Pennsylvania: Charter Sharks Zooming in for the Kill with HB530; by Diane Ravitch

Pennsylvania became an ATM for the charter industry Into this land of struggling public schools and thriving charters comes a new legislative plot to privatize and monetize public school funding. It is called HB530. Under the guise of “reform,” the bill would open the door to the vaults that hold taxpayer money meant for children and welcome the charters to help themselves.   HB530 is a blank check for a rapacious, greedy industry. Many public school districts are on the brink of bankruptcy due to the rapacious charters that snare their students with deceptive advertising.Pennsylvania has more virtual charter schools than any other state, despite the fact that study after study has shown that virtual charters are educational disaster zones. Students who enroll in them don’t learn anything, but the virtual charter industry is rolling in dough.