Grant Details

Grants Office Grantwriting service fee is currently unavailable for this grant
Get more information on grantwriting

Authority

Summary

History of Funding

Approximately $108,000,000 was available in funding for FY19.

Additional Information

Priorities: This notice includes one absolute priority, five competitive preference priorities, and one invitational priority.

Absolute Priority:

1. Best Practices for Charter School Authorizers - To meet this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the State entity has taken steps to ensure that all authorized public chartering agencies implement best practices for charter school authorizing.

Five Competitive Preference Priorities: Applicants must identify on the abstract form and in the project narrative section of its application the priority or priorities it wishes the Department to consider for purposes of earning the competitive preference priority points. The Department will not review or award points for any competitive preference priority for an application that fails to clearly identify the competitive preference priority or priorities it wishes the Department to consider for purposes of earning the competitive preference priority points. An application may receive a total of up to 10 additional points under the competitive preference priorities.

1. At Least One Authorized Public Chartering Agency Other than a Local Educational Agency, or an Appeals Process (0 or 1 points). To meet this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that it is located in a State that— (a) Allows at least one entity that is not a local educational agency (LEA) to be an authorized public chartering agency for developers seeking to open a charter school in the State; or (b) In the case of a State in which LEAs are the only authorized public chartering agencies, the State has an appeals process for the denial of an application for a charter school. 
2. Equitable Financing (Up to 2 points). To be eligible to receive points under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the extent to which the State in which the State entity is located ensures equitable financing, as compared to traditional public schools, for charter schools and students in a prompt manner. 
3. Best Practices to Improve Struggling Schools and LEAs (0 or 1 point). To meet this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the State entity is located in a State that uses best practices from charter schools to help improve struggling schools and LEAs.
4. Charter School Facilities (up to 3 points). To be eligible to receive points under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the extent to which the State in which the State entity is located provides charter schools one or more of the following:
   1. Funding for facilities.
   2. Assistance with facilities acquisition.
   3. Access to public facilities.
   4. The ability to share in bonds or mill levies.
   5. The right of first refusal to purchase public school buildings.
   6. Low- or no-cost leasing privileges. 
5. Serving At-Risk Students (up to 3 points). To be eligible to receive points under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the extent to which the State entity supports charter schools that serve at-risk students through activities such as dropout prevention, dropout recovery, or comprehensive career counseling services. 

Invitational Priority:

1. Collaborations between Charter Schools and Traditional Public Schools or Districts that Benefit Students and Families across Schools. (a) The Secretary is particularly interested in funding applications that propose to encourage, but not require, eligible applicants to propose projects that include a new collaboration, or the continuation of an existing collaboration, with at least one traditional public school or traditional school district that is designed to benefit students or families served by at least one member of the collaboration, is designed to lead to increased and improved educational opportunities for students served by at least one member of the collaboration, and includes implementation of one or more of the following—
   1. (1) Co-developed or shared curricular and instructional resources or academic course offerings.
   2. (2) Professional development opportunities for teachers and other educators, which may include professional learning communities, opportunities for teachers to earn additional certifications, such as in a high-need area or national board certification, and partnerships with educator preparation programs to support teaching residencies.
   3. (3) Evidence-based (as defined in section 8101(21) of the ESEA) practices to improve academic performance for underserved students.
   4. (4) Policies and practices to create safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments, such as systems of positive behavioral intervention and support.
   5. (5) Transparent enrollment and retention practices and processes that include clear and consistent disclosure to families of policies or requirements (e.g., discipline policies, purchasing and wearing specific uniforms and other fees, or family participation), and any services that are or are not provided that could impact a family's ability to enroll or remain enrolled (e.g., transportation services or participation in the National School Lunch Program).
   6. (6) A shared transportation plan and system that reduces transportation costs for members of the collaboration and takes into consideration various transportation options, including public transportation and district-provided or shared transportation options, costsharing or free or reduced-cost fare options, and any distance considerations for prioritized bus services.
   7. (7) A shared special education collaborative designed to address a significant barrier or challenge faced by participating charter schools and traditional public schools in improving academic or developmental outcomes and services for students with disabilities (as defined in section 8101 of the ESEA);
   8. (8) A shared English learner collaborative designed to address a significant barrier or challenge faced by participating charter schools or traditional public schools in improving academic outcomes for English learners (as defined in section 8101 of the ESEA); or
   9. (9) Other collaborations, such as the sharing of innovative and best practices, designed to address a significant barrier or challenge faced by participating charter schools or traditional public schools and designed to improve academic outcomes for all students served by members of the collaboration.
      1. (b) The State entity certifies that it will ask each eligible applicant that proposes a project that includes such a collaboration to—
         1. (1) Provide in its subgrant application a description of the collaboration that—
            1. (i) Describes each member of the collaboration and whether the collaboration would be a new or existing commitment; (ii) States the purpose and duration of the collaboration; (iii) Describes the anticipated roles and responsibilities of each member of the collaboration; (iv) Describes how the collaboration will benefit one or more members of the collaboration, including how it will benefit students or families affiliated with a member and lead to increased or improved educational opportunities for students, and meet specific and measurable, if applicable, goals; (vi) Describes the resources members of the collaboration will contribute; and (vii) Contains any other relevant information; and
         2. (2) Within 120 days of receiving a subgrant award or within 120 days of the date the collaboration is scheduled to begin, whichever is later, provide evidence of participation in the collaboration (which may include, but is not required to include, an MOU). 

Funding Restrictions: A State entity receiving a grant under this program shall use not less than 90 percent of the grant funds to award subgrants to eligible applicants, in accordance with the quality charter school program described in the State entity's application pursuant to section 4303(f), for activities related to opening and preparing for the operation of new charter schools and replicated high-quality charter schools, or expanding high-quality charter schools; (b) reserve not less than 7 percent of the grant funds to provide technical assistance to eligible applicants and authorized public chartering agencies in carrying out such activities, and to work with authorized public chartering agencies in the State to improve authorizing quality, including developing capacity for, and conducting, fiscal oversight and auditing of charter schools; and (c) reserve not more than 3 percent of the grant funds for administrative costs, which may include technical assistance. A State entity may use a grant received under this program to provide technical assistance and to work with authorized public chartering agencies to improve authorizing quality under section 4303(b)(2) of the ESEA directly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements

Contacts