PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Study snapshot: How do weighted funding formulas affect charter school enrollments?

2021-04-09
(Press-News.org) Study: "How Do Weighted Funding Formulas Affect Charter School Enrollments?"
Author: Paul Bruno (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) This study was presented today at the American Educational Research Association's 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting.

Main Findings:

The adoption of a school funding system in California that increased revenues for schools enrolling higher-need students led to an increase in the rate at which charter schools enrolled low-income students.

This effect was concentrated among charter schools initially enrolling low-income students at relatively low rates, suggesting that some charters "cream skim" high achieving, wealthier students, but that such behavior also can be mitigated. Details:

For many, the expansion of charter schooling since the early 1990s has been a cause of concern. Among the major concerns is that charter schools will "cream skim" high-achieving, wealthier students from nearby traditional public schools, exacerbating segregation and burdening traditional schools with a combination of falling revenues and higher per-pupil costs.

Most states now adjust school funding to account for the costs of additional educational needs that certain groups of students are thought to have. These weighted student funding systems (WSF) differ in terms of which student characteristics are weighted, but additional funding weights are commonly given to students who require special education services or are English language learners or low-income.

In the study, the author analyzed the effects of a WSF policy implemented in 2013 in California that plausibly changed the incentives for charter schools to enroll disadvantaged students without a similar change of the incentives for students or their families to enroll in charter schools. The author looked at all charter schools in the state, without distinguishing nonprofits from for-profits.

With the adoption of the Local Control Funding Formula in 2013, weighted funding for low-income students increased significantly, increasing per-pupil funding provided to schools for eligible students by 300 percent or more.

The author examined changes in the gap between charter schools and traditional public schools in the share of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch (FRL) programs, from 2012 to 2017. He found that charter schools with relatively low FRL rates compared to their local district in 2012 gradually increased their FRL enrollments relative to traditional schools in subsequent years.

In 2012, these charter schools had almost 6 percentage points fewer FRL-eligible students than analogous traditional schools (i.e., those with FRL rates below their district average). Despite these traditional schools also gradually increasing their FRL shares during this time, the gap between charter schools and traditional schools shrank in every subsequent year, and by 2017 the gap was statistically indistinguishable from zero.

During the same period, the Local Control Funding Formula did not have the same effect on charter schools that already had relatively high FRL shares. The FRL gap between these charter schools and traditional schools that also started with relatively high FRL shares in 2017 (6.7 percentage points) was only modestly smaller than it was in 2012 (9.7 percentage points) and was slightly larger than the gap in 2013 (5.8 percentage points).

"My results suggest that previous studies on charter school cream skimming may have been too optimistic," said author Paul Bruno, an assistant professor of education policy, organization, and leadership at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "If these state funding changes altered enrollment incentives only or mostly for charter schools, and not for families or traditional schools, then my results indicate that many charter schools are avoiding enrolling low-income students."

"The primary implication for policymakers is that charter schools appear to be sensitive to the costs of providing education," said Bruno. "This matters for both the funding and the regulation of charter schools."

The author noted that when designing weighted funded systems, policymakers need to think carefully about which student characteristics should be considered.

"There are some obvious candidates, including eligibility for free lunch or special education or English learner services," said Bruno. "Not only do students with these characteristics appear to have distinctive and costly educational needs, but there is also evidence that they are underserved by charter schools in at least some cases."

The author also noted that policymakers need to ensure that formula weights are large enough to change the behaviors of charter school operators, but also are not so large that they create perverse incentives, such as discouraging schools from declassifying students as English learners.

INFORMATION:

To request a copy of the working paper, or to talk to study author, please contact AERA Communications: Tony Pals, Director of Communications, tpals@aera.net, cell: (202) 288-9333; Tong Wu, Communications Associate, twu@aera.net, cell: (202) 957-3802

About AERA The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national interdisciplinary research association devoted to the scientific study of education and learning. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Find AERA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

More nuanced approach to deciding who gets COVID-19 vaccine needed in face of third wave

More nuanced approach to deciding who gets COVID-19 vaccine needed in face of third wave
2021-04-09
It's time for a more nuanced approach to vaccine prioritization, as more contagious COVID-19 variants become prevalent and a third wave of infections threatens to overwhelm hospitals in some provinces, according to an END ...

An on-off switch for gene editing

An on-off switch for gene editing
2021-04-09
Over the past decade, the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system has revolutionized genetic engineering, allowing scientists to make targeted changes to organisms' DNA. While the system could potentially be useful in treating a variety of diseases, CRISPR-Cas9 editing involves cutting DNA strands, leading to permanent changes to the cell's genetic material. Now, in a paper published online in Cell on April 9, researchers describe a new gene editing technology called CRISPRoff that allows researchers to control gene expression with high specificity while leaving the sequence of the DNA unchanged. Designed by Whitehead Institute Member Jonathan Weissman, University of California San Francisco assistant professor Luke Gilbert, Weissman lab postdoc James Nuñez and collaborators, ...

COVID-19 vaccine prioritization

2021-04-09
What The Study Did: This survey study examines wh0 U.S. adults believe should be prioritized for access to COVID-19 vaccines. Authors: Ezekiel J. Emanuel, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.7943) Editor's Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support. INFORMATION: Media advisory: The ...

US children, adolescents diagnosed with COVID-19

2021-04-09
What The Study Did: In this observational study, data are used to assess the association of demographic and clinical characteristics with severe COVID-19 illness among hospitalized U.S. pediatric patients with COVID-19. Authors: Alyson B. Goodman, M.D., of the COVID-19 Response Team at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.5298) Editor's Note:  Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict ...

Genome analysis for sequence variants in SARS-CoV-2 among asymptomatic individuals in long-term care facility

2021-04-09
What The Study Did: Genome analysis was performed on SARS-CoV-2 RNA from seven patients in a long-term care facility who were asymptomatic at the time of screening. Authors: Baha Abdalhamid, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.7939) Editor's Note: The article includes conflicts of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support. INFORMATION: Media ...

Helping people understand adverse events associated with COVID-19 vaccinations

2021-04-09
What The Study Did: This Viewpoint discusses potential associations between functional neurological disorder and COVID-19 vaccinations. Authors: David L. Perez, M.D., M.MSc., of  Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2021.1042) Editor's Note: The article includes conflicts of interest disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support. INFORMATION: Media advisory: The full article is linked ...

Out-of-pocket health care expenses before, after Affordable Care Act

2021-04-09
What The Study Did: Researchers analyzed changes in out-of-pocket health care expenses in the United States during the last two decades. Authors: Amit Jain, M.D., of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.5499) Editor's Note: The article includes conflicts of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, ...

Brain organoids uncover various mechanisms of virus-induced microcephaly

Brain organoids uncover various mechanisms of virus-induced microcephaly
2021-04-09
Researchers at IMBA - Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences - demonstrate that different viruses can lead to brain malformations through diverse mechanisms by using human brain organoid models. The results are published in the journal Cell Stem Cell. Microcephaly, a term referring to developmental malformations of the fetal brain, can be caused by diverse infections during pregnancy. The infectious agents in question are grouped under the general term of TORCH pathogens, in reference to Toxoplasma gondii, Other, Rubella, Human Cytomegalovirus ...

New machine learning method accurately predicts battery state of health

2021-04-09
Electrical batteries are increasingly crucial in a variety of applications, from integration of intermittent energy sources with demand, to unlocking carbon-free power for the transportation sector through electric vehicles (EVs), trains and ships, to a host of advanced electronics and robotic applications. A key challenge however is that batteries degrade quickly with operating conditions. It is currently difficult to estimate battery health without interrupting the operation of the battery or without going through a lengthy procedure of charge-discharge that requires specialised ...

Removing race from estimates of kidney function: What happens next?

2021-04-09
Washington, DC (April 9, 2021) -- The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) announce the concurrent publication of "Special Article: Reassessing the Inclusion of Race in Diagnosing Kidney Diseases: An Interim Report from the NKF-ASN Task Force" in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) and the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD). The publication in JASN and AJKD provides an essential review of the many challenges relative to identifying and implementing alternative methods to diagnosing kidney diseases. Last month, ASN and NKF asserted that race modifiers should not be included in equations used to estimate kidney function. ASN and ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Scientists trace origins of now extinct plant population from volcanically active Nishinoshima

AI algorithm based on routine mammogram + age can predict women’s major cardiovascular disease risk

New hurdle seen to prostate screening: primary-care docs

MSU researchers explore how virtual sports aid mental health

Working together, cells extend their senses

Cheese fungi help unlock secrets of evolution

Researchers find brain region that fuels compulsive drinking

Mental health effects of exposure to firearm violence persist long after direct exposure

Research identifies immune response that controls Oropouche infection and prevents neurological damage

University of Cincinnati, Kent State University awarded $3M by NSF to share research resources

Ancient DNA reveals deeply complex Mastodon family and repeated migrations driven by climate change

Measuring the quantum W state

Researchers find a way to use antibodies to direct T cells to kill Cytomegalovirus-infected cells

Engineers create mini microscope for real-time brain imaging

Funding for training and research in biological complexity

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: September 12, 2025

ISSCR statement on the scientific and therapeutic value of human fetal tissue research

Novel PET tracer detects synaptic changes in spinal cord and brain after spinal cord injury

Wiley advances Knowitall Solutions with new trendfinder application for user-friendly chemometric analysis and additional enhancements to analytical workflows

Benchmark study tracks trends in dog behavior

OpenAI, DeepSeek, and Google vary widely in identifying hate speech

Research spotlight: Study identifies a surprising new treatment target for chronic limb threatening ischemia

Childhood loneliness and cognitive decline and dementia risk in middle-aged and older adults

Parental diseases of despair and suicidal events in their children

Acupuncture for chronic low back pain in older adults

Acupuncture treatment improves disabling effects of chronic low back pain in older adults

How interstellar objects similar to 3I/ATLAS could jump-start planet formation around infant stars

Rented e-bicycles more dangerous than e-scooters in cities

Ditches as waterways: Managing ‘ditch-scapes’ to strengthen communities and the environment

In-situ molecular passivation enables pure-blue perovskite LEDs via vacuum thermal evaporation

[Press-News.org] Study snapshot: How do weighted funding formulas affect charter school enrollments?