Charter schools are publicly funded but do not receive the same level of support as regular public schools. Arco Iris Spanish Immersion School receives 85% of the per pupil funding allocated by the state and we have to make up the remaining 15% through fundraising. In addition, charter schools like ours are required to cover expenses that traditional public schools do not, such as technology services, rent/mortgage, etc. As a result, we operate with a considerable shortfall per student. This amount covers the gap between our existing revenue and our operating budget, in addition to contributing a small amount to the long term financial sustainability of the school.
Arco Iris is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so contributions are tax deductible in accordance with tax laws.
WHERE DOES THIS MONEY GO?
Your contribution goes directly into our operational budget and supports the core academic program, BSD charter requirements, facilities costs and teacher salaries.
Attracting and retaining great teachers is fundamental to providing a top notch program. In recognition of this, the Arco Iris Board raised teacher salaries for the 22-23 school year, but we still are not at the level of our local public schools. Our goal is to offer a pay rate that is commensurate with other bilingual programs in our area. In order to do this, we need to close our funding gap.