More accountability needed before capital funding for charter schools
The executive director of the Oklahoma State School Board Association, Shawn Himes, opened the first of the Sept. 11 House Common Education Committee’s interim studies on “Brick and Mortar Charter School Funding,” by explaining how Oklahoma is one of only four states that doesn’t fund capital expenses for its traditional public schools at the state level.
Although Oklahoma has a balanced funding formula for operations, our reliance on local dollars for capital needs could undermine that fair system.
Hime said we are stronger together and should unite, “put ego aside,” and help fund traditional public and charter school capital expenditures. But the day’s presentations underscored how the issue is more complicated. In my opinion, other accountability issues must be addressed before increased capital funding for charter schools should be contemplated.
Presentations draw contrasts
A second interim study, “Real Cost Per Student for Virtual Schools,” began with a presentation by Rebecca Wilkinson, the executive director of the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual School Board. Wilkinson referenced a paper making the incomprehensible claim, “The operating costs of online programs are about the same as the operating costs of a regular brick-and-mortar school.”
It found the per-student cost of a full-time virtual school is between 93 and 98 percent of a traditional school. Actually, this finding is based on a “cost model” — which I’d call a wish list — where, for instance, the teacher-student ratio is almost 80 percent more than the national average, and salaries and support services are far greater than what exist in CONTINUE READING: More accountability needed before capital funding for charter schools