Cyber charter schools have gained in popularity as an alternative to traditional public schools, but here in Pennsylvania that popularity is causing some concerns.

While online learning offers flexibility and accessibility, it undermines the equity and efficacy of our education system.

Learning from home is nothing new. It’s been around since the late 1990s, but exploded during the pandemic and continues to grow. Recent surveys estimate that cyber charter enrollment has grown by about 57% since the COVID days, with about 60,000 students taking classes from home.

And as those numbers rise, so do the numbers in the budgets of school districts tasked with paying the costs.

The problem, though, comes from what charter schools charge the districts — an amount that is usually far more than it costs to educate a traditional student.

Take the Panther Valley School District, for example, where just under 320 students are enrolled in cyber classes and administrators expect to see an increase of $1 million more for the coming school year.

The district anticipates spending $4.95 million in cyber charter tuition in 2025-26, or just about 10% of its proposed budget.

That’s a whopping $1.1 million more a year than it pays its own teachers, aides and staff in salaries — in a school district that’s among the most financially challenged in the state.

Given the current cyber enrollment in Panther Valley, it works out to roughly $15,450 per student. The district spends about $9,500 this school year to educate traditional students. That number includes instruction, support services and other expenses. Some districts spend more when special education needs, local tax contributions and state funding are factored in.

The difference in those numbers is significant, and certainly worth a closer look, and a place where local school districts are left to pay the check.

Lawmakers late last month began a series of hearings about cyber charter schools and their impact on local districts and students.

One of the things they’re looking at is a lack of oversight in cyber charter schools.

The state’s funding formula lets cyber schools pull significant resources from public schools. Traditional schools struggle to provide essential services since they’re stuck making sure the roof doesn’t leak, the buses keep running and the lights stay on. That’s not to mention providing for special education programs.

The money that goes to cyber schools keeps it away from conventional students.

The panel might also consider a lack of cyber school oversight. There’s no financial accountability and many cyber charters often don’t meet academic standards. Taxpayers don’t know how their money is being spent and these schools can make profit a priority.

Without strict accountability measures, the schools can slip into a declining quality of education.

Families deserve assurances their children receive a quality education, but a lack of transparency gives cyber schools the opportunity to leave them in the dark.

And regarding education, cyber schools promise personalized learning and an innovative curriculum, but often fall short.

Across the state, assessments show that students enrolled in cyber charters often perform worse than their peers in traditional schools.

Especially when it comes to younger students, the lack of face-to-face interaction and limited hands-on resources can slow the learning process during a time when they should be benefiting from a structured environment and social interaction.

Traditional schools fill that goal, while online classwork often falls short.

One thing that shouldn’t fall short is the state’s commitment to adequately fund public schools.

Lawmakers have proposed a flat $8,000 per student rate for cyber charter tuition in a state where tuition rates vary widely, ranging from about $7,600 to nearly $29,000 for regular students.

Though cyber school operators might not agree, at the very least it would relieve some of the burden on local school districts and taxpayers. It could also include provisions for accountability and performance.

And keep everyone working toward an equitable, effective and permanent solution.

ED SOCHA | tneditor@tnonline.com