Archived Information

School Finance: Charter Schools

Memorandum

During the school year 2001-2002, Massachusetts' 36 Commonwealth Charter Schools served a total of 13,765 pupils. We have prepared a number of reports presenting June FY02 Charter School pupil enrollment and tuition amounts. Our purpose in publishing this at this time is a) to ensure the accuracy of the information, b) to show how the annual tuition and assessments were derived, and c) to assist districts in planning for the budgetary impact of charter programs during FY03.

The following reports are available on our website.

• June FY02 Charter Tuition and Reimbursement. This report shows each district's total full-time equivalent pupils at all charter schools (Column A); the amount of local tuition and transportation being assessed (D); the amount of direct state subsidy for pupils who were in private or home school settings in FY02 (E), and the amount that the Commonwealth is reimbursing each district for the cost of their charter pupils (O). Please note that due to FY02 state budget reductions, the charter reimbursement account is insufficient for full funding. Therefore, a pro-ration factor of 89 percent has been applied to each district's entitlement.

• June FY02 Charter Pupils and Tuition. This report shows the number of pupils at each charter school and the total dollars to be paid-including the Commonwealth's subsidy for private and home-schooled pupils. This is the first year that it was necessary for the Department to cap a charter's enrollment at its spring projection, in accordance with the charter school statute. Although this reduction was minor in its tuition impact, I point it out as a reminder that this provision does exist and will be enforced.

• FY02 Charter School Tuition Rate Calculations show the budgeted expenditures and enrollments that were used in determining the tuition rate.

• FY03 Projected Charter School Enrollment and Tuition Calculations. It is our hope that this information will help charter schools, school districts, and municipalities in their FY03 budget process. Currently there is a difference between the House and Senate versions of the Chapter 46 reimbursement program. Therefore, we are unable to provide a good projection of how much districts will receive from this reimbursement. Once the state budget is finalized, projected reimbursements will be calculated and incorporated into this report.

Superintendents of districts that are sending pupils to charter schools, and all charter school leaders, will also receive in the mail a June FY02 Charter School Roster, containing pupil information such as name, address, birth date, program and enrollment dates, as well as the tuition and transportation assessment for each child.

If you have any questions about this information, please contact Hadley Brett Cabral at the School Finance Office at (781) 338-6586, or hlee@doe.mass.edu.