House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

In the near future, I intend to re-introduce legislation (HB 2358 from 2019/20) that amends the Public School Code to require cyber charter schools to regularly report the attendance of each student to their school district of residence. 

 

How each of Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools tracks attendance varies greatly - from a point system which equates hours it should take for students to complete an assignment to attendance calculated by when students log in along with their participation and contact with teachers. As much as attendance policies differ, so do the data cyber charters track to monitor attendance. 

 

There is no local accountability when it comes to attendance. Some students who attend cyber charter schools end up coming back into the local school districts and behind academically due to their lack of participation in their cyber programs. Greater accountability is needed at the local level to ensure our students are actually attending and participating in their cyber education. 

 

My legislation preserves educational options for our students, but it does add an extra layer of accountability to ensure that students in cyber charter schools are meeting the legal requirements related to attendance. 

 

Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to increase the accountability of cyber charter schools. 

 

Previous Cosponsors:  James, Millard, Pickett, Moul, Reasdshaw, Deasy, Marshall, Polinchock, Brown, DeLuca, Everett, Pashinksi, Toohil, Rader, Ciresi, Brooks, Hershey, Neilson, Malagari and Gaydos