Details, Details, Details...

[ellyssian]

All schools in PA with the sole exception of the 7 (ETA: 11?) cyber charter schools are, as of a decision made in December 2007 and as of an effective date of February 4, 2008, no longer able to access the program 720 grant funds to reimburse them for dual-enrollment in high school and college. Brick & mortar public schools, private schools, charter schools, and homeschool students are eligible for these funds.

The PDE has explicitly excluded cyber schools from this list.

The PDE are the ones who need to explain why they did this - lawyers and so forth prevent the school from explaining any of this rationale, as it's not theirs.

The PDE does not have any information regarding this decision on their website.

Although we have been asked to hold off until a March meeting of school staff with PDE staff to see if the limited program they're offering can be made available, I don't think I'll be waiting.

I'm not sure they can explain this successfully any other way than: "We don't like cyber schools, and we'll screw their students out of benefits other children state wide have access to." Really. There's no reason to treat these kids any differently than any one else - the only difference between them and any other charter school is they can draw students statewide, where brick & mortar schools work within a single district - or perhaps limited number of districts?

I will, however, give them the opportunity to explain themselves, and I will also be asking various media type folks to look into this in more detail and find out why the state is doing this, and why they aren't talking about it publicly.


Project 720 Program Guidelines 2007/2008 - no mention of cyber schools

June 2005 - Gov. Rendell touts Project 720

Project 720 website

Comments

[patrixa.livejournal.com]

Besides the media, state representatives and your Federal Congresspeople should be informed and also asked what can be done against such egregious discrimination. Get as many parents to do this as you can starting with letters to the editors of the various local papers.

Is there a way to get the other parents involved -- a committee, if you will, to write* letters to the above oh, and don't forget the Governor.

*do both email and snail.

[ellyssian.livejournal.com]

I have the issue to the attention of the Morning Call (our local paper) and I have sent a "Why?" request to the contact at the PDE.

If the latter proves unsatisfactory, I will continue to write to the other involved parties. In any case, I will give him a short period of time in which to answer before I go over his head.

[patrixa.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a good start.

[wintersweet.livejournal.com]

Hang in there!

[opakele.livejournal.com]

I hope the websites Maryann mentioned are helpful. I also agree with your mother's comments that you need to be communicating with teh politicians. (whatever, document, document, document) I think if this isn't addressed smartly, you have a discrimination law suit.

Perhaps that is what it will take to turn a few heads.