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Committee sends charter school funding bill to Senate after debate over $30M fiscal note
Summary
S.B. 186 would fund a one-time charter school service center and launch a study of funding disparities; testimony from charter leaders and the State Charter School Board supported the bill, while some senators questioned the fiscal assumptions. The committee recommended the bill 4–1.
Sen. Baldry and proponents introduced S.B. 186, which requests a one-time appropriation (sponsor asked for $1,500,000) to establish a charter school service center modeled after existing regional service agencies and to commission a study of long-term funding equity between charter schools and similarly sized districts. Proponents said charter schools have faced a large cumulative funding disparity and that a centralized service center would help smaller charters access shared administrative, IT and special-services support.
Kim Frank (Utah Charter Network) told the committee charter schools are celebrating 25 years in Utah and that the State Board finance team advised charters may have received about $25,000,000 less than similarly sized districts; she said accounting for other streams could increase that shortfall toward $50,000,000 and asked the Legislature to fund a study and the one-time center start-up. Marie Stephenson (interim executive director, Utah State Charter School Board) and other charter leaders testified in support, saying the bill would help smaller schools cover fixed costs and create sustainable shared services.
Sen. Reby (committee member) challenged the fiscal assumptions and asked for a written breakdown of the $25,000,000 figure, noting the bill’s fiscal note listed $30,000,000 in cost while existing district RISA costs were cited as approximately $2,100,000 for four centers. Reby moved to hold (table) the bill pending more detailed reports. Other senators argued it should advance now because appropriations happen later in the session and the bill could fail at the budget stage if funding is not available; debate focused on whether a one-time charter center would ultimately be less costly because charters would pay dues for ongoing operations.
After debate, the committee voted to recommend S.B. 186 to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation. The chair announced the vote was 4–1, with Senator Reby recorded in opposition. The bill now advances to the full Senate, where budget committees will evaluate any proposed appropriations.
