Choice, Cyber Charter Schools, and the Educational Marketplace for Rural School Districts

Mann, Bryan; Kotok, Stephen; Frankenberg, Erica; Fuller, Ed; Schafft, Kai A.

doi:10.35608/ruraled.v37i3.248

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Concurrent to these economic shifts, cyber charter schools—schools of choice where all instruction is delivered online—were explicitly authorized in Pennsylvania in 2002. These schools recruited students from across the state, creating an especially large financial burden for smaller districts (Mann, Kotok, Frankenberg, Fuller, & Schaftt, 2016). The cyber charters charge districts based on how many students from each district enroll in their cyber schools (DeJarnatt, 2013).…”

Section: Keystone High Schoolmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital Technology: A Double-Edged Sword for a School Principal in Rural Pennsylvania

Kotok

Kryst

2017

Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership

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This case study was inspired by visits to several different rural high schools in Pennsylvania. The case illuminates the challenges faced by rural principals and superintendents who want to integrate digital technology into their curriculum, but who lack certain financial and human capital resources. Although this case occurred in a remote, rural area, school leaders in various settings deal with similar dilemmas. The following case is designed for principal preparation courses such as instructional leadership, organizational leadership, and school budgeting. In addition, this case could be utilized in educational policy courses examining school choice policies and how traditional public school districts respond to competition from online charter schools.

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Section: Keystone High Schoolmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital Technology: A Double-Edged Sword for a School Principal in Rural Pennsylvania

Kotok

Kryst

2017

Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership

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“…However, rural areas grapple with different types of school choice such as home schooling, interdistrict transfers, and cyber charters. Pennsylvania offers all students in the state a choice through cyber charter schools, creating competition and financial stress for rural school leaders (Mann et al, 2016). Additionally, states such as New York allow students living near the state border to transfer into their districts.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Principals and District Leaders Navigating the Marketplace: Lessons From Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania

Kotok

DiMartino

DeMatthews

2020

Journal of School Leadership

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Due to the growth of school choice across the United States as well as declining enrollment in some districts, schools are experiencing increasing competition for students. As a result, principals and school district leaders in high-choice districts are now expected to develop strategies such as branding, marketing, and community outreach to attract and retain students. Yet, there is a lack of literature exploring whether principals and district leaders are prepared to navigate these competitive spaces effectively, ethically, and equitably. Our study examines how principals and district leaders experience competition as well as their perspectives and practices in terms of marketing their school. In order to understand this complex process, we juxtapose theoretical perspectives on family and community partnerships with more mainstream market theories and critiques. We then apply these frameworks on three unique cases along the Texas–Mexico border, a low-income area of New York City, and rural Pennsylvania. Data were collected primarily through interviews with principals, superintendents, and other district leaders. We find that in all three cases, principals and district leaders felt they had to engage in marketing practices. Yet, some principals clearly embraced market-based rhetoric while others viewed strong community engagement as a means for maintaining enrollment. The three cases also reveal critical equity issues regarding principal experience, district support, and preexisting market hierarchies. We conclude with a discussion considering how districts can create equitable conditions for marketing and how leadership preparation programs can prepare principals and school leaders to work ethically and effectively in competitive spaces.

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“…Furthermore, parents felt overwhelmed by the number of technological resources presented by the school [ 27 , 51 , 52 ]. Studies carried out before the pandemic already highlighted some of the challenges in this regard such as the establishment of communication channels between families and schools [ 76 ], the importance of teachers [ 77 ], financial resources [ 78 ], the lack of interest in the use of technology [ 79 ], the high level of commitment of families [ 80 ], and the establishment of a good two-way relationship between these two educational agents, all of which can positively influence both motivation and student academic performance [ 81 , 82 , 83 ]. Resources are an essential part of the family–school–student relationship, as demonstrated in research carried out during the pandemic [ 84 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Family and School Relationship during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Carrión-Martínez

Pinel-Martínez

Esteban

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Education systems worldwide have been affected by a sudden interruption in classroom learning because the coronavirus pandemic forced both the closure of all schools in March 2020 and the beginning of distance learning from home, thus compelling families, schools, and students to work together in a more coordinated fashion. The present systematic review was carried out following PRISMA guidelines. The main objective was to present critical information on the relationship between the family and the school in the face of the imposed distance learning scenario caused by COVID-19. A total of 25 articles dealing with the relationships established during the pandemic of any of the three agents involved (family, students, and school) were analysed. The results showed that the relationships between the three groups involved must be improved to some extent to meet the needs that have arisen as a result of distance learning. In conclusion, the educational scenario during the pandemic has been one of the most significant challenges experienced in the recent history of education.

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Choice, Cyber Charter Schools, and the Educational Marketplace for Rural School Districts

Cited by 13 publications

References 18 publications

Digital Technology: A Double-Edged Sword for a School Principal in Rural Pennsylvania

Digital Technology: A Double-Edged Sword for a School Principal in Rural Pennsylvania

Principals and District Leaders Navigating the Marketplace: Lessons From Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania

Family and School Relationship during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

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