Charter schools came on the scene in Colorado 22 years ago, and yet, incredibly, they remain second-class citizens in many districts despite their continued growth and popularity.
Not only do they usually have to locate and acquire their facilities, but they frequently do not share equally in voter-approved mill levy overrides, aka tax hikes. And this can amount to a funding disadvantage of hundreds of dollars per student compared to other district schools.
This month, to their credit, two more school districts — Jefferson County and Thompson in Loveland — moved to equalize the funding, at least in terms of the mill levy.
Unfortunately, the actions didn’t occur without controversy.
In Jeffco, the board voted 3 to 2 to provide charters with an additional $2.5 million. That’s the same split that occurred last year when the board began the process of bringing charter schools’ funding up to match that of their peers.
“For the first time in Jeffco history, all Jeffco schools students will receive the same per pupil funding from the mill levy override, regardless of the public school he or she attends,” declared Superintendent Dan McMinimee.
It’s easy to forget amid the fog of rhetoric from those opposing equal funding that charters are public schools, too. After nearly a quarter century of experience, their equal treatment should not be controversial.
But opponents always come up with reasons why it’s not yet a good time to equalize funding. In fact, the reality is that it will probably never be a good time in their view.
One of the board members who voted against equal funding in Jeffco, for example, cited her concern over charters’ “accountability to the district,” while professing theoretical support for the concept.
But other districts, such as Denver, have managed to ensure accountability without tolerating a two-tier system of funding.
Colorado school districts are not required to equalize funding for charter schools. But if they want to do the right thing, they should.
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