Projected FY22 Charter School Tuition and Enrollment

Below you will find links to FY22 tuition and enrollment projections for charter schools and sending districts. It is important to note some caveats that may affect the accuracy of these projections. While actual enrollment cannot exceed the projection reported by a given charter, enrollment by individual sending school districts may vary. Additionally, each sending district's tuition rate is a function of local spending and subject to change.

Key points on Foundation Budget Rates

• Most foundation budget rates increased by a 1.41% inflation, minimum, over FY21

• Higher foundation budget rates in four areas: benefits and fixed charges, guidance and psychological services, English learners, and low income students

• The number of tiers for the low income increment rates is increased from ten to twelve; districts with higher concentrations of low income students benefit from higher rates

• Uses 'economically disadvantaged' headcounts in lieu of free and reduced price lunch data, which is no longer available for all districts as a result of participation in the USDA's Community Eligibility Program

Key points on Above Foundation Spending Rates

• In the absence of FY22 school spending data, the Above Foundation Spending Percentage from the prior fiscal year is used to determine Above Foundation Spending district rates at each charter school campus.

Key points on the Facility Rate

• The facilities rate remains unchanged from FY21 and is $938 per pupil

Key points on Charter District Reimbursements

• $154.6 million has been appropriated to charter reimbursements on budget line 7061 – 9010. This appropriation level is expected to meet or exceed the 75% requirement of the 2019 legislation, An Act Relative to Education Opportunity of Students, once tuition assessments are updated to reflect actual enrollments and district spending levels at the end of fiscal year 2022. The projected assessments and reimbursements for charter tuition payments is presented for budget planning, but should not be viewed as final numbers

• Uses a 3-year, 100%/60%/40%, schedule for transition aid, with priority given by greatest tier

• Includes a $2.9M earmark for five districts at their net school spending tuition cap

Below you will find MS Excel spreadsheets with the most recent calculation of FY22 charter school tuition and reimbursements. These amounts will be used by the Department of Revenue in their cherry sheet estimates.

• Sending District Summary, showing enrollment, tuition, and aid

• Charter School Summary, showing enrollment and tuition

• Foundation Budgets, showing foundation enrollments and rates by charter school, campus location, and sending district (chalocsend), as well as the underlying foundation budget calculation

• Low Income, showing how low income enrollment is determine by chalocsend

• Above Foundation Spending, showing the calculation used to determine the percentage of net school spending above foundation

• Rate Summary showing a full list of current rates by chalocsend, as well as tuition, demographic, and prior year comparisons

• Estimate of FTE Remaining Under the NSS Cap (Near Cap)

Questions about the charter tuition program should be addressed to Hadley Cabral in the Office of District and School Finance at (781) 338-6586 or Hadley.B.Cabral@mass.gov.

Last Updated: September 20, 2021