BIG CITY JOURNALIST BOOT CAMP
STUDENT STORIES –SUMMER 2024
Arts and Sciences Summer Institutes
The College of Arts and Sciences at Drexel University summer programs provide students an opportunity to bond with one another while gaining hands-on experience to support their academic and professional futures.
To learn more, please email Janine Guerra, jg3897@drexel.edu
Nina Agolino
Ahn “Jane” Dang
Abby Davenport
Sam Ferenchick
Alex Hansen
Kohei Kirino
Amelia Nelson
BIG CITY JOURNALIST BOOT CAMP
In today’s 24-hour news cycle culture, journalists need good instincts and a strong ethical code.
ABOUT
Drexel University’s Big City Journalist Boot Camp is a summer institute for high school students presented by the Department of Politics and the Department of Communication. This intensive experience offers students a hands-on introduction to the exciting and rapidly changing world of news media and journalism. Students explore the theory and history of media and journalism in Philadelphia as they gain insights into relationships between journalism and public relations in today's digital media environment. Campers also spend time shadowing working journalists at diverse sites throughout the city. Participants learn how to investigate, pitch, and produce stories for local radio stations, newspapers, podcasts, and blogs.
We proudly present these stories written by students who participated in our summer 2024 Big City Journalist Boot Camp.
MEET OUR FACULTY
Richardson Dilworth, PhD Professor of Politics, Department Head, Politics
Hilde Van den Bulck, PhD
Professor of Communication, Department Head, Communication
JD Vance receives enthusiastic praise from the chairman
of the Philadelphia Young Republicans –
“We couldn’t be happier.”
By Abby Davenport
The Philadelphia Young Republicans, who are staunch supporters of Donald Trump, could be expected to harbor disdain towards the man who once called him “noxious” and “reprehensible” - but their chairman praised JD Vance, saying “he’s done great things” and describing his life and career as “the American Dream”.
Matt Lamorgese, the chairman of the Philadelphia Young Republicans passionately shared his opinions on who he proudly declared is “soon to be the next vice president” from Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the Republican National Convention. JD Vance, President Trump’s running mate announced on Monday, July 15th was a somewhat unexpected pick because of his previous criticisms of the former president.
JD Vance has quickly risen to stardom among the Republican party - many are supportive of his values and message that seem to contrast with those of other conservatives, but others believe him to be the black sheep of the Republican party. He is a controversial decision due to his past denouncement of Trump, saying “not now, not never” about supporting a Trump presidency. His candidacy for vice president was announced recently, so it’s difficult to say what the general opinion of him is among Republicans. The chairman of the Philadelphia Young Republicans offered his views on Vance, speaking on behalf of his chapter of Republicans.
Matt Lomorgese spoke with a smile and a Philadelphia accent on a video call from Milwaukee representing the Philadelphia Young Republicans. Mr. Lamorgese, who was born in 1992, says he has been a Republican for his
entire life. “The first election I really remember was the election of 2000… and at that point I was a Republican.” He was elected as the chairman of the Philadelphia Young Republicans last year, who fiercely support Donald Trump. He was very enthusiastic to offer his thoughts on the new vicepresidential nominee.
“I think he’s a patriot, I think he’s a great choice by Donald Trump,” Mr. Lamorgese spoke highly of the nominee, highlighting his humble roots, service with the Marine Corps and time at Yale Law. Mr. Lamorgese believes that although the Philadelphia Young Republicans have not been able to convene to discuss Trump’s VP pick, the group would support Senator Vance. “He’s the first millennial to be a candidate at this level, but he’s also a young Republican, so we couldn't be happier.”
Mr. Lamorgese’s high praise of JD Vance may reflect the attitude towards him among younger Philadelphia republican voters but may not be shared by all Republican party supporters. It cannot be said definitively what Republicans think of JD Vance, given the recency of his nomination and the polarizing opinions within the party. Mr. Lampogese’s comments on JD Vance reflect one of the many perspectives within the Republican party that JD Vance was the right choice for Donald Trump. In Matt’s words, “He’s done great things… he’s advancing the conservative agenda in the Senate, and he will, I have no doubt in my mind, serve honorably as vice president of the United States.”
University City Food Trucks Affected by Heat Wave
By Alex Hansen
Tuesday July 16 was a sweltering day in Philadelphia, reaching over 97 degrees Fahrenheit at its hottest. At 6 P.M, it was around dinnertime at Drexel University. While there were still several people on the streets, many of them were not looking to spend their time outside. Food trucks that normally populate University City were parked but didn’t seem to be receiving many customers. I stopped at a small Halal cart on 33rd street to talk with Jawl Khen, who had been working his stand for around 15 years, 5 days a week. “Nobody’s coming to eat,” he said, when talking about the money he’d been making during the recent heat wave.
Khen’s experience in earning less money from his customers hasn’t just been his own problem – it has happened to multiple other food trucks in University City as well. Several operators I spoke to in the area have experienced this negative effect of the heat wave.
Sales have taken the biggest hit, and present issues right now for the food trucks. Owner Gabriel Lezama of Dos Hermanos Tacos said that on busy days their business could make well over $1,000, sometimes exceeding close to $1,500. But the rising temperatures have caused those normal days to fade, and as of this past week his truck has earned less than $500 per day. Khen was making similar amounts, also with around a 50% decrease in his sales.
Trucks that become busy after classes let out near the Drexel Admissions Office have had the same problem. Michelle Poy, working the food truck Lennox Restaurant, believed that recently Drexel students weren’t going to class as much as they normally would. Since most of her customers are students, this has made it difficult to earn the usual amount of money.
Not everyone has had this experience though, since not all food trucks sell the same things. KC’s Fresh Fruit & Smoothies, owned by Kim Chan, seemed to be doing fine in spite of the weather. In the business for about 11 years, Chan believed that her sales have remained ordinary and that the only issue would be summer itself. Chan said that typically business slows down for all food trucks nearby, which then picks up when September and October come around. She declined to comment on any exact earnings she had garnered.
In addition to sales, the scorching temperatures impact the way these workers attend their jobs. The ones I interviewed have described it as “horrible” as they “work all day inside,” some without air conditioning. “You have to have patience,” said Lezama, discussing his method on how to survive the scorching heat on a daily basis. Chan on the other hand told me that the only “hard part” of working her job was “waking up at 4 in the morning” to prepare the fruit for the day.
Chan hasn’t had much difficulty in operating her business, since the refrigerators and freezers tend to keep her fruits cool even with the heat outside. Not all foods are as fresh as hers though, since others are processed more. Poy from the Lennox Restaurant emphasized that usually the processed ones don't raise many concerns over keeping it fresh. “That’s the best part - everything goes every day,” she said. Like Chan, the Lennox Restaurant still uses enough energy to power their system in the heat, as it would if that weren’t a problem. In terms of finances, it’s clear that until this heat wave breaks, their money will keep going out on wheels.
Will Cherelle Parker end “Filthadelphia” with her 13-week citywide cleaning program?
By Amelia Nelson
You wouldn’t expect someone’s first answer to a question about the supposed “deep cleaning” that occurred in their neighborhood to be, “Huh?” While this is not the case for all Philadelphia residents, most interviewed individuals in North Philadelphia neighborhoods only had an arched eyebrow or slight smirk to offer at the notion that Mayor Cherelle Parker would clean “every block” of Philadelphia by the end of the August.
In late spring and early summer, Parker promised an end to “Filthadelphia” with her ambitious 13-week Intensive Summer Cleaning Program. Six weeks in, there are mixed results. Some say it’s a good start, while others doubt its effectiveness in the larger picture of helping Philadelphia. Overall, it brings to light interesting perspectives and conversations about what Philadelphia needs and how to make that happen.
For some background, on May 17, Parker put into executive action her plan to clean every block of Philadelphia. Two weeks later, she created One Philly, the official 13-week program comprised of 12 government agencies which would “utilize the Sanitation Department’s pre-established collection routes to clean neighborhoods [each week]” and work with partnering agencies that would simultaneously address other cleaning aspects.
For example, the Streets Department would pave potholes in that neighborhood, and the Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP) would remove graffiti and clean vacant lots in the same neighborhood at the same time as well. The program was scheduled to run from the week of June 3rd to August 26th.
Parker outlined this and her intentions in her inaugural speech on January 2, 2024, rallying crowds with her promise to “make Philadelphia the safest, cleanest, and greenest big city in the nation.” She explained her cleaning program to encourage Philadelphians: letting them see their “tax dollars at work… in tangible ways that we can all see, touch and feel.”
To some experts this rings true. Patrick Morgan, a fellow at Drexel University’s Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation, former deputy commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, former Philadelphia program director for the Knight Foundation, and Philly native, talked about the importance of simple things like being “able to sit on your front stoop, have it be clean, some shade from a tree… even just go for a walk. Maybe just walk to the corner store, you know, it’s all the things whether you’re 8 or 80 years old that we want from our neighborhoods.” These tangible, everyday impacts that could come from an intensive cleaning project not only have the power to inspire and encourage a sense of community, but also improve economic prosperity– both of which Mayor Parker hopes will ensue. Parker has many times mentioned her intentions of creating a “One Philly, a United City” connected feeling throughout the city. She has also promised “economic opportunity for all” to come from her Clean and Green Initiative.
However, her plan on how to do this has, by many citizens’ accounts, fallen short. A local from the Somerset neighborhood of Philadelphia remarked that there were still potholes and trash and no noticeable differences in his neighborhood. Leonard Rhett, a very active member of Clean Philly Now and resident in Olney (specifically on East Albanus Street and Rising Sun Avenue), reported that while a street sweeper did come to his street, he and his neighbors were not notified and therefore could not move their cars beforehand, leading to minimal results. Rhett also expressed frustration in the difficulty of communication with the city about cleaning up; he has asked the city to clean up illegal dumping in his neighborhood before and received slow or no help at all.
On the other hand, some other Philadelphians did report noticing the cleaning. For example, co-founder of the nonprofit Block by Block Clean Up Philly David Evans described his approval and appreciation at the cleaning methods used by the program in his neighborhood, Stanton, but also how
afterwards he had to organize his own clean-up to address the unfinished cleaning of the William Dick Elementary School parking lot.
These mixed results, especially from a program that promised so much, can and has led to some distance and distrust from the Philadelphia government. One local expressed the lack of connection he felt to the mayor. He felt that essential services were not being provided to him by Philadelphia: “She ain’t give me no bags. She ain’t stop no gun violence,” he remarked, “I’m the mayor at 19th and Jefferson. If my streets clean it’s because of me, not Cherelle Parker.” A sense of distrust is also “very real because the city has not always historically been able to deliver on its promises,” said Patrick Morgan, especially in communities of color where effects are often exacerbated. Leonard Rhett described the historical distrust when asked about his view on a clean city. “I don’t know what a clean Philadelphia looks like because I haven’t seen it. I have been here for 21 years.” Morgan also added that litter can be part of a bigger systemic issue, harming the social environment because “if you live in a neighborhood that is dealing with litter and trash it can send some signals that you’re not seen, you’re not heard, you’re not cared about.” While Cherelle Parker seems to mean well, she also runs the risk of repeating a cycle of unfulfilled promises and fueling another generation of distrusting and justifiably detached Philadelphians.
Several experts on the matter also had their inputs in the effectiveness of the program. David Evans was concerned about the lack of preventative measures mentioned in the Initiative. “It’s a good start, but the problem is that the dumping just continues.” Rhett commented something similar, “The clean up part is nice, but there has to be more enforcement, and I don’t see in her budget a lot of money for enforcement.” Andrew Zitcer, an associate professor at Drexel University who runs the Urban Strategy deeper, speaking on the “broken windows” theory, a guiding principle for the Clean and Green Initiative and many of Cherelle Parker’s other campaigns. He supported Parker’s move to “target cleaning and [make] the environment feels less neglected,” but for him issues arose when that same technique of cleaning was applied to human beings. As he described, “you ca street, but they’re just going to go to a different street. So it doesn’t solve the human access to services and care problem, which is partly a funding problem but partly a political problem.” Although a different issue, it speaks to the idea
that cleaning is only one aspect in a complex, political, and expensive system that creates the basis for why there is so much litter, why the city does not have the proper resources to maintain itself, and why it needs to be addressed.
So where can Philadelphia go from here? Leonard Rhett identified 4 key ideas that must be addressed to support a cleaner Philadelphia: education, prevention, cleaning, and enforcement. He specifically placed emphasis on the last because, for him, without any enforcement the harmful habits of illegal dumping, casual littering, and incorrect waste management techniques can still continue, ruining the positive impacts from his other 3 points. Enforcement was something that Andrew Zitcer called for as well. He cited an important example of the potential chemical water spill on the Schuylkill; “If we don’t have regulatory enforcement, we can’t have clean and green and safe spaces.” The reason that isn’t just easily implemented? For one, Zitcer mentioned the recent overturning of the Chevron Deference, which has reduced the federal government’s regulatory power– a move “backwards,” he described. Another reason is that, as the country’s poorest big city, Philadelphia doesn’t have enough of a tax base to publicly support all these services. A wealth tax could help with this, but Zitcer also explained that
Navigating a new world: Story of a Vietnamese student in Philly
By Anh “Jane” Dang
Han, an aspiring 17-year-old Vietnamese student navigating the hustle and bustle of Philadelphia, has found that the path to academic success is as complex as the city itself. Her journey is a testament to the determination it takes to thrive in a foreign land, revealing that while the road may be arduous, the rewards are undeniably profound.
Interview: Han Le, a Vietnamese student in Philadelphia
How would you describe your overall studying experience in Philadelphia?
It's been a rollercoaster, to be honest. Moving from the familiar rhythm of life in Vietnam to the fast-paced environment of Philadelphia was tough. The academic challenges were steep, especially with the language barrier. There were times I questioned my decision to come here. But in retrospect, it was also a journey of immense growth.
What are the most exciting/surprising things about your academic life in Philadelphia?
The diversity of perspectives here is mind-blowing. In my English class, we had a debate about climate change, and hearing different viewpoints from students who grew up in places like Africa, India, and Brazil was eyeopening. It made me realize how interconnected our world is. Also, the focus on critical thinking and problem-solving is a big shift from the more exam-oriented education system in Vietnam. It’s challenging, but it’s also teaching me to think deeper.
What were the biggest cultural adjustments you had to make when coming to Philadelphia? How did you overcome the challenges you faced?
The food was a shock! I missed the flavors of home so much. But I started exploring different cuisines and found some gems. I also joined a Vietnamese community, which helped me connect with people who
understood my experiences. Another big adjustment was the pace of life. Everything is faster here – from school to public transportation. I had to learn to manage my time efficiently and prioritize tasks.
What have you gained from your student life as an international high schooler in Philadelphia?
Beyond academics, I've gained a global outlook. Living in a melting pot like Philadelphia has exposed me to different cultures, traditions, and ways of thinking. I've also become more confident in my own identity. Being away from home has helped me appreciate Vietnamese culture even more. And the independence I've developed is invaluable.
If you could turn back time, would there be anything you want to change about your journey?
Honestly, not really. Every experience, good or bad, has been a learning opportunity. Even the tough times have made me stronger. I’ve grown so much as a person, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
What advice would you give to international students planning to study in Philadelphia or the U.S?
Be prepared for ups and downs. It's normal to feel overwhelmed at times. Reach out to your school's support services, join clubs, and make friends. Also, embrace the opportunity to explore. Philadelphia is a city rich in history and culture. Step outside your comfort zone and experience all it has to offer.
Han's story shows that studying in Philadelphia can be tough but rewarding. If you're thinking about studying here, know that it's an adventure with lots of opportunities. Don't be afraid to try new things and make the most of your time.
How the World’s Most Popular Sport is Catching Up to Squash in the US with
Their “Rich White Sport” Status, and It’s Affecting Our National Team
By Kohei Kirino
The price for kids to play soccer at high levels in the US is concerning many families who can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars every year for their kid to play soccer. US Youth Soccer’s pricing is very high compared to other places of the world and prevents talented children in lower- or middle-class families from playing the sport that they love. This causes lots of problems; not just for families with lower income, but also for the entire US soccer scene.
I interviewed many players –all wanted to stay anonymous– and they all had a lot to say on the cost and expenses of the academy or travel teams.
For example, I held a talk with a sixteen-year-old MLS NEXT academy soccer player from Spain who wanted to stay anonymous because he didn’t want to be seen “dissing the fútbol team and country that I currently play in.” He opened up with me about his best friend who was on the soccer team, who had to quit because of his family’s financial situation. “It was tough saying goodbye to playing [fútbol] competitively with him. He was such a talented player as well. He had a love for the game that was indescribable.” He reflected, “It’s tough to see money be the issue with all of these talents in the US.”
MLS NEXT is the highest level of youth soccer there is in the US, producing big names such as Cavan Sullivan of Philadelphia Union, Benjamin Cremaschi of Inter Miami and more. Although the MLS NEXT league sees some success, it still proves to be costly, charging between $2,800 to $3,600 every year on average for children to play for their academies, based on interviews I held with the players and some research online. Some costs for ECNL teams, a level lower than MLS NEXT can reach up to $4500 each year. “In Spain where I’m from, most youth fútbol is completely free, excluding soccer schools,” he continues, “the coaches
make profit from selling their youth players that they’ve personally coached and sending them off to top academies who will pay money to get their players, instead of taking the money from the players themselves. I can see that this is very hard to replicate in the US, as in Spain it is almost a religion to play fútbol. Although it makes me sad sometimes, there is no simple solution to this.”
I also held an interview with a fifteen-year-old ECNL player who used to play in a local team in Pennsylvania. (He also wanted to stay anonymous because he didn’t want his family’s financial situation exposed but was willing to talk about it if I kept his anonymity.) He was more passionate about the financial aspect, as he had to quit his ECNL soccer academy team due to his father losing his job. “I love my parents, and I will for my whole life, I know they are trying their best to provide for me, all that.” he says. “It just makes me mad that these restrictions are here, so thousands of players like me with talent on par with the other players on the pitch just gets disconnected from my dreams because of the money.”
“I strongly believe it’s because of these reasons that the USMNT is so fucking shit compared to other national teams. The poor kids with a lot of talent don’t make it to the top stage because of the money. I don’t know how we can fix it, but I don’t see our country go forward in this sport if this keeps happening.”
His parents also had a similar standpoint to his son’s, comparing the USMNT to other national teams, saying that these “money and business aspects of the game seem to be impeding the progress” of US Soccer.
“You see the best national teams in the world like Brazil, France, Spain, Argentina, Germany; so many of their best players were born poor, but
their talents on the streets still caught the eyes of professionals and they were given a chance to make a living off of soccer, while in the US, kids that shine on the pitch like [anonymous]; I don’t think they would even be given the chance. I do understand that coaches also have families, and they also must eat and make money too, so the price of these teams can be understandable. I think it’s a hard problem to solve.”
Famous soccer players have also openly spoken about this, like Zlatan Ibrahimović. Ibrahimovic, (commonly known as Zlatan or Ibra) is a Swedish soccer player, globally known as one of the best strikers in his generation. Zlatan grew up in a very poor environment, where soccer was the biggest hope for his future. Speaking with GQ Italy when he made his transfer to the MLS, Zlatan explained his disgust for the cost of his 13- and 11-year-old sons to play soccer. “It has to be said that the sport is expensive, very expensive,” Zlatan said. “For example, for my children to play in a good football team, I must pay $3,500 per child. It is not for the figure, but for the whole concept.”
“I dislike it very much because not everyone has the money needed and sport should be something for everyone, because it unites people of whatever origin,” King Zlatan continued, “Pelé became a champion without anything, he played with a ball made of rags. Football is the finest sport in the world.”
The ECNL player had the best say on this; “Zlatan stole a bike every day to go to soccer practice because he was too poor to own a car or pay for gas, [Louis] Suarez played soccer barefoot because he didn’t have money to get cleats, and Messi grew up in an extremely poor, working-class family. If they grew up in the US and all had to pay for their soccer, their world-class talent would go unnoticed because they wouldn’t have the money to be able to climb up to even the professional level.”
Big City Journalist Boot Camp 2023
How A Determined Philly Elementary School Teacher Helped Bring Worthwhile
Science Education to Over 150,000 Disadvantaged Students Worldwide –
The Story of BioEyes
By Nina Agolino
“The students,” former teacher Dr. Jamie Shuda answered instantly when I asked her about the best part of her job, as the head of BioEyes, a STEM outreach program that zeroes in on underprivileged and underrepresented students. “It never gets old, seeing kindergartners all the way to AP Bio students take ownership of science.” After becoming the topic of many articles and receiving many awards, including the 2012 Viktor Hamburger Outstanding Educator Prize from the prestigious Society of Developmental Biology, you may imagine a scenario in which success may have gone to BioEyes’ metaphorical “head.” Instead, having recently passed their 20th anniversary, the organization has embraced its roots in a fitting way.
Joshua Kouassi was in 5th grade when BioEyes came to his public elementary school. Through its novel use of live zebrafish, a species that shares 70% of their DNA with humans, the organization had successfully hooked him into a deep love for biology, and science. “I carried that [his involvement in the program] with me for a significant portion of my academic journey,” said the adult Kouassi, now an outreach educator for the very effort that reached him all those years ago.
Why science specifically? A fair question as you may think higher quality english and math programs would be more beneficial than science respectively. And while it’s true that this would potentially raise test scores, according to Dr. Shuda, that’s not the point. In fact, it was her experience that science received the short end of the stick compared to the other subjects, as she was given only 30 minutes every other day to teach it. This is a huge disservice to students according to Shuda, because science is crucial in fostering creativity and curiosity- not just right and wrong.
But how does the program work so effectively? It has much to do with the specimens students aged from 5 all the way to 18 are able to raise and observe over the course of the 5 day long experience: zebrafish. As opposed to lab rats or mice, zebrafish are much cheaper. Additionally, female zebrafish lay eggs externally, which according to Shuda, saves educators from having to explain sexual reproduction to young children. Yet another benefit is that anatomical observation can be done without harming or killing female fish, as they are translucent, making it easy to witness embryonic development.
Notably, within the 5-day long timeline, these junior scientists can see the evolution from egg to fully grown fish. This is due to the incredibly rapid growth of the animals. Dr. Shuda says on the matter, “Every cell division is a new development stage.” One could suppose this benefits the program, especially as their audience (children and adolescents) live in the age of TikTok and short attention spans. I should know, as I live in it, too.
Much of BioEyes’ success can be attributed to Shuda, but it is important not to forget her partner in crime Dr. Steven Farber, who put together BioEyes in 2002 and recruited Dr. Shuda that same year. Dr. Farber allowed community tours to explore his lab, a testament to his passion of making science accessible to children of the area. This worked great, but a more permanent solution was needed to make sure science was available to more kids. When I spoke to her, she lightheartedly described Farber as looking like a “stereotypical scientist”.
According to Shuda, it is of the utmost importance to BioEyes to help the students they serve see themselves in the STEM field. Often, the kids come into the program with preconceived notions of what a scientist looks like: an older white man with crazy hair, a big white coat, and a boring disposition. One of BioEyes’ core missions is to make sure the students they aim to serve, who are often Black and Brown, can envision that they too can be scientists.
Joshua Kouassi, the BioEyes teacher I mentioned earlier emphasized that even though BioEyes is 22 years old, it continues to innovate alongside learning. For example, BioEyes has followed the precedent of the Philadelphia School District’s transition into phenomena-based educationin which students are presented with an interesting video or picture that excites them before they dive into the nitty gritty of the lesson. Also, Kouassi says that BioEyes makes use of surveys to use student feedback to their advantage in improving their model. Generally, Kouassi hears lots of positivity and experiences genuine excitement from the kids he interacts with. “Hearing news about the degradation of education, seeing students engage makes me happy,” he said as he answered my question about student response.
To wrap up my interview with Dr. Shuda, I asked her for advice to youth who are interested in STEM careers but do not have adequate tools through their schools to get there. She pointed out the influx in diverse programs over the past 10 years in Philadelphia and beyond. “Take advantage,” she advised, “Build your network. Find things you like and things you don’t. Do your homework - make those connections and never take them for granted.”
Big City Journalist Boot Camp participants visit the 6ABC news studios in July 2024
Are Pennsylvania Cyber Charter Schools Worth It?
By Sam Ferenchick
This September, almost 200,000 students in Philadelphia will return to school from summer vacation; 13,000 students won’t need to leave their homes.
The Philadelphia School District reports that from 2014-2022, enrollment in cyber charter schools has increased by 2000 percent (brick and mortar charter schools have increased by less than one percent). Despite this growth, numerous studies have shown lackluster results and questionable uses of taxpayer funds, while some former employees alleged the problem goes even deeper.
The History
In 1974, Ray Budde, an assistant professor of education, designed a new system of education that went beyond public and private schools. Budde coined the term “Charter” to describe his new school idea that gave teachers more power in creating new curricula and expanding growth in the education field. In 1988, he published his book Education by Charter: Restructuring School Districts: Key to Long-term Continuing Improvement in American Education. Budde proposed a 10-year plan in the book to restructure the local school district to fit the educational needs of America better.
In 1991 and 1992, Minnesota's governor and California enacted charter school legislation and opened the first charter schools. In the following years, thousands of charter schools opened as more
states signed them into law. In 1997, Governor Tom Ridge signed Pennsylvania's first charter school bill. Following suit shortly, President Clinton signed a bill encouraging states to open more charter schools.
In 2002, Pennsylvania became the first state to amend its charter laws to include cyber charter schools. Pennsylvania currently has the largest population of cyber school students, at around 61,000, which is double that of the next largest state.
How They Work
Pennsylvania charter schools are independent of the state and are privately operated by nonprofit organizations (some in other states are for-profit). The schools do not charge students tuition but do charge the school district in which they reside.
Cyber charter schools work much like traditional charter schools, except they are run virtually. Schools often give their students laptops, printers, and headsets for schoolwork.
The Issue(s)…
When I spoke with a former IT employee at a leading Pennsylvania cyber charter school, he told me, “...even with all the problems they [public schools] have, they provide an appreciably better education quality than cyber schools.” Evidence backs this statement up. A 2019 Temple University
study found that “Each additional year at a brick and mortar charter elementary school has positive effects in reading and no or positive effects in math. Conversely, each additional year spent at a cyber charter school has large negative impacts across all subject levels.”
When scrolling through many of these cyberschool websites, I noticed that they often boast about having sent students to top schools across the country. My source contended, “While I mentioned that some kids will do really well in cyber school, those kids would do really well anywhere.”
On May 16th, 2023, Education Voters of Pennsylvania released a study finding that from 2018-2022, Pennsylvania's four largest cyber charter schools reported a 92,000 percent increase in assets. As of 2022, the four report $486 million in net assets or fund balance. The report also found that 11 Pennsylvania cyber charter schools spent $21,869,240 combined on advertising and gift cards during the 2022-2023 school year. According to the report, REACH Cyber Charter School spent 1.1 million on “Thank
You Grocery” gift cards, while Agora Cyber Charter School spent $220,00 on search engine optimization. They also noticed many discrepancies on the school's Form 990, a required document for all nonprofits.
Commonwealth Charter Academy claims that the 8 million spent on “Advertising & gift cards” was needed as “Charter schools only survive if they attract students, and advertising is one way to tell them about that option.” The heads of these schools are also being paid more than most superintendents in the state.
The average pay for a Pennsylvania superintendent is $98,709; for one serving in the top 11 highest-paid districts, it is $279,532, but for cyber charter schools, it is $284,738. The difference between the pay exists but isn’t a substantial amount.
It's also important to look at how much each superintendent makes per student in their district. Typically, cyber charters serve much fewer students than a typical superintendent.
*Information from 2023. The superintendent's salary was found on OpenPAGov, and the CEO's salary was found via filed Form 990. Central PA Digital Learning Foundation did not report their CEO’s compensation.
The Light at The End of The Tunnel
Despite the underwhelming performance of most of these charter schools, they still can be important to some students. I contacted a representative from K12, a for-profit online education company, who informed me that “There are some students that went through bullying in an in-person school, and the parents just don’t feel safe having their kids in person anymore.”
It makes sense for the state to provide other options besides standard brick-and-mortar schools, whether charter, online, religious, private, or magnet schools. However, it is equally essential that the government keep these schools in check and confirm that they provide the same or better education quality as the schools they attended.
Early this year, House Bill 2370 passed in June, reforming the most common issues with PA’s education system. The bill includes a regulation that caps the cyber charter school’s tuition at $8,000 a year, returns $530 million to taxpayers from cyber charter tuition, and provides other education benefits to Commonwealth students.
*Information from 2023. School enrollment size can be found via Niche and/or the school website.
