are there other options available to antietam families?
are there other options available to antietam families?
Q- Are school vouchers available?
A- No, Pennsylvania is not a voucher state. The following states offer vouchers: Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin
Q- Does Exeter Township School District accept tuition from non-residents?
A- No. You must live within Exeter School District's boundaries in order to attend school
Q- Do public schools have to accept tuition from non-residents?
A- No, it is at their discretion
Q- What school options are available, other than Antietam School District?
A- Public Charter Schools, Public Magnet Schools, Private Schools, Online Schools, Homeschool
Q- What is a Public Charter School?
A- Charter schools are public, free, and typically have no requirements for entry. There are 180 charter schools in Pennsylvania. Although charter schools do not charge tuition to the family, the funding comes from the resident school district. Antietam SD pays anywhere from $12,561.40 - $36,013.62 per student when the family opts to attend a charter school.
Q- Are there any brick and mortar charter schools in Berks County?
A- No, they are all virtual/cyber charter schools.
Q- What is a Public Magnet School?
A- Magnet schools are free public schools that allow students to zoom in on a specific learning track. All subjects are taught through the lenses of that specific track. Pittsburgh Public Schools, Erie Public Schools, and the School District of Philadelphia are some of the areas that have magnet schools.
Q- What is a Private School?
A- Private schools are nonpublic schools that charge tuition. The average tuition for private schools in the state is $10,477 for elementary schools and $16,145 for high schools.
Q- Is there financial assistance to help pay for Private School?
A- Yes. The Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program (OSTC) exists for students who live in a low-achieving school. Families must meet income requirements to be eligible and scholarships are not guaranteed.
Q- What schools participate in the OSTC program?
A- A list of participating schools in Berks County can be found HERE. All participating schools are non-public schools.
Q- What are online/cyber schools?
A- Some districts have their own online/cyber option (AVA for Antietam). Pennsylvania also offers other free, full-time online learning options. Although online/cyber schools do not charge tuition to the family, the funding comes from the resident school district. Antietam SD pays anywhere from $12,561.40 - $36,013.62 per student when the family opts to attend a cyber school. There is a lower cost to the district if the family chooses AVA.
Q- What is homeschooling?
A- Homeschool is the process of parents educating students at home. You are required to provide a notarized affidavit at the time of choosing homeschool by August 1.
Q- What is a school merger?
A- The combination of two or more districts with the intent of eliminating an administrative group and/or duplicate programs deemed unnecessary to provide quality educational services.
Q- Can the State force a merger?
A- No. Pennsylvania School Code states that the Board of Directors of any two or more school districts must adopt by majority vote a resolution for merger which substantially outlines the areas to be combined.
Q- Have any other school districts merged in PA?
A- There has only been one voluntary district merger in PA since the 1960's- Center Area and Monaca School District. After 3 years of analyzing the studies, the merger was jointly approved in 2008. In 2009-2010, the Elementary grades were merged. In 2010-2011, the Secondary grades were merged.
Q- Will the state takeover the school district?
A- According to Senator Schwank, there is specific criteria that would lead to a state takeover. At this time, Antietam does not meet the criteria; not for financial reasons, not for performance reasons and not for corruption reasons.
Sources:
Pennsylvania State Guide: National School Choice Week, Exeter Township School District, PA Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Beaver County Times, Senator Judy Schwank