Like San Francisco Unified School District, charter schools receive per pupil funding. Charter school funding, however, lags behind that for traditional public schools. A 2012 report from the California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) summarized the funding inequities, noting a difference of at least 7%, or $395 per student, for categorical funding between California charter schools and traditional public schools. This does not include facility funding, federal funding, or local revenues, which often widen the funding gap.
Because of this situation, along with five years of budget cuts from the state, the cost of our program far exceeds funding from the state. We rely on extended community financial support to make up the difference.