North Allegheny School District will consider bringing back its cyber school.

Revisting a cyber school is one of 21 items on the table for next year, according to an update to the comprehensive plan discussed at the school board’s June 19 work session.

The district’s current comprehensive plan took effect in 2014 and runs until 2021.

The North Allegheny Cyber Academy, which was only for grades four through eight, was closed four years ago. But a proposed state law would make it financially feasible for the district to offer a cyber school, officials said.

Senate Bill 34 would require families to pay out-of-pocket for tuition to a cyber charter school if their home school district offers a cyber program “equal in scope and content.”

That means that schools like North Hills, which already offer a cyber academy, would not have to pay tuition for district residents to attend other cyber schools. And districts like North Allegheny could open their own cyber schools.

“We don’t have lot of students in cyber schools,” said Superintendent Robert Scherrer. “Maybe we can gain some of those students back.”

Board member Libby Blackburn noted that having a cyber school would be helpful in case of snow days or when such things as a power outage or bomb threat close a school. Last month, a power outage at the senior high school forced students into an auditorium at the intermediate high school for the day.

“There are all these different things that, if we have that cyber academy, it helps us greatly,” she said.

Other goals for the 2019-20 school year include: reconfiguring the middle school day; updating the emergency operations plan; evaluating time structures, including start times; developing an athletic department handbook; implementing and communicating a redistricting plan; negotiating a contract with the North Allegheny Federation of Teachers; and working on the next comprehensive plan.

Sandy Trozzo, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com.

First Published: June 24, 2019, 5:07 p.m.