The Money Mystery of Cyber Schools!
Are Cyber Charters Really Costing Our School Districts Too Much? Let's Look at the Facts!
The Real Cost of Cyber Charters: A Data-Driven Analysis
Across Pennsylvania, the narrative often points to public cyber charter schools as a significant drain on district resources. However, a deeper dive into the financial data suggests a more nuanced reality. This analysis, based on a comprehensive dataset compiled from publicly available sources, challenges the common perception by examining key financial metrics across districts.
Key Findings
Teacher and Administrator Salaries (Columns B-G): The analysis begins by looking at the total salaries for administrators (Column B) and classroom teachers (Column C), as well as the average salaries for each group (Columns D and E). By multiplying the average salary by the number of administrators (Column F) and teachers (Column G), we can determine the total salary expenditure for each group. The sum of these figures (Column H) represents the total salary costs.
Enrollment and Total Expenditures (Columns I & J): Enrollment data (Column I) is crucial for understanding the scale of each district. Total expenditures (Column J), sourced from a separate link, provide the overall financial picture.
Proposed Cyber Charter Rate vs. Actual Spending (Columns K-L): The analysis then explores a hypothetical scenario: what if districts were held to the same funding rate they propose for cyber charters? By multiplying enrollment (Column I) by a proposed rate of $8000 (Column K), we arrive at a proposed budget. Subtracting the actual total salary costs (Column H) from this proposed budget reveals the "money left" (Column L) – the funds remaining if districts operated under the hypothetical cyber charter rate.
Per-Student Spending (Columns M-O): Columns M, N, and O offer a per-student perspective. Column M represents the district's actual per-student spending, while Column N shows the charter rate per student. The difference between these figures (Column O), labeled "district keeps," highlights the potential savings or additional costs per student.
Challenging the Narrative
The data, as you've described it, suggests that the narrative of cyber charters draining district funds doesn't hold true across the board. In many cases, districts appear to save money per student, sometimes exceeding $10,000. It's important to note, as you pointed out, that the "money left" calculation (Column L) doesn't account for other significant expenses such as classroom materials, curriculum, support personnel, building maintenance, and other classroom-related costs. This means the actual savings or losses could be different.
Share the Truth: Action for Transparency
Often, you'll hear school districts talk about how cyber charter schools are costing them money. Well, here is data that, in most cases, doesn't back that up. This information is correct, pulled directly from official state sources, and was put together by a concerned parent who believes these numbers need to be seen, not hidden by old stories.
Please share this data with your local state lawmakers! Ask them to take a serious look at these facts. We need accurate information to make the best decisions for our schools and our students.
Master Data Sheet
A comprehensive collection of this data, organized by district, can be explored in detail here:
Work Cited
For those who wish to verify the numbers and explore the sources directly, here are the links to the original data:
Number of Teachers and Admins: This link provides data on the number of teachers and administrators within the public education system. 2024-25 Professional Staff Summary Report
Enrollment Data: This source details the enrollment figures for students across public schools. Public School Enrollment 2024-25
Total Expenditures and Per Student Expenditures: This document outlines total expenditures for public schools, with per-student expenditure data available in column L of the 'Exp per ADM' sheet. Finances AFR Expenditures 2023-2024
Cyber Rates: This PDF provides specific data related to cyber education rates, which can inform discussions around the financial impact of cyber charters. Cyber Savings Estimate HB1500PN1829