Fast-Track to the Cyber School Top

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Ben Ozgur

It’s no secret that we’ve been fighting a battle to maintain the concept of choice in the educational landscape. Charter and cyber charter schools have given parents and children the opportunity to execute their right and freedom to choose what’s best for their learning. Unfortunately, such democratic sentiments are not shared by all citizens. This is why the battle continues. When it comes to education, some believe that too many choices are a bad thing.

In a recent article printed by Philly.com, Inquirer columnist Karen Heller writes, “Americans are overwhelmed by choices, not all of them good.” While I can condone this statement for the sheer fact that I sometimes feel overwhelmed at the local hardware store with too many paint choices, I can’t say that Heller’s sentiment holds water when it comes to public education. And as she speaks for Americans at large, I have to ask which Americans she’s speaking for. Who agrees that choices in public education are a bad thing?

Heller’s article, titled “In Philly, the Fast Track to the Cyber-School Bottom,” goes on to express that educational options are detrimental because they are overwrought with poor alternatives. Therefore, she reasons, why offer so many options in the first place? Knowing the endless list of positive outcomes (individualized instruction, differentiated learning, special services, better student-pacing) and possibilities generated by charter and cyber charter education, my first inclination is to question whether or not Heller implicitly understands anything about charter school models, or the fundamentals of educating young people.

Secondly, I wonder which schools Heller interviewed or observed for this article. Which students, educators, or administrators did she speak with, to inquire about student learning? Outside of consulting a higher education professional (who can be viewed as considerably removed from the secondary school arena) and State Rep. James Roebuck (a passionate Democratic representative since 1985), Heller’s article does not cite any charter or cyber charter schools. It does not cite students or school district officials.

Heller’s claims are ultimately generalized and ill supported. She touts that our public school options are not “producing.” But, what is any educational institution meant to produce? Test scores? Drones who adequately respond to multiple-choice questions? Children who can check the right box on a math exam? Or is our educational system meant to teach students to think for themselves, to engage with course material, integrate it into their own thoughts, and become free-thinking, well-rounded adults who can contribute to our society? Choice is the biggest component that helps individuals grow, learn, and participate in the larger society. Their educational journey starts with finding a learning solution of best fit, and grows over time as they cultivate their knowledge through deep thought, analyzation, and consideration of larger-sweeping global philosophical problems. Students are able to consider such thought processes when they are exposed to thinks like art, culture, music, and the like.

However, Heller goes on to express that it is time to strip the educational system of multicultural education, architecture and design, and folk-arts learning. She suggests that, “What we need are strong, non-specialized schools for reading, writing, and math.” But there are two key components against this argument.

First, there is simply the fact that charter and cyber charter schools are already concentrating learning on math, reading, and writing. We do that by integrating these concepts with interesting, multifaceted concepts and subject matter like social studies, the humanities, multiculturalism, languages, and various types of art. We charge students to think about topics that speak to their interests and engage their passions and senses. We ask them to be creative, exploratory, and curious. Then, we teach them to express thoughts by reading, writing, and analyzing those ideas.

Secondly, there is the fact that structuring schools to only explore basic skills will not diversify knowledge or challenge higher order thinking skills development. It will make for rote learning that is overly focused on the acquisition of a basic skill, rather than the understanding of how to utilize a variety skills in multiple forms.

Further, it is important to note that as public institutions, charter and cyber charter schools follow the same state standards as traditional brick-and-mortar schools. This is to say that our students are held to the same high expectations seen across the state of Pennsylvania. Our curricula are aligned both to the Common Core and PA State Standards. Student learning is assessed, monitored, and driven by state certified teachers (many of whom hold certifications in more than one content area) and well-credentialed administrators. Comprehensive plans are written and released to the state to show accountability not only for school operations, but also for student learning. The plans are sent to the state annually to show what changes and improvements are being made, what challenges are faced, and how growth potential will evolve over time. Assessment and culpability are rampant in all the public schools across the state.

Finally, I think it’s critical to recognize that while parents and students have maintained the right to educational choice, charter and cyber charter schools are thriving. The population in PA is speaking for itself. They want to see continued growth in these alternative forms of education. They feel that their children are being successful. They feel confident in their learning, and they are leaving school with a different perspective of education.

Heller’s article tells us, as a cyber charter community and a public educational community, that informing the general public of the successes of charter and cyber charter schools is of the utmost importance. I wish that Heller had spoken with any of our graduating seniors or alumni. They are examples of the fine individuals we have produced, who will attend tremendous higher education institutions across the country, Ivy Leagues not excluded. I wish she had spoken to the students for whom our school has been a lifeline, offering an educational option that meets their needs, builds confidence, and shows them that there is more than one way to become a successful individual. Finally, I wish others could see that while more is not always less, when it comes to public education, choice is not just a freedom in this country, it’s a right.

Remember to follow us on Twitter @21CyberSchool and “Like” us on Facebook!

The Story of Charter Schools

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Ben Ozgur

As we inch closer and closer to the June deadline, the PA House of Representatives’ Education Committee must make a decision. The education funding formula for charter and cyber charter schools has been under scrutiny for some time. School districts are seeing funding deficits in their budgets that are causing them to cut educational programs. Cyber and charter schools see the threat of funding cuts that may ultimately result in their demise. Everyone is struggling to provide what’s best for the students of pubic education. But, it seems that the waters have become muddied. What is best? What moves will ultimately serve the constituents? And what decisions will help to make our current educational framework not only stronger, but more effective, and more meaningful for the citizens of this country?

The School Choice Movement is a democratic ideal brought to families of Pennsylvania in an attempt to give back the right to options. When traditional schools across the country started failing, one determined option was to give parents choices. Charter schools are public institutions that operate without all of the same restrictions that traditional public schools face. (Although many regulations do apply, such as committing to take and pass standardized state tests, and receive scoring evaluations based on test results.)

Ultimately, these schools operate based on a charter, which is written and approved by an authorizing body. In the case of 21CCCS, our charter is held by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, (PDE). The drafting and approval of a charter means that all schools are designed and run under an intentional set of operating guidelines. They have a designated purpose and learning model. Because all charters have been written by different groups of individuals for different purposes, this also means that each one operates a little differently from the next.

So, what does “different” entail? As the CCSA describes, “Some charter schools provide a curriculum that specializes in a certain field—e.g., arts, mathematics, or vocational training, while others attempt to provide a better and more cost efficient general education than nearby non-charter public schools.” Charter schools were also conceived to act as sorts of brainstorm centers. It was believed that these schools could become places of innovation, where alternative learning models and teaching strategies could be tested. Such testing could ultimately aid and assist traditional school districts where they were failing. Trying many models and alternatives would give many options to school districts in need of innovative ways to better themselves.

So, what happened? Charter schools started to be seen as a great option. Parents and students liked charter schools. They liked them, and so they grew. As reported recently by columnist Martha Woodall, “Pennsylvania’s 157 charter schools and 16 cyber charters enroll more than 110,000 students.” With more and more students opting out of traditional brick-and-mortar schools, the shift in funding has become more and more apparent.

So, what’s the big deal? The big deal is that we need a way to fund this growing educational alternative. The state does not currently provide a direct payment model for charter or cyber charter schools. This means that no additional funding has been pumped into PA state’s budget for education, considering the now 173 alternative schools in the state.

Educational funding for charter and cyber charter and in PA is based entirely on school districts. Money flows from the school district to a child’s school of choice when he/she enrolls in a new public school. Some students come from school districts that spend $8,000 per year to educate, while others come from schools that spend upwards of $15,000 per year to educate. However, whatever amount of money is spent on a student in a given school district is not the same amount that will be put towards his/her cyber charter education. Instead, charter and cyber charter schools operate on about 70% of that amount. This means that cyber charter schools operate with various amounts of funds, each being contributed for a different student depending on the district in which he resides.

This becomes problematic when a traditional school has budgeted for the school year under the assumption that average enrollment numbers will be seen from year to year. Instead, students have begun leaving traditional school districts in larger numbers. As a result, those schools suddenly feel a much heavier weight with the loss of funds once received to educate those students.

So, the funding formula is not working. The students who remain in traditional bricks-and-mortar feel a change in their schools, as well. Programs that once existed are getting cut. But there are other ramifications for the families who choose a different type of public school. Some families have reported being mocked, questioned, or judged for making decisions to leave the the school district. This separation is causing a sort of discrimination that only adds fuel to the fiscal controversy at hand.

For our school, we continue to argue that students have earned a choice. They deserve the chance to choose the school and instructional methods that will work best for them. That means we hope to retain appropriate funding to provide such instruction. Any of the bills currently pending approval in the House Committee of Education that request cuts to charter and cyber charter schools will hurt our cause. Cuts will hurt our students.

Keep yourselves informed! Follow what’s happening across the educational landscape, and respond to your legislators. Let them know what YOU want and what will benefit YOUR children! And, always let us know how we can help!

The Life of a Speed Skater

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Ben Ozgur

High school junior here at 21CCCS, Lexi Burkholder, is a speed skater. She has been training and practicing for years. As a result, she has a pretty atypical lifestyle. When I asked her to describe a few things for me about her life, she was happy to create a blog post for us. Read below to learn more about the complex, dedicated life of Lexi!

Hi! My name is Lexi Burkholder and I’m a short track speed skater. I also attend 21^st Century Cyber Charter School. I’ve been skating since I was 10 and went to public school until 8^th grade, which was when I won my second age group national championship. At that point, my parents finally relented and allowed me to enroll in cyber school so I could have more time to train.

I trained on my home ice rink in Pittsburgh during my freshman year of high school, and qualified for my first junior world team. I had previously only competed at domestic meets, mainly in the Midwest and Northeast. These areas are hotbeds for speed skating. So I raced in Courmayeur, Italy at the Junior World Championships and learned the hard way just how different (and difficult) international racing was.

I continued training in Pittsburgh through October of my sophomore year. Later that year, I decided to stop ignoring the pain that had been building for months in my left knee. After various doctor visits, MRIs, and lots of physical therapy, it was determined that I had partially torn my quadriceps tendon and I needed surgery to “patch things up.” Believe me, going from training five hours per day to nil is pretty rough, and I think I jumped into things too quickly afterward! I was back on the ice that December, and raced a qualifier in late January for Junior Worlds (which was in Australia that year, and had been on my bucket list).

I didn’t make it. Around that same time, I lost my coach and needed to find somewhere else to train and rehabilitate myself. Washington DC was close and had a great team, so I trained there for the rest of that season and throughout the summer.

I liked DC, but couldn’t afford the training and living costs. At the beginning of my junior year (this year), I moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to try out an experimental program they were starting out. I could hardly do off-ice training at this point, since I was still recovering from my knee surgery. I really had to figure out how to listen to my body and learn when to push and when to stop. I also had to learn to be diligent enough to stretch more and to strengthen my smaller muscles.

I raced two senior qualifiers this year, finishing around 11^th place in both. I qualified for the Junior World team in late January. Then, my schedule really started to pick up. I trained in Salt Lake City for all of February, then left for Warsaw, Poland from there to compete at the Junior World Championships. I placed 35^th, which I’m really not proud of at all, but I was super thankful for all the hard lessons I learned to even get there. I know that those lessons will serve me in the future. I finished this season up with the American Cup Finals in Omaha, Nebraska, where after some remarkably dumb racing decisions, I still came in 5^th.

Since Omaha, I’ve been enjoying my off-season in Pittsburgh and planning my move to Salt Lake City. I’ll be driving cross-country mid-April and will be there probably until next March. I’m excited to train this summer since my knees are finally starting to cooperate. I’m also excited for next season because it’s Olympic season and people actually take some interest in speed skating!

Lexi is currently an eleventh grade student here at 21CCCS. She enjoys running, reading, and spending time with friends. She hopes to pursue psychology as a major after graduating from 21CCCS.

Tough Lessons Taught to a Cyber Charter Student

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Ben Ozgur

LITITZ, PA, When Liam Blevins was denied eligibility to participate in Warwick School District’s school play this past fall, he and his parents were more than disappointed. The district contested that students who attend cyber charter schools, though they are public schools, are not eligible for a variety of extracurricular activities.

Per Pennsylvania’s Charter School bill, students are eligible to participate in all after-school extracurricular activities provided within a resident’s home school district, so long as those activities meet after the school day.

When a child leaves his home district, taxpayer dollars used to pay for various school needs are transitioned from the home school district to the charter school. So, is a student who chooses to attend a cyber or a charter school no longer a member of his community? The student is no longer a citizen of education, but a dollar amount floating amidst a rocky educational landscape.

In their conception, charter schools were intended to serve the greater community by introducing innovative teaching and learning models to benefit students. Instead, competition and tension have resulted, driving the different types of schools apart. But who has been left feeling the most divided? Students like Liam Blevins.

When I asked the Blevins’ what led them to choose 21^st Century Cyber Charter School (21CCCS) for Liam’s schooling, they were adamant to express support for their school district.

“We would have kept Liam in his district. But, he was not being challenged. Liam’s competitive, and an avid learner. His school [did not] build a curriculum that could recognize his abilities,” Mr. Blevins said.

When Liam became negative about school, the Blevins’ sought an alternative education at 21CCCS, where individualized instruction was available. It was not anticipated that such a decision would lead Liam to be disenfranchised in other ways.

Through various emails and communications, Warkwick Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education, Dr. Robin Felty, stated that students must partake in the school’s choral program to participate in the play. Interestingly, this policy was more clearly defined to Warwick residents in the fall of 2012, not long after Liam’s request to join the play. The Blevins’ requested further information.

In a letter written from the superintendent, indicators and anchors were detailed to outline which music skills are assessed for 5^th grade students. But, Liam had already passed the 5^th grade as a student of Warwick SD. Further, the 6^th grade curriculum was not provided as an entity separate of the 5^th grade curriculum. It was also explained that Liam failed to meet the 6^th grade music curriculum standards as a member of the charter school. However, Liam is required to participate in music courses as a 6^th grader in a cyber charter school. Additionally, Liam had been eligible to participate in the play the year before at Warwick. In fact, he had been given the play’s leading role– an honor typically reserved for older students.

Liam and his family went on to address the school board. At the meeting, Superintendent, Dr. April Hershey said, “Warwick School District is committed to providing educational opportunities including academics, the arts and athletics to all eligible Warwick School District students. District residents, students and families who have chosen alternative school options have limited access to programs and services based on Pennsylvania law and district policy.”

Ultimately, in spite of efforts, Liam was not permitted to participate in the school play. He was, however, contacted by the Day Spring Christian Academy. He was offered a chance to participate in their school’s play and he accepted. The play will open on April 12th.

Through this experience, Liam learned to stand up for himself and has brought attention to an issue that will assumedly persist. He learned how to make lemonade from lemons, and hopes to use this experience as something to learn from.

The fact remains that students throughout the commonwealth have been granted the right of choice in education. They may find the instructional means, in a public charter school such as 21CCCS, to support their vision of learning. But how can students maintain a place within their communities? Is this not the intention of public schooling? Perhaps only time can tell.

A Day on the Hill Means Changes Are Pending for Charter and Cyber Charter Schools

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Ben Ozgur

PENTAX Image — Photo provided by capitol.com

Last Thursday, March 14, Pennsylvania’s Education Committee met in a caucus room with seating for 200 in Harrisburg. The PA House opened their doors to the public in an attempt to gain insight on recent bill proposals, House Bill 618 and House Bill 759.While the caucus room only holds about 200 people, the rotunda within the capitol was also open to the public, so they could watch and listen in on the room’s happenings. Nearly 100 additional people filled the rotunda area, and their shouts of approval could be heard throughout the capitol, as they responded to testimony and discussion throughout the day.

Why were there so many constituents in attendance?

And why was 21st Century represented there as well?

These bills offer new solutions to the funding structure currently in use for charter and cyber charter schools in the state. At present, charter and cyber charter schools receive monies from school districts when a student transfers from his home school district to another public institution. Although there are deduction allowances in place, many say the formula is broken. School districts contest too much money is already given to charter and cyber schools. Because these schools operate differently from traditional bricks-and-mortar schools, what it takes to fund them properly is simply under speculation.

The caucus room was heated Thursday. Advocates and opposers of the bill alike have a lot to say. School district officials, such as the superintendents and office managers present, believe that direct pay from the state to charter and cyber schools will alleviate current tensions. Others believe it simply costs less to educate students through charter and cyber schools. Those who believe education costs are varied cite cyber schools as not having needs for student transportation, facilities maintenance, library services, school health, and more. What was somehow misrepresented was the fact that cyber schools, instead, have various technological needs, state testing expenses, and more. Charter and cyber schools have very different needs and, therefore, very different expenses than traditional bricks-and-mortar schools.

Following the testimony of school superintendents, student and parent organizations, business managers, and the like, Education Committee members questioned testifiers in an effort to give voice to the public and gain clarity on the plausible effects of approving pending bills 618 and 759. It is the hope of all in attendance that the cries of the public will be heard, understood, and utilized, as lawmakers work to build the best funding structure possible. The greatest hope of all is that the needs and interests of the students will remain at the forefront of the issue.

Keep informed! Follow us on Twitter @21cyberschool, or check out our new School Choice Movement page on Facebook!

A Mom On Cyber School

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Ben Ozgur

Attending cyber school is a choice given to students and parents, which has been made accessible due to the School Choice Movement. This movement has created learning options for students whose needs are not being met in traditional brick-and-mortar school environments. For a parent and child advocate like Suzanne Baumann, choosing cyber school was about finding new learning methods for her son. In a recent conversation with her, I learned a lot about what cyber school has done for her son and what it continues to offer for students like him.

“The reason many parents place their children in cyber school isn’t because they are too lazy to get up on time for school. It’s because they are not satisfied with their education,” Baumann says. She believes that her son’s school failed to provide the kind of learning from which he could benefit. And Baumann is adamant that choosing something different for her son does not mean she has chosen something inferior, as some have been led to believe.

Baumann wants to help dispel rumors and misperceptions. Her son attends 21^st Century Cyber Charter School, where classes are taught through two web-based platforms. Lessons and assignments are stored in one web space, while a separate platform allows for virtual interactions with teachers. Students learn to utilize technology in new ways, which will serve them in life after they leave school. They learning to build interactive web-based posters, create videos, build blogs, and express their creativity in entirely new ways. These are things on which traditional schools are not focused.

Traditional schools and cyber charter schools alike are developing curriculum using the Common Core, which is recognized state wide in Pennsylvania. What differentiates brick-and-mortar schools from the cyber and charter schools is simply the delivery of those standards. How a teacher executes lessons and interacts with students varies between schools. Different delivery models work better for different students. Granting students the opportunity to choose an optimal learning model is what helps to inspire and invigorate students to learn.

What could be so bad about that? Currently, pending legislation in Pennsylvania seeks to restructure funding to cyber charter schools. This means potentially closing some of the smaller schools that cannot survive these cuts. This will limit school choice, which ultimately limits opportunities for student learning. Baumann claims further regulations will not benefit the children.

“I wish the government would let the people make their own choices. Yes, we all need rules and regulations, but you certainly do not need to take our freedom away. We should choose where our child can get the best education. My son has supposedly had a learning disability for reading. He struggled to read for years. So, he was placed in a special class and was given IEP for several years,” Baumann said.

By the time her son reached the 7th grade, he was still only reading at a 4th grade level. Baumann was told that her son had ADHD. Yet, instead of feeling glad to have identified a potential problem, she felt scrutinized and ostracized. She was told that her son’s challenges were a result of her own failure to read enough to him as a child. What was Baumann’s response? She adamantly defends that she read to her son constantly. She wonders why writing him an IEP and stamping him with a disability didn’t lead to progress. Having her son labeled led to different treatment by teachers. Baumann says, “My son was basically being bullied by the school and not the students. The students didn’t judge him for his learning disability, it was the teachers.”

When her son entered 21CCCS, his grades changed dramatically. His success level, confidence, and overall quality of life transformed. As a current 7^th grader, he is at the top of his class, achieving A’s consistently. Baumann says, ” I always talked highly of my child, but now I can brag about him.” She and her son are thrilled with the progress made in such a short amount of time. How can this be something that the government wants to see taken away from students?

The money issue is one that persists. It is always on the legislative landscape. The claim is that cyber charter schools cost taxpayers too much money. They are draining funds away from the public school system. But, charter schools are considered a part of the public school system. They receive funding from the state to educate students. When a child chooses between schools, whichever he chooses is the school owed monies for his education.

Baumann feels that the assumptions made about the costs for cyber schools are unfair. “In the long run, the school district is making more money than the cyber school. They are getting 20% of our tax dollars for a child who doesn’t even attend their school. So, that 20% can pay for either lighting in a traditional school, or a computer at the cyber school.”

Baumann’s understanding is not far from the truth. Traditional schools are eligible to receive a percentage of per pupil costs, based on a deduction structure put in place several years ago. The question remains as to what is truly equitable, and what funding structure will most behoove student learning.

The bottom line, argues Baumann, is that parents deserve a choice for their children. She says, “They always say there is nothing like the love of a mother for their child. Well don’t you think that I love my child enough to know that he deserves a better education than the one our school district was giving?”

It’s not easy to argue with that.

A Night to Remember…NHS and NJHS Inductions

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Ben Ozgur

The sounds heard outside the Rustin High School student weight room, training room, and auxiliary gym are usually those of rubber soled sneakers and bouncing balls. Instead, clicking heels and gleeful chatter echoed through those halls last Tuesday night. This is because 21CCCS hosted its National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society inductions in a room of blue and silver.

21CCCS teachers and staff arrived at Rustin’s gymnasium in West Chester, PA at 2:45 p.m. and set to transform the room into a space fit for elegant dining, proud parents, and teary students. Japanese paper lanterns hung from the ceiling, white tablecloths adorned each table, and chalkboard center pieces labeled with family names welcomed spectators to their designated seats. The final flourish included tiny white lights, which hung from the walls, and gave an extra special glow to the space.

By 6 p.m., the room was full and dinner was served to nearly 140 people. Everyone was ready to celebrate. Parents, family members, friends, and administrators each took seats together, allowing for great conversation. Current NHS and NJHS members were also in attendance to welcome inductees into this prestigious organization. A party can’t go wrong when the food is fabulous. Pasta, chicken, eggplant, and sweets filled bellies and broadened smiles just as we were ready to begin the ceremony.

By 7:15 p.m. Principal, Kylene Ball, introduced everyone and shared inspirational words. She spoke of how the inductees were excellent contributors to communities, and ultimately, the world. She recognized that the passion and dedication of our students encourage others. These students show each of us how the world can be a better place. Her words rang so true.

Becoming a member of NHS and NJHS does not only grant students the ability to build character through the activities in which they will soon participate. It recognizes the existing makeup of our student body, acknowledging the incredible character that already lives within each member. Being inducted into NHS and NJHS ultimately allows students to join their efforts. These students come together to instill values of “academic scholarship,” “leadership,” “community service,” and “character,” in other others, by setting a tremendous example.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Teresa Powell, spoke of her immense sense of pride in the success stories of our students. She was so thrilled to speak at an event where excelling students have embraced opportunities, challenged themselves, and served their communities. They are playing instruments, dancing, participating in athletics, serving their communities, and building dreams.

A real highlight of the evening was truly the letter reading portion, at which point teachers Drew Benson and Kathleen Groff read through encouraging letters from parents to the inductees. Their words touted the successes of their children in a meaningful way that helped each of us to see the individual life experiences that make each student so special.

Many contributed to make the evening special. Advisers Brian Petters and Mark Miller did an exceptional job organizing the event, and we owe a special thanks to them. But, most importantly, thanks are owed to the students who strive to achieve their very best, time and time again. Your hard work and dedication make our school a very special place to work, learn, and teach. And ultimately, it is your hard work and dedication that will make our world a better place.

Preparing for Standardized Testing

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Ben Ozgur

The months of March and April are especially unique at 21^st Century Cyber Charter School. That’s because our students are required to take state standardized tests. While every public school student in Pennsylvania takes these exams each year (depending upon grade level) the distribution of these tests is wildly different for a brick-and-mortar school. When you are a cyber school, these months are dedicated to preparation and organization. We must then move ourselves all across the commonwealth to meet with our students and proctor the exams.

Our Guidance Department recently released a long list of testing dates and sites about two weeks ago. (If you have not seen this list, or if you have not yet signed up successfully for a testing site, please contact Guidance immediately!) Upon receipt of such a detailed list, you may have asked yourself, “What does it take for school to come to me for these tests?”

Well, we’re glad you asked!

For traditional brick-and-mortar schools, times of standardized testing create a particular buzz in the building. For the most part, schedules are altered, and teachers are pulled in different directions to help accommodate proctoring needs. When the tests arrive, there are checklists to be checked and orders to follow to ensure that each test is administered correctly.

But for a cyber school, none of that hustle and bustle occurs in-house. Everything we do takes place on the road. Our 21CCCS family becomes its own traveling band, setting up camp in places foreign to us in order to proctor exams. It is no simple task! Here’s a rundown of what occurs:

Our technology department travels to each testing site to check on internet connections, bandwidth availabilities, server capacities, and more. We are utilizing a fully online version of the PSSA and Keystone exams this year. Therefore, each site we use for testing needs a mark of approval from our tech team, assuring us that our students will not have trouble logging into their tests, scrolling through them, and saving their responses. This year, we are testing at colleges and universities, to ensure that enough bandwidth is available to properly run the tests.

While tech runs across the commonwealth, teachers and staff are required to complete a training program, provided to us by the state education department. It shows us how to properly administer, collect, and resend the tests back to the state. It takes us about 45-60 minutes to read through the training materials provided to us. We watch videos and learn how to be of service to students while they are testing. Then, we take quizzes to be sure we understand what to do. See! Even teachers keep learning, and testing!

Come the weeks of testing, teachers are all set to get to their sites to proctor. We make hotel and rental car arrangements, pack our bags, and load up supplies to successfully distribute the exams. Some teachers travel four or five hours, and stay in a town they have never before visited. It is an exciting opportunity for us to see new things and the students we might not normally see.

By the time March floats around, the look of our building at 805 Springdale Drive, changes drastically. Long gone are the busy cubicles, noisy teachers, phones ringing, and mouths chattering. Our teachers are divided between the various testing sites, eager to set up your tests and see your smiling faces. Being cyber school teachers, we only see you at field trips, community outreach events, or tutoring opportunities. However, because standardized tests are mandatory (every single student in grades 6, 7, 8, and 11 must take them) we get a chance to see everyone!

Good luck to everyone as you prepare for these tests! We’ll see you on the road!

Recent Article Tackles Cyber School Option

Posted on March 4, 2013October 27, 2015 by Ben Ozgur

An active parent recently reached out to our school to let us know about an article that had been run by a local media outfit. The article had circulated through our own offices, because it related directly to our learning community. The article depicted how cyber schools are viewed in the larger public eye, and what one senator hopes to do about it.

As a learning community, it is critical that we are well informed of what is being written and published about cyber schools. Our community is comprised not only of teachers and students, but also parents, staff, and the greater public that will be affected by the education of its citizens.

This article, unfortunately, misrepresents the reality of cyber schooling. The article suggests that Senator Schwank hopes to restructure cyber schools, offering them through school districts within the brick-and-mortar buildings. The argument for this is that cyber schools are costing school districts too much money without yielding results. Cyber schools are “not producing for our kids.”

In reality, cyber schools are eligible to receive a portion of the monies used by each school district to educate our children, on a per pupil basis. This means that if it costs a school district $10,000 per pupil, per school year (for example), only a portion of that money is send to the charter school to pay for school expenses. Deductions are allowed, per a funding formula crafted by the state several years ago. This formula is not a form of tuition. It asks schools to transfer funds that they will no longer use, when a student leaves his/her home school district. In most cases, due to deduction allowances, the total funds received by a charter school is much less than what a school district actually spends on its students.

It is questionable whether or not a newly proposed bill will speak to the real consumers in need: the students. Building in-house cyber programs for each school district and may restrict the “school of choice” paradigm. “School choice” means providing different types of schools to students throughout the state, which allows children the opportunity to explore an educational experience most in sync with their learning styles. Retaining children in a district-based cyber learning experience removes their ability to choose the type of learning environment in which they can thrive.

Finally, a question was raised as to whether or not our cyber schools are producing results. 21CCCS has made AYP fairly consistently over the years. Our students are attending prestigious colleges and universities. They are pursuing their dreams with the foundation build through our form of education. We are empowering students by giving them the opportunity to learn in a way that suits them.

It is not only important to understand the implications of articles published in our area. It is important to recognize that the misrepresentation of facts may lead legislators to craft new alternatives to education that may inhibit your child’s ability to succeed. Being informed and active in your community can help to get the message out about school choice.

Why I Love My P4SLs

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Ben Ozgur

To learn more about our P4SL Model and what it means to teachers, read below. These are some of the experiences of English teacher, Eileen Vice:

The name “P4SL” is likely unfamiliar to anyone outside of the 21st Century family. That’s right, I said “family.” That’s what we are like here at 21CCCS! Originally, our family knew the phrase P4SL stood for “Plan for Student Learning.” (I should know, because I’ve been here FOREVER!) The P4SL was a program our students entered to help them understand their unique learning styles. At some point in time, the program’s name shifted. Today, it is not the name of the program. Instead, a P4SL is the term we use to refer to our student mentees. Weird, right?

So what are P4SLs anyway? As I mentioned, they are essentially mentees. Teachers at 21CCCS act as a Learning Coach for their P4SLs. Being a learning coach is what makes my job especially exciting. I get to work closely with a smaller number of students outside of my teaching load. I communicate with them about grades, sure. But, I also get the chance to talk about other important topics like friendships, family, jobs, fears and anxieties, goals, and dreams. I dispense wisdom and advice they always appreciate and follow (okay, not always, but they make a good show of it.)

Why is the P4SL relationship so important? Having a Learning Coach means every student has a special point of connection with 21CCCS. It means every parent has the phone number and email address of the person who knows their child better than anyone else at school. As a result, I get a lot of calls from my P4SLs and parents alike. Although many parents feel the need to apologize for “hassling me,” they are never a bother. I love to talk to them about what is going on with their child, especially since kids sometimes forget to tell their parents the important stuff. Everyone who knows me knows that I do not like surprises. Open communication prevents surprises. It is one of the most crucial components of the P4SL relationship.

I find the best way to connect to my P4SLs is to torture them mercilessly. To get them to submit their yearbook head shots, I repeatedly send photos of myself from my high school days (those were some good years!). I like to start the year off right by sending my P4SLs postcards in the summer. That way, they don’t forget about me or their school! I force them to get their picture taken with me on field trips. I make them schedules, even if they don’t want them, and accuse them of “trying to kill me” when they procrastinate. They come to love my incessant nagging, and expect it by the end of the school year. They know I do it because I care.

On the other hand, there are many things my P4SLs may not know about me.

They may not know that I don’t lose sleep over their failures because I am disappointed or frustrated. I lose sleep because I know they are so much more than a grade on a piece of paper. My P4SLs may not know that I will forever remember what they’ve told me they want to be when they grow up. Some students have been my P4SLs for over 5 years. I am certain they do not always believe that I know what I am talking about, or that I could possibly understand what life is like for teenagers today. But, I have five daughters. Believe me, I get it.

I think my P4SLs are amazing. I think they are smart and funny, and strong and capable. I think they are brave for trying online learning and succeeding, even more so if they failed at first. I think they are pioneers in the fields of education and life. Most of all, I am more proud than they will ever know, that they are mine.

And when they walk across the stage at their graduation, I will cry like a baby.

21st Century Cyber Charter School

Category: Article