{"data":{"id":"us-ut/utah-code-53f-2-706","jurisdiction":"us-ut","citation":"Utah Code § 53F-2-706","heading":"Small charter school base funding -- Base funding study.","body":"(1) Subject to legislative appropriation, the state board shall distribute small charter school base funding to charter schools with 2,000 or fewer students in the amount of the greater of $40,000 or $115 per student.\n(2) A charter school's eligibility for small charter school base funding is determined by the charter school's student enrollment on October 1 of a given year.\n(3) Notwithstanding this section and subject to legislative appropriations, including intent language for the applicable fiscal year, the state board may distribute to charter schools, regardless of size, one-time funding that the Legislature appropriates.\n(4)\n(a) Subject to legislative appropriations, the state board shall coordinate and facilitate a comprehensive study of administrative and base funding costs for charter schools.\n(b) The study described in Subsection (4)(a) shall include the following members to constitute the study group:\n(i) a charter school business administrator from a small charter school whom the chair of the state board appoints;\n(ii) a charter school director from a large charter school whom the chair of the state board appoints;\n(iii) a school district business administrator whom the chair of the state board appoints;\n(iv) the director of each charter school association that has a member charter school operating in the state, or the director's designee;\n(v) a member of the Utah State Charter School Board whom the chair of the state board appoints;\n(vi) a member of the state board whom the chair of the state board appoints;\n(vii) relevant staff from the state board whom the chair of the state board appoints; and\n(viii) a representative from the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget whom the director of the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget appoints.\n(c) The chair of the state board shall:\n(i) convene the first meeting of the study group no later than April 1, 2026; and\n(ii) designate a member of the study group to serve as chair of the study group.\n(5) The study group described in Subsection (4)(b) shall:\n(a) examine how factors such as school size, enrollment scale, and operational models impact the relative costs of operating charter schools;\n(b) analyze the adequacy and effectiveness of the charter school base funding formula in addressing economies of scale challenges faced by charter schools of varying sizes;\n(c) compare administrative and operational cost structures across charter schools of different sizes and configurations and applicable districts;\n(d) evaluate whether current funding mechanisms appropriately account for:\n(i) fixed costs that do not scale proportionally with enrollment;\n(ii) administrative requirements mandated by state and federal law; and\n(iii) operational efficiencies or challenges unique to charter schools;\n(e) consider funding models used in other states or jurisdictions that may provide insights for the charter school funding system; and\n(f) identify any additional factors that significantly impact charter school operational costs beyond those currently considered in the funding formula.\n(6) The state board shall submit a report to the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee no later than December 1, 2026, that includes:\n(a) findings from the study described in this section;\n(b) recommendations for any modifications to the charter school base funding formula;\n(c) proposed criteria or metrics for evaluating the ongoing adequacy of charter school base funding;\n(d) estimated fiscal impacts of any recommended changes; and\n(e) a proposed timeline for implementation of any recommended modifications.\n(7) Subject to legislative appropriations, the state board may contract with a qualified third party, including institutions of higher education or research organizations, to conduct part of the study described in this section.","path":["Title 53F Public Education System -- Funding","Chapter 53F-2 State Funding -- Minimum School Program","Part 53F-2-7 Charter School Funding"],"source_url":"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title53F/Chapter2/53F-2-S706.html","current_through":"2026 General Session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-03T11:34:33Z","sha256":"82808483c39f2030ab59fbc46ab9468157c3ee5400e63f28c17cb0b59b0af253","source_id":"us-ut","stale":false,"prev":"us-ut/utah-code-53f-2-705","next":"us-ut/utah-code-53f-3-101"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}