Schools

RSD Officials Consider Participating in Public School Advertising

The school board is considering paying $6,300 to participate in an advertising campaign promoting public schools.

The Allegheny Intermediate Unit is hoping member school districts jump on board to promote public schools.

On Monday, Superintendent Chuck Erdeljac presented the AIU's plan for advertising to the school board. The AIU is asking all of its member districts to participate in the campaign and contribute monetarily. Riverview's portion would be $6,300 for a 30-second commercial.

The entire project would cost about $250,000.

Erdeljac, who was involved in a 20-member committee that worked on creating a proposal for the ad campaign, said group members are hoping at least 75 percent of the school districts participate.

The group's reasoning behind the need for a public school promotion stems from the numerous advertising campaigns for cyber charter schools.

School board members expressed frustration at the fact that the school district pays for each student that attends cyber charter school—$12,000 for regular education and $23,000 for special education—and a portion of that money goes toward advertising for the cyber charter schools.

"It makes me angry that our money goes toward that," said board member Arlene Loeffler. "I hate to see money wasted."

School board member John Hackworth agreed.

"I don't think people realize they are indirectly paying for cyber school ads," he said.

Though Riverview essentially would be spending tax dollars to pay for a promotion of public schools, Erdeljac said it would be worth it if the district can encourage one student to come back to the district or stop one student from leaving to a cyber charter school.

"It's a creative thrust," he said. "It's a new world out there. I think it's exciting."

 

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