education to conduct a comprehensive study outlining
the best academic and financial practices of high-performing
charter schools currently operating in this Commonwealth and the
unsuccessful academic and financial practices of low-performing
charter schools currently or previously operating in this
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Commonwealth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That for purposes of the study, a high-performing
charter school includes a charter school that achieved an SPP
score of 80 or higher in any year, and a low-performing charter
school includes a charter school that obtained an SPP score of
60 or lower in any year or has closed due to fraud, waste or
mismanagement; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the study include a detailed assessment of
high-performing charter schools that have a proven success
record of providing improved opportunities to teachers, parents,
students and community members for establishing and maintaining
schools that operate independently from existing school district
structure; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the detailed assessment of high-performing
charter schools include how the schools accomplished the
following:
(1) improved student learning, including student growth
measures;
(2) increased learning opportunities for all students,
including students with disabilities;
(3) the use of different and innovative teaching
methods;
(4) new professional opportunities for teachers;
(5) expanded choices that improve the types of
educational opportunities that are available within the
public school system; and
(6) met or exceeded measurable academic standards;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the study include a detailed assessment of
low-performing and unsuccessful charter schools which continue
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to operate or have closed and the lessons that can be learned
from the schools' academic or financial failures, including any
fraud, waste and mismanagement that occurred; and be it further
RESOLVED, That consideration be given to an examination of
the factors associated with high-performing and low-performing
charter schools, such as:
(1) the demographics of the students that the schools
educate;
(2) the schools' records of operating with integrity and
any conflicts of interest; and
(3) governance structure and local creation and
oversight;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education, based on the
comprehensive assessment of high-performing and low-performing
charter schools conducted, identify and review any necessary
policies, regulations or legislative changes necessary to
improve the academic and learning success of charter school
students; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education issue its
findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by November
30, 2018.
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