Charter school spending equity
Educational Equity Under Constraint
Charter School Funding in Rochester, New York: Key Findings and Policy Recommendations
A 2026 summary of findings from a twelve-month field study of resource allocation, educational outcomes, and funding equity across Rochester's charter school sector.
Report prepared by Kris M. DeFilippis, Ed.D. Clinical Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at New York University Steinhardt
The Problem
Rochester's charter schools serve approximately 9,200 students, roughly 30% of the city's public
school population. These schools are overwhelmingly high-poverty (97% economically disadvantaged at representative schools) and serve predominantly students of color (approximately 87%). Many produce academic outcomes that significantly exceed district averages. Yet Rochester is the only major city in New York State where charter school per-pupil funding has actually declined, even as statewide education spending reached historic highs.
Key Data Snapshot
$14,088 Charter School Basic Tuition per pupil in Rochester (2024-25), the lowest among comparable NYS districts
$20,809 Estimated per-pupil funding gap between Rochester charter schools and RCSD (adjusted for instructional comparability)
42% Rochester's funding gap as a share of district per-pupil spending, one of the largest in the nation (McGee, Wolf, & Maloney, 2022)
-$228 Per-pupil cut to Rochester charter schools in 2024-25, while statewide Foundation Aid rose 3.9%
$2.1 million Total revenue loss across all Rochester charter schools from the 2024-25 reduction
47 points Math proficiency margin by which the highest-performing Rochester charter network exceeds RCSD
Cross-District Charter Tuition Comparison (NYSED Verified)
District | 2024-25 CSBT | Child Poverty | vs. Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
Rochester | $14,088 | ~42% | - |
Buffalo | $14,614 | ~35% | +$526 |
Syracuse | $14,601 | ~33% | +$513 |
Albany | $18,150 | ~24% | +$4,062 |
Yonkers | $18,310 | ~17% | +$4,222 |
New York City | $19,044 | ~20% | +$4,956 |
Source: NYSED State Aid Office; U.S. Census Bureau. Rochester highlighted. The city with the highest poverty rate receives the lowest per-pupil charter funding.
The gap is
$20,809
per pupil
The difference in public investment between a student in a Rochester charter school and a student in a district-operated school
(Adjusted Instructional Comparison).