Susan Spicka

Opinion | Dead Athletes. Empty Stands. Why Are We Paying Billions to Keep This Sport Alive?

2025 was my first full year as a reporter in a long, loooong time. I'm proud of the work I did. Here some of those stories, starting with a deep dive into the horse racing biz. Your tax dollars are keeping it alive, even it mistreats animals and workers alike.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/o...

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Have you read the article? You should, because the details behind Agora’s layoffs, in particular, have little to do with the state budget and a lot to do with declining student enrollment and the expiration of federal pandemic aid for schools.

.@PennLive Investigations Reporter .@ORMorrison's continued in-depth series on Pennsylvania cyber charters
www.pennlive.com/staff/omorri...

Cyber Charter Reform pt. 2: Day-to-Day Changes Four big changes families should prepare for.

Cyber Charter Reform pt. 2: Day-to-Day Changes www.wfmz.com/news/state/c... via @69News

Legislators: Want an easy budget cut? Look at overfunded Opportunity Scholarship voucher program North Carolina’s state finances are facing a perfect storm.

Back in August, I pointed out that our big voucher program is overfunded by about $137m. That was based on Fiscal Research's estimate that demand would increase 40% from the prior year.

Actual numbers show demand is up 28%, implying that the state's voucher program is overfunded by $188m.

#ncpol

Major news for Arizona's public schools! “The Court concludes that the current public-school capital finance system does not meet the constitutional minimum standards established by the Arizona Supreme Court.”

Most Lackawanna County property owners to see increase in school taxes
District leaders cited increasing costs in salaries, health care and cyber charter schools as reasons for implementing tax hikes in their district's budget
www.lackawannacounty.com/news/most-la...

State budget impasse, federal funding uncertainty plague area school districts A Pennsylvania budget stalemate and uncertainty with federal funding have caused some school leaders to raise taxes, explore short-term loans and advocate for fair funding.

Shenandoah Valley raised property taxes for 2025-26 to keep pace with rising costs in special education, healthcare and cyber charter tuition. The 5.6% increase was the first tax hike in eight years.
www.wvia.org/news/local/2...

Conestoga Valley school official laments uncertainty of cyber charter reform that would check soaring costs When: Conestoga Valley school board meeting, July 21.

Conestoga Valley school official laments uncertainty of cyber charter reform that would check soaring costs
.@SenatorMartinPA .@SenJamesMalone #RepGreiner #RepMentzer
lancasteronline.com/news/regiona... via @lancasteronline

Cyber charter spent $52K in tax funds on Phillies tickets, records show - Lehigh Daily Pennsylvania’s largest cyber charter school used tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to fund tickets to Philadelphia Phillies…

Cyber charter spent $52K in tax funds on Phillies tickets, records show
lehighdaily.com/cyber-charte...

Northwest Area School District faces financial uncertainty Jul. 18—SHICKSHINNY — With the state budget still being finalized and thousands of dollars in federal funds frozen, Northwest Area Superintendent Joseph Long said it was still unclear how the school d...

Northwest Area School District faces financial uncertainty
Northwest Area spends about $1.7 million on cyber school tuition per year. .@SenLisaBaker .@RepCabell
#SenatorSchlegelCulver
finance.yahoo.com/news/northwe...

Letters to the Editor | July 14, 2025 Inquirer readers on the DC 33 strike and charter schools.

LTE: Last year, the Philadelphia School District significantly outperformed the Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA) in terms of academic growth in almost all grades and academic areas tested.
www.inquirer.com/opinion/lett...

Letter to the editor: Addressing cyber charter funding I am a parent of a special education student in Pittsburgh Public Schools. Like so many across our state, I want my child — and others like them — to attend public schools that are safe, w...

Letter to the editor: Addressing cyber charter funding
.@PublicEd412
triblive.com/opinion/lett...

CEO of Pa.’s largest cyber school made $700K on the side from its bank - The Bradford Era (TNS) — The leader of Pennsylvania’s largest cyber charter school earned more than $700,000 from his side job as a bank director from 2016 through 2024. The bank, Orrstown, was the school’s primary fi...

CEO of Pa.’s largest cyber school made $700K on the side from its bank www.bradfordera.com/2025/07/13/c...

For teachers searching for guidelines on how to use AI in your classroom--

You don't have to. At all.

Which School Districts Will Be Hardest Hit By Education Department’s Withholding Of Funds? The money had been budgeted and the programs approved by Congress, but the Trump administration declared that “decisions have not been made concerning submissions and awards” for the coming year.

Which School Districts Will Be Hardest Hit By Education Department’s Withholding Of Funds?https://www.forbes.com/sites/petergreene/2025/07/09/which-school-districts-will-be-hardest-hit-by-education-departments-withholding-of-funds/

Cyber Charter Schools Place Financial Strain on Local Districts As cyber charter school enrollment continues to affect local school budgets, superintendents in the Cove are speaking out about the financial and educational challenges these programs pose, even as th...

Cyber Charter Schools Place Financial Strain on Local Districts - Morrisons Cove Herald
www.mcheraldonline.com/story/2025/0...

CEO of Pa.’s largest cyber school made $700K on the side from its bank Ethics experts say it presents at least the appearance of a conflict of interest.

CEO of Pa.’s largest cyber school made $700K on the side from its bank
www.pennlive.com/education/20...

School vouchers are not the answer They say the kitchen is the heart of the home, the place where families gather, where everyone has a seat at the table, and where nourishment happens daily. Our public

School vouchers are not the answer .@JackieHuff19
www.theclarionnews.com/opinion/lett... via @the_clarionnews

PA: How Badly Are Districts Hurt By Feds Holding Back Funds On Juily 1, the federal government was scheduled to distribute federal education grants.

PA: How Badly Are Districts Hurt By Feds Holding Back Funds open.substack.com/pub/curmudgu... @lfeinberg.bsky.social @susanspicka.bsky.social

Why are rates for cyber charter and brick-and-mortar charter the same for Pa. tax payers There are several reasons why families might choose Pennsylvania cyber charter schools for their child, but there is no reason why taxpayers should fund cyber charters at the same tuition

For 23 years under Pennsylvania’s charter school law, cyber charter tuition rates have included costs that cyber charters typically do not incur, or incur to a significantly lesser degree, compared to brick & mortar charters or traditional public schools
www.theclarionnews.com/opinion/lett...

CEO of Pa.’s largest cyber school earned $700,000+ on the side from its bank Ethics experts say it presents at least the appearance of a conflict of interest.

CEO of Pa.’s largest cyber school earned $700,000+ on the side from its bank .@ORMorrison
www.pennlive.com/education/20...

CEO of Pa.’s largest cyber school made $700K on the side from its bank Ethics experts say it presents at least the appearance of a conflict of interest.

.@PennLive created a database of newly released financial information for more than 100 cyber charter school board members and CEOs. .@ORMorrison
www.pennlive.com/education/20...

Pennsylvania Taxpayers Shouldn’t Fund Cyber Charter Schools at the Same Tuition Rates They Pay for Brick-and-mortar Charter Schools - Bucks County Beacon When school districts are required to overpay cyber charter tuition it means there are fewer resources available to invest in the education of their students.

There are several reasons why families might choose Pennsylvania cyber charter schools for their child, but there is no reason why taxpayers should fund cyber charters at the same tuition rates that they pay for brick-and-mortar charter school tuition.
buckscountybeacon.com/2025/06/penn...

Public education advocates ask lawmakers to put students first Public education advocates came together outside Pittsburgh Manchester PreK-8 to ask state lawmakers to put students first.

Public education advocates ask lawmakers to put students first
Part of the plan would also cap the cyber tuition rate at $8,000 statewide.
www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/n... via @KDKA

Screenshot of a letter sent by organized labor in Pennsylvania to Governor Josh Shapiro expressing unified opposition to the idea of sending public tax dollars to private and religious schools.

As @governor.pa.gov @pahousedems.com @pasenate.com hammer out a final state budget, a reminder that organized labor in Pennsylvania is totally unified in our opposition to private school vouchers & expanded tax credits. Public funds belong in public schools! pft.org/news/pft-pol... #PAbudget

Letter to the editor: Cyber charter reform needed The information revealed in a recent state audit of cyber charter schools should alarm every Pennsylvania taxpayer. These schools were so awash in excess funding that they had accumulated fund balance...

AAUW Letter to the editor: Cyber charter reform needed triblive.com/opinion/lett...

Letters to the editor: Legislature should pass charter school reform bill Opinion: Pa. House Bill 1500 addresses long overdue changes to cybercharter school funding

Letters to the editor: Legislature should pass charter school reform bill .@TomSeidenberger
www.mcall.com/2025/07/06/l...

Cyber charter school fights PA law on student wellness checks Facing a wrongful death suit, Commonwealth Charter Academy says it’s “unreasonable” to expect its staff to see and hear from all 30K students weekly.

Cyber school facing wrongful death suit says it’s ‘unreasonable’ for teachers to see students weekly spotlightpa.org/news/2025/07... via
@SpotlightPA @katieemeyer4

ROBERT HEINRICH: Broken cyber charter funding system is hurting local schools, taxpayers This past Monday, the Indiana Area School District Board of Directors — like so many others across the Commonwealth — passed a budget that includes a significant tax increase.

ROBERT HEINRICH: Broken cyber charter funding system is hurting local schools, taxpayers
.@SenatorPittman #RepJimStruzzi
www.indianagazette.com/opinion/robe... via @indianagazette