When charter schools were first promoted in Utah, they were touted as ways to deliver education more cost-effectively. And charters have taken extraordinary steps to save money, such as buying used furniture for their classrooms and asking parents to help lay sod. They have kept employee costs down by paying less in health insurance and retirement benefits than school districts.

But times have changed. Nearly 10 years after the law went into effect, a legislator is pushing to make sure charter school students are essentially funded at the same level as traditional public school kids - with the help of the districts. In recent years, the state has kicked in extra to charter schools to make up for the property taxes that district schools receive but which charters do not.

"From a state perspective . . . it's more expensive to have a charter school than a local district school," said Rep. Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley, who is advocating the legislation.

The public school district that a student would normally attend would provide that funding to the charter school, covering a range of property taxes.

"The intent here is to try to make them essentially on par so public school students, whether they attend a district school or a charter school, have the same benefit for the same area," he said.

But questions remain about whether charter schools should receive the money voters approved in bonds for district construction projects.

Losing that money would force districts to draw on other funds, potentially leading to class-size increases and other changes for their own students.

"There is a big problem with it," said Martin Bates, Granite School District assistant superintendent.

jlyon@sltrib.com