Charter schools are '' double-dipping '' on pension reimbursements.

[femmocrat]

Public school groups decry formula for funding charters

By Debra Erdley
Tribune-Review

Pennsylvania charter schools are reaping a multimillion-dollar, taxpayer-funded bonus on pension reimbursements at the expense of public school districts, a coalition of school groups contends.

The associations, representing urban and rural schools, school boards, business managers and administrators, say the state’s calculation for the tuition that districts must pay for charter school students requires them to pay double the amount they should for employee pensions.

The problem, according to those who have studied it, is that school districts pay 50 percent of their pension costs and the state pays the rest. Charter schools, likewise, are reimbursed 50 percent of their pension costs from the state.

But in addition, school districts must include the state and the local pension payments in their calculations for charter school tuition, a formula that theoretically provides charter schools with 150 percent of pension costs.

More at link: http://triblive.com/news/2145443-74/charter-schools-tuition-costs-pension-district-districts-state-formula-students?printerfriendly=true

From femmocrat: The article states that 105,000 students are enrolled in PA charter schools with another 40,000 waiting to enroll. The school districts, which took a huge hit from Corbett's cuts to education, are having to spend their fund balances to pay for charter school enrollees.

[Curmudgeoness]

1. It just keeps getting worse.

Charter schools funded by public tax dollars was always a bad idea, but as the details come out, this is unbelievable.

Call me fed up with this shit. Now, how do we stop this trend?

[femmocrat]

2. Since Corbett is very pro-charter and voucher, it won't happen soon.

I'm sure there are very good charters, but I don't agree with taking tax payers' dollars to fund them, especially when public schools are hurting. And why are so many parents taking their kids out of public schools? The article said, for example, that in Woodland Hills (suburban Pittsburgh), 1200 (out of 4000) students attend charters. That is a lot of money for the district to shell out.

I'm not sure if all charters are for-profit? Anyone know?

[Curmudgeoness]

3. No, not all charters are for-profit.

Think religious schools, basically funded by the church and tuition. It is just that the tuition is now being subsidized by tax dollars these days. In prior days, the parents paid the full amount out of pocket if they chose to send their kids there.

Actually, for-profit schools seem to be a relatively new phenomena. Where government money is available, all sorts of people move in.