Funded: Charters

Charter funding policies and reporting practices within each state may vary depending on the entity that authorized the charter school. Charter schools in Connecticut may be authorized by both the local or regional school district and the State Board of Education, or by the State Board of Education only.

Funding for some charter schools in Connecticut is calculated based on local school district expenditures, while funding for other charter schools is calculated based on a formula distinct from the one used to calculate funding for traditional public schools.

Charter schools authorized by local school districts receive funding based on the per student cost in the local school district in which the charter is located, with some types of expenditures excluded. Charter schools will also receive funding for students with disabilities from the students’ district(s) of residence. In addition, the State Board of Education may approve a per-student grant to locally authorized charter schools not to exceed $3,000 per student. Charter schools authorized by the state receive a per student payment that is currently set at $11,250, subject to state appropriation.

For the purposes of the calculation used to fund locally authorized charter schools, per student cost includes all expenditures, except for expenditures for land, capital construction, debt service, certain state and federal grants, adult education, and a number of other types of expenditures.

Some charter schools in Connecticut receive all funding directly from the state, while others receive all funding through local school districts.

Charter schools authorized by the state receive all funding from the state. Charter schools authorized by local school districts receive funding primarily from the local school district where they are located. However, locally authorized charter schools may also receive a per student grant from the state. (See “Funding Calculation.”)

State law in Connecticut does not specify that a share of charter funding is withheld.

Some charter schools in Connecticut receive a share of local tax revenue, while other charter schools do not.

Charter schools authorized by local school districts receive a share of revenue raised in the school district in which they are located, in that they receive a share of district expenditures (See “Funding Calculation” for a detailed description of how this funding is calculated.) Charter schools authorized by the state do not receive a share of revenue raised by local school districts.

Charter schools in Connecticut constitute their own local education agencies.

Charter school students in Connecticut are counted as students of the charter they attend for state reporting purposes.

State funding for charter schools in Connecticut is reported separately from state funding for any district.

Charter school expenditures in Connecticut are reported separately from expenditures of any school district.

Click here for Connecticut's traditional district funding information.