More funding goes to public over charter schools

Hartford, Conn. (WTNH) - Despite Governor Dannel Malloy's big plans for education reform some of the state's best performing schools would still get less state funding than other public schools.

The state's charter schools are public schools, yet they get less funding from the state than all the others.

Jumoke School in Hartford one of the state's 17 charter schools in Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport and Stamford.  
        
6,000 kids go to these schools everyday and there are at least 7,000 on waiting lists to get in on the yearly lottery for spots.
        
100% of the kids in the 8th grade at Jumoke School are proficient in math, 94% in reading, 96% in writing. Like most of the other charter schools, these students are among the highest performing in the state.

"There's a light bulb that is just shining at Jumoke and that was immediately apparent when we left the traditional public school setting," said Monique Griffin, a Jumoke School parent.

Yet despite all this good news the state spends almost $5,000 a year less per student at charter schools than for other public schools.

"You think, if you follow sort of a business model, things that are working, that are successful, you want to fund it so that you expand the opportunity for kids to have the higher learning," said Dr. Michael Sharpe from the Connecticut Charter School Network.

As part of his reforms Governor Malloy is proposing that the charter schools get a funding hike of $2,000 per student.
        
Parents and students from charter schools went to the capitol on Thursday to thank Malloy for the gesture.

"My reading and writing was not so good, but once I came to Common Ground, they put me in programs to help me with those and to make sure they're up to the level they're supposed to be," said Michael Bruno, a student at Common Ground in New Haven .

"And now you're accepted at how many colleges?"

"Three...so far," he said.

"He's going to college in the fall and he feels more confident in his abilities after being at Achievement First and receiving the support that he does with the charter school classroom," said Alysia Gibbs an Achievement First Academy parent.

Even if Malloy's plan is approved charter schools would still get over a thousand dollars less per student than other public schools.