The Choice Channel

“Midland School District Superintendent Nick Trombetta often begins his story talking about how no Pennsylvania high school in 1994 would accept students from the tiny Beaver County district when its high school closed, causing students to bus to East Liverpool, Ohio. That episode motivated Dr. Trombetta, who arrived in Midland the following year, to seek out new ways to educate students, beginning with the founding of the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School, which opened six years ago. Now the Trombetta-inspired educational empire far exceeds the reach and budget of his home school district, which has 450 students, about 60 full- and part-time employees and a $4.4 million budget. The cyber school alone has about 4,400 students, 400 employees and a $30 million budget.” (05/30/06)