Page 14 - The Edge - Fall 2017

CHARTER SCHOOL ONSLAUGHT On the nancial impact of charters, district schools generally
receive about 50 percent of their money from the state and
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 50 percent from local property taxes, but charters receive 90

Brammer recommended keeping track of housing, such as percent of their funding from the state, he said. As charter
where and when there will be expansion and the price of the enrollment increases, more money is taken from state co ers –
homes. More expensive homes could mean fewer children for basically sales tax revenue, which is considered a regressive tax.
district schools. “School age population is linked to the type of “ ey’re putting the burden on the wrong people,” Brammer
housing and socio-economic status,” Brammer said. said.
e age of the occupants is also a factor. For example, the What’s more, charters receive about $1,200 a year more per
25-44 age group is most likely to have elementary school aged student from the state than district schools receive. “It’s kind of
children. “We want older people to move out, but nobody like a triple whammy,” Brammer said.
wants to move,” he said. “Housing prices are going up, people He outlined details of the ESA program, and pointed out
are living longer, and people are putting o having kids. e that parents can use the money for educational items other than
birth rate in Arizona dropped 19 percent during the recession. tuition for a private or religious school. “So if they’re already
e number of homes built o en is less important than number paying $18,000 for an elite private school, they could use the
of units occupied and the characteristics of families in them.” money for tutoring or other education-related expenses.”
Brammer explained the impact that choice is having on Under present law, it is projected that 30,000 parents could
education. For example, he found that up to 35 percent of use the ESA program by 2022. at’s a relatively small amount
students move between schools in a district for various reasons, compared to total district enrollment of 1.1 million, but
such as educational performance, special needs programs, Brammer added: “It’s a bad precedent. If every student who is
program options and accessibility. Up to 24 percent of students enrolled in public schools transitioned to an ESA, the cost to
attend schools in another the state in current dollars would
district for regional commuting “Housing prices are going up, people be about $1 billion, according to
patterns and if parents are highly gures prepared by the Arizona
educated and engaged. “O en are living longer, and people are putting School Boards Association.”
parents want the kids in a school off having kids. The birth rate in Arizona The bottom line of choice,
closer to where they work rather Brammer said, is that of 100
than where they live,” Brammer dropped 19 percent during the recession. school age children, four are in
said. private and parochial schools,
Charter and private schools The number of homes built often is less 16 are in charter schools, 12 are
account for about 20 percent of important than number of units occupied and attending a school in another
the state’s total enrollment. ere district, 18 are moving within
are 544 charter schools with the characteristics of families in them.” their district, and only 50 are in
a total enrollment of 175,000, their district’s home school.
as of the 2015-16 school year. — Rick Brammer, Principal, Applied Economics “So, only 50 of 100 kids would
Charters, which serve about be going to the school that you
16 percent of all populations, follow population density and expect them to go to based on their grade and where they live,”
accessibility, but have been moving farther into the suburbs Brammer said. “ at’s what makes it di cult to anticipate
recently, Brammer said. patterns and project enrollment.”
District schools are serving 84 percent to 54 percent of their Brammer recommended that district schools should keep
own students, with the average about 70 percent. “Families a data le of active students on where they’ve been and what’s
from a lower socio economic status have less opportunity to happening in their neighborhood, and become engaged with
move,” Brammer said. “ ose populations are le behind by local planning authorities. “ ey are very sympathetic to your
choice.” plight,” he said. “ ey will tell you what’s going on in terms of
Charters are generally attracting children in the lower development.”
grades, mostly kindergarten through second grade, and third It’s unfortunate, but necessary, that district schools need
through h grades. “Charters can’t compete with full-service to invest in brand development and marketing to meet what
high schools with sports and bands,” Brammer said. “ at costs Brammer called “the charter school choice onslaught.”
too much money. But we are seeing more K-12 charters being He continued: “Some district schools have gone hog wild,
built.” in my opinion, in trying to come up with 87 di erent special
Hispanics and African American students account for programs. I think you have to decide what you’re selling –
relatively small enrollments in charters, compared to white gure out what you guys do well, and sell it.”
students. “Charters have changed the socio-economic character
of district schools,” Brammer said. “It’s obvious to me that it’s a Rick Brammer, Principal, Applied Economics can be reached at
way for people to segregate themselves.” rbrammer@aeconomics.com or (602) 765-2400, Ext. 103.

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