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PHOENIX (AP) — Legislative staff agencies say a move to reduce funding for district-sponsored charter schools doesn't trigger a requirement that a handful of districts pay the state back for some past funding.
School officials have said enacted budget legislation phasing out district-charter sponsors could require repayment of millions of dollars. Meanwhile, lawmakers said they intended to exempt affected charter schools from a payback requirement already in state law but that they didn't put it in writing.
However, the Legislature's budget and bill-writing offices say district-sponsored charters don't currently have any liability for any payback.
The offices say the budget legislation included a statement expressing a desire to eliminate district-sponsored charters but doesn't actually end them.
According to the offices, that means district-sponsored charters still exist and don't have pay back past funding.
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