When a state funds a charter school
passing the money through local school districts, any school district
can just refuse to pay. Some states pay state money directly to
the charter school. Some states offer the charter schools a choice--either
direct payment or payment through local districts. Some states
that pass money through school district have a way for the state
to intervene and send the money if the district does not.
In New Hampshire, one charter school is owed $110,000 and during
the full school year no official or body intervened to assure
the owed money was paid before the vote to close the school.
We're interested in your
thoughts.
7/20/2005
Lisa from Chichester asked:
"what exactly are state adequacy funds" and "who
is responsible for making sure that students receive these adequacy
funds?"
In the Claremont Law Suit, the NH Supreme Court ruled that the
state has a duty to assure every public school student had an "adequate" education.
The legislature debated how to define "adequate." The
state's funding of public school education (approx. 30%) was
then considered "adequacy funds." The amount in the
last 2 years was approximately $3400 per student.
Who is responsible? The "state" has a duty to assure
every student receives the states adequacy funds. So the legislature
must assure failsafe methods of getting state funds to all students.
State money from the Department of Education to school districts,
so it seems to me that the responsibility for distributing funds
at this level belongs to: 1) the State Board of Education (who
oversee the entire public system of education), and 2) the Commissioner
of Education or the Associate Commissioner in the Commissioner's
absence. They have a responsibility for oversight.
All local public officials take an oath of office to uphold
the laws of New Hampshire. Their liability insurance generally
does not cover willful criminal acts, so public boards are duty-bound
to follow laws. Superintendents of Schools hold professional
licenses and their statutory duty as chief executive officer
of a public school district is to assure the district is run
according to state and federal laws. It would seem to me the
superintendent has a professional duty to assure that laws regarding
children are followed, whether their boards like it or not. Otherwise,
lots of provisions probably would be ignored.
Updated July 26, 2005
Thank you Lisa!
Have Your Say!? We are interested in your thoughts.
Raymond Writes:
Should sue the pants off the towns/town officials who are blocking
funding; and not let them get away with it ....
Thank you Raymond.
Have Your Say!? We are interested in your thoughts.
