Charters seek funding equity

The main goals of charter school leaders this legislative session is achieving funding parity with traditional public schools — along with obtaining more money for administrative costs, ongoing startup funding and more staff.

According to a Utah Foundation study, an $800-per-student funding rift exists between charter students and regular public schools.

"I don't want charters to get more than they deserve but I do want them to be funded equally. . . . There is a difference between funding differences and funding inequalities," said Rep. Jim Ferrin, R-Orem.

In an effort to close that gap, charter school leaders are asking for a change in the local replacement funding formula that would give charters some $370 more per student.

Unlike school districts, charter schools can't bond or create revenue. They must rely on state and federal funding to run their schools while school districts get additional money from local property taxes. So the state kicks in replacement funding for charters in lieu of local money.

Currently, charter schools get $1,142 per student in replacement money but the revised formula would yield $1,512 per student.

Leaders are also asking for around $2 million to help with administrative costs since, unlike traditional schools, each charter school plays the role of a district office, doing its own payroll, finances, reports and assessments.

Plus they want $3.1 million to help new schools in their first year purchase books, desks and supplies. Those monies would supplement startup funding from the federal government and would be available only in the first year.

Steve Winitzky, director of the Technical Assistance Project for Utah charter schools, said another must-have is money for more staff members at the state level to oversee the rapidly growing number of charter schools.

Charter Board Chairman David Moss said next year 52 schools with be in operation with nearly 19,000 students — 4 percent of the state's enrollment. Currently, the charter office has three staff members. Winitzky said his office needs at least three more staff members to keep up with monitoring and compliance issues.

"After this, we can tell folks in the charter community, 'You are equitably funded, let's not hear of this anymore,' " Ferrin said.

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