The Baltimore school system is trying to screw its charter schools -- what a total disgrace!  This is EXACTLY why we need to get more politically active -- it's the politicians who can put heat on the bureaucrats behind this and get them to back down.

The Baltimore school system has violated the terms of a contract with a charter school guaranteeing free utilities and maintenance through June 2008, documents show, a move that could leave the school unable to pay all its staff...

The new fees affect the eight charter schools operating in public school buildings, including KIPP Ujima Village Academy, Baltimore's highest-performing middle school. KIPP, which uses extra space at Dr. Roland N. Patterson Sr. Academy, is currently operating with no contract, in part because it's disputing the fees...

The development comes at a time of heightened tension between the school system and its charter and other independently run schools.

New Song Academy, an elementary/middle school which runs independently in Sandtown, notified parents last week that it would have to start its school year late because the system owed it tens of thousands of dollars and it couldn't afford to pay all its staff. The system came up with much of the money, and classes resumed as scheduled, only after inquiries from City Hall and from a Sun reporter.

Earlier this month, the state Court of Special Appeals ruled that the city school system must give charter schools as much money per pupil as it gives regular schools. Currently, the city spends the equivalent of about $11,000 per child in its regular public schools. Charter schools in Baltimore receive $5,859 per child in funds and the rest in services the system provides, such as special education and food...

Jason Botel, executive director of KIPP Baltimore Inc., said the fees aren't the only new charges the system is imposing this year. His school is being charged $100 per pupil for the operation of Stone's charter school office. That's on top of a deduction of 4.5 percent of its budget, amounting to $488 per pupil, for central school system administrative costs, even though, he said, "there are a lot of central services that we just don't use."

KIPP Ujima Village is part of a national network of schools that have been successful in educating inner-city children. Botel said nearly all other KIPP schools have more control of their budgets than his. And he said KIPP schools elsewhere pay far less for utilities than what the city school system is charging.

With administrative costs, as with utilities and maintenance, Botel argues that charters should be charged what they actually use, not on a per-pupil basis. Stone said the system is willing to consider revising the formula.

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Schools contract broken

8 charter sites in city will have to cover utilities; other needs may suffer

By Sara Neufeld
Baltimore Sun Reporter

September 14, 2006, 9:11 PM EDT

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-school0914,0,2889322.story

The Baltimore school system has violated the terms of a contract with a charter school guaranteeing free utilities and maintenance through June 2008, documents show, a move that could leave the school unable to pay all its staff.