School Districts Competing with Charters -- Phoenixville Targets Cybers

Losing students and associated funding to charter schools, some local school districts are fighting to win back  students that left to attend charter schools.  A May 14, 2012 article in The Times Herald profiled responses by the Phoenixville Area School District and other nearby school districts to win back students.  The schools are focusing on establishing their own cyber-schools to compete with cyber-charter models and adding activities that may not available through cyber-charters.  Aside from saving funds by not addressing what may be an outmoded school infrastructure, cyber education may also be less expensive for the school to provide-- in 2009-2010, cyber-charters spent an average of $3,000 less to educate students than their bricks-and-mortar counterparts.

For Trustees and Administrators:  Clearly cyber-charter leaders should be aware of the encroaching competition from school districts and continue to improve and keep investing in order to keep their curriculum and technology current.  More generally, we should anticipate that school districts will work to win back students enrolled in charters, whether via cyber school programs or more traditional schools.  As such, notwithstanding the success of charters and enrollment wait lists, trustees and administrators should remain inventive and enthusiastic in their efforts to educate students.



This Charter School Alert was authored by Eric L. Silberstein, an attorney with Salvo Rogers & Elinski in Blue Bell, PA.  Mr. Silberstein, a member of Salvo Rogers & Elinski's Corporate and Real Estate Groups, has practiced law for 20 years and works closely with charter boards and administrators on governance, financing, special education, real estate, charter renewals and other charter matters.  Mr. Silberstein is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut.  He can be reached at (215) 653-0110 or esilberstein@salvorogers.com.  Salvo Rogers is a boutique law firm started in 1988 that is committed to providing high quality, personal service and cost effectiveness to clients pursuing business transactions, commercial real estate matters, and trusts and estates planning.
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