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Altoona board presses scrutiny of cyber charter finances after state audit; suggests withholding payments
Summary
Board leaders cited a February 2025 Auditor General review and raised concerns about Commonwealth Charter Academy’s large reported fund balance and recent land purchase, proposing withholding payments to cyber charter schools until state budget questions are resolved.
The Altoona Area School District board on Oct. 20 returned to a recurring concern about cyber charter school funding, citing a February 2025 audit of several cyber charters and urging state-level action. The board’s president said the district should consider stopping further payments to cyber charter providers until the state budget and related questions in Harrisburg are resolved.
The president said the administration seeks to avoid borrowing to make such payments and noted recently published financial figures for Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA). "They have a fund balance of $445,000,000 that was filed in May for the year 2023," the president said, adding that the figure reflected an $84,000,000 increase from the previous year. He said local reporting shows CCA purchased land on Sheridan Drive for $3,000,000 and is planning a 40,000-square-foot facility.
The president framed the issue as one of fairness to local taxpayers: he said local districts are making difficult choices to repair aging buildings while some cyber charters are investing in capital projects using taxpayer funds routed statewide. Other board members voiced support for raising the issue with state lawmakers and encouraged the board to consider further action, even though they noted local authority over charter funding is limited.
Board members referenced the Auditor General’s review of five cyber charter schools and summarized findings the president highlighted, including a large increase in capital-project fund expense, advertising and lobbying expenditures, and the use of what he described as family service centers located within about 45 minutes of many served families.
Board members did not take a formal vote to change payment practices during the meeting; one board member noted the district has already implemented a practice of not making certain payments (as reported in the meeting). The solicitor and other administrators cautioned that reform of charter funding rules, which are written at the state level, would require action in Harrisburg.
Next steps: the board president said he will continue to raise the issue publicly and cited ongoing legislative budget negotiations as a factor that will affect whether districts can change payment timing or policy.
Sources: Remarks during the Oct. 20, 2025 Altoona Area School District board meeting.
