SB 1184 would double-fund virtual charter schools for existing computers

Last year, lawmakers requested a report from the state Department of Education on how the transportation funds it sends out to school districts are spent; a task force looked into the issue, and came back with its “Pupil Transportation Report - 2010 Legislative Report.” Among its findings: About six years earlier, the Legislature had authorized funding student computers and other high-tech equipment for virtual charter schools from the state’s pupil transportation funds, reasoning that where brick-and-mortar schools have to transport students to school, virtual charter schools use computers to transport the education to the students.

The report found, “Virtual Charter Schools ‘transportation’ reimbursement represents approximately $1,200,000 in pupil transportation funding each year and continues to grow with each new virtual charter school,” and recommended that the practice end. “The Task Force feels that this program offers no true incentives for virtual schools to find ways to reduce their cost in ‘transportation’ expenses and that if the Legislature wants to continue to fund virtual schools technology use in homes, then it should be done by means of an alternate funding mechanism.”

No action ever was taken on the report, and virtual charter schools continue to get student computers funded by the state in this manner. Last year, they got $1,573,222, according to the state Department of Education. “Schools can only receive reimbursement for certain items, such as internet connectivity or computers, to name a few,” said Melissa McGrath, department spokeswoman. “This does not cover all their technology costs.”

Now, with SB 1184, Idaho would phase in a program to pay for a “one-to-one ratio” of computers to students in all Idaho high schools, and those schools that already have reached that ratio would get the money as additional discretionary funds. That means the three virtual charters, which already provide one computer per student, would get the discretionary money. McGrath said they could choose instead to get new computers and upgrade, but if they do that, they couldn’t also get transportation reimbursements for the same new computers. They could, however, continue to claim transportation reimbursements for other qualifying expenses, like Internet connections. That means the bill would double-fund the virtual charters for their existing computers, but only single-fund new computers they purchase.

The bill, the third piece of state schools Supt. Tom Luna’s sweeping school reform plan, is up for debate and passage in the Senate today at 3 p.m.