The chief executive officer of a growing charter school with campuses in Austin testified Tuesday that a lack of state funding for buildings is forcing him to make stark decisions equally his enrollment swells.

Matt Abbott, CEO of Wayside Schools, said charter schools are cropping up in spaces not intended to be schools, including former churches and storefronts. Unlike traditional public schools, charters get no facilities funding from the state and can't tax property.

"Charter schools weigh in at lawsuit trial", Maria Luisa Cesar, San Antonio Express-News, January 29, 2013. My earlier post near facilities funding.

The Texas Charter Schools Association is likewise challenging the cap on the number of charters; hither is an earlier post on the charter cap.

More coverage of the school finance trial:

  • "Testimony ends in lawsuit over Texas school funding", Will Weissert (AP), Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Jan 30, 2013.
  • "Charter schools say their smaller share of land aid is unconstitutional", Kate Alexander,Austin American-Statesman, Jan 28, 2013.
  • "School finance trial gives phase to pro-voucher witness", Lindsay Kastner, San Antonio Limited-News , Jan 22, 2013 .
  • "Expert: government mandates make schools inefficient", Lindsay Kastner, San Antonio Express-News, Jan 15, 2013.

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