RSS | 
Twitter
| 
Be a fan!
For some, enrolling a child in cyber school is the best option
Staff writer
dkeller@observer-reporter.com
Pamela Schleicher watched as her son's grades fell in seventh grade.
Rate This Story:
1 the lowest - 5 the highest
Current rating:
And each morning, Joseph begged his parents not to send him to school.
Yet for a while, she and her husband, Joseph, still sent him because they were concerned that he wouldn't have the proper socialization if he were in a cyber school. And, Pamela Schleicher says, there were some wonderful teachers who tried to help.
But the Schleichers questioned what the best way to facilitate their son's learning would be.
"That's what school is supposed to be," she said. "We are responsible for making sure his educational needs are met so he can be a productive citizen."
The couple, with their son's agreement, enrolled him in Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School last year.
"Joseph has absolutely flourished in cyber school," Pamela Schleicher said.
He's pulling down straight As, he's ahead of schedule this year because he can work at his own pace and he's not having problems with misplacing homework or books.
If he has problems, he can get a tutor through the cyber school. He also gets speech therapy.
Joseph is still involved in activities, including karate, church youth group, a swim team, a bowling league and playing the violin, she said.
"Now, his socialization is positive socialization," she said.
Whether he returns to a traditional public school in high school is up to him, she said. But, for now, she's happy with the choice the family made.
"I want my child educated to the best of his ability," she said.
It's a question that more parents are asking themselves as the numbers of students in cyber schools have skyrocketed in the past decade.
Since a 2002 state law created public cyber schools in Pennsylvania, about 20,000 families have enrolled their children in them, according to PA Families for Public Cyber Schools.
The cyber schools are open to all kindergarten through 12th-grade students in the state. Because they are public schools, families do not have to pay tuition. Instead, public school districts pay tuition equal to the district per-student education cost for those who attend cyber schools.
Traditional public school officials contend they shouldn't be paying that much to cyber schools and that most students are better off in the "brick-and-mortar" schools. Cyber schools say the money should follow the students and parents should be able to make a choice about the public school in which they enroll their children.
For Sara Sykes and her father, Andrew Sykes, the decision was a no-brainer. She was tired of high school drama and rumors.
She wasn't doing well at Fort Cherry High School because of peer pressure, Andrew Sykes said.
He enrolled her in Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School in September. She still has her friends and socializes but is getting a good education too, he said.
"I think it's pretty cool," he said.
Sara said she wanted to get away from the drama but still get a good education.
She says it's going well.
"In math class, I'm way ahead," she said.
The reasons that parents decide to enroll their children in cyber school vary, said Fred Miller, communications coordinator of Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School.
For some, it's because their children are bullied, while others want their children to be more challenged in a gifted program, he said. Some want to screen out distractions for the children, and others want their kids to learn in a safe environment, Miller said.
Cyber school isn't the best choice for all students, but Jefferson resident Joe Tokish said enrolling his son, Phillip, in Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School was for the best.
He didn't think the teen would graduate from Carmichaels Area High School. Phillip spent about three years in cyber school and graduated last year. Taxpayers should have the right for their children to be educated successfully, he said. Without cyber school, Joe Tokish believes there would be more public school dropouts.
"For some kids, it's really important for them," he said. "They need it. Cyber school? I believe in it."
Cayna Scumaci of Cokeburg said her daughter, Aeriel Dochenetz, was not getting enough one-on-one attention at Bentworth Middle School.
"You either get it or you don't, and you fall behind," she said.
On top of that, she was concerned about bullying that she felt wasn't taken seriously enough by the school.
This is her daughter's first year in cyber school. Her grades have improved from As, Bs and Cs to straight As in Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School, Scumaci said.
She attributes it to the one-on-one attention her eighth-grade daughter receives. She sees her teacher on a webcam.
"They're a phone call away for the kids," Scumaci said.
When she first heard of the idea, Scumaci said she thought, "No way." After researching it, she decided to give it a try because of the individual help.
Now, when parents complain about the same problems she had with traditional schools, she urges them to consider a cyber school.
"It's the best thing I ever did," Scumaci said.
cyber school : 1/3/2009
what about the children electing to cyber school that don't have parents that care or stay on top of what their children are doing in cyberschool. Someone has to monitor this more closely and the children not making it in this school should, by law, be required to go back to public school. I know of a girl, that failed one year of cyberschool, and used this to sit online and chat with boys all day. She has now missed two years of education. She is 15 years old, from a single parent household, no support from the custodial parent. This child won't make it, if she goes back to public school, she'll be so far behind, she'll never catch up. She's done. This is the flip side of the success stories. These are my concerns with cyber school. The problems like this haven't been worked out yet.
Cyber School Requirments : 1/4/2009
The reason cyber school is more appealing is because they do not have to follow the rigorous requirements set forth by the PDE. If cyber schools had to focus on PSSA, they would be in the same boat as public education. PSSA has taken any fun out of education. It has ruined it. But cyber schools are not held accountable like public schools, so they can do what they willy-nilly want to while public schools continue to be less appealing.
Cyber School : 1/4/2009
Way to go!! Thank you for this report. We should hear more stories like this. Public school in brick and mortar is good...but not for all students. Brick and mortar public school officials are threatened by the public cyber schools and they should not be. The most important issue in this topic is the education of the student....not how much it costs. When it comes right down to it, brick and mortar public schools are truly spending more than the cyber schools and it is embarrassing for them. That is the real reason why they do not want the cyber schools to continue. Please remember, each student is different and therefore learns differently...the main goal is for each student to do his or her best, and to do that in the best atmosphere possible to achieve this and to graduate from high school with a good education.
Cyber School Requirements : 1/6/2009
I have taught in public, private and now cyber school. I do not make anywhere close to the amount I made at a public school but I sacrifice the salary because it is what is best for my family. I want to put my daughter on the bus in the morning and be there when she gets home. The cirriculum I teach now is more in depth than in the public or private school where I was employed. I am not sure where the Public School Teacher is getting their information. I teach for a PA Cyber School and our teachers are state certified, students do have to attend PSSA Testing and our school does have to meet the state standards. The problem is that many of our students come in from districts that have not been serving their needs and come to us multiple grade levels behind. I am not against public school - I send my daughter to one. I am lucky enough to live in a school district that has a great public school with wonderful teachers. There are many students that are not as lucky. People need to realize that school needs to meet the needs of the student. If a student is afraid to go to school every day because they are thrown down flights of stairs, the student is not going to learn. There are other students that are training for the Olymipics and must practice during the brick and mortar school hours. Some of our students have learning disorders and either do not get the attention they need or get picked on so much that they dread going to school. We also have many girls that are pregnant or have given birth. This is the best choice for these students.
Re: Cyber School Requirements : 1/7/2009
I just wanted to comment on the person who wrote that cybers do not have to care "willy nilly" about the PDE requirements or the PSSA. As a cyber school teacher, I can tell you that is not the case! We are held even more accountable that brick and mortar schools in many capacities. We spend thousands of dollars administering the PSSA and do teach the test skills to our students. The chance of our school being shut down because of not meeting AYP is much more likely than a local public school being shut down for the same reason. And in the end, if we do not meet the needs of our students, they can leave.
Cyber School Requirements : 1/7/2009
Cyber School Teacher - Thanks for setting the record straight. I too teach for a cyber school and will be traveling for PSSA's next month. We are accountable to the PDE and more so than public schools. Charters are issued only for a spcecified period of time. If the school does not perform, then the charter will not be renewed. Teachers have a lot at stake if students do not perform well.
Cyber PSSA Testing : 1/7/2009
"Public School Teacher" needs to get her facts straight. Some cyber schools in the state of Pennsylvania (including the Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School) are PUBLIC institutions- thus we are very much held accountable for PSSA Testing, AYP, etc. So next time, before posting, please double check your facts. Thanks.
PSSA-AYP : 3/11/2009
I teach at a school that is on the brink of our FIFTH consecutive AYP year. We are gearing up for PSSAs this month. For the writing test last month we had 100% participation. Can your school boast that? Would the teachers at your school travel to all points of the Commonwealth to administer tests and connect with kids for the day? The student mentioned above who is "lost" is less than 10% of the students. The parents can get involved but the student needs to take soem responsibility and pick up the ohone or send an email when she has a question. Parents who do not help thier kids in brick and mortar school don't help them in cyber either. No teacher is going to babysit a teen all day to remind them to read, write, and do homework.
