{"id":87823,"date":"2019-05-02T19:32:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-02T23:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=87823"},"modified":"2019-05-02T19:32:00","modified_gmt":"2019-05-02T23:32:00","slug":"schlossberg-calls-for-transparency-truth-in-advertising-for-all-public-school-advertisements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=87823","title":{"rendered":"Schlossberg calls for transparency, truth in advertising for all public school advertisements"},"content":{"rendered":" <\/p>\n
State Rep. Mike Schlossberg has reintroduced legislation that would require all public school advertising to disclose that the ads are funded with taxpayer money and prohibit the ads from stating that schools, programs, services or transportation are free.<\/p>\n
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\u201cSchools across the state and nation are using various forms of advertising to attract students to increase enrollment,\u201d said Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, \u201cHowever, some schools — particularly cyber charter schools — are referring to services and programs in their advertising as \u2018free\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Schlossberg said his bill (H.B. 894) also would prohibit public schools from falsely advertising tuition or transportation as free and would have to disclose that instructional and transportation costs are paid for by tax dollars.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese public charter schools that use millions of dollars to advertise tuition, transportation, or other programs as free are deceiving taxpayers. Someone fronts the bill for these things and my bill would inform taxpayers that it\u2019s always been them,\u201d Schlossberg said. \u201cThis deception to attract students reveals that it\u2019s less about educating our children and more about attracting the most pupils to attend because each student comes with a high payout that ultimately falls on the shoulders of taxpayers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schlossberg said his bill aims to level the playing field for all public schools competing for student enrollment in Pennsylvania. The bill would be consistent with the requirement that paid advertising by state agencies include the phrase \u201cPaid for with Pennsylvania taxpayer dollars,\u201d as per the Funded Advertising Transparency Act of 2015.<\/p>\n
Schlossberg\u2019s bill is part of an eight-bill package proposed by House Democrats that is focused on public charter school reform and demanding fiscal and academic accountability from all public schools.<\/p>\n
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\nInformation provided to TVL by:
\nThomas Caffrey
\nHouse Democratic Communications Office<\/p>\n
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