Worcester Could Lose More than $30 Million Annually to Charter Schools By 2017

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Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Patrick Sargent, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

With the announcement earlier this month that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education received proposals from 10 groups seeking to open charter schools in the state, Worcester may need to prepare for the inevitable loss of millions more in tuition payments to these schools.

Updating a story from earlier this month, GoLocalWorcester has analyzed data from the DESE and determined that Worcester’s public school district could lose out on over $30 million annually in much-needed funds with the possible addition of three charter schools in Central Massachusetts.

If the state grants the addition of three charter schools in the Worcester area (Massachusetts Biotechnology Charter School, International Academy of Montachusett Charter School, and Old Sturbridge Academy Charter Public School), it would allow nearly 2,500 more students in Central Massachusetts to attend charter schools.

SEE SLIDES BELOW: Central MA School Districts That Lose the Most Money to Charter Schools

Massachusetts law requires that the public school district pay for a student that chooses to attend a charter school rather than a public school.

As previously reported, a review of the FY2016 cost and aid projections for charter schools and the school districts they reside in shows that Worcester will pay more than $22 million in local charter school tuition payments over the course of the next fiscal year.

With 2,200 students in the city due to attend charter schools this upcoming school year, Worcester will pay an average of $10,000 per student in tuition payments this year.

There are currently only five charter schools in the area. Next year, the Worcester Public School district could potentially lose an additional 1,000 students with the opening of these three schools and the expansion of enrollment of existing charter schools in the state. 

Arguments from Both Sides

“Charter schools hinder public school budgets because a whole new set of administration, teachers, supplies, and more is needed,” Brian Allen, Chief Financial & Operations Officer of the Worcester Public School District told GoLocalWorcester. “Having stand-alone school districts are taking away funding from the public schools around them. I don’t believe that this is the most effective way to have tax dollars spent.”

As part of Massachusetts legislation - Chapter 46 and Increased Tuition Aid - districts receive aid when charter school tuition increases and for first year students that enter a charter school from a private school or from being home-schooled.

In FY2016, Worcester will receive roughly $2.6 million in aid to help offset the $22 million in costs

In defense of the state’s charter school system, Dominic Slowey, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association told GoLocalWorcester, “The reimbursement system pays the public school district for a total of six years. That is six years that a district is being paid by the state where they are not required to educate the student.”

Tuition is based on the average funding per student of a school district. Charter schools use the money to pay for teachers, equipment, books, etc. From the state, charter schools receive funding in the form of facilities aid since these schools are not eligible for funding from the School Building Administration.

Due to the fact that charter schools in Massachusetts are independent from school districts, and any student in the state can apply to attend nearly any one of them, public school districts can lose out on state funding to charter schools within in their district, in neighboring towns, or even in districts outside of their counties.

As of March 2015, nearly 50,000 applicants are on the wait list for Massachusetts charter schools.

“I believe that public education is to provide the best education as possible in the schools and encourage parents to have the Worcester Public Schools as their school of choice. Charter schools receive public money based on the number of students they enroll and it is a drain on public education, without a doubt,” said School Committee member and GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™ John Monfredo. “They use public funds without public oversight (elected school committee) and because of state control, local communities are denied the ability to reject them.”

No Relief in Sight for Public School Districts

Governor Charlie Baker is a strong advocate for charter schools in Massachusetts and has consistently pushed for more schools to open to help relieve the long list of student applicants hoping to leave their public school for a charter school.

"Massachusetts' charter schools are some of the best in the nation and present a promising opportunity to improve the overall quality of public education and the lives of the children who attend,"said Governor Baker. "Increasing access to high-quality education is essential, especially for families in underperforming districts, if we are to ensure that every child, regardless of zip code or income, has the ability to attend a great school and realize their full potential."

Along with the three proposed charter schools from Central Massachusetts, seven other groups have proposed schools across the Bay State.

In addition to those proposed schools, 19 existing charter schools have applied to expand their enrollment - with eight of the schools applying for an additional 100 or more seats.

"I am pleased to see such a wide range of applications from across the Commonwealth," said Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell D. Chester. "Massachusetts has a rigorous approval process, and my department will review each of these applications carefully before deciding which to advance to the next level."

Another three groups have sent a letter of intent to the state they plan to apply for a charter school this coming fall.

Final applications will be due Nov. 4, 2015, and ESE staff and external reviewers with expertise in education, finance, the law, and organizational structure will review each final application. Commissioner Chester will then decide which finalists to recommend to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Board will vote on the commissioner's recommendations in February 2016.

In school districts performing in the lowest 10 percent statewide and in which the 9 percent net school spending charter cap is or would be exceeded, applications will be considered only from proven providers (a designation that is based on the performance criteria described in 603 CMR 1.04(4)). For applicants who must demonstrate that they qualify as proven providers, an invitation to submit a final application will be contingent on the commissioner's granting of proven provider status.

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Related Slideshow: Central MA School Districts with Most Money Lost to Charter Schools

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• Worcester Public Schools Lose $22 Million Annually to Charter Schools
• Three Groups Propose to Open Charter Schools in Central MA
• Central MA School Districts with Most Money Lost to Charter Schools
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• Charter School Cap Debate Rages on as Senate Caucus Debates Bill
• MA Charter School Association Skeptical of Teachers Unionizing
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• Study: MA Charter Schools Outperforming District Schools
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