Pittsburgh Public Schools Expands to Internet

To continue to provide educational options that meet the various needs of families, Pittsburgh Public Schools is proposing the launch of a new online academy.

The proposal for the new school was presented at a recent Board Education Committee Meeting. The online school will provide an innovative option for students in grades 6 to 12, who live within the city, and are currently enrolled in a cyber charter school. The Board is expected to vote on the new school, which would open this September, at its June Legislative Meeting.  

“The launch of an online school is a logical step in our efforts to improve the sustainability of the District and remain competitive. We are confident that an online academy will add to our portfolio of quality school options,” said Superintendent Linda Lane. “This year, we will spend more than $11 million on cyber charter schools, which lack oversight and accountability, to educate students who live within our District. If these students registered with us, they will receive an education that meets State standards.  In addition, if they are city residents, they will be eligible for scholarships through the Pittsburgh Promise.”

The online academy is committed to making students Promise Ready.  It will have the same graduation requirements as the District’s brick and mortar schools and the scope and sequence of the curriculum will mirror that of the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Unlike most cyber charter schools, a face-to-face support system will be in place.  

As of June, almost 800 potential Pittsburgh Public Schools students attended cyber charter schools at a cost of more than $11 Million. The District pays charters, including cyber charters, $13,000 a year to educate a regular education student and $28,000 a year for a special education student.  During the 2010-2011 school year, state reimbursement for charter school tuition was eliminated. The goal of the online school is to attract those students who live in the city but are not enrolled in the District.  If the District does nothing, it anticipates a 10 percent increase in charter school enrollment annually, and estimated charter school expenditures could ring up to an astounding $18 Million in five years. 

If approved by the Board, the online academy will open its virtual doors this September in partnership with Waterfront Learning, a service of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, and a trusted educational provider with a decade of cyber experience. Year one of the 6-12 online school will serve students in grades 6-9 and expand to other grades over the next two years.  

Once approved, the online academy will receive a name through the standard naming policies and procedures as followed by the District.