The New York City Independent Budget Office -- as in, independent of pro-charter Mayor Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Klein -- issued an analysis today (here) that calculated the funding inequity between charter schools and district schools. No surprise: charter schools do indeed get less than district schools in New York City, including charters housed in free district-provided space.

According to the IBO's report, based on 2008-09 data, charter schools get $3,017 less per student than a city district school. For charter schools in district space, the gap is narrowed to $305 less per charter student.

The report calculated per pupil amounts for in-kind support for charter schools, including textbooks, nursing, and transportation. For charter schools in district space, it assigned per pupil amounts for facilities, safety and debt service, among other expenses.

IBO Report Underestimates Funding Gap
The IBO's analysis I contend underestimates the gap between charter and district school funding. For example, funding levels are assigned to charter schools in facilities based on a district wide average, even though most charter schools share space with district schools which should result in lower proportionate facility and safety costs. In addition, non-recurring start-up costs for supplies and furniture costs provided for charter schools are erroneously counted in perpetuity. The IBO also compares charters against district wide per pupil spending levels rather than comparable, higher-cost district schools with higher poverty rates comparable to charter schools.

The New York City Department of Education reacted to the IBO report by releasing a statement (here) and providing its own funding gap estimates. DOE calculates that charter schools receive $3,432 less per pupil than district schools and $877 less per student for charter schools housed in district space - this latter figure is nearly three times the IBO estimate.

Funding Gap is Widening - Charter Students Matter Less
The IBO analysis uses budget data from last year, 2008-09. Since then, charter funding for this year has been frozen at these prior-year levels, while the city school district's spending has increased. Gov. Paterson has proposed to continue this charter funding freeze for 2010-11, which will exacerbate the funding inequity.

The state legislature should reject Gov. Paterson's proposal to retain the funding freeze on charters and instead allow them to be funding based on district spending, up or down. Failure to do so not only widens this perpetual funding injustice, but sends a terrible message to students in charter schools: You matter less.

Peter Murphy
for The Chalkboard
(see me Twitter @ PeterMurphy26
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