Increased Funding and Resource Sharing Top of List for Charter Leaders

League Fall Survey 2023
Draft Key Findings

Headline: Increased Funding and Resource Sharing Are Top Legislative Priorities for Charter Leaders

The League surveyed its membership through the fall to determine what priorities were top of mind as the League crafted its 2024 Legislative Agenda and prepared to advocate for Colorado’s 260+ charter schools and over 137,000 students. “This survey is critical to our work in the legislature and our broader policy efforts as we aim to expand and defend what we’ve worked so hard to develop over the last 30 years,” said President Dan Schaller.

Topline: League Survey Finds top advocacy priorities for respondents were increased funding and equitable sharing of resources. While the vast majority of charter schools felt their authorizer granted them appropriate levels of autonomy, nearly half also felt that their authorizer did not treat them as an equal member of their geographic school district.

Facilities: Access to facilities was cited as the top barrier to charter school replication and expansion. In fact, nearly three-quarters of charter schools (71%) cited facilities constraints and affordability as a major challenge to replication and expansion, and one-third reported that their current facility does not have adequate space for their projected enrollment in three years. While facility costs naturally vary by location, the average charter school in Colorado spends $1,200 per student per year on debt service and/or rental payments. Not surprisingly, the most widely cited facilities issues were financing and affordability issues (68%) and new construction/development issues (63%).

Staffing: Staffing and talent issues were listed as the second largest barrier to charter school replication and expansion with more than half listing it as a major challenge (54%). Overall, the vast majority of charter school teachers are licensed (79%); however, there was a wide range of staffing models across the respondents. The increasing difficulty of paying teachers a competitive salary amidst rising costs was a widely cited concern among many respondents, as were sustainable staffing models for students with disabilities and transportation support/logistics.

Transportation: More than half of charter schools (56%) are unable to provide daily transportation for students and families, and 51% said that transportation access has a moderate or significant impact on enrollment and attendance rates. Among schools that do offer transportation, respondents were more likely to provide transportation on a limited basis (56%) than to all students and families (44%). Recommendations regarding transportation access revolved around increased and/or dedicated funding, staffing supports and flexibilities, and subsidized access to public transportation for older students in certain communities.