The proposed Charter School for at-risk middle school students is to have a budget of $643,000. Most of this money is to come from per pupil state aid ($583,600 from 100 students). What this means is that the middle schools from hence these students come will have to make do with less money.
For example, if 10 students come from each of the 10 middle schools each middle school will have $58,360 less money in its budget. That is at least one teacher, maybe two, and a combination of fewer associates and supplies. Since 10 students does not a classroom make, this could lead to more overcrowding or less options available for students. Add on top of this the 10% state budget cut and you have a financial crisis in the middle schools.
The problem is that middle schools is where the high school dropouts of tomorrow are made. This could lead to unintended and counterproductive consequences. The Charter School is designed to reduce high school dropouts, but its budgetary impact could have the opposite effect.
The School Board needs to dig into this issue at its meeting tonight and make sure that the Charter School band wagon does not drag some middle school students under its wheels.
