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News & Information
Statewide Poll Reveals Widespread Support for Charter Public Schools
October 17, 2005
Pennsylvanians clearly support charter public schools.
The Pennsylvania Coalition of Charter Schools (PCCS) recently engaged Susquehanna Polling & Research to conduct a statewide survey to gauge voters' opinions of charter schools. Existing in Pennsylvania for less than a decade, charter schools are a relatively new concept in the Commonwealth's system of education. However, survey results show Pennsylvanians embrace charter public schools and would like to see greater availability of charter public schools.
Pennsylvanians Support Charter School Growth
61% of the survey respondents said that they support allowing communities to continue to create new public charter schools.
Charter schools are independent public schools founded by parents and the community and usually have a specific focus such as math, science, technology, or the arts. They are held to the same standards as traditional public schools. Charter school students take the same assessment tests as traditional public school students. Oversight of charter schools is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and local school districts.
Majority Favors Lengthening Charter Terms
62% of those surveyed support lengthening charter renewals from five years to ten years once charter schools have proven themselves during the first five-year term.
Lengthening a charter school's term - once the school has proven itself through its first five year charter - will be instrumental in improving long-term planning and reducing costs for charter public schools and school districts.
An Increasing Number of Pennsylvanians Support Keeping Cyber Charter Schools as Charter Public Schools
49% of the survey respondents support keeping cyber charter schools as an educational choice in the public school system. 39% are opposed; however, 12% are undecided.
Act 88 of 2002 created cyber public charter school in Pennsylvania as we know them today. Right now, three years later, more than 10,000 Pennsylvania students are enrolled in a cyber charter school. Public support for this relatively young initiative is growing at the same pace that support for "brick and mortar" charter public schools grew following the passage of their law, Act 22 of 1997. Cyber charter schools are required to meet the same standards as "bricks and mortar" charter schools, and their students are required to undergo the same assessment testing. Oversight of cyber charter schools is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
About the Survey
Conducted September 28, 2005 - October 3, 2005, the survey sampled a pool of 700 respondents. The survey threaded evenly across political party lines as 45% of the respondents indicated they are registered Republicans and 48% said they are Democrats.
"The survey results clearly indicate the people of Pennsylvania value the educational options public charter schools provide and that quality, proven charter schools should be granted a longer-term charter," said Lawrence Jones, President of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Charter Schools. "We encourage each member of the General Assembly to support the will of their constituents by creating an environment that will enable charter public schools to thrive across the Commonwealth."
More than 50,000 students are enrolled in Pennsylvania's 114 charter schools throughout the commonwealth. These schools include a host of distinctive missions: early childhood enrichment, specific academic disciplines, high achievement, core knowledge, technology, project based learning, special needs education, gifted education, community service and more. For more information on charter school opportunities within Pennsylvania, log on to www.pachartercoaltion.com or call 484-356-0191.
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