Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School | |
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| Type | Public (services available to any PA citizen) |
| Founded | Norristown, Pennsylvania |
| Headquarters | Pennsylvania |
| Industry | Education |
| Employees | 210 |
| Website | www.pavcs.org |
The Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School (PAVCS) is a public cyber charter school. According to its website, PAVCS has roughly 4,000 enrolled students.[1] Cyber charter schools enroll mostly homeschooled students[2] and also children with special needs[3] teaching them remotely via computer.[4]
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[edit] Background
PAVCS was approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) in 2001 and then renewed in 2005 for an additional five years.[1] Initially serving kindergarten through 2nd grade,[3] as of 2007, it serves kindgergarten through 10th grade and plans to add 11th and 12th grades.[1]
[edit] Governance
Originally chartered by Norristown School District,[5] the Pennsylvania Department of Education now serves as PAVCS' charter authorizer and monitors PAVCS' compliance with the stipulations of its charter.[1] The school's current charter is for a period of five years from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2011.[5]
[edit] Funding
The school is funded by state tax dollars. In 2007, the Pennsylvania state legislature passed a bill that caps the amount of money paid to cyber charter schools based on an average of such schools that achieved academic standards in 2006-2007.[2][4][6] Both sides of the controversy have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars lobbying for or against passage.[4] The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) retains about six lobbyists, each making between $90,000 and $160,000 a year, while school choice proponents have spent $250,000 lobbying against the bill.[4]
A spokesman for PAVCS said, "If we're not funded properly, and you take away our teachers, we're not going to be able to operate."[2]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School website. Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
- ^ a b c Wallace, Brian (December 6, 2007). Bill would limit cybercharter schools. Intelligencer Journal. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
- ^ a b Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School (PDF). KPMG (October 30, 2001). Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
- ^ a b c d Vasoli, Bradley (December 11, 2007). Legislators Seek 'Accountability' For Cyber Charters. The Bulletin. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
- ^ a b Charter Annual Review (PDF) pp. 1-2. Pennsylvania Department of Education (October 9, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
- ^ Smith, Craig (December 5, 2007). House panel weighs flat rate cyber tuition. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
