Report on Legislative Reforms for Pennsylvania Cyber Charter Schools and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

The Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee has advanced two legislative proposals, Senate Bill 927 and Senate Bill 934, designed to reform the state’s cyber charter school system. These bills focus on enhancing student welfare and institutional accountability, directly contributing to the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

Senate Bill 927: Advancing Quality Education and Student Well-being (SDG 4 & SDG 3)

This legislation seeks to reinforce the integrity of student wellness checks, a critical component for ensuring a supportive and safe learning environment in a remote setting. The bill’s provisions are aligned with key SDG targets.

• Mandate: The bill amends Act 55 of 2024 to specify that mandatory wellness checks must involve real-time, visual, and verbal communication between the student and a representative of the cyber charter school.
• Contribution to SDG 4 (Quality Education): By ensuring students are actively engaged and monitored, the bill supports SDG Target 4.a, which calls for “safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.” It reinforces the quality and accountability of the educational service provided.
• Contribution to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The emphasis on “wellness” and ensuring students are “supported, and safe” directly addresses SDG Target 3.4, which aims to promote mental health and well-being.

Senate Bill 934: Ensuring Institutional Accountability and Effective Resource Management (SDG 16 & SDG 4)

This proposal is aimed at improving the residency verification process, which is fundamental to the responsible administration of public educational funds and the overall integrity of the cyber charter system.

1. Residency Verification: The legislation requires parents or guardians to submit proof of student residency twice during each academic year.
2. Clarity in Reporting: It provides greater clarity on the reporting responsibilities of educational institutions.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

• Contribution to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): The bill strengthens the cyber charter school system by promoting transparency and accountability. This directly supports SDG Target 16.6, which focuses on developing “effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.” Ensuring taxpayer funds are allocated correctly enhances institutional integrity.
• Contribution to SDG 4 (Quality Education): By safeguarding public funds and ensuring they are directed to eligible resident students, the legislation underpins the financial sustainability required to provide equitable and quality education, in line with the overarching goals of SDG 4.

Conclusion and Legislative Outlook

Both Senate Bill 927 and Senate Bill 934 have been passed by the Senate Education Committee and now await consideration by the full Senate. The passage of these bills would represent a significant step in aligning Pennsylvania’s educational governance with global standards for quality, student well-being, and institutional transparency as articulated in the Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses legislative reforms for Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools, which directly and indirectly connect to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary goals identified are:

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

SDG 4: Quality Education

This is the most prominent SDG, as the article’s core subject is the reform of cyber charter schools to “ensure students are receiving the education they deserve.” The legislation aims to improve the quality and oversight of remote learning.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The article touches upon strengthening institutional governance and accountability. Senate Bill 934, which focuses on residency verification, is described as “an important measure to better protect taxpayer dollars and ensure the integrity of the cyber charter school system.” This aligns with building effective and accountable institutions.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Senate Bill 927 mandates “wellness checks” to ensure students are “supported, and safe.” This focus on student safety and support in a remote learning environment connects to the goal of promoting well-being.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, the following specific targets can be identified:

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  • Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education. The article’s overall goal is to reform the system so students receive the “education they deserve,” which points directly to improving the quality of education provided by cyber charter schools.
  • Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all. The “wellness checks” are intended to make the remote learning environment safer by ensuring students are “accounted for, supported, and safe.”

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. The proposed legislation to improve the “residency verification process” is a direct attempt to enhance the accountability and integrity of the cyber charter school system, particularly in its use of public funds (“taxpayer dollars”).

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. The requirement for wellness checks where a student is “visibly seen and communicated with in real time” is a measure to promote the well-being and safety of students, which is a component of this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article mentions specific, measurable actions within the proposed bills that can serve as indicators of progress.

• For SDG 4 (Targets 4.1 and 4.a)

  • Implied Indicator: The frequency and method of student wellness checks. The article specifies that progress can be measured by tracking if “an enrolled student is visibly seen and communicated with in real time” by a school representative “at least once during any week consisting of three or more instructional days.”

• For SDG 16 (Target 16.6)

  • Implied Indicator: The rate of compliance with residency verification requirements. The article states the legislation “will require parents to submit verification of student residency twice each academic year.” Measuring the percentage of enrolled students for whom residency is successfully verified twice a year would be a direct indicator of institutional accountability.

• For SDG 3 (Target 3.4)

  • Implied Indicator: The number and percentage of students receiving mandated wellness checks. Tracking the implementation of the mandate that “cyber charter schools conduct wellness checks at least once during any week consisting of three or more instructional days” serves as an indicator of the effort to ensure students are “supported, and safe.”

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: pasenategop.com