Board questions fiscal impact of charter: "the money follows the child," applicants say

Board members asked how Cherokee County School District finances would change if students left district schools for the proposed Academy of Performing Arts. One board member framed the concern directly: approving the charter could reduce the district's per‑pupil funding if enrollment declines.

Pat Hyatt and district staff responded that "the money follows the child," explaining that funding is tied to student enrollment and that chartered schools receive per‑pupil allocations while the district retains funds for students who remain. The transcript includes differing numeric references: one speaker cited $7,900 per student as an amount the applicants would receive, while another referenced a higher per‑pupil figure cited in the district audit or proposal ("20,000 per kid"). Those figures were discussed on the record but not reconciled or verified within this meeting.

Applicants said they expect to recover a portion of lost revenue through charters' funding mechanisms and noted that chartering through the district can yield offsetting percentages; board members said they needed clearer, audited fiscal projections before taking action.