Putting things in perspective

I agree that we need education reform. I disagree that the funding formula should be balanced at the expense of cyber students.  In regards to the former auditor general’s findings, my point was that we should be investing in innovation. Are you suggesting that we make school districts funded through state funding measures? Unless we get rid of local school boards this will not happen. If cyber tuition rates are flawed, then Pennsylvania funding rates are flawed and cutting cyber education funding will not solve the problem.  Our school has also eliminated several teaching positions this year because of the funding cuts that all school districts are facing.

If the pension funding measures are changed now it is likely to result in inferior funding measures for future cyber school employees. If this is the case there is likely to be divisiveness among the teachers.  This is likely to result in more unions in cyber schools. Unions in cyber schools will not promote change. It will promote stability which will hinder short term innovation efforts.  Innovation is not always efficient, but it is critical in light of global competition in education. 

Some cyber schools are operated by for profit companies. Laws could be passed that would limit upper management’s salaries, and advertising could be restricted or even forbidden. I would not oppose such targeted changes. 

I disagree with Susan Spicka's article because everyone has vested interests. She has a vested interest in getting elected to be a state representative, and I have a vested interest in keeping my job as a cyber teacher. I have written another BLOG post to address education reform in light of vested interests. 

I think you must look at the churn rate of cyber schools in light of the high school dropout rate. Students choose Cyber School because they are failing in traditional schools. In the current state of traditional education we are in free fall of 7000 students dropping out every school day. 

As far as the personal attacks go I would be open to anyone checking the individual achievements of the students my wife’s teaches. Last year I paid for my son to go to China with me. My wife came because she is the best English teacher our school has, and the Chinese wanted an English teacher. She works harder than any teacher I know at PALCS. I asked for people to take the China trip three years ago and I had no takers. I have not been to Panama in three years. I only went to Quebec this year because a teacher left the school. I do not see these trips as a vacation. They are a lot of hard work. Teachers go on these trips because they take the initiative to put the trips together.  I do not ask for payment for the time that I am working when I would normally be off the clock. The biggest part of the hard work is recruiting the students to fund raise in the first place. Our school does not subsidize these trips.  

I am currently attempting to negotiate oral English classes online for Chinese students. If anyone wants to help me I am all for it. Blog.palcs.org/ila We have our first teacher heading to China in 2013. He is going there voluntarily. I recruited him at no expense to our school.