Author : Robin Jacobowitz
Release : 2004
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Kind : eBook
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Book Synopsis Charter School Funding in New York Perspectives on Parity with Traditional Public Schools by : Robin Jacobowitz

Download or read book Charter School Funding in New York Perspectives on Parity with Traditional Public Schools written by Robin Jacobowitz. This book was released on 2004. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The New York State Charter Schools Act, passed in 1998, identifies a bundle of resources available to charter schools from a variety of local, state, and federal sources. The Act intends for these resources to provide adequate funding and support for the operation of charter schools. Specific resources include a per pupil payment for general operating support, additional state funding for special education, federal dollars driven by student population (e.g. No Child Left Behind Title I funding), as well as in-kind services from the school district in which the charter school resides. This bundle of local, state, and federal resources roughly mirrors the funding and support provided to traditional public schools. Yet since the passage of the Act, and since New York State?s first five charter schools opened their doors in the fall of 1999, charter school advocates and operators have argued that this funding is insufficient. Specifically, they have maintained that the resources that charter schools receive are less than the resources available to other public schools in the same school district-- at times asserting that this discrepancy is as large as 30%. They also claim that lack of parity is a disincentive to future charter school operators. While charter school operators argue the lack of parity in resources, school districts argue that charter schools already receive sufficient funding. This paper explores whether or not funding disparities exist and the magnitude of any such disparities. It begins with a listing of the public resources available to charter schools in New York State, then proceeds with several comparative analyses for charter and traditional public schools in New York City. This paper also finds that New York City charter schools have fewer public resources than traditional public schools. This funding disparity exists at all educational levels--elementary, middle, and high school--and for students in both general and special education. By identhese discrepancies, this paper provides legislators and policy makers with evidence and information to correct this disparity and place charter schools on equal financial footing with all other public schools in New York State. Contains 7 figures, and 4 appendices. A list of other reports and papers on Charter Schools research done by the institute is also provided. [This report was also produced by the Office of New Schools Development New York City Department of Education.].