Kasich Ed Plan: Charters Remain Only Fully State Funded Students

The Budget language came out for the Ohio Biennial Budget. Noticeably absent in much of Gov. John Kasich's rollout of his new education plan has been any real discussion of Charter Schools.

Now we know why.

If Kasich had announced that he was going to pick up the difference between every district's per pupil valuation and $250,000 of per pupil valuation, then mentioned he was going to pick up the FULL $250,000 per pupil valuation amount for Charters, that perhaps there would have been backlash from the Education Community who attended his meetings during the rollout? Exactly.

While School Districts are being notably held down on their funding in Kasich's plan, Charter Schools will be the only schools in the state that will receive full state funding. Again. Here's the language for Charter School funding from the Budget Bill (House Bill 59):

")(1) Except as provided in division (C)(2) of this section, and subject to divisions (C)(3) and (4) of this section, on a full-time equivalency basis, for each student enrolled in a community school established under this chapter, the department of education annually shall deduct from the state education aid of a student's resident district and, if necessary, from the payment made to the district under sections 321.24 and 323.156 of the Revised Code and pay to the community school the sum of the following:

(a) An opportunity grant of ($250,000 - the school's valuation per pupil) X 0.02.

Each community school's valuation per pupil shall be zero.

(b) The per pupil amount of targeted assistance funds calculated under section 3317.0217 of the Revised Code for the student's resident district, as determined by the department;

(c) Additional state aid for special education and related services provided under Chapter 3323. of the Revised Code as follows:

(i) If the student is a category one special education student, the amount specified in division (A) of section 3317.013 of the Revised Code;

(ii) If the student is a category two special education student, the amount specified in division (B) of section 3317.013 of the Revised Code;

(iii) If the student is a category three special education student, the amount specified in division (C) of section 3317.013 of the Revised Code;

(iv) If the student is a category four special education student, the amount specified in division (D) of section 3317.013 of the Revised Code;

(v) If the student is a category five special education student, the amount specified in division (E) of section 3317.013 of the Revised Code;

(vi) If the student is a category six special education student, the amount specified in division (F) of section 3317.013 of the Revised Code.

(d) If the student is in kindergarten, the per pupil amount of early childhood access funds calculated under division (A)(4) of section 3317.022 of the Revised Code for the student's resident district, as determined by the department, X the full-time equivalency of the student;

(e) If the student is economically disadvantaged, $500 X the resident district's economically disadvantaged index;

(f) Limited English proficiency funds as follows:

(i) If the student is a category one limited English proficiency student, the amount specified in division (A) of section 3317.016 of the Revised Code;

(ii) If the student is a category two limited English proficiency student, the amount specified in division (B) of section 3317.016 of the Revised Code;

(iii) If the student is a category three limited English proficiency student, the amount specified in division (C) of section 3317.016 of the Revised Code;

(iv) If the student is a category four limited English proficiency student, the amount specified in division (D) of section 3317.016 of the Revised Code.

(g) Gifted funds in an amount of $50 for each enrolled student.

(2) When deducting from the state education aid of a student's resident district for students enrolled in an internet- or computer-based community school and making payments to such school under this section, the department shall make the deductions and payments described in only divisions (C)(1)(a), (c), (e), (f), and (g) of this section.

No deductions or payments shall be made for a student enrolled in such school under division (C)(1)(b) or (d) of this section.

(3) The department shall deduct from the aggregate amount paid under division (C)(1) of this section fifteen per cent of the sum of the amount paid under division (C)(1)(c) of this section and transfer that amount to the special education exceptional cost fund created in section 3317.0215 of the Revised Code. A community school may apply for funds from the special education exceptional cost fund if it satisfies the criteria in section 3317.0214 of the Revised Code.

(4) If the sum of the payments computed under division (C)(1) of this section for the students entitled to attend school in a particular school district under sections 3313.64 and 3313.65 of the Revised Code exceeds the sum of that district's state education aid and its payment under sections 321.24 and 323.156 of the Revised Code, the department shall calculate and apply a proration factor to the payments to all community schools under that division for the students entitled to attend school in that district. "
 

So Charters are the only schools in the state that receive the full state funding up to $250,000 of valuation per pupil (a flawed arrangement, but there you have it). Plus, they receive the benefit of districts' poverty ratings, and all categorical funding. Once again, Ohio's Charter Schools seem set to receive about double the state aid per pupil of all other districts.

All while not even two dozen rate above the state average on the Performance Index Score, the average Charter scores in the bottom 8% of public school buildings, and a mere 10% rate Excellent on the state report card, which is allegedly so easy on schools that the Kasich Administration insisted on radically changing the system.

Go figure.