Cutler: Cyber Charter Schools Letter to PA Legislators Showcases Issues with Proposed “Reform”

August 22, 2025

HARRISBURG – Rep. Bryan Cutler (R-Peach Bottom) released the following statement after nine cyber charter schools sent a letter to the General Assembly asking lawmakers to not include provisions from House Bill 1500 in this year’s budget:

“The letter sent to every member of the House and Senate last night from nine cyber charter schools based in Pennsylvania proves what I and fellow Republicans have been saying about House Bill 1500. House Bill 1500 is not cyber charter reform, rather it is an attempt to destroy cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania. 

“As this letter states, if provisions from House Bill 1500 are included in the 2025-26 budget, cyber charter schools will see a $616 million cut to funding for public cyber charter schools across our Commonwealth. With those drastic cuts, all nine of these cyber charter schools would either have to drastically change their model or be forced to close within the next two years. If these cuts are enacted, hundreds of educators and support staff for these schools would also be let go. That is on top of the near $20 million in cuts they made last year and the nearly $40 million in cuts they may have to make this year. 

“I have stressed repeatedly that I believe there is a bipartisan solution to cyber charter reform here in Pennsylvania. Time and time again, however, we are shown statistics that House Bill 1500 is not it. If any provisions from that legislation make it into the budget, 65,000 students who are currently enrolled in cyber charter will be forced back into situations that do not work for them. We must not include these provisions in any final budget, or these students will pay the price.”

You can read the letter in full here.