Charter school growth raises lease, funding and oversight questions; state authorizer, districts urge clearer review authority

The Select Committee on School Facilities took a focused briefing on charter schools: how they are authorized, how the state funds operations and facilities, and how lease reimbursements are calculated and paid.

Who authorizes and how charters are funded

Tanya Heitrich and Matt Wilmarth of the Legislative Service Office summarized statutory authority (Wyoming Statute 21-3-303) and explained that charter schools are public schools within the district in which they operate; they must deliver the required state student services and employ licensed teachers. Charter schools may be authorized by the local district board or by the Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board (the state authorizer). The 2021 and 2023 sessions modified charter statutes, and the legislature removed the three-year waiting period for lease reimbursement in recent sessions.

Funding entitlements and figures presented to the committee

Mister Wilmarth told the committee charter schools are entitled to school-level resources generated under the Education Resource Block Grant model and are also eligible for categorical reimbursements (special education, transportation, isolation, maintenance). Statewide for school year 2024–25 the committee was shown an estimated total state funding to charter schools of about $17,659,000 and a combined net ADM of about 1,214 students. LSO staff…