Archived Information
School Finance: Charter Schools
Charter School FY07 Tuition and Enrollment Projections
Below you will find links to FY07 tuition and enrollment projections for charter schools and sending districts. It is our hope that this information will assist in the FY07 budget process for charter schools, school districts and municipalities.
It is important to note several caveats that may affect the accuracy of these projections. While actual enrollment cannot exceed the projection reported by a given charter, enrollment by individual sending school districts may vary. A sending district's tuition rate is a function of local enrollment and budgeted expenditures, both of which are based upon projections at this time.
The FY07 state budget, signed into law on July 8, 2006 by Governor Mitt Romney, fully funded both the Chapter 46 and the Facilities Aid reimbursement programs. For a detailed explanation of Chapter 46, please reference the following link: http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/charter/charter_tuition.html.
The newly approved state budget includes significant modifications to the FY07 foundation budget formula, the first change since the 1993 education reform law. For more information please see the Chapter 70 web page http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/chapter70/chapter_07.html and the description of changes to the foundation budget  .
Aside from the general overhaul of the categories used to determine adequate spending, three major differences may be found in the new formula: uncapping of the inflation index and changes to the monetary increments for low income and English language learner (ELL) pupils. The old foundation budget was subject to a statutory inflation cap of 4.5%. FY07 is the first year since the inception of the foundation budget that inflation has been higher than the cap. State budget language overrides the cap and increases the rates by the full inflation factor of 5.86%. In addition, the new foundation budget increases the incremental rates for low income by $25 and for ELL pupils by $50.
At the school district level the new foundation budget was designed to be 'fiscally neutral,' meaning that even with the redesign of the spending categories, the budget calculation itself would render a similar rate. For school districts, the new foundation budget comes in within .01 percent of the old. For charter schools, the new foundation budget comes in 2.9 percent greater than the old.
However for districts and charter schools that serve only middle school or high school populations, differences in rates are more pronounced. Charter schools serving primarily high school pupils will see an increase in their rates over the old formula; charter schools serving primarily middle school pupils will see a decrease in their rates over the old formula.
Finally, pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 71 Section 89(i), no public school district's total charter school tuition shall exceed 9% of it's net school spending. The "Projected FY07 Operating District's Net School Spending Cap Status" link provides detailed capping information. The last column in the matrix indicates the number of additional pupils, where one pupil equals an FTE of one, who may be enrolled from the district without exceeding the cap. If the number in this column is negative, the district's tuition has exceeded the net school spending cap and charter schools receiving pupils from this district will be subject to capping. For the full text of M.G.L. Chapter 71 Section 89(i), please reference the following link: http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/71-89.htm
If you have any questions regarding the FY07 projections, please contact Hadley Brett Cabral of the Office of School Finance at (781) 338-6586.
Reports:
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Projected FY07 Charter School Enrollment and Tuition, by charter school
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Projected FY07 Charter School Enrollment, Tuition, and Reimbursements, by sending district
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Projected FY07 Charter School Tuition Rates
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Projected FY07 FTE Remaining under the Net School Spending (NSS) Cap
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