COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Notice of Hearing Regarding Cyber Charter School Application
Notice is hereby given that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has scheduled two public hearings regarding seven cyber charter school applications that it received on Oct. 3, 2011. The hearings will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011 and Dec. 1, 2011, in Heritage Room B on the lobby level of 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, Pa. beginning at 10 a.m. The hearings pertain to applicants seeking to operate cyber charter schools beginning in the 2012-13 school year which include: ACT Academy Cyber Charter School, AKOBEN Cyber Charter School, Education Plus Academy Cyber Charter School, Esperanza Cyber Charter School, Innovate U Cyber Charter School, Mercury Online Charter School of Pennsylvania and Solomon World Civilization Cyber Charter School. The purpose of the hearings are to gather information from the applicants about the proposed cyber charter schools as well as receive comments from interested persons regarding the applications. The applications can be viewed here.
Each charter applicant will have 30 minutes to present information about the proposed cyber charter school. Individuals who wish to provide comments during the hearing must send PDE and the applicant a copy of the comments on or before Nov. 7, 2011. Failure to comply with this deadline will preclude the respective individual from providing verbal comments at the hearing. Verbal comments may be limited, based on the number of individuals requesting time to provide comments, and may also be limited if the comments are duplicative or repetitive of another individual’s comments.
The hearing will be conducted by the panel of individuals who have completed an initial review of the applications. The panel members may question the applicants regarding issues identified during their review, as well as issues raised in the written comments filed before the hearing date. Panel members may also question individuals who offer verbal comments. Commentators will not be permitted to question either the applicants or the panel members. Individuals who are unable to attend the hearing may also provide PDE and the respective applicant with written comments on or before Nov. 23, 2011. Any written comments provided to PDE by this deadline will become part of the certified record.
Comments sent to PDE should be addressed to Marlene Kanuck, Bureau of Teaching and Learning, 333 Market Street, 5th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333. An agendas will be prepared Nov. 7, 2011, when PDE is aware of the number of individuals who wish to provide verbal comments at the hearing. That agenda will provide the order of presentation, as well as specify the amount of time allotted to each commentator. The agenda will be posted on PDE’s website, under Public Hearing Notices.
