Charter advocates urge changes so new schools can access CTE and reimbursable funds sooner

Speakers representing charter school interests told the committee that newly authorized charter schools face cash‑flow and reimbursement delays that hinder startup operations.

Janine Bay Teske, joined by John Waller, executive director of the Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board, said some block‑grant line items specify district‑only access, delaying reimbursable funds (special education and transportation) until a school has been open long enough to qualify for reimbursement. Waller said the first years of operation are “critical” and recommended statutory review so charter schools can access necessary line items and avoid significant out‑of‑pocket startup costs.

The speakers also proposed revisiting statutory language that limits some funding to districts only and examining whether CTE line items and lease‑payment supports could be made available earlier to charter operators.

Nut Graf: Charter advocates asked the committee to consider targeted statutory changes or administrative fixes to ensure new charter campuses are not financially penalized in their earliest years by reimbursement timing and district‑only allocations.

The committee did not vote; members asked staff to include charter startup funding in the list of possible interim topics for further study.