Fast Facts:

Law enacted: 1997

Most recently amended: 2017

Number of charter schools: 175

Number of charter students: 169,000

Cap on the number of schools allowed: No

Virtual charters allowed: Yes

Charter Law Analysis:

AUTHORIZERS: Local school boards only authorize brick-and-mortar charter schools; two or more local school boards for regional charter schools; the state Board of Education only for virtual charters schools. Appeals for denied applications go to the State Charter School Appeals Board (CAB). If approved by the state CAB, the chair must sign the written charter if the local school board still refuses to grant the charter.

GROWTH: There are no caps on charter schools in the law, but several districts have imposed their own caps on the number of schools and/or number of students they will authorize. Larger districts like Philadelphia must contend with hostile bureaucracies that limit charter seats and funding. In the past few years, charter enrollment has seen a 10% increase statewide.

OPERATIONS: Charter schools have a blanket waiver from most state and district regulations. However, many districts strictly regulate the charters they authorize.

EQUITY: Charter school operational funding is inequitable because it is based on expenditure calculations made by the individual districts. Funds for regional charter schools and students from other districts must come from the student's home district. The state can intervene if districts are not making scheduled payments to charter schools. In Pennsylvania, charter schools are not entitled to the same federal funding as their district counterparts. Charters receive some per-pupil funding for facilities, but not equal to district schools. There are continued attempts by the Democratic-controlled legislature to reduce funding for cyber charter schools, under the guise of increasing transparency. In early 2023, a Commonwealth Court judge ruled the PA school funding system as unconstitutional. It is now the responsibility of the governor and the legislature to develop and implement a plan for bringing the state's school funding system into constitutional compliance, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to access a "comprehensive, effective, and contemporary public education" -- the standard set by the court. This ruling will have a fundamental effect on both traditional and public charter school funding. Traditional school districts spend an average of $16,434 per student, but the average payment from a traditional school district to a public charter school is only $13,241 per student.

Fast Facts:

Number of programs: 2

Statewide participation: 77,000

Types of programs: Tax-credit scholarship

Choice Laws & Analysis:

Tax-Credit Scholarship
Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program
The Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) is a program in which funds raised from corporations - in exchange for tax credits - subsidizes scholarships for low and middle-income families to attend the schools of their choice. Children are eligible for scholarships if their household incomes are less than $105,183 plus $18,514 for each child in the family in 2022--23. For example, a family with one child must have an income below $123,697, whereas a family with three children must have an income below $160,725 (EdChoice). The 2023 budget increased the allocation by $130 million with a program cap of $325 million.

Tax-Credit Scholarship
Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program
This tax credit scholarship program began in 2012, to provide additional support to students in economically disadvantaged communities, as well as those with special needs. "Students attending 'economically disadvantaged schools' -- those where 51 percent or more of the student population are on scholarship -- may receive scholarships worth up to $10,500 for elementary students and $12,500 for secondary students. Students with special needs may receive up to $15,000, and students with special needs attending economically disadvantaged schools may receive up to $19,000. Public school boards may set up tuition grant programs that allow students to attend a public or private school. For private schools under such programs, the tuition grant is limited to the state's per-pupil subsidy amount. The program was increased from $65 million in 2022-23 by $20 million, for a total allocation of $85 million. Of the total available funds for Opportunity Scholarships, at least $60 million must be used for students from economically disadvantaged schools." (EdChoice)

USE OF STUDENT DATA IN EVALUATING TEACHER PREP

"Pennsylvania does not currently use student achievement or growth data to hold teacher preparation programs accountable."

This is just one indicator from The National Council on Teacher Quality, which collects and analyzes states on how well their policies and practices lead to well-prepared teachers. They collect data on state laws and regulations concerning the preparation of teachers, the policies that govern their oversight and the contracts that guide their employment. Learn more about your state here.