Frequently Asked Questions

Charter schools receive the majority of their funding from state and federal entities. Like district public schools, they are funded according to enrollment (also called average daily attendance, or ADA), and receive funding from the district and the state according to the number of students attending. The ways and amounts at which charters are funded compared to their district counterparts differ dramatically within an individual state and even within individual communities within a state. Nationwide, charter schools are funded at approximately 64 percent of their district counterparts, averaging $7,131 per pupil compared to the average per pupil expenditure of $11,184 in traditional public schools.

Like all public charter schools, PAVE receives less funding than traditional public schools. PAVE Red Hook relies on private support to provide a comprehensive and rigorous education to ALL our scholars. PAVE Red Hook receives no funding for facilities, or crucial services like transportation and breakfast, which we believe are essential for serving our student population.

All formal complaints from staff, parents and other sources, should be handled in the following way. The general process for individuals to bring a concern to the Board of Directors is as follows:

• All formal complaints should be directed to the Principal in writing. As practicable, the Principal will address the complaint within 4 school days.
• If the complaint is not resolved to the satisfaction of the complaining party by the Principal, the complaining party should ask in writing that the Principal, pass along the formal complaint to the Board of Directors.
• The Principal will provide the formal complaint to the Board of Trustees within 48 hours.
• A representative of the Board of Directors will send a written acknowledgment of receipt of complaint to the complaining party within 5 business days of receiving such complaint.
• The Board of Trustees will investigate the concern and respond to the complaining party in writing with their findings and decision within 30 business days, or as practicable, from receipt of the formal complaint.

Charter schools are free, public schools that are open to all children and do not discriminate on any basis. They are independently managed and operate with freedom from many of the regulations that govern district schools. Charter schools operate under a “charter”, or contract, between state education officials and a Board of Trustees. They are held accountable to state and federal standards through the academic goals and metrics stated in the charter.

Charter schools are public schools, but the main difference is that charter schools have regulatory freedom and autonomy. In exchange for this freedom for curriculum and budget management, staffing, and more, charter schools are held accountable by state and federal accountability programs and have their charters reviewed and renewed (or revoked) by the authorizing agency every few years.

PAVE Red Hook prepares Kindergarten to 8th Grade students to thrive in competitive high schools and four-year colleges. We believe that great schools providing a world-class education act as a key lever that elevates students and opens doors of opportunity. At PAVE Red Hook, 96% of our scholars are students of color, 82% are eligible for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program, 17% receive Special Education services, and 12% are designated as English Language Learners.