Times are tough for school budgets. Charters are getting whacked along with schools in traditional districts. Everyone’s looking for new sources of revenue, and here in Washington, our affluent neighboring school districts in Fairfax, Va., and Montgomery County, Md., suggest contrasting paths. The Fairfax Chamber of Commerce is considering a new foundation that would steer business contributions to the school system, while Montgomery County is working with the Pearson ed-publishing house to create and franchise a curriculum aligned with the Common Core standards and “branded” with Montgomery County’s high-performing reputation.

I read the Fairfax story in today’s Washington Post with interest because some folks believe only charter schools raise private money – and suggest that we’re rolling in cash from our wealthy benefactors. As the recent Ball State study shows, philanthropic contributions cover but a small slice of the yawning gap in funding between charters and other public schools. And even the well-known charter networks that seem to raise a lot from outside sources spend most of it on two things that can’t be supported from available public funds – facilities and start-up costs for new campuses. Most states provide zippo in both categories.

But the Montgomery County story is far more interesting.  Not everyone is crazy about the idea – there are predictable shrieks anytime “profit” and “schools” are used in the same sentence – but I wish we’d see more of this deal-making in our own sector. Charter schools and networks are creating very cool programs, technologies and curricula, but mostly by and for themselves. Because our schools are so independent, and our charter-support groups are mostly organized around state-based advocacy, it’s hard to get innovations to make it across state lines. (That’s one reason we want to see the federal Charter Schools Program changed so “dissemination” grants can support national, rather than intra-state, sharing of good new stuff.)

Some hardy entrepreneurs are already helping charter innovation cross state lines, such as the BetterLesson curriculum-sharing platform that enables great teachers to share classroom strategies that work; and some state charter organizations have spun off technical support programs that can serve charters around the country.  But with so many cats to be herded, it’s hard for the Pearsons of the world to work this market.

Among charterdom’s many challenges, one of the trickiest is how to scale efficiencies and innovation across boundaries, particularly those generated by, or serving, the 77 percent of our schools not affiliated with any management organization. Expect the innovation-themed National Charter School Conference, coming up in a couple of weeks, to generate some new thinking on this point.