Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School

Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School

Type	Public (services available to any PA citizen)
Industry	Education
Founded	Norristown, Pennsylvania
Headquarters	Pennsylvania
Employees	210
Website	www.pavcs.org

The Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School (PAVCS) is a public virtual 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]

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 2009^[update], it serves kindergarten through 12th grade.^[1]

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]

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]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School website". Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School. http://www.pavcs.org/. Retrieved 2007-12-31. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Wallace, Brian (December 6, 2007). "Bill would limit cybercharter schools". Intelligencer Journal. http://local.lancasteronline.com/4/213338. Retrieved 2007-12-31. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School" (PDF). KPMG. October 30, 2001. http://www.pde.state.pa.us/charter_schools/lib/charter_schools/pavirtcs.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-21. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Vasoli, Bradley (December 11, 2007). "Legislators Seek 'Accountability' For Cyber Charters". The Bulletin. http://www.thebulletin.us/site/news.cfm?newsid=19103650&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=618959&rfi=6. Retrieved 2008-01-01. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Charter Annual Review" (PDF). Pennsylvania Department of Education. October 9, 2007. pp. 1–2. http://www.pde.state.pa.us/charter_schools/lib/charter_schools/PennsylvaniaVirtualCS-2007to2008-CharterAnnualReport.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-31. ^{[dead link]}
6. ^ Smith, Craig (December 5, 2007). "House panel weighs flat rate cyber tuition". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_541182.html. Retrieved 2007-12-31. 

External links

• PAVCS Website