It is clear that cyber charter school funding needs reformed. I will reintroduce legislation aligning cyber charter tuition with actual education costs, ensuring fairness and preventing overpayments that burden taxpayers and school districts.

A recent audit by Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor found cyber charters increased revenues by $425 million and reserves by 144% from 2020-2023 due to an outdated funding formula. These schools receive between $7,000 and $20,000 per student, up to $60,000 for special needs students, without reflecting actual costs.

The audit also found questionable uses of taxpayer funds on bonuses, gifts, and real estate investments, that further drive home the point for reform and why the funding formula, unchanged since 2002, must be updated to reflect modern educational needs.

I urge my colleagues to join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to establish a fair and sustainable funding model that will align payments to cyber charter schools with the costs of educating a child in a school district cyber program administered by the student’s home district or intermediate unit.

Please contact my office for more information.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 848 (May 28, 2025): P.L.30, No.14