Public Charter School Funding in Hawaii Not Keeping Up with Student Enrollment

http://starbulletin.com/2008/04/24/news/story12.html

While the budget for public charter schools in Hawaii is expected to grow by about $5 million next school year, the appropriation is $15.8 million short of what public charters had sought from Governor Linda Lingle, and per-pupil funding is predicted to drop because of increased enrollment. Under the proposed funding plan, some 8,000 public charter schools students would each get about $7,000 next school year, down $1,000 from this year. Linda Smith, the Governor's policy advisor, acknowledged enrollment projections for public charter schools have risen since the administration finalized its executive budget. She said the administration is working with lawmakers to check whether any adjustments can be made. "What we are trying to do is see how we can increase that per-student amount," she said. Sen. Rosalyn Baker, chairwoman of the Ways and Means Committee, said it is unlikely money would be added to the budget so close to the end of the legislative session. "We ought to rewrite the entire charter funding mechanism," she said. "It doesn't give either the Legislature or the charters any comfort in predictability."

Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Date: 04/24/2008