House passes Isaacson’s Cyber Charter School reform bill
Said reforms to fix funding, student performance and transparency are overdue
Rep. Mary Isaacson June 5, 2025 | 11:16 AM
On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed H.B. 1500, authored by state Rep. Mary Isaacson, which would provide meaningful reform to cyber charter schools while enhancing transparency and accountability.
“This bill marks a milestone in my ongoing commitment to champion policies that guarantee Pennsylvania students receive a sound and equitable education, as enshrined in the state’s constitution,” Isaacson said. “Cyber charter schools are paid for by public funds and these reforms will ensure transparency and accountability for students, parents and teachers, and people across the commonwealth will benefit from this reform.”
The lawmaker explained that the bill would focus on cyber charter funding reform by setting a state-wide standardized tuition rate for cyber charter schools while placing caps on their fund balances.
“Public funds that are allocated for education should be spent on teaching students the vital skills they need to succeed throughout their academic career. It should not be used to make cyber charter operators richer,” Isaacson said. “Cyber charters are moving hundreds of millions of dollars into slush funds and physical buildings with no public input or government oversight.”
Isaacson’s bill calls for transparency and accountability for cyber charters by following the same reporting requirements for annual budgets, financial statements and construction costs that public schools are required to report.
“If just one cent goes to any expense that doesn’t benefit students, it’s a waste of public funds. This bill has safeguards to protect against Pennsylvanians and school districts having to pay for students who may not even live in Pennsylvania,” Isaacson continued.
The bill would also require all low-performing schools to be reported and prevents any gifts or incentives for students enrolling in a cyber charter school.