Public Charter Schools: A Great Value for Ohio's Public Education System
This
policy brief examines public charter school finance and the impact of
public charter schools on the finances of nearby traditional public
schools. Specifically, it analyzed the implications for taxpayers in
each of Ohio's Big 8 city school systems if the charter school program
were discontinued and all students returned to their residentially
assigned traditional public schools.
The major findings of this report are:
1) Ohio's public charter schools do not, in any instance, receive funds raised by a school district's property tax.
2) Public charter schools operate with substantially less revenue per student in each of the Big 8 city school systems. The largest difference is in Youngstown, where charter schools operate with an average of $7,126 less per student. The smallest difference is in Canton, where charter schools operate with an average of $1,809 less per student.
3) Every Big 8 city school system receives a net gain in revenue, on average, for each student choosing to attend a charter school. The largest gains are in Cincinnati, where each student departing for a charter school provides the district an increase of$4,030. The smallest gains are in Canton, where each student departing for a charter school provides the district an increase of $918.
4) The return of public charter students to each Big 8 city school district would result in a net per pupil loss of revenues for the district. As a result, these districts would face either lower per pupil spending levels or significant property tax increases to maintain current spending levels. The largest tax increase would be required in Youngstown (roughly $3,200 per $100,000 of home valuation). The smallest increase would be required in Akron (roughly $300 per $100,000 of home valuation).
Matthew Carr is Buckeye Institute education policy director. Beth Lear is a Buckeye Institute education policy analyst.
