ERIC Number: ED675366
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Jun
Pages: 5
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Research Update: Growing per Pupil Fund Balances in Pennsylvania Cyber Charter Schools
David Lapp
Research for Action
This research update from Research for Action's PACER project revisits and expands on prior analyses of fund balances across Pennsylvania's public education sectors using the most recent 2023-24 data. The findings show that cyber charter schools continue to grow per-pupil fund balances at a much faster rate than school districts or brick-and-mortar charter schools. On average, cyber charter schools now hold over $10,000 per student in general fund reserves--more than double that of school districts--and the gap continues to widen. The brief also examines concerns raised in a recent state audit and legislative hearings regarding questionable spending patterns in the cyber charter school sector, as well as comparatively lower investments in teacher salaries and staffing levels. These findings reinforce the need for reforms to Pennsylvania's cyber charter school funding formula and oversight practices to ensure public dollars are more equitably and efficiently targeted to support student learning.
Descriptors: Educational Finance, Public Education, Charter Schools, Virtual Schools, Expenditure per Student, Funding Formulas, School Districts, Expenditures
Research for Action. 100 South Broad Street Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Tel: 215-823-2500; Fax: 215-823-2510; e-mail: info@researchforaction.org; Web site: http://www.researchforaction.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research-practitioner Partnerships
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Research for Action (RFA), Pennsylvania Clearinghouse for Education Research (PACER)
Identifiers - Location: Pennsylvania
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A


