DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Notice of Hearing Regarding Cyber Charter School Application [38 Pa.B. 6186]
[Saturday, November 8, 2008]Notice is given that the Department of Education (Department) has scheduled a public hearing regarding the two cyber charter school applications that it received on October 1, 2008. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, December 10, 2008, in Heritage B on the lobby level at 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA beginning at 10 a.m. The hearing pertains to applicants seeking to operate cyber charter schools beginning in the 2009-2010 school year: the IDEA Cyber Charter School and the Aspira Bilingual Cyber Charter School. The purpose of the hearing is to receive information from the applicants about the proposed cyber charter schools and to receive comments from interested persons regarding the applications. The applications can be viewed on the Department's web site at www.pde.state.pa.us.
The charter applicant will have 30 minutes to present information about the proposed cyber charter school. Individuals who wish to provide comments at the hearing must send the Department and the applicant a copy of the comments on or before November 21, 2008. Failure to comply with this deadline will preclude the respective individual from providing verbal comments at the hearing. Verbal comments may be limited based on the number of individuals requesting time to provide comments, and may also be limited if the comments are duplicative or repetitive of other individual's comments. A panel of individuals who have reviewed the applications will conduct the hearing. The panel members may question the applicants regarding issues identified during their review, as well as issues raised in the written comments filed before the hearing date. Panel members may also question individuals who offer verbal comments. Commentators will not be permitted to question either the applicants or the panel members. Individuals who are unable to attend the hearing may also provide the Department and the respective applicant with written comments on or before December 3, 2008. Any written comments provided to the Department by this deadline will become part of the certified record.
Comments sent to the Department should be addressed to Gregg Spadafore, Bureau of Community and Student Services, 333 Market Street, 5th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333. An agenda will be prepared after December 3, 2008, when the Department is aware of the number of individuals who wish to provide verbal comments at the hearing. That agenda will provide the order of presentation, as well as specify the amount of time allotted to each commentator. Individuals wanting a copy of the agenda should call Gregg Spadafore at (717) 705-2881.
GERALD L. ZAHORCHAK, D. Ed.,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 08-2024. Filed for public inspection November 7, 2008, 9:00 a.m.]
