Karalyn McGrorty Derstine, Ed. D.
(The following is a Letter to the Editor from North Penn School District parent Karalyn McGrorty Derstine, Ed. D. The views expressed within are her own.)
As a resident of North Penn School District (NPSD), I am thankful the referendum question was asked of voters. I saw this as an opportunity, it provided the space to discuss what we want for the future of our district. This was a nonpartisan, community-wide debate we needed to have. Personally, I don’t see the "No” as a vote against the future of NPSD. Instead, I see this as a vote against the question asked on the ballot, a question folks answered "No” to for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest reasons being the uncertainty of increased taxes. Taxes are a Harrisburg issue that is causing North Penn problems.
I see the referendum outcome as an opportunity to engage all members of our community to better understand how the issues of Harrisburg are negatively impacting our community.
The referendum exposed the pressing issues districts and taxpayers are facing across the state. Even districts often considered "affluent” are bearing the burden of Harrisburg decisions. 30 years ago, Harrisburg decided a formula that places the burden of funding education on local district taxpayers.
This issue has only increased with the early 2000s decisions regarding cyber charter funding and the complete lack of accountability and oversight. A program intended to close achievement gaps is unfortunately siphoning tax dollars away from their intended purpose: providing resources to educate students.
With the current lack of state auditing, there is over 400-plus million unaccounted for dollars going to cyber charter schools a year. You read that correct: nearly a half a billion tax dollars are not getting to their intended purpose of educating kids. Instead, they are funding lavish cyber charter school expenditures, including sponsoring professional sports teams and swelling cyber charter balance sheets. This is happening while cyber charters statistically underperform compared to public schools, do not adequately support students with special needs, and aren't accountable to the same oversights or standards as other organizations that receive public funds.
Following the February 2023 PA Supreme Court ruling, lawmakers now have the responsibility to reform this system. The bipartisan Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC) adopted their final report in January 2024. We are one step closer to reforming the system burdening local taxpayers.
At the Jan. 18 NPSD board meeting, Mr. Skrocki spoke specifically of the necessity of cyber charter School Reform. 468 districts in Pennsylvania support cyber charter reform. We are fortunate to have bipartisan support in our district with both Senator Maria Collett and Senator Tracy Pennycuick in support of the bipartisan passed House Bill HB 1422.
Rep. Joe Ciresi states his goal with HB 1422, "....was to preserve school choice, but while ensuring cyber charter schools are held to the same rules and regulations as traditional public schools. These reforms will make sure taxpayer dollars are being spent on educating students or returned to the taxpayers...”
HB1422 passed the House with bipartisan support in July, and it’s held up in committee in the Senate as it has not been introduced by committee chair, Rep. David Argall.
I have created a nonpartisan space, Fair Funding NP Mobilization, to mobilize advocacy around the pressing and urgent issue of fair funding.
If folks were sincere in their "No” to higher taxes out of concern for those on the financial margins of our community, I see fair funding and HB 1422 as an opportunity to collaborate, to find common ground. We, "Yes" and "No" voters, can all agree to transparency and accountability for how our tax dollars are spent. Fair funding and HB 1422 is our opportunity to correct course and work together as a community. Join the Facebook page, contact members of the PA Senate Education Committee — let's make North Penn Strong, together.
Signed,
Karalyn McGrorty Derstine, Ed. D
North Penn School District parent
