Controversial legislation that passed last year gives state funding through a formula to charter schools for their building and facility needs; the first payments have now gone out, reports Kevin Richert of Idaho Education News, and they exceeded estimates at $2.03 million, compared to the estimated $1.4 million. The biggest payment of the batch went to the Idaho Virtual Academy, which has its students learn at home rather than in classrooms; it got $132,330. The new law gives charter schools a per-student amount through a formula based on how much traditional schools raise for buildings through local voter-approved bonds and facility levies. Richert’s full report is online here.