PEER Committee releases FY2020 Annual Report: Analysis of Funding for Mississippi Charter Schools and the Charter School Authorizer Board

The Mississippi Legislative PEER Committee is releasing its report titled FY 2020 Annual Report: Analysis of Funding for Mississippi Charter Schools and the Charter School Authorizer Board.

Some of the Committee’s major findings include:

• The current constitution of board members’ staggered terms results in three board members rolling off at one time, potentially impacting the board’s quorum requirement.
• The Mississippi Department of Education distributed MAEP funding to charter schools at the same amounts it provided MAEP funding to the school districts in which those charter schools were located.
• The local ad valorem pro rata calculation required by statute provides unequal shares between charter schools and the school districts.
• FY 2020 was the second year the state funding formula for the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board (MCSAB) provided enough funds to cover the operations of the board.
• MCSAB’s 3% fee revenues have increased at a greater rate than its expenditures.
• MCSAB reimbursed the state general fund $1,069 for an unallowable travel expense PEER noted in last year’s report.  However, MCSAB paid two contractors without a contract in FY 2020.
• MCSAB made improvements to its oversight of its federal Charter Schools Program grant and made progress in developing a solid board infrastructure.
• MCSAB granted renewal to Midtown Public Charter School although the school did not meet the performance framework requirements for renewal.

PEER Report by yallpolitics on Scribd