Charter schools receive fewer dollars per pupil than district schools. Though there are year-to-year fluctuations, the average charter school receives 74 cents for every dollar the average district schools receives. Education finance data can be complex and questions often arise as to the best way of presenting them. A question that frequently arises is how to summarize average per pupil revenue. One approach is to average per pupil revenue at the school level and then average within states and the country which gives an unweighted average. This allows one to assess what the average school experiences as far as available funding per pupil. Another approach is to weight each school’s average per pupil revenue by the number of students they enroll as a proportion of all students. This approach allows one to assess the average revenue available across all schools to educate a student. Both approaches are important, but since our focus is at the school level we discuss the summary of the unweighted data. However, we also include the corresponding tables of the weighted data for reference.
In the most recent year of available data, the average charter school receives approximately $4,400 less per student. Per pupil funding in charter schools is less than per pupil funding in 22 out of the 27 states for which we have data. Over the period from 2006-07 through 2016-17, charter school funding increased by $225 per pupil while per pupil funding in district schools increased by $1,139. On average, charter schools receive proportionally more funding from the state (60.0%) than district schools (45.5%).
Table 4.1: Per Pupil Revenue by Sector and Year, Unweighted
| Year | Charter - Revenue Per Pupil | Charter - State | Charter - Local | District - Revenue Per Pupil | District - State | District - Local |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | $11,684 | 67.2% | 20.6% | $15,206 | 46.5% | 45.8% |
| 2008 | $11,832 | 67.6% | 21.4% | $15,396 | 47.4% | 45.2% |
| 2009 | $12,508 | 64.2% | 23.9% | $15,871 | 45.9% | 45.6% |
| 2010 | $12,959 | 59.6% | 23.1% | $15,645 | 43.0% | 45.7% |
| 2011 | $12,042 | 63.4% | 20.8% | $16,698 | 44.2% | 45.4% |
| 2012 | $11,924 | 60.7% | 26.7% | $15,981 | 44.0% | 47.4% |
| 2013 | $11,677 | 62.3% | 26.5% | $16,625 | 43.4% | 48.6% |
| 2014 | $11,587 | 63.1% | 26.4% | $16,550 | 44.6% | 48.2% |
| 2015 | $11,706 | 62.4% | 26.7% | $16,527 | 44.3% | 48.8% |
| 2016 | $11,904 | 63.4% | 26.3% | $16,231 | 45.2% | 47.9% |
| 2017 | $11,909 | 60.0% | 30.1% | $16,345 | 45.5% | 47.7% |
Table 4.2: Per Pupil Revenue by Sector and Year, Weighted
| Year | Charter - Revenue Per Pupil | Charter - State | Charter - Local | District - Revenue Per Pupil | District - State | District - Local |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | $10,800 | 65.8% | 24.4% | $13,406 | 46.1% | 46.7% |
| 2008 | $10,906 | 65.0% | 25.1% | $13,485 | 46.9% | 46.1% |
| 2009 | $11,404 | 60.6% | 28.9% | $13,885 | 45.9% | 46.0% |
| 2010 | $11,320 | 60.0% | 23.8% | $13,805 | 42.8% | 46.0% |
| 2011 | $10,925 | 60.7% | 25.1% | $13,479 | 43.4% | 45.9% |
| 2012 | $10,779 | 57.9% | 30.6% | $13,217 | 44.4% | 46.9% |
| 2013 | $10,576 | 59.5% | 30.4% | $13,098 | 44.8% | 47.4% |
| 2014 | $10,634 | 61.6% | 28.9% | $13,698 | 45.4% | 47.3% |
| 2015 | $10,777 | 61.8% | 28.7% | $14,150 | 45.7% | 47.2% |
| 2016 | $10,898 | 63.8% | 27.3% | $14,461 | 45.9% | 47.0% |
| 2017 | $11,082 | 59.9% | 31.3% | $14,638 | 45.7% | 47.3% |
These are select data from charter schools that operate as their own LEA—which accounts for approximately 60 percent of all charter schools—and school districts that have no charter schools within them. On average, charter schools receive $4,000 less per pupil in revenue from all sources and less than $4,400 in the most recent year of data. Charter schools receive a greater proportion of their revenue from state sources than do district schools.
Table 4.3: Per Pupil Revenue by Sector and State, Unweighted
| State | Charter - Revenue Per Pupil | Charter - State | Charter - Local | District - Revenue Per Pupil | District - State | District - Local |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AR | $9,860 | 75.8% | 14.2% | $11,180 | 52.4% | 35.9% |
| AZ | $9,411 | 78.7% | 8.9% | $14,040 | 35.6% | 48.8% |
| CT | $14,363 | 74.7% | 17.5% | $23,557 | 31.5% | 65.9% |
| DC | $26,778 | 0.0% | 93.5% | $31,382 | 0.0% | 89.0% |
| DE | $13,000 | 56.2% | 36.7% | $18,251 | 61.6% | 32.0% |
| GA | $10,406 | 78.8% | 14.2% | $11,831 | 50.2% | 37.8% |
| ID | $7,978 | 83.4% | 8.7% | $11,426 | 67.8% | 21.5% |
| IN | $9,976 | 77.2% | 10.8% | $12,738 | 63.2% | 30.5% |
| LA | $12,672 | 41.0% | 44.7% | $14,204 | 52.1% | 35.7% |
| MA | $19,527 | 8.4% | 86.0% | $20,770 | 33.1% | 63.7% |
| ME | $12,679 | 83.3% | 12.7% | $17,680 | 29.3% | 64.7% |
| MI | $10,028 | 82.5% | 6.5% | $13,057 | 53.1% | 40.5% |
| MN | $15,280 | 86.7% | 5.3% | $14,486 | 67.9% | 26.9% |
| MO | $14,423 | 67.3% | 20.5% | $12,261 | 38.5% | 52.1% |
| MS | $12,779 | 40.2% | 39.0% | $10,146 | 51.7% | 32.3% |
| NC | $9,528 | 60.5% | 34.1% | $10,320 | 64.3% | 23.4% |
| NJ | $16,040 | 8.9% | 83.2% | $23,593 | 30.6% | 66.0% |
| NM | $11,592 | 83.6% | 9.0% | $17,658 | 70.2% | 18.8% |
| NV | $7,569 | 95.6% | 1.6% | $17,494 | 40.2% | 53.5% |
| OH | $11,387 | 80.7% | 5.1% | $14,087 | 43.3% | 50.5% |
| OK | $7,888 | 70.7% | 17.3% | $10,293 | 47.0% | 40.4% |
| PA | $14,927 | 1.2% | 89.6% | $18,517 | 43.4% | 52.5% |
| RI | $22,740 | 55.6% | 35.6% | $20,013 | 30.0% | 64.7% |
| SC | $18,050 | 89.7% | 5.9% | $13,156 | 52.3% | 35.0% |
| TX | $10,213 | 84.7% | 5.3% | $14,247 | 39.2% | 53.0% |
| UT | $7,768 | 84.4% | 9.2% | $11,122 | 48.6% | 43.3% |
| WA | $14,462 | 59.0% | 32.2% | $16,627 | 68.3% | 23.9% |
Table 4.4: Per Pupil Revenue by Sector and State, Weighted
| State | Charter - Revenue Per Pupil | Charter - State | Charter - Local | District - Revenue Per Pupil | District - State | District - Local |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AR | $9,274 | 78.0% | 12.0% | $11,276 | 51.0% | 38.4% |
| AZ | $8,424 | 82.8% | 7.8% | $9,336 | 39.6% | 46.8% |
| CT | $13,893 | 79.2% | 13.8% | $21,749 | 36.6% | 59.2% |
| DC | $24,977 | 0.0% | 92.8% | $31,382 | 0.0% | 89.0% |
| DE | $12,190 | 56.1% | 37.8% | $18,483 | 58.1% | 35.7% |
| GA | $7,623 | 85.3% | 7.7% | $11,158 | 49.9% | 40.3% |
| ID | $7,244 | 85.8% | 7.4% | $8,579 | 65.9% | 23.4% |
| IN | $8,673 | 82.5% | 6.3% | $12,758 | 62.1% | 30.9% |
| LA | $12,136 | 42.3% | 43.6% | $12,262 | 45.0% | 42.6% |
| MA | $18,965 | 8.5% | 86.0% | $19,749 | 38.4% | 57.4% |
| ME | $11,972 | 86.4% | 9.1% | $15,855 | 37.7% | 56.1% |
| MI | $9,597 | 84.9% | 4.2% | $12,532 | 60.8% | 33.1% |
| MN | $13,868 | 88.8% | 4.2% | $14,750 | 65.4% | 29.6% |
| MO | $14,210 | 70.1% | 18.2% | $12,477 | 31.7% | 60.2% |
| MS | $12,300 | 40.7% | 37.7% | $9,883 | 50.7% | 35.2% |
| NC | $8,891 | 63.4% | 32.3% | $9,588 | 61.5% | 27.3% |
| NJ | $16,603 | 8.1% | 84.1% | $21,808 | 40.2% | 55.7% |
| NM | $10,258 | 85.8% | 8.3% | $11,682 | 67.7% | 17.4% |
| NV | $7,569 | 95.6% | 1.6% | $12,952 | 43.2% | 48.7% |
| OH | $9,967 | 82.6% | 3.8% | $14,282 | 39.8% | 53.4% |
| OK | $6,204 | 81.8% | 9.3% | $9,199 | 46.6% | 42.3% |
| PA | $14,359 | 1.2% | 91.0% | $19,021 | 38.1% | 57.4% |
| RI | $18,683 | 58.0% | 33.4% | $18,254 | 35.5% | 58.3% |
| SC | $18,050 | 89.7% | 5.9% | $12,408 | 51.8% | 38.8% |
| TX | $10,247 | 84.5% | 5.5% | $11,354 | 38.8% | 51.8% |
| UT | $7,485 | 86.2% | 8.0% | $8,794 | 51.7% | 40.1% |
| WA | $14,103 | 59.0% | 31.8% | $14,095 | 62.9% | 30.7% |
In 22 of 27 states for which we have financial data, charter schools receive fewer dollars per pupil than district schools. In many states, charter schools receive proportionally far fewer dollars from local sources than district schools.
About the Authors
Dr. Nathan Barrett
Senior Director of Research and Evaluation
Nathan Barrett, Ph.D., is the former Senior Director of Research and Evaluation at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Before joining the National Alliance, Barrett was an Associate Director and Senior Research Fellow at The Education Research Alliance for New Orleans at Tulane University where he studied the unprecedented school reforms in New Orleans focusing on school choice, teacher policies, school discipline, and equity. In addition to his research experience with charter schools, he also served on a charter school board as the chair of the finance committee and treasurer.
A first-generation and nontraditional college student, Barrett received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Eastern Kentucky University and Georgia State University, respectively, and received his Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Kentucky. His work has been published in academic journals such as American Journal of Education, The American Review of Public Administration, Educational Researcher, Economics of Education Review, and Evaluation Review, and has published numerous policy briefs and reports to inform policymakers.