DOWNINGTOWN, PA — The Downingtown Area School District says a targeted, relationship-driven outreach campaign is paying off, with 127 students returning from charter and cyber charter schools this year — a shift district leaders say will keep an estimated $2.25 million in classrooms for the 2025–26 school year.
District officials said the students’ return represents funding that would otherwise flow to charter schools and ultimately be covered by local taxpayers. Families who re-enrolled cited strong academics, award-winning arts and athletics, extensive student supports, and welcoming school communities as key factors in their decision.
The effort relied heavily on personalized engagement, including phone calls, home visits, individual tours, open houses, and targeted communications aimed at families considering a return to district schools.
Former charter parent Uliana Kalagina said her son’s experience helped seal the decision. After four months back in DASD, she said, her child was thriving academically and socially, prompting the family to enroll two younger siblings this January.
Building on the momentum, the district has extended the campaign into the 2026–27 school year. A Downingtown Cyber Academy open house is scheduled for Thursday, January 22, followed by K–6 open houses across district buildings on February 18.
District leaders say the outreach also revealed a widespread misunderstanding about charter school costs. While charter and cyber charter schools do not charge tuition directly to families, DASD Business Manager Bryan Howett said the financial impact on the district — and taxpayers — is significant.
During the 2024–25 school year, DASD spent an average of $14,685 per student on instructional expenses within district schools. By contrast, state law required the district to pay charter schools an average of $17,990 per DASD student who enrolled in a charter. When transportation and operational costs are included, each charter enrollment costs local taxpayers about $6,700 more per student per year than educating that student in a DASD school, according to the district.
Charter and cyber charter tuition remains one of DASD’s largest expenses. Even after recent state reforms, the district projects about $5.4 million in charter tuition costs for the 2025–26 school year.
This year, the Commonwealth approved $175 million in cyber charter funding reductions amid transparency and performance concerns. Despite the revised funding formula, DASD officials said the district will see a net loss of about $42,000 this school year due to the elimination of a longstanding rebate program.
For families seeking flexible online learning, the district continues to promote its own Downingtown Cyber Academy, which offers full- and part-time programs taught by state-certified teachers while keeping funding and accountability within the district. Students enrolled in the academy can participate in the same academic, extracurricular, and athletic opportunities as their peers in brick-and-mortar schools. More information is available at www.dasd.org/dca.
District finances have also been bolstered by the rollout of full-day kindergarten in fall 2025. The number of DASD-resident kindergarten students attending charter schools dropped from 82 last year to 13 this year, according to district data.
Still, officials caution that enrollment gains alone will not resolve long-term budget pressures. Since 2021, property assessment appeals have reduced district revenue by $4.8 million, a figure that continues to grow annually.
Superintendent Robert O’Donnell said the district remains focused on protecting classroom experiences and maintaining high-quality programs. He pointed to recent statewide assessment results that placed DASD among the top three districts in Chester County in a majority of key academic areas, with students outperforming county charter schools by wide margins in math and English/language arts.
District climate surveys also show high levels of student confidence and safety, with 97% of students reporting they feel safe at school and 92% saying their teachers genuinely care about them.
Registration for DASD is now open. Families can learn more at www.dasd.org/School-of-Choice, www.dasd.org, or by emailing info@dasd.org.
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