Pub. 2 2012-2013 Issue 1

11 3. ALTERNATE CURRICULUM: Charter schools offer a wide variety of curriculums. The most popular in the schools we finance is Core Knowledge, but there are multiple curriculums that are attractive to parents and students. The best fit will vary depending upon the target market served. The “right fit” is more important than the “right curriculum.” 4. PHYSICAL PLANT: For urban charters, this is closely tied to item #1, safety. For suburban schools, charters are frequently the alternative to year-round school schedules, long bus commutes, or modular and over-crowded class- rooms. In many new suburban areas, build it and they really will come, and they will bring their brothers and sisters too. more. I call these demographic funding streams. The state also provides funding for teacher raises, teacher supplies, and teacher qualifications. Then there are several program funding streams that pay for programs like Concurrent Enrollment, International Baccalaureate, Career and Technical Education classes, School Nurses, Primary Grade Reading and more. Adding it all up So what happens if some new students enroll in your school? Well, you’ll get the per-student amount outlined above based on the student’s grade level (at least if they enroll before the deadline). And then you may or may not get some other funding. If some of those students are low-income or have a disability, they’ll generate some demographic funding. If they are in primary grades, they’ll generate some Reading Achievement money. If you get enough that you have to hire another teacher, then the teacher will generate some Salary Adjustment money and Classroom Materials money. If you offer an IB program, then the school will be eligible for some of that money. Those funding streams typically work out to a little over $1,000 per student in state and federal funding. But keep in mind, that no single student generates a set, or even a predictable, amount, except for the per-student funding noted above. Along with being less predictable on a per-student basis, programmatic and demographic funding is also very restricted in how it can be used. The state provides a handy workbook that can predict funding pretty closely and is available at the School Finance website. Boards and business managers should exercise caution when using “average” funding in place of “actual” funding when looking at different budget scenarios. Dividing your current funding by your current enrollment isn’t an accurate predictor of what will happen if you enroll another twenty students. Unless those new students have exactly the same demographic characteristics and result in new staff and programs in the same ratios to the current students, such projections are too rosy. Conclusion Boards and business managers that understand school finance, how money is generated, and how it can be used will be much more accurate in projecting budgets and planning for the future. Boards should invest in the professional development of themselves and their finance staff to make their budgeting process more smooth. Charter Solutions president Lincoln Fillmore is a career education reformer. With experience as a teacher, principal, and business manager, Mr. Fillmore brings a unique experience and perspective which has assisted several charter schools throughout the state to operate successfully. A successful charter school meets a spe- cific need or “deficit” within the community they serve. PER STUDENT? How much do you get CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8