School Finance: Charter Schools

2008-2009 Charter School Pre-Enrollment

In accordance with M.G.L. c.71, §89(o), and 603 CMR 1.09(4), the purpose of this memorandum is to notify you of the number of students from your district who are expected to be enrolled in Massachusetts charter schools for the 2008-2009 school year.

I am providing you with two reports that provide information about projected charter school enrollment for the upcoming school year.

The first report, Charter School Pre-Enrollment for the 2008-2009 School Year, by Charter School , identifies by charter school, the location, the grade levels to be served, the total pre-enrollment count, and the number of students on the school's waiting list as of March 15, 2008.

The second report, Charter School Pre-Enrollment for the 2008-2009 School Year, by Sending District , identifies by sending district, the number of students by grade who have pre-enrolled in charter schools and the number of students on each school's waiting list as of March 15, 2008.

According to state regulations, payments shall be made to charter schools "only for the total number of students from all districts " as reported on the charter school pre-enrollment report. As a result, while actual enrollment from your district may differ slightly, the total enrollment in a charter school from all districts, as listed on the first attached report, represents a cap on the number of students for which the charter school may receive tuition payments.

Charter school tuition assessments are charged to sending districts in three installments (December 31, March 31, and June 30). Each assessment is based on actual charter school enrollment and the charter school tuition rate in effect at the time of the payment, with corrections made for any over- or under-payment in previous quarters. For additional details on the calculation of charter school tuition and assessments, see Calculation and Disbursement of Commonwealth Charter School Tuition.

If you have any questions regarding charter school enrollment, the funding formula, or the charter school statute and regulations on these issues, please contact Cliff Chuang in the Charter School Office at (781) 338-3228 or cchuang@doe.mass.edu.