Less money per student at charters

CHARTER SCHOOLS in New York City receive almost $5,000 less per student each year than traditional schools, according to a study to be released Tuesday by researchers at the University of Arkansas.

The researchers found city charter schools received $21,281 per pupil in total funding for the 2013-14 school year, compared with $26,169 for district schools. That figure includes federal, state and city funding plus private money.

The privately funded, publicly run charters had less money for each student because they got less funding from the state, the study authors said.

“In spite of heroic efforts by policymakers and implementers to support students in charter schools, we are still left with a situation where students receive less funding,” said co-author Patrick Wolf, a professor of education policy at the university.

Charter schools have received several increases in per-pupil funding from the state since 2014, which is when the researchers’ data originated.

City Education Department spokeswoman Toya Holness also said district schools bear a number of costs that charter schools are not responsible for, including constitutionally guaranteed pensions for teachers and debt service.

Charter schools outperformed traditional district schools on state exams released in August, but critics say they enroll fewer challenging students.