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Board discussion highlights how charter tuition and state special‑education formula inflate district payments
Summary
Finance committee presentations showed the district budgets $75 million for charter tuition and that state rules for calculating special‑education tuition can overstate per‑student costs because the law assumes a 16% special‑education rate; board members plan advocacy and a June 25 press conference on fair funding.
Board members and staff at a June 10 finance committee meeting described how state charter funding rules and special‑education calculations drive up district charter tuition payments.
District finance staff told the committee that charter tuition in the proposed budget totals roughly $75 million and represents about 31% of the district’s purchased‑services line. The district reported a split of roughly $37 million budgeted for regular‑education charter tuition and $38 million for special‑education charter tuition.
Committee members said a quirk in Pennsylvania law requires districts to calculate the special‑education portion of charter tuition using an assumed special‑education rate (16%) rather than the district’s actual rate. Committee discussion said Coatesville’s actual special‑education population is closer to 30%, which, when combined with the statutory calculation, can produce substantially higher per‑student tuition figures for brick‑and‑mortar charters. During committee discussion a board member estimated the effect at about $20,000 per student in inflated tuition, saying the disparity “is a function of the way that the charter school law is written for bricks and mortar charter schools.”
Board members and district staff described ongoing advocacy efforts at the state level. Committee members said proposals passed the Pennsylvania House would tie charter special‑education tuition to the same tiered special‑education funding formula used in public schools but had not advanced in the state Senate. A district representative said the district plans to sponsor a “fair funding” press conference on June 25 and encouraged residents to contact state legislative leaders about bills pending in Harrisburg.
The finance committee additionally discussed that charter tuition calculations and the district’s payments are a major driver of budget pressure and are one reason the district relied on fund balance to reduce the tax increase requested of homeowners.
No formal legislative action was taken by the board at the June 10 meeting; board members encouraged public engagement and said the district will publish information on how residents can contact state lawmakers about charter funding bills.
