The latest attack on Cyber Charter Schools (Divide and conquer)

  I am a teacher at a cyber school in Pennsylvania. For the past three years I have had the privilege of working in a blended learning environment. In these classes we meet face-to-face with middle school students for half the week and high school students for the other half. I teach a Civilizations course to the middle school and AP US History to the high school. The other half of the time the students are working independently in our Canvas learning platform.

In the past cyber charter schools have been been threatened with funding cuts by attempting to divide charter schools from cyber charter school funding. Recently our blended programs have been threatened by funding cuts from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Education. This is because the students in them are not perceived as receiving a "significant portion" of their instruction electronically. The teachers at our blended programs utilize the electronic instruction during our classroom sessions as much as 30% of the time. This brings the total electronic instruction to 80% which most people would agree is a "significant portion" of the learning happening at our blended program. These blended programs have been in operation for 14 years. The significant portion of learning online has only recently been called into question.

The Pennsylvania School Board and Administrators Association (PASBA & PASBO) believes that the funding of students should not have shifted from their local school districts to state-wide cyber schools. The cyber charter school movement sees this differently. We see it as funding following the student's choice.  Over the past 15 years we have won the argument that funding should follow the student. However, the latest tactic is to divide and conquer based upon blended programs within cyber schools not delivering a "significant portion" of instruction electronically. I already made the case that this is not true; however, it does not deter organizations like PASBO, and the PSBA from trying different tactics to protect their turf.

The loss of blended programs would deal a blow to innovation in education. Combining cyber education with onsite instruction is how college campuses are currently instructing their students. In some cases colleges campuses are also offering instruction 100% cyber. Traditional schools are also using electronic instruction with greater frequency. The cyber charter schools have been driven this innovation and have become the testing grounds for incorporating technological change into the traditional classroom. Moodle, Canvas, Google Classroom, PLATO, KAHOOT, Quizlet Live, Nearpod, Flipgrid, PADLET, and ARC videos are all good examples of this. There are many other programs that have come and gone, replaced by newer technology. There is danger in removing innovation that traditional schools may not replace outdated technology with newer forms because there will be no stimulus for change.

Our students in blended programs use many of the tools mentioned above while in the onsite classroom to collaborate and learn team building in a synchronous learning environment. 100% cyber charter schools have a facial feedback and emotional response deficit when students are learning completely asynchronously.  Tools are still being developed to incorporate facial feedback and emotional response in classroom small group projects and discussion. While tools like Zoom with breakout rooms and ARC videos with comments have come a long way to fill this gap, many students choose to hide their faces in these settings or remain anonymous. This can be an advantage when relating to their peers, but it can pose a real challenge to teachers attempting to formatively access student learning.

Blended education offers a great compromise of both worlds. To divide and conquer by removing the most innovative of educational programs is a loss, and not a gain. Organizations that criticize this style of learning need to go beyond protecting their turf and consider the long term impact on education that the removal of these innovative programs will produce. A example of this may be refusing to use ARC video because Youtube will suffice. Youtube may be easier, but it does not protect against the cyber threats of predators and bullying that is now a part of the online world. Today's students deserve to have access to the innovations that will make them competitive in today's global society, while being protected from its dangers. Dividing and conquering cyber schools and blended programs is like settling for a lack of change. You may gain some stability, but students are the ultimate losers when they are not prepared to learn 21st century work skills.

Modify PA HB 97 & Senate Bill 766 (An Open Letter to the Pennsylvania Senate)

Modify HB 97 & Senate Bill 766

The current Senate Bill 766 sponsored by Senator Argall and HB 97 by Representative Reese need some adjustments. Here is the core of the Senate bill. A task force will be appointed to determine minimum standards of academic achievement for students of cyber charter schools. Students who are determined as having failing grades will be removed from the cyber charter school system. Here is an excerpt from the bill.

(4) annually conduct an assessment of the student's achievement to determine whether the level of achievement satisfies the minimum achievement requirements established by the task force under section 1704-A to continue enrollment in the cyber charter school. (2) A student who fails, after being assessed in accordance with section 1743-A(e)(4), to satisfy the minimum achievement requirements established by the task force under section 1704-A shall withdraw from the cyber charter school at the end of the semester in which the assessment occurs and may not re-enroll in the cyber charter school or enroll in another cyber charter school unless the student satisfies the minimum achievement requirements at least one school year thereafter.

Here are some adjustments that I would recommend.

Stanford Study: 

The Stanford study has stimulated the desire to hold cyber charter schools accountable due to inadequate student achievement. While I applaud the concern for failing students in the cyber charter setting, the cyber charter school movement will not benefit from a one-size-fits-all policy. Some cyber schools are doing a better job of remediating student achievement and should be differentiated by the task force.

The Need for Differentiation:

The cyber charter schools are using different platforms and pedagogy to deliver instruction. In addition to differences in instructional platforms, there are also synchronous, asynchronous and blended learning models that are being beta tested. These innovations all have an implementation timeline for effectiveness. Many of these implementations are new. Cyber education changes as technology advances to deliver the best possible individual learning experience. A one-size-fits-all funding formula will punish innovation and reward the status quo. The loser in this formula is technological innovation which continues to change and increase in the proving grounds of cyber education.

Proving Ground or Dumping Ground

Cyber charter schools have become the dumping grounds for students seeking a second chance for success. There are legitimate reasons that many students choose a cyber educational setting. I call them the four B's. 

1. Bullying is a common reason students leave brick and mortar schools because they gain an individual setting apart from bullies. 
2. Bad or divergent behavior also provides a valid reason to minimize student interaction. Antisocial behaviors on the spectrum of autism can ostracize students causing them to withdraw. Cyber school provides students with a way to ease into a social setting with instant messages, multi-media classrooms, and field trips. 
3. Bad grades is the third reason for students leaving the traditional setting. Brick and mortar schools lose students because parents choose to send their children somewhere else. Many of these students suffer with poor grades and are looking for a different fresh start. Cyber schools provide a different alternative that provides individual instruction which allows for the possibility of success.
4. Breaking Boundaries is a different reason students choose cyber education. They embrace technological change to allow the time to reach other goals within their lives. They are leaders. They are also single mothers, gifted students, musicians, athletes, politically active, and young entrepreneurs.

Cyber charter schools are likely to have poorer graduation rates for the first three reasons, and traditional schools graduation rates should go up. Using student drop out averages across all schools to access effectiveness punishes cyber charter schools for accepting these students. 

Accountability:

The Task Force should take the average failing scores of students in the top cyber charter school when developing standards to determine "minimum achievement". This should be written into the bill to direct the task force to determine a benchmark. This will promote innovation without punishing systemic achievement.

Relationships:

The student teacher relationship is a foundation marker for student achievement. Students will never care how much you know until they know how much you care. The most at risk students are the students most deserving of a mentor relationship with their teacher. As a teacher of cyber charter students for fourteen years I have had the distinct privilege of making life long relationships with many of my students. As they have graduated and become Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram connections I have watched them succeed and flounder. The students who I have had the strongest relationship with seem to have found their way better in the world of work and family. 

Conclusion:

One size does not fit all in education or in cyber charter education. In my educational experiences over the past 14 years I have seen the need for greater differentiation in education. Technology provides a path to this. I do however understand the need for accountability. I welcome it when it comes with measures that reward innovation while punishing the lack of student achievement. 

A Tribute to Dan Truitt A Pennsylvania Legislator in West Chester

Dan Truitt was not re-elected to his position representing the people of the 156th District in Pennsylvania this year. As a stalwart supporter of educational choice during his tenure as a State Representative, Dan fought hard to protect the funding of charter and cyber charter schools. It is not surprising to learn that he volunteered to serve on the education committee.

Dan was always happy to provide students with learning opportunities as he went about his legislative responsibilities. He spoke at our virtual town hall meetings and welcomed students to his office as well as to the House floor.  Our Student Government Organization was able to work closely with his office to develop a guidance bill to provide the next step after high school called The Stepping Into Careers Act. His wisdom and mentorship will be sorely missed in this project, but he has left a legacy of student involvement in legislative affairs.

While Dan is a strong believer in educational innovation, he is not just an advocate. His two gifted sons have attended the University Scholars' Program at Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School. This is an out-of-the-box educational program blends virtual and experiential learning. He and his family are helping to pioneer a new way of learning that combines virtual education with real life and classroom experiences. PA Leadership Charter School and its many programs wish him success as he takes his next step on his career journey.

If other legislators read this post, please consider continuing Dan's great work of inclusive representation, innovation, and optimism in education.

Cyber School and Online learning! (Stop PA HB 530)

Jamie Santora & The PA House of Representatives,

It is my understanding that House Bill 530 may be reconsidered this legislative session. As you know, Cyber Charter Schools already operate with approximately 75-80% of the money that the home school district receives for that same student.  Here is some information for you to consider about this bill:

·        Cyber Charter schools cannot sustain any cut to tuition funding to cyber charter schools as required in HB 530.

·        I support the provision in HB 530 for the creation of a bipartisan Commission that will have the opportunity to take an independent review of the actual costs of funding cyber education and recommend a tuition formula for charters and cyber charters.

·        I support the transparency & accountability recommendations in HB 530.

I commend the legislature for their commitment to reforming charter law, addressing accountability, operational efficiency, and financial stewardship for all charter schools. However, cutting cyber charter school funding now when more and more universities are developing Online learning platforms will not prepare our students to be on the cutting edge of learning. There is a learning gap when students transition from one platform of learning to another. Pennsylvania and the other states cannot afford this time loss due to transition as our students compete for jobs in a global economy. Recently, the State Universities Teacher Union went on strike. They were concerned about benefit reductions and pay increases, but they were also concerned about Online learning, and how this new platform will change the way they teach. Online learning is coming and there is no way to stop it. Pennsylvania has taken a leadership position in this area, and should not back off when the gap between high school and college is close to being bridged. The price of leadership is often uncomfortable change, and if funding is cut, the outcome may be reflected in our students paying the price with lower paying jobs.

Respectfully,

Pat Parris

2016 Welcome Back to School PA Leadership (PALCS) (USP)

Dear Reader,

I have been a distance-learning educator for over thirteen years. During this time, I have seen many students who have been genuinely helped by this form of education. I want to thank the legislators and Governor in the Pennsylvania Commonwealth for not cutting Charter or Cyber Charter School funding this year. I especially want to thank Representative Dan Truitt and my own representative Jamie Santora. In this brief thank you I will attempt to explain why last years action, (or inaction) was important. 

One thing that makes our learning platforms different is access to quick responses from a teacher. Our students benefit most from this individual attention that we are able to reassure them with. They use the an Open Source Canvas platform, and we communicate with many of them each day.  Our Canvas Platform is equipped with an instant messenger to help students at formative times when they begin to struggle. This access to a learning coach will be greatly diminished by a funding cut. 

I meet with students in groups every day in a multi-media classroom. My students have formed life long friendship with other students through this setting as well as looking to their teachers as mentors. I have been able to conduct these classroom sessions while in Panama, China and Quebec. The opportunity to tutor students in this setting will be greatly diminished. Teachers will have less time for synchronous instruction if funding is cut. 

Over time we get to know our students through their writing and responses in the classroom. We can access their group interaction, as well as their knowledge and skill in academics with the technological tools of multi-media classrooms, internal email, instant messaging and highly interactive lessons.  

If our students use distance education as a form of correspondence school, then they could have been doing this in the early 20th century. While it is true that we could still develop a relationship with them through their writing, it is not a reason to spend this kind of money on learning though the Internet. There is nothing new about correspondence based learning. The Cyber Charter Schools of today use technology to rapidly reach students at critical times of learning. We can catch them at thresholds of learning to ease the transition from one concept to another. We can foster a mentoring relationship with them when we celebrate milestones of accomplishment together, and can correct or redirect them when they need it. Most importantly, we can prepare them for the 21st century in a way that could have never been accomplished in the 1900’s. 

Our students are learning to reason with technological change. This is quite different from traditional education that clings to a process that is based upon rewarding compliant behavior. In a global world of change, someone needs to be testing new methods of learning that will eventually become mainstream. As other countries catch up with our standard of living, the process of preparation for the real world of work must change with it. 

Will we regret the cuts in this funding when other countries do a better job of preparing students to interact in a world where computers are the universal language? Pennsylvania will be rewarded for their leadership in connecting real world change with the skills necessary to face it. Our legislators in Pennsylvania should follow in the footsteps of our forefathers and do the right thing. Our Commonwealth has a stellar record of advocating for woman’s suffrage, homeschooling, equal rights, and family values when they were not popular. Over time our citizens will embrace the principles of educational choice and funding which follow the student instead of the system. Who is to say that this is not the next great revolution in education, and Pennsylvania is leading the way. 
For another point of view, please read this article. http://www.dailylocal.com/opinion/20150226/another-view-defending-cyber-charter-schools

PA Budget passes but the devil is in the funding for Cyber Charter Schools @PAGOP

I am watching #PCN today and hoping they do not cut Cyber Charter School funding. @PAGOP, The PA Budget is passed, but the devil is in the funding. Please write a letter to your legislator with this simple message today. NO CUTS TO CYBER CHARTER SCHOOLS. We do support the transparency, accountability and reconciliation language provisions but NO CUTS !!! Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School (PALCS) PALCS Student Government

Link to “find your House Legislator”: http://www.house.state.pa.us/

Link to “find your Senator”: http://www.pasen.gov/

Senate Republican Leadership:

Joe Scarnati - jscarnati@pasen.gov

Jake Corman - jcorman@pasen.gov

Pat Browne - pbrowne@pasen.gov

Senate Ed Committee Chair: Lloyd Smucker - lsmucker@pasen.gov

Senate Democrat Leadership:

Anthony Williams - williams@pasenate.com

House R Leadership:
Mike Turzai - mturzai@pahousegop.com

Dave Reed- dreed@pahousegop.com

Bryan Cutler- bcutler@pahousegop.com

Bill Adolph- wadolph@pahousegop.com

Kerry Benninghoff- kbenning@pahousegop.com

House D Leadership:
Tom Dermody- fdermody@pahouse.net

Joe Markosek- JMarkose@pahouse.net

Mike Hanna- mhanna@pahouse.net

House Ed Committee Chair: Stan Saylor- ssaylor@pahousegop.com

jscarnati@pasen.gov

jcorman@pasen.gov

pbrowne@pasen.gov

lsmucker@pasen.gov

williams@pasenate.com

mturzai@pahousegop.com

dreed@pahousegop.com

bcutler@pahousegop.com

wadolph@pahousegop.com

kbenning@pahousegop.com

fdermody@pahouse.net

JMarkose@pahouse.net

mhanna@pahouse.net

ssaylor@pahousegop.com

pagov@palcs.org

Pennsylvania Cyber Education Funding Cuts! Contact Governor Wolf and your senator!

Dear Governor Wolfe and PA Senate,

I am writing to ask you to not support the current budget proposal by Governor Wolf that contains a proposed $27M cut to PA Cyber Charter Schools. The Commonwealth Senate is also proposing a 6.7% cut. 

My experience has  been different from what has been reported in the news about the ineffectiveness of a virtual setting in education. This year in our extra curricular student council students wrote and submitted a bill that will solve the problem of individual guidance for students in the exit step after high school. The students wrote a bill that uses technology to solve this problem. This bill has been introduced by Dan Truitt in the House of Representatives.  To solve the problem students from across the Commonwealth met in virtual classrooms with me for two years to brainstorm, and solve this difficult problem, I am the adviser for this student run organization. I do not believe we could have solved this problem in a traditional setting. The varied input from rural and urban areas filtered out blind spots in the process of developing a statewide solution.

These students have also written a constitution for their organization this year. Throughout our 12 year history our students have developed and implemented effective rules to govern their own actions. This process has resulted in international trips to Panama, an exchange program to China, proms and talent shows on both sides of the state, a self regulated forum of free speech, and a yearbook. 

Cyber charters already begin with an average of 25% less in funding than traditional district schools, although they are required to provide the same level of education. The Governor’s proposed cuts would be an 18%-20% reduction to the average basic education funding for these students that are already receiving less.These cuts would severely impact the Cyber Charter Schools’ ability to properly educate their students, especially those with specialized needs. Students attending Cyber Charter Schools do so because traditional public schools have not met their specific academic and/or personal needs. I hope that you agree with me that parents should have the right to public school choice and that their children should be treated equally no matter where they receive an education.

Sincerely,

Pat Parris

2016 PA Leadership Families for Cyber Charter Schools Day on the Hill.

My students and I went to Harrisburg yesterday to advocate for Cyber Education.

We had 14 students and two teachers participated in the Day on the Hill this year.

Half of these students distributed over 10 packs of 100 letters to representatives and senators on the importance of Cyber Education as an educational choice.  A highlight of the trip was lunch, when a clergyman started a rap to promote public education right at the table where our students were sitting. I  enjoyed watching the awkward faces of my students during this impromptu serenade. 

The other half of the students were members of our SLIC committee. SLIC stands for Student Legislative Initiative Committee. We had been working with Senator Smucker for two years to develop legislation that would help students decide the next step after high school. We had recently finished this legislation and titled it “The Stepping into Careers Act of 2016”. Yesterday we were introducing the bill for sponsorship. Unfortunately, since Senator Smucker will become Congressman Smucker he is no longer able to introduce the bill. However, at the end of the day the SLIC committee was able to get on the hearing schedule with another House bill that is similar to our act. This bill is being introduced by representative Seth Grove, and we are scheduled on June 15th to speak at a hearing in Harrisburg. 

Congratulations to the SLIC committee members and our Student Government Senators for making a difference at 2016 PA Families for Cyber Day on the Hill.

Photos.

https://goo.gl/photos/PHddVu5S888522UdA

Letter to Governor Wolf of Pennsylvania

Governor Wolf,

I am a Cyber Charter School Teacher whose job is threatened by a lack of funding in the former budget. I am 60 Years of age, and have dedicated the past 12 years to developing cyber education. I have written a BLOG about my advocacy that can be found here. http://cyberschoolpa.blogspot.com/

I am writing to you today to support HB 1460. I recognize that this bill is not everything that you are looking for as the new leader of our Commonwealth. However, I think it is a good compromise that will keep school doors open for millions of teachers and students. These people are not responsible for this budget impasse. Should they be punished for it?

Respectfully, 

Patric L.  Parris