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Board discusses rise in charter/cyber enrollment and plans to market district virtual options
Summary
Trustees heard that charter enrollment rose this year, with much of the increase in cyber charters; administrators said the charter enrollment report can distinguish cyber vs. brick‑and‑mortar, and trustees discussed outreach and marketing (letters, postcards, community forums) to inform families about Perkiomen Valley’s virtual offerings.
Perkiomen Valley School District trustees spent part of their meeting addressing a rise in charter enrollment this year and ways to retain students by better marketing the district’s virtual programming.
Board members raised concerns that parents searching online for charter options may be drawn to external cyber charters that market aggressively and appear at the top of search results. Trustees asked whether the district’s charter enrollment report identifies cyber versus brick‑and‑mortar charter placements; administrators confirmed that the report does break out cyber enrollment and said much of the increase appears to be cyber‑based.
Doctor Russell and Mister Sailor discussed options to reach families — including targeted mailings or postcards that notify parents the district offers a virtual option, and community forums to remind residents of in‑district alternatives. Staff noted the district subscribes at the elementary level to an out‑of‑district virtual vendor (a Pennsylvania provider) to provide a teacher‑of‑record model that differs from some cyber charters.
Trustees asked staff to consider renewed outreach and recruitment efforts to encourage families to choose the district’s programs where appropriate; staff said they will follow up on marketing strategies and report back.
