Missouri Charter Schools: Doing More With Less

A new study gives Missouri an “F” when it comes to funding charter schools. The study, conducted by a team of scholars with the School Choice Demonstration Project at the University of Arkansas, systematically examined all funding, including private sources, and determined that Missouri charter schools receive $4,717 less per pupil than the district public schools. The graph below shows it all.

Despite receiving significantly less money, studies have shown that Missouri charter schools are outperforming their neighboring traditional public schools. The fact that charter schools are doing more with less is a testament to choice and competition in education. When schools are free from bureaucratic regulations (like teacher tenure) and students are free to choose their school, good things happen.