Agenda- 05-14-20; Item 1-A - Public School Forum Local School Finance Study

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- � • • • - • • CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS North Carolina's first charter school opened in 1997,and as cope with decreased state funds as a result of fewer for nearly 15 years no more than 100 charter schools students in our traditional public schools:' could operate in the state. In 2011 the NC General Assembly lifted that cap,and since then,the number of That scenario presents a considerable challenge because charter schools has nearly doubled.In a report published traditional public schools must accept all students,said by Duke University researchers Helen Ladd and John Curtis—yet the charter school is not required to do so. Singleton,the authors found that charter schools now produce large and negative fiscal impacts on traditional "That means we are generally left with the higher cost public school students.These negative fiscal externalities students,such as Exceptional Children (EC)students who on public school districts come to pass,say the authors, require much more in the way of services,"said Curtis. because districts are unable to reduce spending in line The state funding formula is already insufficient for EC with the revenue losses they experience as a result students, requiring Pamlico to meet those students' needs of charter schools without reducing services to the by supplementing their services with local funds.Overall, remaining public school students" the impact of charter schools has resulted in the reality that Pamlico can't provide all of the programs to students Steve Curtis,Chief Financial Officer for Pamlico County that they would like or reduce class sizes even further to Schools,explains the impact of just one charter school on meet the needs of every child. his district. Statewide policies could ease the adverse fiscal impact "We only have approximately 1,500 students in our small of charter schools on traditional public schools, Duke district,and 15 percent of all Pamlico students attend the researchers suggest.As charter schools expand,the state district's one charter school. Each month,we must send could provide transitional aid to mitigate revenue losses; that charter school nearly$50,000 in local funds,as well however,they caution,that is not a long-term solution.