Budget talks continued earlier this week, as lawmakers were presented with an $28,970,435 request from the island’s charter schools for Fiscal Year 2026, nearly $2 million more than last year.

Evangeline Cepeda, Chair of the Guam Academy Charter School Council, explained, “Keep in mind, last year, the two new charters came in mid-way. So now, it’s a full fiscal year.”

But Cepeda wasn’t just advocating for more funding, she also urged senators to raise the student enrollment cap to meet growing demand at four of the seven charter schools.

“We will continue to work with the 7,800 per student pupil…The demand is greater. And now, we have the military families wanting to put their child in the charter schools,” said Cepeda. 

One of those schools, Science is Fun and Awesome Academy, or SIFA, is already feeling the pressure.

“We do have waiting lists. And people are excited to come to our school. We’re already at full capacity at the campus we’re in now,” said Dr. Jay Sunga, CEO of SIFA.

“We are looking forward to increasing the mobile classrooms to accommodate those, and we’re also looking at off-sites to accommodate those. So, the great thing about charter schools is that we’re not tied to the four walls of a classroom,” said Dr. Sunga. 

Meanwhile, Senator Chris Duenas, Committee Chair on Finance and Government Operations, highlighted a contrast: A consistent charter school waitlist versus a reduction in student population at the Guam Department of Education.

“I think at this time, especially with the closing of schools, and all the conversations, I think it's time for education to be re-organized basically,” said Duenas.