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Charter School Funding

Following the Money

Charter schools are public schools and should receive the same type and amount of funding as conventional district schools. But they do not. On average, charter schools are receiving 40 percent less funding than conventional public schools. Charters are doing more with less, and must use their scarce time and resources to raise additional funds.

State-by-state Funding Comparison:

State

Conventional
Public School Funding

Public
Charter School
Funding

Charter Funding
as Percentage of
District Funding

National

$10,771

$6,585

61%

Alaska

$12,229

$6,022

49%

Arizona

$8,025

$6,075

76%

Arkansas

$8,960

$5,700

64%

California

$10,264

$7,034

69%

Colorado

$9,285

$6,500

70%

Connecticut

$14,893

$10,615

71%

Delaware

$13,143

$8,453

64%

D.C.

$18,332

$11,154

61%

Florida

$9,542

$6,552

69%

Georgia

$10,113

$6,740

67%

Hawaii

$14,799

$8,000

54%

Idaho

$7,257

$6,703

92%

Illinois

$10,506

$6,602

63%

Indiana

$11,028

$6,400

58%

Iowa

$9,771

$7,529

77%

Kansas

$9,973

$5,601

56%

Louisiana

$10,456

$6,926

66%

Maryland

$12,430

$5,651

45%

Massachusetts

$14,782

$10,107

68%

Michigan

$10,900

$7,128

65%

Minnesota

$11,010

$10,302

94%

Mississippi

$8,644

$5,229

60%

Missouri

$9,585

$9,515

99%

Nevada

$8,937

$6,291

70%

New Hampshire

$11,753

$4,300

37%

New Jersey

$16,743

$9,579

57%

New Mexico

$9,438

$8,000

85%

New York

$16,800

$12,205

73%

North Carolina

$8,434

$7,234

86%

Ohio

$11,606

$6,098

53%

Oklahoma

$8,069

$4,600

57%

Oregon

$9,668

$4,600

48%

Pennsylvania

$12,942

$7,802

60%

Rhode Island

$13,279

$11,241

85%

South Carolina

$9,643

$4,682

49%

Tennessee

$7,512

$7,067

94%

Texas

$9,210

$6,620

72%

Utah

$6,802

$4,907

72%

Virginia

$10,672

$6,450

60%

Wisconsin

$11,160

$7,996

72%

Wyoming

$13,329

$6,800

51%

Conventional Public School Funding Data Source: Public Education Finances 2006, Table 11. States Ranked According to Per Pupil Elementary-Secondary Public, "School System Finance Amounts: 2005-06, U.S. Census Bureau, April 2008"

Charter Public School Funding Data Source: Charter School Survey 2006, The Center for Education Reform, except for the following:
State Departments of Education of Hawaii, Indiana, New York and Oregon; Colorado League of Charter Schools; New Hampshire Center for School Reform; New Mexico Coalition; Rhode Island League of Charter Schools; data for Connecticut and Missouri from Aspire Consulting. 

Return to State-by-State Charter School Funding Map.

The Center for Education Reform
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