Funded: Charters

A Detailed Look at Each State's Charter School Funding Policies

Below, see summaries of the state’s education funding policy in each issue area. Click the Expand icon next to any summary to see more detail, if available, about that state’s policy regarding that issue area. Click the Citation icon

next to any summary to see the sources of the information regarding that issue area.

	Virginia
Funding Basics
Authorizer	Charter funding policies and reporting practices within each state may vary depending on the entity that authorized the charter school. Charter schools in Virginia may be authorized by local school districts, with approval from the State Board of Education. References: “Charter Schools: What organizations may authorize charter schools, and is there a statewide authorizing body?” Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison, January 2018. http://ecs.force.com/mbdata/mbquestNB2C?rep=CS1708
Funding Formula	Funding for charter schools in Virginia is not subject to a specific calculation. Virginia state law does not specify how charter schools should be funded. Charter schools are part of local school districts and the local school district may fund charters in accordance with the agreement it reaches with its charter school(s). State law suggests that per student funding for charter schools should be commensurate with the average per student cost within the district, and that charter schools should receive a proportionate share of program-specific allocations. However, it does not require the district and charter to arrive on these terms. References: Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-212.14 (Lexis 2019)
Funding Distribution
Funding Distribution	Charter schools in Virginia receive all funding through local school districts. All charter schools in Virginia are authorized by local school districts, and they receive funding through the school district that authorized them. References: Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-212.14 (Lexis 2019)
Withholdings	State law in Virginia does not specify that a share of charter funding is withheld. References: Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-212.14 (Lexis 2019).
Local Taxes	Some charter schools in Virginia may receive a share of local tax revenue, while other charter schools may not. Charter schools receive funding, including local tax revenue, based on an agreement between the charter and the school district. References: Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-212.14 (Lexis 2019)
Data and Reporting
Legal Status	Charter schools in Virginia are part of local education agencies. References: pers. comm. Edward Lanza, Virginia Department of Education, email, October 4, 2018. Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-212.14 (Lexis 2019)
Student Count	Charter school students in Virginia are counted as students of the school district in which the charter school is located for state reporting purposes. References: Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-212.14 (Lexis 2019)
Funding	State funding for charter schools in Virginia is reported as part of state funding for the school district where the charter school is located. References: pers. comm. Edward Lanza, Virginia Department of Education, email, October 4, 2018. Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-212.14 (Lexis 2019)
Expenditures	Charter school expenditures in Virginia are reported as part of expenditures of the school district where the charter school is located. References: pers. comm. Edward Lanza, Virginia Department of Education, email, October 4, 2018. Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-212.14 (Lexis 2019) Click here for Virginia's traditional district funding information.