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Fight looms over CPS charter funding

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Illinois

* The state’s new education funding reform law is apparently pretty darned complicated when it comes to charter schools. CPS is now scrambling to figure out whether the city’s 124 public charters are owed as much as $100 million more or just $40 million…

State law requires school systems to give charters a minimum amount of funding, based on an overall per-pupil spending level known as a “per capita tuition charge.” In the 2016 fiscal year, according to a state financial report, the CPS per capita tuition charge was $12,544.

Previous state law required school districts to pay charters at least 75 percent of that per capita charge, multiplied by the number of charter students enrolled. The new law requires charters to receive at least 97 percent of a district’s calculated per capita rate for each enrolled student.

Complicating the issue is that CPS uses a variation of its student-based budgeting model to fund charters. CPS charters receive the same per-student dollar amount as traditional schools. But they also receive additional money to pay for items such as security and central office expenses, and to subsidize the cost of facilities. Finally, charters get a share of several categories worth of state and federal aid dollars.

Charters were already in line to get additional money this year under a series of previously planned increases to the district’s student-based funding rate and the supplemental funding. That increase comes despite a projected enrollment increase of only about 630 students this year.

CPS says in its budget that the funding model gives charters “an equitable share.” But after reviewing the new state law, officials concluded the funding level fell short of what is now required by an amount that has yet to be determined.

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posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 8, 17 @ 11:21 am

Comments

Nobody, eh? Hmm.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 8, 17 @ 1:22 pm
Well, I read the post and thought about it.

I had caught the provision on funding when it was made public (the first time), and assumed that what it was aiming at was to bring charter funding more in line with public schools’ funding - the previous percentages, iirc, ranged from 75% to 125%.

It looks like there were a lot of charters that were being funding at below 97% - more than were being funded at above 103%, anyway.

But when the discussion gets to this level of detail, it’s time to read the actual bill, and 550 pages is a rather tall order, even for those who are seriously, seriously interested.

I’m, er, thinking about that, too.

But anyway, thanks for all the ed-related posts, much appreciated.

Comment by dbk Friday, Sep 8, 17 @ 1:41 pm
Too confusing to generate comment, I guess.

I had no idea that charters get extra per-pupil funding to pay for administration. I thought a benefit to charters was less supposed to be less bureaucracy, not another layer of it.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 8, 17 @ 3:55 pm