David N. Dunkle has published an article in The Patriot-News regarding CASA's options in becoming a charter school.

FULL ARTICLE: HERE

In two years, talented central Pennsylvania students interested in theater, music, dance or the visual arts might no longer be able to attend the Capital Area School for the Arts.

They might instead be going to a new entity that could be called the Capital Area Charter School for the Arts.

If CASA becomes a charter school, as some suggest, it would signal sweeping changes in the 11-year-old arts school.

No longer would CASA be a half-day magnet school offering instruction in drama, art, music, dance and film to students from 24 school districts.

Holly White has published an article in The Central Penn Business Journal about CASA students and revenue streams.

There aren't any other charter or arts-focused schools in the Harrisburg, Lancaster or York areas. The Pennsylvania Academy of Music in Lancaster was closed in March because not enough money was available to maintain the $32 million facility it had built [...]

Most art-focused high schools in Pennsylvania operate as a charter or district school providing both academic and arts curriculums, according to school district and art school leaders.

David N. Dunkle has published an article in The Patriot-News regarding CASA funding.

At the moment, more and more potential CASA students are having to come up with tuition through scholarships or their parents. [CASA Principal Cheryl] Giles-Rudawski estimated that fewer than 100 students might attend this year, down a third from last year’s enrollment of 150.

“We are desperately seeking scholarships,” she said. “We are lucky to have the support of the arts community, and they have come through for us. But there’s only so much you can expect.”

The financial crunch is the continuation of a trend that developed over the last four school years as the number of districts that pay 100 percent of CASA’s tuition has dropped precipitously, from 17 down to East Pennsboro, Lower Dauphin, Mechanicsburg and South Middleton. A few more, including Harrisburg, will pay 100 percent for a few returning CASA students this year, but none going forward.

Monica Von Dobeneck, via The Patriot-News:

Mariana plays the viola, sings opera and acts. The rising high school senior wants to apply to Juilliard and other top colleges for music, acting or singing to see where her talents take her.

And while she misses her mom, she has fit in smoothly with her classmates at Camp Hill High School, the Capital Area School for the Arts, the State Street Music Academy and the Harrisburg Youth Symphony.

Lisa Weitzman, Mariana’s acting teacher at CASA, said she was worried when Mariana first entered her class last fall, the only girl with half a dozen boys, the only one whose native language was Spanish. Her worries soon vanished.