A report released today outlines the facilities challenges facing Ohio’s public charter schools. The report, “An Analysis of the Charter School Facility Landscape in Ohio,” found that on average, Ohio charter schools spend $785 per pupil from their foundation funding on facilities—a cost not typically faced by traditional public schools. The report also finds that few Ohio charters are able to locate in unused or underutilized district facilities.
“This study is eye opening,” said Chad L. Aldis, Vice President for Ohio Policy and Advocacy. “It provides Ohio policy makers with concrete data, for the first time ever, regarding how extensive the facility challenges are for Ohio’s 370 public charter schools.”
The report is based on a 2015 survey of Ohio charter school principals (representing 81 percent of brick-and-mortar charters in the state). The study was sponsored by the National Charter School Resource Center of the U.S. Department of Education, and conducted by the Colorado League of Charter Schools with the assistance of the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
“Charter schools face an uphill battle when it comes to securing a quality facility. Facility expenses of almost $800 per pupil far outstrip the $200 per pupil that the state provides for facilities,” Aldis added. “This discrepancy forces charter schools to dip into operation dollars that should be spent on classroom instruction. Going forward, it’s clear that consideration needs to be given to increasing Ohio’s per-pupil facilities allotment.”
