Funding for charter and cyber-charter schools discussed on Capitol Hill

(Harrisburg) — Charter schools and cyber-charter schools were the focus of the first in a series of hearings by a state Senate Appropriations subcommittee this week. 

The subcommittee examined proposed changes to the way charter schools and cyber charters are funded.

One example is the percentage of students enrolled in special education programs.

Barbara Nelson, Special Assistant to the state Education Secretary, says the current estimate of 16-percent per district needs to be revised.

“Some school districts have a lower percentage of students receiving special education which ends up in an additional amount paid for special education students that’s actually less than the actual amount, because you’re dividing by the 16-percent rather than the 10 or 12 or 14-percent that might be their actual percent,” she said.

The subcommittee will be meeting over the next several Mondays when the Senate is in session, to take a closer look at specific areas of the proposed state budget for the next fiscal year.