The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Division of Elementary and Secondary Education has completed the fiscal year 2021-2022 preliminary state aid notice for open-enrollment public charter schools.  This Open-Enrollment Charter School State Aid Notice was posted to the ADE website at https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/fiscal-and-administrative-services/publication-and-reports/state-aid-notices-for-open-enrollment-public-charter-schools under the heading: State Aid Notices for Open-Enrollment Public Charter Schools, as “Charter State Aid Notice 2021-22 Preliminary”, in a PDF format labeled with the date August 20, 2021.

The notice has a “data” section and a “funding” section.  The “data” section displays much of the information used to calculate funding.  The “funding” section is sub-divided into categories and indicates some of the funding criteria used in the category’s calculation, as well as preliminary funding estimates based on available data.  Also listed in this section are revenue and source of fund codes and expenditure restrictions for each category. Shaded areas denote information not applicable to the specific charter school. 

Changes to data due to updates or corrections will result in changes to all associated funding categories.  Charters will be notified of changes on subsequent state aid notices. Changes resulting in lower funding totals may require repayment of funding overages.

• All data are subject to review.
• State foundation funding aid is based on fiscal year 2020-2021 three-quarter ADM for charter schools not in the first year of:
  • Operation;
  • Operating under a new license;
  • Adding a new campus; or
  • Adding a grade at any campus.
• State foundation funding aid is based on fiscal year 2021-2022 three-quarter ADM for charter schools in the first year of:
  • Operation;
  • Operating under a new license;
  • Adding a new campus; or
  • Adding a grade at any campus.
• For these current-year-funded charter schools, state foundation funding aid is initially estimated based on July 1, 2021 enrollment. This estimate will be adjusted in December based on fiscal year 2021-2022 quarter one ADM. A current year funded charter’s actual state foundation funding aid will be calculated in May based on fiscal year 2021-2022 three-quarter ADM from cycle 6. Cycle 7 will be compared to cycle 6 for changes in three-quarter ADM for fiscal year 2021-2022, and if necessary, state foundation funding aid will be adjusted and those adjustments reflected on the final state aid notice.
• Estimated charter facilities funding will be provided in October, and the preliminary 2021-2022 open-enrollment public charter school state aid notice will be updated with funding rates and amounts.  For more information, see AR Code Ann. § 6-23-908 and Commissioner’s Memo FIN-16-020 dated August 31, 2015.
• Estimated alternative learning environment funding has been provided.
• Data for the calculation of English language learners funding should be received by later in the fiscal year and will appear on subsequent state aid notices.
• For prior-year funded charter schools participating in enhanced student achievement funding, the enhanced student achievement funding is based on October 2020 certified enrollment data. The effect of enhanced student achievement transition funding is provided, if applicable.  For charter schools that are current-year funded, enhanced student achievement funding is based on October 2021 certified enrollment data and will be provided on the second state aid notice. 
• Pursuant to state law, a charter school cannot receive both declining enrollment and student growth funding.  A charter that is eligible to receive both declining enrollment and student growth will receive the category that yields the most funding.  The calculated amount of declining enrollment funding is provided on the first state aid notice if applicable.  Student growth funding will be calculated with actual ADM data as the year progresses. The first calculation comparing three-quarter ADM from fiscal year 2019-2020 to quarter four of fiscal year 2020-2021 has been provided.
• The effect of impact aid (miscellaneous funds) on state foundation funding aid has been estimated, if applicable. The amount of calendar year 2021 miscellaneous funds will be available in February 2022.  State foundation funding aid will be adjusted based on this update and the adjustment will be shown on subsequent state aid notices.
• Pursuant to Act 680 of 2021, a school district having an average annual teacher salary below the statewide target average annual salary ($51,822 for 2021-22), may be eligible for teacher salary equalization funding equal to $185 per prior year average daily membership. Refer to Commissioner’s Memos FIN-21-043 and FIN-21-048 (teacher salary equalization funding) for additional information.

For additional information, refer to Ark. Code Ann. § 6-20-2301 et seq., § 6-23-501 et seq., § 6-23-908, and the Arkansas Department of Education Rules pertaining to student special needs funding, calculation of miscellaneous funds, and charter schools found at https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/legal/rules.

Please review the state aid notice carefully. If you have any comments, suggestions for improvement, or questions about the form or the data contained therein, please contact David Allison at david.allison@arkansas.gov or (501) 682-4494.