Montrose Area supporting charter school reforms

BY PAT FARNELLI

 Montrose Area School Board passed a resolution Monday night calling for reforms in the way cyber and charter schools inPennsylvaniaare funded and are held accountable.

Superintendent Michael F. Ognosky had strongly recommended the resolution, noting that although public schools have to complete many forms and other accountability paperwork in order to receive government funding, cyber and charter schools do not, and are receiving more funding per student than the amount of their actual cost to the charter school.

“It costs the cyber school an average of $4,000 per student, and the district in which the student resides has to pay approximately $10,000 per regular student, and $20,000 for a student with an IEP,” Ognosky said.

Before the Corbett administration, districts received a 20-30 percent reimbursement for cyber charter school students, but last year’s budget approved by Governor Corbett dropped this.

Also, while public school districts have many hurdles to pass before identifying a student as special needs, charter schools do not, and can easily identify students as requiring an IEP and twice as much tuition as a regular student, even if they are very mildly challenged or disabled. There are six or seven Montrose students who are enrolled in cyber programs.

Because the 35 Montrose students enrolled in cyber charter schools are at all 13 grade levels (K-12), they do not constitute a large enough population in any grade or group to allow the district to reduce their costs in any way.

Although the district does not send money to any cyber or charter school, it is automatically deducted from the district’s subsidy by the state Department of Education.

Ognosky said that the funding and accountability criteria for these schools needs to be substantially reformed.

“Even if we cut our cyber school expenses in half, it would have the same effect as raising our millage one and a half mills,” Ognosky said.

In other business, the board recognized the achievements of William Host’s solar energy class.

Two policies for special education were approved, one for fiscal and program compliance, and one for screening and evaluations for students with disabilities.

Three resignations were accepted with regret: Gregg Lewis, technology technician; Amy Goff, personal care aide at Lathrop Street Elementary School; and Jennifer McPherson as instructional aide at Choconut Valley Elementary School.

The resignation of Jim Shelp as junior high cross country coach was also accepted with regret.

Ognosky said that Mr. Shelp has done a terrific job, and will remain in place as a junior high track coach.

Thomas Lewis was appointed as junior high cross country coach at a salary of $2,585. Daniel Cherney was appointed as head boys soccer coach at a salary of $3,150.

Keenan Small was hired as a daily substitute custodian.

Todd Legg, mathematics teacher, was granted an unpaid leave of absence, due to a death in the family,  for the remainder of the school year. A long term substitute position will be posted, and Legg plans to return next year.

Penny Kamensky and Jennifer McPherson were hired as emergency daily substitute teachers.

Rickie Clapper has completed the district’s work excavating and shoring up Choconut Creek, including the removal of numerous trees in the stream that were damming up its flow.

The next school board meeting will be held Monday, March 5 at 7 p.m. at the Choconut Valley Elementary Center.