High school for the arts faces challenges

When the Creative and Performing Arts High School relocated Downtown last fall, Pittsburgh Public Schools officials predicted the $39 million state-of-the-art facility would draw students from across the region.

With one school year behind them, officials say those goals haven't changed. But they've hit a few snags on the way -- notably money and competition.

The money problem comes from legislation stalled in the state Senate. The bill would allow non-Pittsburgh students to attend CAPA for free, but until the legislation is reality, the CAPA tuition is $11,300 a year.

Principal Michael Thorsen said he won't know until September whether the 20 noncity kids accepted for next school year will join about 480 other students expected to enroll. Only about 15 noncity residents attended last year.

"When the tuition is over $11,000, it certainly does prohibit some," Thorsen said. "Children may wish to attend and simply can't."

The competition factor is emerging about 36 miles away in Midland, Beaver County, where the Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School plans to offer a performing arts center and school. The $23 million Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center is a little over a year from completion, Managing Director Stephen Catanzarite said.

Catanzarite said school officials may seek to declare the performing arts center a charter school. That would allow students from throughout Western Pennsylvania to attend for free because the charter school would receive the state subsidy earmarked for each student's home school district.

"We see parents who send their children great distances for a great amount of money to find top quality arts education programs," Catanzarite said. "Why not build something here and give them that choice and that availability for performing arts education• It doesn't have to be all about Pittsburgh."

Pittsburgh Superintendent John Thompson isn't worried about the competition.

"Pittsburgh Public Schools is not a pacemaker, it's a trailblazer. We welcome any competition that will come," he said. "Where in Beaver County can you have a performing arts center where they can go and perform with the 'Lion King' (musical)• Where else can you walk a block and a half to three different theaters, then go on to the ballet -- two ballet companies -- and a world-class symphony• Where else can you go• Nowhere but Pittsburgh."

School board President Bill Isler said there was never any serious discussion about making CAPA a charter school.

"It was our idea that if we provided a top-notch education for the children in the arts, other districts would be willing to send children and pay the tuition," he said. "It did not work out the way we anticipated, but it's still a goal we have."

Thorsen said the students and staff faced intense scrutiny in CAPA's initial year in the new environment, but flourished. More than 25,000 people attended 350 events at the school. Its 79 graduates earned more than $2 million in scholarships.

One graduate is Katie Koepfinger, 17, of Churchill, who transferred from Woodland Hills High School. Her mother, Connie Koepfinger, had to take on additional work as an adjunct professor to pay the $11,300 tuition.

"It was amazing. We had the whole afternoon just to focus on majors," Katie Koepfinger said. "It felt so much more focused. I learned so much more that year than I ever did at Woodland Hills."

Connie Koepfinger said her daughter blossomed in the environment.

"I would have bartended if I had to," she said. "If you would have seen her, that kid was just so disconnected from her high school."

Isler said the partnerships the school has with the community have proven successful.

"I had a parent say to me, 'What other school would a child be able to have a fashion show with their fashions at the Warhol?'" he said. "The opportunities they're giving the kids are just limitless."

Thompson said he still hopes the legislation to cover CAPA's tuition will make it through the Senate. The House approved the bill in June 2003. The bill must pass through the General Assembly by Nov. 30 to stay alive.

In the meantime, Catanzarite said he does not see the Midland cyber school as competition for CAPA.

"We've toured the facility. There's no adversarial relationship. If in some way we can encourage what they do, all the better," he said. "We want people to recognize that (culture) doesn't stop once you cross that bridge over there. It's a real region. We just want to be a part of it."

Additional Information:

CAPA majors