CEO of Charter Schools USA Understands Why Charter Schools Don’t and Shouldn’t Get More Money
Looks like the CEO of the state’s largest charter school corporation doesn’t agree with the intent behind Steve Wise’s SB 1852. At the end of May last year, Charter Schools USA CEO Jonathan Hage granted an interview toTampa Bay Times education reporter, Jeff Solochek. In that interview, Hage gave all the ammunition that the opponents of SB 1852 will ever need. Like this:
We believe they’re starting to be more and more understanding that charter schools do receive less money. And even though there has been this concept that charter schools should do more for less, the question is, how much less — especially when there are major cuts under way. We are trying to make the case that charter schools should be funded at a more equitable level, and then we wouldn’t have any complaints about having equal cuts with everybody else. We believe that charter schools should not get as much per kid as other schools, because we like the idea that we’re being more efficient, more frugal. But 30 to 40 percent less is too much of a difference.
Hage knows that the funding level that comes from local millage isn’t that low. Opponents of SB 1852 say