Faith-based, nonprofit & membership orgs
Books and taxes for charter schools.
A state per-pupil funding deposit, a fee owed to the chartering authorizer, extra special education funding, and teacher payroll that has to hit every two weeks no matter what. Your own bookkeeper keeps it sorted, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
September came in at $15,500 after expenses. Enrollment landed eight students above projection, so I flagged the extra per-pupil funding coming next month.
- State per-pupil disbursementPublic funding
- Special education fundingRestricted state funding
- Authorizer oversight feeAuthorizer fees
- Houghton Mifflin curriculum orderCurriculum and materials
- Certified staff payroll runStaff payroll
Why your books are different
A charter school's books go wrong in the same recurring places.
A generalist sees a school and assumes it runs on tuition like any private one. Your school runs on public per-pupil funding tied to enrollment counts, owes a fee to the agency that authorizes it, and receives extra restricted dollars for specific student needs. Miss that mix and the board cannot see what it actually has to work with.
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1
Per-pupil funding gets treated as one flat number
State per-pupil funding changes with actual enrollment counts taken at set points in the year, and a school that books it as a flat monthly deposit can be caught off guard when a count comes in different from what was budgeted.
What we doTracks per-pupil funding against actual enrollment counts as they are reported, so a shift in enrollment shows up in the numbers instead of surprising the board later. -
2
Special education and restricted funding gets spent on general costs
Extra state or federal funding tied to specific student populations, like special education services, comes with rules on what it can pay for, and spent from the same account as general per-pupil funding, it becomes hard to prove the money was used correctly.
What we doTags restricted funding streams and tracks spending against them separately, so the school can show exactly how each was used if the state ever asks. -
3
The authorizer oversight fee looks like a random deduction
Many charter schools pay a percentage of their public funding to the agency that authorized and oversees them, and if that fee is not clearly categorized, it looks like an unexplained loss against the funding the school actually receives.
What we doKeeps the authorizer fee in its own line, so the board can see exactly what oversight costs against total public funding received. -
4
Facilities funding gets mixed with instructional spending
Some charter schools receive separate funding or reimbursement tied specifically to facility costs, like rent or a lease, and mixed with instructional spending, nobody can tell whether the facility budget is actually covering itself.
What we doKeeps facilities funding and facility costs in their own categories, separate from instructional spending, so each is visible on its own. -
5
A grant for a specific program gets counted as general revenue
A private or foundation grant awarded for a specific program, like an after-school enrichment offering, can quietly get absorbed into general funds if it is not tracked apart from public per-pupil funding.
What we doTags grant funds by their purpose and tracks spending against them, separate from public funding streams.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a charter school.
Set up once for how public funding, restricted dollars, and grants flow through the school. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Public per-pupil fundingState funding tied to enrollment counts at set points in the year.
- Restricted state fundingSpecial education and other funding tied to specific student needs.
- Facilities fundingFunding or reimbursement tied specifically to facility or lease costs.
- Foundation and grant fundingPrivate grants awarded for specific programs.
Money out
- Staff payrollTeacher and support staff wages, the school's largest cost.
- Authorizer feesThe oversight fee paid to the chartering agency.
- Curriculum and materialsTextbooks, workbooks, and instructional materials.
- Facility costsRent or lease payments, utilities, and building maintenance.
- Special education servicesAides, therapists, and materials for students with specific needs.
- Testing and compliance costsStandardized testing, state reporting, and required audit fees.
- Technology and student devicesClassroom devices, software licenses, and IT support.
What we watch for you
- Funding per enrolled student
Actual funding received against enrollment counts, so a shift in students shows up fast.
- Authorizer fee share
What oversight costs against total public funding, a number the board reviews regularly.
- Restricted funding spending
Whether special education and other restricted dollars are being spent within their rules.
- Facility cost coverage
Whether facilities funding is actually covering rent, lease, and building costs.
Ask Gus
Things charter school administrators ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
It should. I flagged the higher count against your per-pupil rate so you can expect the additional funding next disbursement instead of being surprised by it.
Not without checking your state's rules. I keep that funding tracked against special education spending only, so you know what is actually available before committing it elsewhere.
I keep that fee in its own line so you can see it plainly against total public funding, instead of it disappearing into the rest of the numbers.
The tax side
The tax side of running a charter school.
Most of what matters here is keeping public and restricted funding streams straight and staying ready for state compliance reviews.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- State compliance and audit requirementsMany charter schools are required by their state or authorizer to have an independent financial audit each year, separate from any federal annual filing. That audit is not part of this subscription, but clean monthly books make it far easier.
- Restricted funding recordkeepingSpecial education and other restricted state or federal funding streams usually come with rules on allowable spending, and clean records of what was spent against each stream matter for both state reporting and the school's own filing.
- Worker classification for aides and specialistsA classroom aide, tutor, or specialist who works your schedule and follows your program is an employee, not a contractor, even if brought on for a single semester.
- Contractor 1099sAn outside therapist, consultant, or vendor not on payroll who is paid $2,000 or more in 2026 gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
Deductions charter schools miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Curriculum and instructional materials
- Classroom technology and devices
- Special education services and aides
- Standardized testing costs
- Facility rent and utilities
- Bus and van maintenance
- Background check fees for staff
- Liability insurance
- Professional development for teachers
- Playground and facility repairs
- Office and administrative supplies
- Software licensing fees
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
A charter school year, kept every month.
Enrollment counts and state funding cycles set the calendar, and the books track every stream through all of it. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Reconcile the fall enrollment count
Last year's records are wrapped up, funding is reconciled against the fall enrollment count, and the contractor 1099 list is finalized.
- April
Funding year finalized
Whatever filing and audit process applies to the school is ready to support, with public funding, restricted dollars, and payroll already sorted for the year.
- July
Between enrollment counts
Where per-pupil funding and restricted spending stand heading into the next enrollment count, and whether the facility budget is on track.
- October
Before the next funding count
Many states take a second enrollment count in the fall. Gus looks at current enrollment against the budget before that count is reported.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for charter schools. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions charter school administrators ask first.
Can Gus track our per-pupil funding against actual enrollment?
Yes. Funding is tracked against enrollment counts as they are reported, so a shift in students shows up in the numbers instead of surprising the board when a disbursement changes.
Do you handle our required state audit?
No. An independent audit required by your state or authorizer is not part of this subscription. Your books stay clean and reconciled every month so the audit itself goes faster.
How do you keep special education funding separate from general funds?
It is tagged the day it arrives and tracked against special education spending only, so you can show exactly how it was used if the state ever reviews it.
What does our authorizer fee actually cost us?
It is kept in its own category so you can see it plainly against your total public funding, rather than it blending into the rest of your expenses.
Do you prepare our school's annual filing with the IRS?
No, filing that return is not included. Per-pupil funding, restricted dollars, and payroll get reconciled every month, so your board and whoever handles the school's filing are never scrambling to reconstruct the year.
Our books have not been reconciled since our last enrollment count. Can you catch us up?
Yes. Send the funding and bank records you have. Gus works through the backlog and the accountant checks it, and most schools know where they stand within a couple of weeks.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
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We keep books for the business next door too.
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- Private family foundations
- Private social clubs
- Trade & industry associations
- Veterans organizations
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- Christian schools
- Small & mid-size churches
What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever