Commonwealth Charter Academy
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Commonwealth Charter Academy
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| streetaddress = 1 Innovation Way
| city = Harrisburg
| state = Pennsylvania
| zipcode = 17110
| country = United States
| coordinates =
| trustee =
| faculty = 1170 teachers (2024)
| teaching_staff = 1170
| schooltype = cyber school
| type = Public charter
| grades = K–12 (2013)
| language = English
| established =
| founded = August 11, 2003PDE, ED Names and Addresses - School information, 2014
| enrollment = 20,355 pupils (2024)
| footnotes =
| picture =
| homepage = https://ccaeducate.me/
}}
Commonwealth Charter Academy (previously named Commonwealth Connections Academy) is a large, public, cyber charter school.{{cite web |url=http://www.edna.ed.state.pa.us/Screens/wfInstitutionDetails.aspx?InstitutionPK=57633 |title=EdNA - Charter School |author=Pennsylvania Department of Education |year=2014 |access-date=2014-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407194855/http://www.edna.ed.state.pa.us/Screens/wfInstitutionDetails.aspx?InstitutionPK=57633 |archive-date=2014-04-07 |url-status=dead }}
The school serves all school-aged children in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania regardless of where the child lives. The Academy's headquarters is located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
History
When the School was originally approved it served Kindergarten through 8th grade pupils all across Pennsylvania.Stan Rapp, COMMONWEALTH CONNECTIONS ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL Cyber-Charter School Application, October 1, 2002
As of 2013, it was one of sixteen public cyber charters schools operating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.Pennsylvania Department of Education, PA ED Directory - Charter Schools, 2013
As of 2016, the School operated seven additional branches, called Family Service Centers, across the Commonwealth: Andreas, Allentown, Harrisburg, Center City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cranberry, Scranton, and Williamsport.{{cite web |url=https://ccaeducate.me/find-out-more/family-service-centers|title=CCA Family Service Centers|author=Commonwealth Charter Academy |date=July 2016}}
In 2016-17, there were 9,200 students enrolled.
By 2023, enrollment was 22,000 pupils in grades kindergarten through 12th, making it the largest public school in the United States by enrollment.{{cite web |url=http://www.paschoolperformance.org/Profile/7144 |title=Commonwealth Connections Academy Charter School Performance report fast facts |author=Pennsylvania Department of Education |date=October 15, 2018}}
The Capital Area Intermediate Unit IU15 provides the school with a wide variety of services like special education for disabled students and hearing, speech and visual disability services and professional development for staff and faculty.
Spending
In 2015-16, the school spent $3.2 million and in 2016-17 $4.4 million in taxpayer dollars on advertising, the most of all of Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools, through sponsorships, ads in print, TV, radio, Internet and outdoor marketing.{{Cite web |last=Stephanie Hacke and Mary Niederberger |date=2017-08-29 |title=The Charter Effect: Pa. charter schools spend millions of public dollars in advertising to attract students |url=http://projects.publicsource.org/chartereffect/stories/pennsylvania-charter-schools-spend-millions-of-public-dollars-in-advertising-to-attract-students.html |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=PublicSource}}
In 2025, it was reported that Commonwealth Charter Academy spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on cars, dining, and entertainment, with little transparency. {{Cite web |last=Hanna |first=Maddie |date=2025-01-27 |title=Pa.’s largest cyber charter spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on cars, dining, and entertainment, a new report says |url=https://www.inquirer.com/education/cca-cyber-school-spending-education-voters-pa-20250127.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=PublicSource}} Commonwealth Charter Academy responded to this report in a letter to the Pennsylvania General Assembly calling out several discrepancies. {{Cite web |title=CCA Letter to General Assembly |author=Commonwealth Charter Academy |date= January 30, 2025 |website=Commonwealth Charter Academy
|url=https://ccaeducate.me/content/uploads/2025/01/013025-CCA-Letter-to-General-Assembly.pdf}}
References
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Category:Education in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Category:Public high schools in Pennsylvania
Category:Charter schools in Pennsylvania
Category:Public middle schools in Pennsylvania
Category:Public elementary schools in Pennsylvania