News

Ohio’s largest online charter school reported at least $2.27 million spent last school year on advertising to attract students.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that’s about 2 percent of the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow’s revenue for the school year, which was $112.7 million. About 90 percent of that revenue was funded by the state.

The charter school’s advertising spending included radio and television time, Facebook and Google ads and mailing lists.

State Rep. Teresa Fedor, who has called for an overhaul of state charter-school laws, calls the school’s advertising spending “shockingly high.”

Ohio Auditor Dave Yost says advertising is necessary for charter schools to promote competition and produce a better educational outcome, but says more transparency is necessary.