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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 25, 2013 10:16 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Mike Fleck |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Moratorium on New Cyber Charter Schools and Limits on Unassigned Fund Balances of Charter School Entities |
| In the near future I will introduce legislation that will place a three-year moratorium on the consideration and approval by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) of new cyber charter schools and also will place new limits on the unassigned fund balances held by charter school entities. There are 16 cyber charter schools currently operating in Pennsylvania, and eight additional cyber charter school applications are now under consideration for approval by PDE. The appropriate manner of funding cyber charter schools is a complex issue on which there is significant disagreement. Allowing the number of approved cyber charter schools to increase before the General Assembly addresses this issue would only exacerbate the pressures on the funding system. My bill will alleviate this pressure by prohibiting PDE from receiving, reviewing or acting on any cyber charter school applications from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2016, giving the General Assembly time to develop and consider funding solutions. My bill also will reform the current Charter School Law by imposing limits on the unassigned fund balances that charter school entities may accumulate. The Public School Code currently limits the unassigned fund balances that school districts may amass, but places no similar restrictions on charter school entities. My proposed legislation, which includes language similar to the fund balance limit provisions contained in previous charter reform legislation, would level the playing field between school districts and charter school entities, by requiring them to adhere to the same requirements. Further, my bill will benefit school districts by requiring unassigned fund balances in excess of the limits to be refunded on a pro rata basis to all school districts that paid tuition to the charter school entity in the prior school year. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation. If you have any questions regarding same please contact Kelly Roth in my office at via email at kroth@pahousegop.com or by calling 787-3335. |
Introduced as HB980