The Public School Academy Funding Gap : Revenue Disparities between "Charter" Schools and Traditional Public Schools in Michigan. A Report from the Michigan Chamber Foundation / Patrick L. Anderson, Scott D. Watkins and Christopher S. Cotton.

The research reported in this document was undertaken to determine the relative costs of educating a child in a charter school and a traditional public school in Michigan. To assess the costs, the following research was done: a review of the laws that govern public schools in Michigan; a review of the statutes that govern the funding of public schools in Michigan; and three analyses to assess the relative costs of educating a child in a charter schools and a traditional public school. Following are some of the results of the analyses: (1) A review of the statutes indicated that charter schools are entitled by law to the same operational funding, or less, than the host school district, yet they receive no additional capital funding, establishing that charter schools cost taxpayers less than district schools; (2) charter schools receive $1,036 per student less, on average, than district schools; and (3) charter schools receive no capital funding, which accounts for the largest share of the disparity in funding between charter schools and traditional public schools. The report also contains findings from related research (literature reviews) of charter schools in Michigan. (Contains numerous tables.) (WFA)

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