Parents: Agora layoffs highlight cyberschool problems
Elizabeth Evans, 15, and her stepbrother, Cameron Myer, 17, hold some of the things left normal at Agora: Valentines’ mail exchanges. The McDonald teens’ prom and some electives were cut after at least 100 teachers were fired Friday.
Emily Wright has been posting protest images to Agora social media pages. She’s had to redo entire lessons repeatedly because of new, untested curricula, her father said.
Editor’s note: This story has been modified from a previous edition.
One of the students used in promotional materials for Agora, the second-largest Pennsylvania cyberschool that just laid off at least 100 teachers, said she’s ashamed to be part of the school.
“My guidance counselor who was with me all throughout school just got cut for no apparent reason,” said Elizabeth Evans, 15, of McDonald, who is set to graduate high school as a sophomore. Evans’ mother, Melanie, said the layoffs of dozens of teachers Friday has exposed problems at the cyber charter at all levels. She said she’s most upset with a new and untested “NextGen” curriculum that replaces a proven K-12 curriculum for middle school classes.
“It’s not allowed. This is not approved by the Department of Education. It’s shameful,” Melanie Evans said. Evans and other parents are calling for the board to resign at its meeting today at Agora headquarters.
Another parent, Peter Wright, of Amwell Township, said the new curriculum is frustrating for multiple reasons.
“This new NexGen stuff is not K-12 approved by the Department of Education. The videos don’t work and you can’t get to required questions without playing the videos. Add to that the completed lessons will show up incomplete or deleted. My daughter lost seven straight school days just trying to figure it out,” Wright said.
The school, based in King of Prussia, serves 8,500 students and its board of trustees is facing backlash for overall management.
“We can’t vote these people out. It’s not like a regular school board. They appoint each other. It’s a disaster,” said Wright.
A teacher who still works for Agora said she’s observed a litany of mistakes in the curriculum – such as wrong dates and facts in history lessons like the Civil Rights movement – and often has to re-do entire lessons on her own.
“We were given very little input into the lessons. And this is by far the worst system I’ve ever seen,” said the Allegheny County-based teacher who has taught for nearly a half-decade with Agora and asked that her name not be used.
One of the fired teachers, Kimberly Thompson of Uniontown, said there was no rhyme or reason to the actions, but a fight to unionize might have played a part.
“I had been with Agora for eight years. It has declined tremendously. They first demoted me because I spoke publicly about starting a union. I’ve always had a distinguished rating and they let me go while keeping others with lower ratings. I took a $15,000 pay cut to go from a public school to Agora because I believed in it as a great option for students, and I still do, but I want the board to be taken over with a group of people who care about students and not just making money,” said Thompson.
A statement from Agora blamed the layoffs on the state budget impasse, reading in part that “Governor Wolf (cited) a possible 23,000 educator layoffs and up to a 30 percent increase in class size (if a budget wasn’t passed)… The commonwealth’s failure to pass a budget necessitated that Agora make a substantial number of layoffs to survive.” A spokeswoman from the state Department of Education said it had not heard from Agora following the layoffs, but declined to comment further regarding curriculum or management.
The statement from Agora did not respond to a request for comment on concerns about the NexGen curriculum.
According to Agora’s 2015 budget, the school had $122.7 million in revenues and now has a $13.4 million fund balance after purchases of new computers, curricula and advertising. Agora spokeswoman Melissa Reese confirmed the school took out a loan in the fall but said the money was depleted. She could not confirm the amount borrowed. She added some school districts have been withholding full tuition payments because of the state budget.
Despite the money woes, teachers never thought layoffs would be on the table after a Dec. 18 email sent from board Chairwoman Mary Steffey assured staff cuts wouldn’t happen.
“We are keenly aware that our dedicated staff is our greatest asset … Agora is financially prepared to weather the storm. We have been proactive in our saving and reserved in our spending. Thanks to the foresight of Paul DeAngelo and the board finance committee we have a line of credit that will prevent us from negatively impacting our staff or students. In addition, moving to self-management and building our own curriculum has also put us in a stronger position financially.
“I cannot address our financial issues without mentioning (the Pennsylvania State Education Association), as their lobbying efforts are the greatest single threat to our model …We have no plans to cut or furlough staff due to the lack of funds we are currently receiving. Please do not fear for your position here at Agora,” the email read.
DeAngelo is now the CEO after Kevin Corcoran was fired Dec. 7, according to several teachers. A petition calling for the ouster of the board had 381 digital signatures. Parents said they plan to call for the board to resign at its meeting today. The Evans family and others said they want Corcoran reinstated.