Charter Schools: Saving the state millions

There is an "urban legend" out there that charter schools (taxpayer funded public school academies) are draining resources from the public school system. When a student attends a charter he/she is taking away foundation grant money from the local "public" school.

Fact is, charter school ARE public schools and, on average, taxpayers spend about $2,600 less per student in a charter school when you consider additional payments and local millages that go to traditional public schools.

Charters use privately owned facilities to educate their children, which means the school building is generating tax revenue. They result in a net gain in employment for teachers, and most importantly, they produce more high school graduates and more college attendees and graduates than many of their conventional public counterparts.

A full report on the positive impact of charter schools on local communities is available at: http://www.publiccharters.org/content/publication/detail/2338/