§ 20-2-2090 - Funding for commission charter schools
O.C.G.A. 20-2-2090 (2010)
20-2-2090. Funding for commission charter schools
(a) The Department of Education shall pay to each commission charter school through appropriation of state and federal funds an amount equal to the sum of:
(1) QBE formula earnings, QBE grants, and federal grants earned by the commission charter school based on the school's enrollment, school profile, and student characteristics. QBE formula earnings shall include the salary portion of direct instructional costs, the adjustment for training and experience, the nonsalary portion of direct instructional costs, and earnings for psychologists and school social workers, school administration, facility maintenance and operation, media centers, additional days of instruction in accordance with Code Section 20-2-184.1, and staff development. For purposes of this paragraph, QBE formula earnings shall not include the additional amount provided for in Code Section 20-2-165.1 earned by a charter system for full-time equivalent students in its schools;
(2) A proportional share of state categorical grants, non-QBE state grants, state equalization grants, and all other state and federal grants; and
(3) (A) An amount determined by the commission for each student enrolled in such school equal to a proportional share of local revenue from the local school system in which the student attending the commission charter school resides; provided, however, that the commission may reduce the amount calculated pursuant to this paragraph based on factors that affect the cost of providing instruction.
(B) In making the funding determination required pursuant to this paragraph, the commission shall take into account the following factors:
(i) In the case of a commission charter school that draws students from multiple school systems, the commission shall take into account the actual costs of operating such a commission charter school and any efficiencies gained by using an expanded attendance zone; and
(ii) In the case of a commission charter school that plans to offer virtual instruction, the commission may reduce the amount calculated pursuant to this paragraph based on the factors specified in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
(b) The department may withhold up to 3 percent of the amount determined pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section for each commission charter school for use in administering the duties required pursuant to Code Section 20-2-2083; provided, however, that any amount withheld pursuant to this subsection shall be spent solely on expenses incurred by the commission in performing the duties required by this article.
(c) The total allotment of state and federal funds to the local school system in which a student attending a commission charter school resides shall be calculated as otherwise provided in Article 6 of this chapter with an ensuing reduction equivalent to the amount of state and federal funds appropriated to the commission charter schools pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section.
(d) For purposes of funding students enrolled in commission charter schools in the first year of such charter school's operation and prior to the initial student count, the department shall calculate and distribute the funding for the commission charter school on the basis of its projected enrollment according to an enrollment counting procedure or projection method stipulated in the terms of the charter. After the initial student count during the first year of such commission charter school's operation and in all years of operation thereafter, each commission charter school's student enrollment shall be based on the actual enrollment in the current school year according to the most recent student count. Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to require the department to conduct more than two student counts per year.