Robbers or Victims? Charter Schools and District Finances

Opponents of charters contend that they drain district coffers, while proponents argue that it is charters that are denied essential funding. Yet too often, the claims made by both sides of this debate have been based on assumptions rather than hard evidence. This report analyzed district-level fiscal data collected between 2000 and 2017 to estimate the relationship between the local market share of independent charter schools—those not authorized by traditional school districts—and the finances of their “host” school districts in twenty-one states.