Whether coming or going, no other issue in education seems to be as volatile as the debate over charter schools.
As it made its way through the Statehouse, opponents claimed it would help the privileged few at the expense of the many.
After the charter school bill was passed, and Ball State announced it would adopt it, a superintendent in Fort Wayne threatened to bar Ball State student teachers from his district.
Now, as Indiana gropes its way out of an estimated $1.3 billion deficit, concerns have been levied about the costs Ball State might accrue monitoring its project. Where is the money coming from?
Fortunately, Indiana's troubled economic times will not shake the charter schools' foundations. Ken Miller, assistant to the dean of the Teachers College, said three percent of the funding the state gives to charter schools will kick back.
Miller, citing statistics from the Indiana Department of Education, said the schools should receive an average of between $5,500 and $6,500 per student. Enrollment, Miller said, could be as high as 554 students total.
That should be enough to cover Ball State, Miller said.
Though the state has cut funding for K-12 education, which may affect some of the funding for charter schools, the impact would be minimal, said Tom Morrison, the director of state fiscal relations.
Also, Project E, an education group that supports charter schools, has given Ball State a $25,000 grant to help cover any costs Ball State may garner.
The Indiana government has made the right choice by basically leaving charter schools alone. The state has committed to this experiment, and it should be willing to see it through.
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