Charter Schools Spend More On Administration, Less On Instruction Than Traditional Public Schools: Study:

Charter Schools Spend More On Administration, Less On Instruction Than Traditional Public Schools: Study

Posted: 04/10/2012 4:49 pm Updated: 04/10/2012 4:50 pm

Public schools are often criticized and scrutinized for perceived administrative bloat, tied to concerns that those sitting behind desks in district offices are diverting funds away from investment in students. Conversely, charter schools are touted for successes through their leaner administrative model, allowing for more resources to go directly to classrooms.

But a new study by the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Educationdebunks this belief. By looking at charter and traditional public schools in Michigan, where both receive about the same operational funding, researchers found that charter schools actually spent more per-student on administration and less on instruction than non-charter public schools.

Controlling for factors that determine school resource allocation like student enrollment and school location, Michigan State University's David Arsen and the