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Superintendent outlines $2 million potential savings if state changes charter rules; board to consider advocacy letter
Summary
Doctor Ulmer told the Jersey Shore board the district could realize roughly $2 million in savings if state lawmakers pass legislation changing how districts pay for external cyber charters and adjusting the 10-mile eligibility rule; trustees asked for detailed enrollment counts and directed staff to prepare a draft letter to legislators.
Doctor Ulmer presented a detailed packet to trustees on July 20 that compared the district'run online program and the cost of sending students to external cyber and brick-and-mortar charter schools.
"One legislative action would give this board another $2,000,000 in your budget," Doctor Ulmer said, framing the estimate as net savings after adding necessary staffing and supplies to run an expanded district-operated cyber program. He told trustees the analysis compares what the district currently spends when students leave for outside cyber providers and what it would cost the district to serve those students in-district.
Ulmer stressed two policy priorities for board advocacy: (1) if a district runs its own cyber school, the district should not be required to pay for a second outside cyber option, and (2) at least one proposal would reduce the 10-mile rule (which currently obligates districts to pay for charters within 10 road miles of the district) to a smaller radius (5 miles was mentioned in materials). He said changing the mileage rule could materially reduce the district's tuition obligations to nearby brick-and-mortar charters like Sugar Valley.
Trustees asked for specific counts and breakdowns; Ulmer and business staff cited roughly 74 Sugar Valley students at year end and about 180 students in charters/cyber combined on a separate slide and said they would provide a detailed enrollment and exit report. Board members discussed state bills and draft letter language; Ulmer provided a draft letter listing bill numbers in the packet and asked trustees to consider sending it to local legislators.
What happens next: Staff will provide the requested enrollment and exit data and return the draft letter for board consideration under old business at the next meeting.
