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District proposes converting Harborside Academy from charter to district choice school to preserve program amid funding squeeze
Summary
Superintendent told the board that Harborside’s instrumentality-charter funding model is becoming financially unsustainable due to enrollment declines and funding mechanics; staff recommended exploring conversion to a district school of choice to preserve program elements while changing the funding model.
District leaders briefed the board Aug. 14 on preliminary plans to convert Harborside Academy from an instrumentality charter to a district school of choice. Presenters said the charter’s historical funding model (instrumentality charters receiving approximately 80% of independent-charter per‑pupil funding in earlier years) is strained by declining enrollment and current state funding patterns.
Staff framed the conversion as a strategy to preserve Harborside’s expeditionary-learning identity and high-school programming while moving to a district-managed funding model that pools FTE allocations and centralizes some budget risks. The presentation cited that Harborside’s enrollment is close to projection (about 552–570 students) but that per‑pupil funding shifts make the charter formula unsustainable for that site.
Board members and staff discussed operational consequences—scheduling differences that complicate staff sharing, whether Harborside could retain program uniqueness, and whether converting to a district choice school would require meeting minute and operational expectations that the charter did not. Staff emphasized the intent to negotiate terms with Harborside leadership and to preserve program elements where feasible.
Why it matters: converting an instrumentality charter to a district choice school changes funding, staffing flexibility and oversight; it could preserve Harborside’s program but will require negotiation over scheduling, staff allocation and which program features can be retained.
Next steps: staff will open preliminary conversations with Harborside leadership and bring formal conversion proposals and implementation details back to the board for consideration.
