Separate but Equal?

Five Years Later, Funding
Inequities Remain

Opinion Column by Lindsey Brown
 

IT HAS BEEN NEARLY FIVE years since Indiana charter school legislation was passed in 2001. The now almost 40 public charter schools operating throughout the state serve almost 10,000 students. Many of whom are now thriving, after leaving a public school system which was not meeting their needs. These are the same public school systems eating operating on hefty and continually increasing budgets.

As an example, let’s take a look at one of the larger public districts in the state- Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS). With a proposed tax increase of 37%, IPS will operate on a budget of $546 million dollars in 2007. Much of the increased spending will go toward facility construction and improvements ($65 million); all of this after recently cutting down staff and leaving nearly 200 IPS teachers looking elsewhere for jobs. Is this a case of a lack of resources or simply a misallocation of them?

While IPS asserts they don’t have enough money, charter schools operate every year without any funding for transportation or capital projects. Not to mention that they have no bonding authority. With a per-pupil expenditure of just over $6,000/student, charter schools operate at less than half the cost of an IPS school which spends about $14,000/student and receives general per-pupil funds, capital funds, and transportation funds. 

According to the Center For Education Reform, eleven state supreme courts have held that charter schools are public schools and that their students are entitled to the same public financial commitment as non-charter public schools. However, like many other states, poor drafting and vague language in the Indiana charter law prevents equal funding for charter schools.  A study released by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation in 2005 reported a funding gap (between charter and non-charter public schools) of 21.7 percent across 17 states.  Is this equitable funding? I don’t think so.

So the next question is how do we solve this problem? Well, it’s a legislative issue. Legislators should recognize the problem and put this at the top of their agenda for the upcoming session. A simple amendment could rectify this inequitable situation. How about per-pupil funding for transportations and facilities for charter schools?  I urge all Indiana charter school to invite their legislators to their schools to visit and witness, first hand the inequities as well as the excellence in teaching and learning occurring at our schools.  Our students are public school students and should be treated as such. More and more charter schools are opening and existing schools are gaining ground academically. In fact, seven of Indiana’s charter schools were recently labeled as “Exemplary” by the Indiana Department of Education (PL 221). And they are doing this without equal financial resources. Five years later, isn’t it time to even the playing field?
 

For More Information or to Submit and Article: Contact Lindsey Brown lindsey.brown@geofoundation.org