NORRISTOWN PA – Classes ended for summer vacation only two weeks ago, but the first signs of marketing from Pennsylvania cyber-charter schools to attract students from public school districts for enrollment during the 2011-2012 educational year are already evident.

Among those beginning to recruit is the 10-year-old Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School, headquartered at 1 W. Main St., Suite 400, Norristown PA. It scheduled free “information sessions” in nine different counties across the state between Tuesday (July 5, 2011) and July 15, school Executive Director of Communications Joe Lyons announced in a Friday (July 1) e-mail.

The sessions are intended to let “interested members of the community … learn more about home-based public education,” Lyons said. Sessions were set for Lehigh, Franklin, Monroe, Cumberland, Westmoreland, Luzerne, Mercer, Lackawanna and Lycoming counties, but none yet for Montgomery County.

The growth of charter schools has been advocated by Gov. Tom Corbett and some members of the state Legislature. The state budget, passed by legislators and signed by Corbett into law on Thursday night (June 30), eliminated state funding for school districts’ mandated reimbursement of tuition for each charter school enrollment. The Education Policy and Leadership Center in Harrisburg PA claims that could cost taxpayers statewide $224 million next year.