Regarding Timothy Eller’s letter “Never enough cyber savings” (March 12, TribLive): According to the Pennsylvania auditor general, during a three-year period, Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA) has spent over $196 million to purchase and renovate 21-plus buildings across the state. CCA has confirmed that it has set aside between $452 million and $610 million for building projects since 2014. These properties are owned by the school’s nonprofit corporate entity, governed by its own nonelected, independent board of trustees.
While the school is privately owned and operated, the funds used to buy this real estate come almost entirely from public taxpayer dollars (tuition payments from local school districts throughout the state).
A major point of contention in Pennsylvania law is that if a charter or cyber charter school closes or sells its property, there is currently no legal requirement for the school to return those funds or the property to the taxpayers or the local school districts that funded the purchase.
What would happen if CCA sold a building or multiple buildings? Where would the money go?
Eller bemoans the fact that, after 24 years, our state Legislature has finally passed bipartisan measures reducing cyber charter tuition rates to bring them more in line with actual costs.
This is not about eliminating school choice but rather instituting some long overdue fiscal accountability. It remains to be seen whether there will be additional legislation.
Lawrence A. Feinberg
Ardmore
The writer is a former school board member and longtime advocate for public education.